Pipe Assembling Device Flange Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for assembling pipes with flanges are cumbersome, dangerous, and lack precision, especially when dealing with large or long pipes, as they require on-site corrections and temporary models that are not reusable, leading to inconsistent quality and increased costs.
Innovation Solution
A pipe assembling device with movable flange positioning mechanisms that can adjust on a horizontal plane, incorporating X-direction slides, θ1, θ2, and θ3-direction turning mechanisms, allowing for precise alignment and welding of flanges based on electronic data, enabling the production of straight or bent pipes in a factory setting, reducing the need for on-site welding and heavy materials.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If flanges are attached to connection pipes in the field site with temporary welding and corrections, then the connection pipes can be assembled on-site, but the precision and quality consistency deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-attaching flanges to connection pipes in a factory setting using a positioning device that ensures high precision. The flanges are positioned and fixed before the pipes are transported to the field site, eliminating the need for on-site welding and corrections. This advance preparation resolves the contradiction by maintaining high manufacturing precision while enabling on-site assembly through pre-assembled units.
2Adaptability or versatility
If connection pipes are assembled and welded in the field site, then on-site flexibility is maintained, but safety deteriorates due to dangerous operations
Solution Approach 1:
The patent eliminates on-site welding and flame cutting by performing all assembly operations in advance at the factory. Connection pipes with pre-attached flanges are assembled in a controlled factory environment and transported as completed units to the field site. This resolves the safety contradiction by removing dangerous operations from the field site while maintaining adaptability through pre-assembled configurable units.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the hazardous welding and flame cutting operations from the field site and relocates them to the factory environment. By separating the assembly process from the installation location, the dangerous operations are removed from the field site context, eliminating safety hazards while preserving the ability to adapt to different field requirements through pre-configured units.
3Device complexity
If traditional on-site pipe assembly methods are used, then no special equipment is needed, but productivity and quality consistency worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a positioning device that stores and reproduces precise positioning data for flange attachment. The device copies proven factory assembly procedures and positioning parameters to ensure consistent high-quality results across multiple assemblies. This resolves the contradiction by introducing a relatively simple positioning device that dramatically improves productivity and quality consistency through standardized, reproducible positioning methods.
Data Source
Figure 1(a)~1(b)
Figure 2
Figure 3(a)~3(b)
AI summary
A simple, compact, lightweight, and inexpensive pipe assembling device (1) for welding and affixing connection flanges (3, 4) to both ends of a connection pipe (2) with high reproducible accuracy on the basis of electronic data for manufacturing design pipes, the connection pipe (2) comprising a straight pipe or a bent pipe for conveying fluid such as gas or running water. The pipe assembling device comprises a pair of left and right, the first and second flange positioning mechanisms (5, 6), at least one of which can move on a horizontal plane so as to approach and separate from each other in the direction in which the pair is separated from each other. The flange positioning mechanisms comprise: flange placement bases (7, 8) which are provided with X-direction slide mechanism (10) for sliding the flanges in the X-direction with the flanges affixed; θ1-direction rotation mechanism (11) which rotate the flange placement bases in a plane; θ2-direction rotation mechanism (12) which rotate the θ1-direction rotation mechanism in the vertical direction; and θ3-direction rotation mechanism (13) which rotate the θ2-direction rotation mechanism in the horizontal direction.