Pipe Elbow Clamping Fixture for Accurate Welding Bevels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding fixtures struggle to properly hold and create uniform bevels on pipe elbows due to their curvatures, making it difficult to achieve accurate welding preparations.
Innovation Solution
A cone clamping sleeve assembly and faceplate assembly are used to securely mount a fixture onto a pipe elbow, allowing for precise beveling with standard pipe bevellers, featuring adjustable centering pins and thrust screws for accurate alignment and bevel preparation without damaging the inner diameter.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional fixtures are used to hold pipe elbows, then the fixture structure is simple, but the fixture cannot properly support the pipe elbow due to curvatures, resulting in poor manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture incorporates a curved support surface that matches the curvature of the pipe elbow, allowing the elbow to be properly positioned and supported during machining. This curvature adaptation enables uniform bevel creation while maintaining fixture simplicity.
2Productivity
If hand preparation or machine shop is used for bevel preparation, then manufacturing precision can be achieved, but the process time and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture includes pre-configured support surfaces and positioning elements that are prepared in advance to match standard pipe elbow dimensions. This preliminary preparation allows quick setup and consistent accurate bevels without requiring time-consuming hand preparation or external machine shop services.
3Measurement precision
If standard pipe bevellers are used without proper fixtures, then device complexity is low, but the bevelling accuracy deteriorates due to inability to properly position the elbow
Solution Approach 1:
The fixture is designed with universal support surfaces that can accommodate standard pipe elbows of various sizes. The multi-functional design includes positioning features, support surfaces, and clamping mechanisms that work together to ensure accurate bevelling with standard equipment, eliminating the need for specialized bevellers.
Data Source
AI summary
An assembly and method for preparing a pipe elbow for welding. The assembly has a cone clamping sleeve assembly adapted to be inserted into an end of the pipe elbow and a faceplate assembly removably affixed to the cone clamping sleeve assembly. The cone clamping sleeve assembly has a face at one end thereof. The face has at least one locating hole and at least one screw hole. The faceplate assembly has at least one locating pin receivable by the locating hole of the cone clamping sleeve assembly. The faceplate assembly has a captive screw threadedly received by the screw hole. The faceplate assembly has at least a pair of centering pins positioned at diametrically opposed locations on a faceplate. The centering pins are radially adjustable and adapted to bear against an inner diameter of the end of the elbow.