Positioning Sleeve Wire Feed for Precise Laser Cladding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing deposition welding processes, particularly wire-based laser deposition welding, face issues with process interruptions, wire feed inaccuracies due to wire curvature, and the complexity of changing wire diameters or materials, leading to reduced process stability and efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A feed device with a receiving unit and guide unit that uses a positioning sleeve to accommodate straight welding elements, allowing for precise and efficient feeding of wire-shaped or rod-shaped welding filler materials, independent of material or diameter, enabling discontinuous feeding and reducing setup complexities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If wire is fed through guides from a spool to the melt pool, then the wire can be supplied continuously, but wire curvature is caused by mounting on the spool and feed path bends which reduces feeding precision
Solution Approach 1:
The wire supply system is segmented into discrete positioning sleeves that can be individually positioned and replaced. Each positioning sleeve holds a segment of wire, allowing precise positioning without the cumulative curvature effects of a continuous spool-to-pool path. The segmentation enables the wire to be fed in controlled sections rather than as a continuous curved path.
Solution Approach 2:
The wire is extracted from the traditional spool-mounted configuration and repositioned into positioning sleeves that are separate from the spool system. This extraction removes the wire from the curved feed path through guides and bends, eliminating the curvature-induced feeding imprecision while maintaining continuous supply capability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If wire diameter or material is changed in existing systems, then different welding consumables can be used, but complex setup processes are required including replacing guide rollers and threading wire through the entire feed path
Solution Approach 1:
The feed system is divided into replaceable positioning sleeve modules. Each sleeve is independently configurable for different wire diameters and materials, eliminating the need to reconfigure the entire feed path. Operators can simply replace the positioning sleeve rather than threading wire through multiple guides and replacing rollers.
Solution Approach 2:
The positioning sleeves are designed as universal components that can accommodate different wire diameters and materials through standardized interfaces. A single sleeve design can handle multiple wire types, reducing the need for multiple specialized guide rollers and complex setup procedures for different consumables.
3Productivity
If auxiliary motors are used to feed wire and compensate for friction, then wire feeding can be maintained through the feed path, but additional sources of feeding inaccuracies are introduced
Solution Approach 1:
The wire feeding function is extracted from the auxiliary motor system and repositioned to occur at the positioning sleeve level. This removes the wire from the friction-prone feed path through guides and bends where auxiliary motors must compensate, eliminating the feeding inaccuracies introduced by these additional components.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a supply device (1) for supplying additional welding elements for a cladding process, to a positioning sleeve (300, 302) for a supply device (1), to a processing unit, and to a cladding method. In particular, the invention relates to a supply device (1) for supplying additional welding elements, in particular wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped additional welding elements for a cladding process, comprising a receiving unit (100) for receiving at least one additional welding element and a guide unit (200) which is arranged and designed so as to supply the additional welding element to a cladding process, wherein the receiving unit (100) and the guide unit (200) are arranged and designed such that the additional welding element is provided to the guide unit (200) in a discontinuous manner.