Powder Flow Alignment in Laser Welding via Optical Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In powder deposition welding, maintaining precise alignment between the powder feed and the energy beam is crucial to avoid powder losses and ensure uniform deposition, but manual adjustments are subjective and prone to errors, leading to inconsistent results.
Innovation Solution
A system with a conical annular gap nozzle and inclined nozzles for powder feed, combined with an optical detector array and electronic evaluation unit for spatially resolved intensity capturing, allows for objective and automated two-dimensional alignment of the powder flow relative to the energy beam's central axis, ensuring optimal particle interaction and deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual adjustment is used to align powder feed with energy beam, then alignment can be performed, but the process is subjective and prone to errors leading to inconsistent results
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces manual mechanical adjustment with an automated optical measurement system. An optical detector array captures images of the powder flow and energy beam interaction region, and an electronic evaluation unit automatically determines alignment status, eliminating subjective human judgment and ensuring consistent, objective alignment measurements.
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the interaction region between powder particles and energy beam through optical detection. The electronic evaluation unit analyzes the captured images and provides information about alignment status, enabling automatic adjustment mechanisms to correct deviations and maintain consistent alignment.
2Ease of operation
If powder feed is offset from central longitudinal axis, then easier operation is achieved, but powder losses increase and deposition quality deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an optical detection system to automatically determine the precise position of powder particles and energy beam interaction. The optical detector array captures the interaction region, and the electronic evaluation unit calculates the central longitudinal axis position, enabling automatic correction of offsets without manual intervention and preventing powder losses.
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-alignment by automatically detecting the position of powder particles and energy beam through optical means. The electronic evaluation unit processes the captured images to determine alignment status and can trigger automatic adjustment mechanisms to correct any deviations, allowing the system to maintain optimal alignment without external manual adjustment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If annular gap nozzle with inclined nozzles is used, then powder flow symmetry is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces complex mechanical adjustment mechanisms with an optical measurement and electronic evaluation system. The optical detector array captures images of the powder flow and interaction region, and the electronic evaluation unit automatically analyzes symmetry and alignment, eliminating the need for complex mechanical adjustment devices while maintaining precise control.
Solution Approach 2:
The system creates an optical copy or image of the powder flow and interaction region using the optical detector array. This digital representation allows the electronic evaluation unit to analyze symmetry and alignment characteristics without requiring complex mechanical measurement devices, simplifying the overall system while maintaining measurement precision.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables precise and consistent alignment, reducing powder losses and improving deposition quality by ensuring that particles are uniformly heated and absorbed into the weld pool, thereby enhancing the coating or deposition rate and maintaining symmetry.
Implementation Method 1
An optical detector array, which can preferably be a camera system, is arranged in a plane that is oriented perpendicular to the linear beam. The optical detector array is designed for spatially resolved capturing of intensities of electromagnetic radiation
Implementation Method 2
In this region, an interaction takes place as a result of the absorption of the energy radiation at the individual particles, which consequently heat up in part to above the melting temperature
Implementation Method 3
Powdery, generally metallic material is used and melted with the energy of an energy beam, in most cases the energy of a laser beam
Implementation Method 4
an annular gap nozzle, which is embodied to be conical in the direction of the plane in which the actual material deposition with the solidified material is to take place. Several annularly arranged nozzles can be oriented so as to be inclined in accordance with the cone
Implementation Method 5
the coating or the three-dimensional contour can be formed one above the other with multiple coatings
Implementation Method 6
particles of the powdery material flow toward one another from several directions at an acute angle into a region. In this region, an interaction takes place as a result of the absorption of the energy radiation at the individual particles, which consequently heat up in part to above the melting temperature
Data Source
AI summary
An arrangement for adjusting a powder flow in relation to the central longitudinal axis of an energy beam for a working head which is formed for powder application welding. There is a device for the two-dimensional or three-dimensional alignment of the powder supply in relation to the central longitudinal axis of the energy beam in a plane oriented at right angles to the central longitudinal axis of the energy beam. From one side, a linear beam is directed to the region in which the particles of the powdery material meet one another. At right angles thereto, there is arranged an optical detector array for locally resolved detection of intensities connected to an electronic evaluation unit designed to determine the shape, size and/or length of an irradiated region in which locally resolved intensities which exceed a predefinable threshold have been detected with the optical detector array. The irradiated region reaches from the surfaces of particles which the laser beam strikes with reduced power during the adjustment as far as a sub-region of the irradiated region which is arranged in the direction of a workpiece surface of accelerated powdery particles, in which the particles heated by the laser beam move divergently.