Rotary Edge Welding of Irregular Plates for Uniform Penetration

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Solution Overview

Problem

Welding the outer peripheral edges of irregular shaped plates in shell-and-plate type heat exchangers often results in lack of penetration defects due to varying curvature, leading to inconsistent penetration depth and welding defects.

Innovation Solution

A welding device that maintains a constant orientation and distance of the welding torch relative to the tangential line of the outer peripheral edges, with controlled orientation displacement speed and position, ensuring uniform penetration depth and reducing defects by using a controller to manage the torch's posture and orientation displacement speed maps.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Device complexity

If the plates are rotated at a constant speed, then the welding process is simplified and the device cost is reduced, but the passing speed of the welding torch varies between portions with different curvatures causing non-uniform penetration depth

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewelding device configurationVSAvoidpenetration depth uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The welding torch orientation is dynamically adjusted based on the curvature of the outer peripheral edge at each position. The controller modifies the torch orientation in real-time as the rotary table rotates, allowing the torch to adapt to varying curvatures while maintaining constant passing speed and uniform penetration depth

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The orientation parameter of the welding torch is changed according to the curvature characteristics of different portions of the outer peripheral edge. By adjusting the torch orientation parameter in response to curvature variations, the system maintains consistent welding quality without requiring complex mechanical mechanisms

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

2Manufacturing precision

If the welding torch orientation and distance are kept constant, then the penetration depth becomes uniform, but the device complexity increases due to additional actuators and controllers

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvepenetration depth uniformityVSAvoidactuator and controller configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The rotary table serves multiple functions: it rotates the irregular shaped plates at constant speed and simultaneously positions them for welding. The controller integrates both rotation control and torch orientation control, reducing the need for separate dedicated actuators for each function

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 approach eliminates welding defects due to lack of penetration along the circumferential direction, simplifies the welding device configuration, and reduces costs by maintaining consistent penetration depth and heat input across varying curvatures.

Implementation Method 1

outer peripheral edges of the irregular shaped plates fixed to the rotary table and rotated are welded by the welding torch

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectArc welding: Electric Arc

Data Source

PatentEP3446823B1Welding device and welding method
Publication Date: 2021.04.28 MAYEKAWA MFG CO LTD
  • EP3446823B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3446823B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3446823B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

According to some embodiments, there is provided a welding device for welding outer peripheral edges of overlapping two irregular shaped plates, including a rotary table to which the overlapping two irregular shaped plates are fixed, a torch unit including a welding torch positioned to face the outer peripheral edges of the two irregular shaped plates fixed to the rotary table, a first torch actuator capable of changing an orientation and a distance of the welding torch relative to the outer peripheral edges, and a first controller configured to control the first torch actuator so that the orientation of the welding torch relative to a tangential line of the outer peripheral edges and the distance of the welding torch from the outer peripheral edges are kept constant along a circumferential direction of the outer peripheral edges, during rotation of the two irregular shaped plates.