Tactile-Guided Laser Welding Optics for Hard-to-Reach Seams
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser welding systems are inefficient for welding hard-to-reach areas and often result in suboptimal weld quality and increased material usage, requiring external control and protective atmospheres, which complicates the process and increases costs.
Innovation Solution
A laser welding system comprising a self-propelled pusher device and a tactile guide device connected to processing optics, allowing for rotatable and linear displacement to adjust the focus position and guide the weld seam, enabling autonomous operation and precise energy delivery without external control or protective atmospheres.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a laser welding system uses a self-propelled pusher device with tactile guide, then welding speed and accessibility to hard-to-reach areas are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The pusher device is designed to be self-propelled with self-guiding capabilities through tactile sensors that detect the workpiece geometry and automatically adjust the welding path. This eliminates the need for external robotic controllers and complex positioning systems, thereby increasing welding speed and accessibility while managing device complexity through autonomous operation.
2Manufacturing precision
If processing optics are rotatable and linearly displaceable to adjust focus position, then weld seam guidance precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The processing optics are mounted on the pusher device with rotational and linear displacement capabilities, allowing dynamic adjustment of the focus position along the weld seam. This dynamic positioning system enables precise weld guidance through multiple degrees of freedom while integrating the adjustment mechanisms directly into the pusher structure to minimize overall device complexity.
3Device complexity
If laser welding is performed without protective atmosphere, then process simplicity and cost are improved, but risk of chemical reactions between molten material and air increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the protective atmosphere requirement from the laser welding process by using a self-propelled pusher device with integrated tactile guidance that enables such rapid and precise welding. The high-speed, controlled welding process completes before significant oxidation can occur, and the self-guiding capability allows welding in configurations that minimize air exposure, thereby simplifying the process while managing oxidation risk through speed and precision rather than protective gases.
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 system achieves high-quality welds with minimal distortion, reduced material usage, and increased welding speed, simplifying the process and reducing post-processing needs, while also minimizing the need for protective optics maintenance.
Implementation Method 1
The laser beam heats the joint area to vaporization temperature, thus ensuring a deep, narrow penetration, i.e. heat input
Implementation Method 2
The preferably tactile guide device can, for example, include sensors that detect the environment of the workpieces to be joined and thus preferably determine the future path of the laser welding system based on the acquired data
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a laser welding system comprising a push device, a processing optic and at least one guide device.