Tube End Detection in Butt Welding via Sensor Tilting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Manual input of tube parameters in butt welding machines often results in incorrect dimensions being entered, leading to unusable welds due to mismatched welding parameters such as time, temperature, and pressure.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of sensors on the plane and/or heating mirror to detect tube ends during controlled tilting, allowing for automatic determination of tube dimensions and material, enabling verification or automatic adjustment of welding parameters to ensure correct welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If manual input of tube parameters is used, then the operator can enter values freely, but incorrect dimensions may be entered leading to unusable welding
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback by using sensors to detect the actual tube dimensions and comparing them with the manually entered values. The controller provides feedback to the operator when there is a mismatch between entered and detected dimensions, preventing incorrect welding parameters from being applied. This resolves the contradiction by maintaining ease of manual input while ensuring reliability through automated verification.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the purely manual mechanical input system with an automated sensing and detection system. Sensors mounted on the plane or heating mirror automatically detect tube dimensions, substituting the manual measurement and input process with an automated optical or electronic detection system. This eliminates human error in parameter entry while preserving the overall manual operation flow.
2Measurement precision
If sensors are added to detect tube ends during tilting, then tube dimensions can be automatically determined, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies multi-functionality by mounting sensors on existing components that serve multiple purposes. The plane or heating mirror, which are already part of the welding apparatus, are equipped with sensors that serve both the primary welding function and the additional tube dimension detection function. This reduces overall device complexity by avoiding separate dedicated detection apparatus while achieving precise measurement.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses the tilting motion of the plane or heating mirror as an intermediary mechanism to enable sensor detection. During the normal tilting operation required for welding, the sensor mounted on these components automatically passes by the tube ends and captures dimension data. This intermediary use of existing motion eliminates the need for separate detection mechanisms, reducing complexity while maintaining measurement precision.
Data Source
AI summary
A method, and an apparatus associated therewith, for detecting plastic tube ends clamped in a butt welding machine, the plastic tube ends being planed by means of a plane, which can be introduced between the plastic tube ends, and subsequently being heated by means of a heating mirror, which can be introduced between the plastic tube ends, and the plastic tube ends are welded together after removal of the heating mirror, the plane and/or the heating mirror being tilted in between the plastic tube ends by means of a controlled movement, wherein detection or sensing of the plastic tube ends during the controlled movement of tilting in the plane and/or the heating mirror is carried out by means of at least one sensor arranged on the plane and/or on the heating mirror.