Weld Cooling Apparatus for Complex Geometries
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding apparatuses struggle to provide effective forced cooling for complex or intricate three-dimensional geometries during thermal welding, leading to potential distortion due to limitations in accessing small or hard-to-reach areas, while maintaining weld quality.
Innovation Solution
A welding apparatus with a coolant delivery conduit that includes a first tube portion alongside the welding tool and a second tube portion extending downwardly and away, featuring a coolant nozzle that directs cryogenic CO2 behind the welding tool, allowing for precise cooling without disturbing the weld pool or arc, and enabling access to complex geometries by positioning the conduit close to the welding nozzle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a top-side/same-side cooling arrangement with a nozzle mounted on a carriage behind the welding torch is used, then forced cooling can be provided to reduce residual stresses and distortion, but the robotic arm cannot access small and/or intricate three-dimensional geometries
Solution Approach 1:
The coolant delivery conduit is repositioned from a horizontal arrangement alongside the welding tool to a downward-extending vertical arrangement. The second tube portion extends downwardly and away from the welding tool, allowing the coolant nozzle to access the weld zone from below rather than from the side, enabling cooling of complex three-dimensional geometries that are inaccessible to side-mounted nozzles
Solution Approach 2:
The conduit configuration allows dynamic adaptation to different welding positions and geometries. By extending the second tube portion downwardly and positioning the coolant nozzle at a distal end, the system can dynamically adjust its cooling approach to accommodate various intricate three-dimensional shapes while maintaining forced cooling effectiveness
2Adaptability or versatility
If the coolant nozzle is positioned close to the welding nozzle, then the system can access complex geometries, but the coolant jet may disturb the weld pool and welding arc
Solution Approach 1:
The conduit uses asymmetric positioning with the second tube portion extending downwardly at an angle away from the welding tool's longitudinal axis. This asymmetric arrangement allows the coolant nozzle to be positioned close to the welding zone for accessing complex geometries while directing the coolant jet at an angle that avoids disturbing the weld pool and arc, maintaining weld quality
Solution Approach 2:
The coolant delivery system provides localized cooling at specific positions behind the welding arc. By positioning the coolant nozzle at the distal end of the downward-extending second tube portion, cooling is applied locally to the weld zone without interfering with the welding process, allowing precise control over where cooling occurs
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 configuration allows for efficient cooling of the weld zone, reducing residual stresses and distortion, while maintaining weld quality by positioning the coolant nozzle to direct coolant effectively behind the welding tool, even in complex geometries, and enabling higher welding currents and speeds.
Implementation Method 1
a weld cooling apparatus for the forced cooling of a heated weld zone
Implementation Method 2
a source of CO2 as the coolant; at least one coolant delivery conduit arranged to move with the welding tool wherein the coolant delivery conduit comprises a first tube portion having a longitudinal axis and extending alongside the welding tool and a second tube portion having a longitudinal axis and extending, in use, downwardly and away from the welding tool, and at least one coolant nozzle at a distal end of the second tube portion having a longitudinal axis and an outlet for ejecting cryogenic coolant at the heated weld zone
Data Source
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AI summary
Welding apparatus comprising a welding tool and a weld cooling apparatus for forced cooling of the weld zone. The welding tool has a welding nozzle with a longitudinal axis, and the weld cooling apparatus comprises a source of CO2 as the coolant. A coolant delivery conduit is arranged to move with the welding tool. It has a first tube having a longitudinal axis and extends alongside the welding tool, and a second tube having a longitudinal axis extending downwardly and away from the welding tool. A coolant nozzle is located at the end of the second tube and is arranged to eject coolant at the weld zone. The coolant nozzle outlet is spaced from the workpiece and arranged to direct a jet of coolant behind the welding tool onto the weld zone at least 10 mm from the longitudinal axis of the first tube.