Welded Pipe String Coating for Low-Waste Corrosion-Resistant Pipes
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing pipes for fire extinguishing systems face challenges in achieving corrosion resistance, material efficiency, and minimizing flow resistance while dealing with varying pipe lengths and diameters, leading to high costs and waste generation.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the formation of a virtually endless pipe string by welding pipe sections coaxially with a circumferential weld seam inside, followed by cutting to desired lengths, and applying a polymer-based coating using autodeposition, which ensures smooth transitions and reduces material waste.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If pipe sections are welded together to form a pipe string and then cut to length, then material waste is minimized, but the welding process adds complexity and potential corrosion points
Solution Approach 1:
The pipe string is divided into individual pipe sections of required lengths after welding. The parent pipe is segmented into multiple usable pipes through cutting, maximizing material utilization while maintaining structural integrity of each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of discarding offcuts from individual pipe cutting, the method recovers all material by welding pipe sections into a continuous string first, then cutting the string to required lengths. This ensures minimal waste as the entire string is utilized.
2Reliability
If a polymer coating is applied to the inside of pipes using autodeposition, then corrosion resistance is improved, but the coating process increases manufacturing time and cost
Solution Approach 1:
The polymer coating is applied to the inside surface of the pipe string before cutting into individual sections. This preliminary coating ensures that each pipe section inherits the corrosion protection from the parent string, eliminating the need for separate coating operations on each individual pipe.
Solution Approach 2:
The coating operation is merged with the pipe string formation process. By coating the entire string internally before segmentation, multiple functions (coating multiple pipes) are achieved in a single operation, reducing total manufacturing time.
3Object-generated harmful factors
If the inner surface of pipes is made as smooth as possible, then flow resistance is reduced, but achieving smooth surfaces increases manufacturing complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The internal surface parameters are optimized through the welding and coating process. The weld seams are controlled to minimize protrusion into the pipe interior, and the polymer coating provides a smooth finish that reduces flow resistance without requiring additional mechanical surface finishing operations.
4Strength
If completely circumferential weld seams are used to join pipe sections, then joint strength is improved, but the weld roots inside the pipe increase flow resistance
Solution Approach 1:
A composite structure is created where the metal weld seam provides structural strength while the polymer coating layer provides a smooth internal surface. The weld seam remains intact for strength, but the coating compensates for any surface irregularities that would affect flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The polymer coating acts as an intermediary between the metal weld seam and the fluid flow. It mediates the conflict by providing a smooth surface for flow while allowing the weld seam to maintain its structural function without modification.
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 enhances corrosion resistance, minimizes material waste, and maintains low flow resistance, achieving cost-effective and efficient production of pipes with optimized weld seams for fire extinguishing systems.
Implementation Method 1
welding the pipe parts by means of a completely circumferential weld seam to form a pipe string
Implementation Method 2
applying a polymer-based coating using autodeposition, which ensures smooth transitions and reduces material waste
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method for producing a number of pipes (100) having a predefined pipe diameter, comprising the steps: - supplying multiple pipe parts (101, 102) having the predefined pipe diameter to a welding station (53), - aligning a first pipe part (101) and a second pipe part (102) coaxially with respect to one another and axially adjacent to one another, - welding the pipe parts (101, 102) by means of an uninterrupted circumferential weld seam (109) to form a pipe run (104), - conveying the pipe run (104) to a cutting station (57) in a machine direction (A) downstream of the welding station (53), and - dividing off the number of pipes (100) in a designated length, from the pipe run (104).