Welding Spatter Shield Cleaning With Independently Actuated Scraper
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding spatter protection devices for longitudinal metal products face issues with mechanical complexity, uneven wear and misalignment of scrapers due to asymmetric protection shields, and ineffective spatter removal requiring repeated heating, which complicates cleaning and increases the risk of spatter sticking to the shield.
Innovation Solution
A welding spatter protection device with an integrated cleaning system featuring an asymmetric protection shield and a scraper mechanism, where the scraper is independently actuated from the shield movement, allowing balanced mechanical stress and repeated cleaning cycles without heating, thus preventing spatter from sticking.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single actuator moves the protection shield along a movement axis causing relative movement between the scraper and internal walls, then the device becomes mechanically simpler and more compact, but the scraper is subjected to unbalanced mechanical stresses causing uneven wear and misalignment
Solution Approach 1:
The device is segmented into two independent actuation systems: one actuator for moving the protection shield along the movement axis, and a second actuator for moving the scraper relative to the shield. This segmentation allows independent control of each component, eliminating the unbalanced mechanical stresses that caused misalignment while maintaining mechanical simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The scraper is made dynamically adjustable relative to the protection shield through the second actuator. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the scraper to maintain proper alignment with the internal walls during operation, preventing uneven wear and misalignment issues that occurred in static configurations.
2Reliability
If the protection shield is moved repeatedly to the welding zone for cleaning cycles, then spatter can be removed from the internal walls, but the shield is heated making spatter easier to stick and harder to remove
Solution Approach 1:
The scraper is actuated to clean the internal walls before the protection shield is moved to the welding zone. This preliminary cleaning action removes spatter while the shield is still cool, preventing the spatter from sticking due to subsequent heating during welding operations.
Solution Approach 2:
The cleaning operation is performed periodically at specific intervals during the welding process, when the shield temperature is favorable. The periodic actuation of the scraper removes spatter accumulation before it becomes problematic, avoiding the need to repeatedly heat and cool the shield for cleaning purposes.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If an asymmetric protection shield is used to extend mainly on the side facing main structures, then operator safety is ensured and machine protection is improved, but the internal walls become asymmetric causing unbalanced mechanical stresses on the scraper
Solution Approach 1:
The asymmetric protection shield is segmented from the scraper mechanism, with independent actuation systems. This allows the shield to maintain its asymmetric shape for safety and protection purposes while the scraper can be independently positioned and actuated to maintain balanced mechanical stresses during cleaning operations.
Data Source
AI summary
A welding spatter protection device has a support structure, a movable structure delimiting a first internal cavity by internal side walls and movable by a first actuator between a lowered position, in which the first internal cavity is placed astride a welding zone, and a raised position, in which the first internal cavity is moved away from the welding zone, and a cleaning system having a scraper. Two second internal side walls interconnect two first internal side walls defining two concentric cylindrical surfaces. The scraper is connected to the movable structure by a support arm actuatable by a second actuator. Circumferential ends of the concentric cylindrical surfaces at an inlet mouth and at an internal stop position are radially aligned so that the scraper is always in contact with the concentric cylindrical surfaces, oriented so that a radially outermost cylindrical surface extends beyond the bottom wall, defining a shielding appendage.