DE212014000039U1 - System for laser hot wire coating of a pipe end - Google Patents

Abstract

A tube plating system (100) comprising: a high intensity energy source that produces a molten puddle on a surface of a pipe (P); a hot wire heating system that generates a heating signal to heat at least one filler wire such that the filler wire in the molten puddle melts when the filler wire is in contact with the puddle, the hot wire heating system setting a threshold for the heating signal below an arc generation value and monitoring feedback from the warm wire heating signal, and the warm wire heating system turns off the heating signal when the threshold is reached so that no arc is formed between the filler wire and the puddle, and after the warming signal is turned off, the heating signal is turned back on continuing the plating of the pipe (P), the hot wire heating system including a burner assembly (110) that directs the heating signal to the filler wire; a wire feed system (140) advancing the filler wire to the puddle; and a carriage assembly (130) mountable to a pipe (P) and rotatable about the pipe (P), wherein both the high intensity power source and the burner assembly (110) are mounted to the carriage assembly (130) to be moved with the carriage assembly.

Description

The present application is a partial refinement of US Patent Application No. 13 / 212,025, filed on August 17, 2011, which is a partial refinement of US Patent Application No. 12 / 352,667, filed January 13, 2009, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference taken in their entirety in the present text.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a hot wire processing system and / or an orbital hot wire plating system. More specifically, the present invention relates to a tube plating system according to claim 1.

TECHNICAL BACKGROUND

In a typical laser hot wire or fill wire process between a wire and a workpiece, a laser heats and melts a workpiece to form a molten puddle. A flux cored wire is advanced in the direction of a workpiece and the molten puddle. The wire is resistance heated by a separate source of energy such that the wire approaches or reaches its melting point and contacts the molten puddle. The heated wire is introduced into the molten puddle to carry out the hot wire process. Accordingly, the transfer of the filler wire to the workpiece takes place by simply melting the filler wire into the molten puddle.

In the case of joining pipe elements of dissimilar materials, it is sometimes desirable to plate or apply a layer of metal alloy material, such as a nickel alloy, onto the pipe ends to serve as an intermediate or "butter" layer at the pipe ends before they are welded together. In addition, it is generally desirable to minimize mixing between the layer and the material of the tubes. Accordingly, it is generally desirable to minimize the thickness of the intermediate layer.

Further limitations and disadvantages of conventional, traditional and proposed approaches will be recognized by those skilled in the art by comparing such approaches to embodiments of the present invention set forth in the remainder of the present application with reference to the drawings.

DESCRIPTION

The problem according to the invention is to overcome the above-mentioned limitations and disadvantages. This problem is solved by a tube plating system according to claim 1. Further embodiments of the invention form the subject of the dependent claims. Embodiments of the present invention include an orbital hot wire system for performing a hot wire process about the outside of a pipe end. The system includes a burner assembly that includes a laser optic subassembly and a contact tube subassembly. A track rail is configured to be mounted to the end portion of a pipe. A carriage is attached to the track to perform orbital motion about the tube end portion. The burner assembly is coupled to a carriage to allow the burner assembly to rotate around the pipe end portion. A control unit is provided for process control of the burner assembly to perform a hot wire process via angular movement about the pipe P, the angular movement defining an angle of about 180 degrees. Embodiments of the present invention may further include a control system that allows for a hot wire process via angular movement about the pipe P, wherein the angular movement defines an angle in the range of 180 to 360 degrees.

Another embodiment provides a torch assembly for orbital hot wire processing around a pipe end. The burner assembly includes a laser optics subassembly for providing a laser beam to the tube surface and a contact tube subassembly for supplying a filler wire W to the tube surface near the laser beam. The laser optics subassembly has a distal end from which the focused laser beam is emitted, and the contact tube assembly includes a distal end from which the flux cored wire extends. The distal ends of the laser optic subassembly and the contact tube assembly define a minimum free distance C therebetween.

These and other features of the claimed invention, as well as details of illustrated embodiments thereof, will be better understood by reference to the following description and drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and / or other aspects of the invention will become more apparent by describing in detail exemplary embodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

1A FIG. 12 is an perspective illustrative embodiment of an orbital hot wire processing system; FIG.

1B is a side view of the system of 1A ;

1C FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a laser optics subassembly for use in the system of FIG 1A ;

2 is a schematic end view of the burner assembly of 1A around the pipe P;

2A FIG. 4 is a schematic end view of an alternative embodiment of a burner assembly for use in the system of FIG 1A ;

2 B is a schematic end view of in 2 shown burner assembly;

3 FIG. 12 is a schematic view of a centralized control system implemented in the system of FIG 1A is used;

4 FIG. 4 is an isometric view of an alternative embodiment of the system of FIG 1A ; and

5 Fig. 10 is a schematic view of another exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described below with reference to the accompanying figures. The described exemplary embodiments are intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way. Like reference numbers always refer to like elements.

1 is an illustrative embodiment of a system 100 for cladding one end of a pipe P in a hot wire process. Generally, the system includes a burner assembly having a laser in combination with a contact tube, the assembly being rotated about a tube end to plate the end portion of the tube P in a hot wire process. More specifically, the system contains 100 a burner assembly 110 for performing a hot wire process to apply a layer of material, and in particular a "butter" layer BL, to the end portion of the tube P. One exemplary material that is applied to the pipe is a nickel alloy, such as Techalloy 625, which may be used to allow the pipe P to be attached to another pipe or pipe fitting of dissimilar material. The burner assembly 110 contains a laser optics subassembly 110a for applying a laser beam to the tube end portion to form or maintain a molten puddle, and a contact tube subassembly 110b in order to supply a flux cored wire W to the molten puddle in a hot wire plating process, as shown for example in US Pat U.S. Patent Publication No. 2010/0176109 which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The burner assembly 110 is coupled with an orbital subsystem to the burner assembly 110 circumferentially around the pipe end section to move. More specifically, the orbital subsystem includes a track 120 which extends circumferentially around the pipe P. The track 120 is arranged along the axial length of the pipe P so that the burner assembly 110 is positioned at the end of the tube. At the track 120 is a car 130 attached to perform an orbital motion around the pipe P around. An exemplary track and an exemplary self-propelled cart are in the U.S. Patent No. 5,227,601 shown and described, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

The car 130 is shown in one aspect to be a wire feeder 140 contains, which deals with the burner assembly 110 around the pipe P turns to filler wire to the contact tube 110b respectively. An exemplary wire feeder mounted on an orbital car is also in FIG U.S. Patent No. 5,227,601 shown and described. Other exemplary orbital car and track assemblies are available in the Helix T55 Orbital Welder from Lincoln Electrical Company of Cleveland, Ohio. The wire feeder 140 includes, in one aspect, a hub (not shown) for supporting the roll of flux cored wire W and a feed mechanism (not shown) for drawing and feeding the wire W to the contact tube 110b , An exemplary wire feeder 140 includes a motor configured for hot wire process control by a system controller in a manner described below. Alternatively, the wire feeder 140 a non-rotating feeder and from the cart 130 be separated. The separate wire feeder is arranged and configured such that the output of the wire from the feeder 140 not the orbital movement from the burner assembly 110 hinders, as will be described in more detail below.

The burner assembly 110 is adjustable with the car 130 coupled to the burner assembly 110 relative to the rail car 130 to position. For example, the system contains 100 a mechanism for adjusting the axial position of the burner assembly 110 along the pipe axis XX relative to the car 130 and in particular relative to the end of the pipe P. Such as in 1B you can see the burner assembly 110 with the car 130 through an adjustment arm 150 be coupled. In addition, the adjustment arm 150 further engaged with a sliding mechanism (not shown) mounted in the carriage 130 is housed to position the burner in the x-axis and the burner 110 to oscillate back and forth along the XX axis. An exemplary adjustment and oscillation arrangement is shown in FIG U.S. Patent No. 5,227,601 shown and described. The oscillating adjusting arm 150 and its axial oscillation can define the width of the plating layer BL in the XX direction. Accordingly, in one embodiment, the oscillation is configured for process control by a centralized control unit in a manner described in more detail below.

The system 100 can in one aspect for a radial adjustment of the burner assembly 110 be configured relative to the outer surface of the pipe P. For example, the system may include a second adjustment mechanism, such as an adjustable mounting bracket 152 , which is configured to contain the burner assembly 110 radially along the radial axis ZZ, along which a laser beam extends, and relative to the outer surface of the pipe P to position.

2 shows an exemplary burner assembly 110 in an initial position θ ₀ at the pipe end portion. The laser subassembly assembly 110a is with the contact tube subassembly 110b through a mounting bracket 112 coupled to affect a flux-cored beam axis ZZ which defines an angle α which, in one aspect, is in a range of 15 to 80 degrees when measured as shown. However, if the angle of the surface tangent of the tube is to be measured at the working point, the angle is in the range of 10 to 75. In another aspect of the invention, the angle α is in the range of 15 to 45 degrees (or 45 to 75 Degree when measured from the tangent). It should be noted that the angle used may depend on various parameters, such as the size of the wire, the operating speed of the machine, the size of the pipe, etc. Exemplary embodiments of the present invention may use various structures and methods to control the general arrangement the burner assembly 110 maintain. The burner assembly 110 As will be described in more detail below, it is configured to perform a hot wire process in orbital or circumferential rotation about a pipe P or other workpiece.

The laser optic assembly, in one embodiment, is a substantially cylindrical member having a distal end 114a from which a collimated and focused laser beam is emitted, and a proximal end 114b which is coupled to a laser beam feeder, such as a fiber optic cable 111 , such as in 1A you can see that with a laser source 113 is coupled. Exemplary embodiments of the laser source 113 include CO ₂ , Nd: YAG, YB fiber, Yb disks or direct diode disks for outputting a wavelength from about 1 micron to about 11 microns, and more preferably from 0.8 micron to about 10.6 microns. It should also be noted that the diodes (from a diode-based laser) may be located at or near the tube or may be spatially removed from the fiber-supplied energy portion. The contact tube subassembly 110b contains a distal end 116a from which the filler wire emerges, and a proximal end 116b that in one aspect with the power supply 115 is connected to heat the cored wire for the hot wire process. In one aspect, the laser optic and contact tube subassemblies are 110a . 110b through the mounting bracket 112 coupled together to the free minimum distance C between the distal end 114a the laser optic subassembly and the distal end 116a to minimize the contact tube subassembly. In an exemplary embodiment, the laser source 113 a power density of about 500 W / cm ² ready. The minimum minimum free distance C preferably defines the smallest distance between the laser optic and the heated wire W at the tube surface P sufficient to minimize or avoid damage to the laser optic subassembly by heat, but sufficient to provide the required laser energy Surface of the pipe P to bring. Generally, in a representative embodiment of the present invention, the laser optic subassembly includes 110a , as in 1C to see two lenses: a collimating lens 108a and a focus lens 108b spaced at a distance zz from each other to form a laser beam having a certain size (dot size) and energy at the pipe surface. It should be noted that although this figure shows a transmissive optic, other types of optics, such as reflective, scanning or cylindrical optics, may be used. We turn back 2 to. The free minimum distance C in one aspect is a function of the size and axial spacing zz of the laser assembly of the subassembly 110a , Accordingly, a desired minimum clear distance C could be used to determine the configuration of the laser optics that is needed to provide enough energy at the tube surface to perform the hot wire process.

Additionally or alternatively, the lenses are minimized and their spacing zz minimized, so that the minimum free distance C is minimized and, further, the overall size of the laser optics subassembly 110a is minimized. When the size of the laser optic subassembly is reduced, so too can the radial extent N over the torch assembly 110 be minimized. Reducing the burner assembly 110 can meet the drive and translation requirements of the car 130 and the running track 120 to reduce. Furthermore, additionally or alternatively, the housing of the laser optical subassembly 110a be designed so that the internal components of the subassembly are suitably shielded from heat and protected from the effects of the heating process on the subassembly 110a to reduce, so that the free minimum distance C can be minimized.

In another aspect, the heat and inadvertent arcing of the flux cored wire W may be minimized or reduced to minimize the effects of the heating process on the laser optics subassembly 110a to reduce, so that the free minimum distance C can be minimized. In a particular embodiment, the power supply 115 that heats the flux cored wire W so as to be process controlled to reduce heat, arcing, and / or inadvertent spatter formation, thereby reducing the effects of the process on the laser optical subassembly 110a be mitigated. Below is an exemplary embodiment of a control system for the hot wire process and the system 100 described in more detail.

The minimum free distance C and / or the size of the burner assembly 110 may be a function of the diameter of the track, with which the burner assembly 110 is coupled. More precisely, the diameter of the track rail 120 be defined by the nominal size of the pipe P to be processed. We turn 2 to. The burner assembly 110 is specifically configured for a hot wire process over a range of nominal pipe size D. The laser optics subassembly 110a In one aspect, it is sized to handle the largest nominal diameter size in a hot wire process.

During operation, the car move 130 and the track 120 the burner assembly 110a by an angular distance θ to plate the outer surface of the pipe P. In one aspect, the drive of the carriage may be configured to move clockwise or counterclockwise around the pipe P. In some embodiments, the carriage performs a one-pass plating in a clockwise direction, and then, after completion of this passage, moves the head assembly along the pipe P one weld bead width and then performs the next turn counterclockwise. Thus, the carriage (and any wiring, etc.) will unwind with respect to the pipe P itself. In some example embodiments, the transition from one pass to the next occurs at a different angular position during the plating process to ensure that there are no adjacent transitions in it Angular position located on the surface of the tube. For example, the plating for a first pass changes from the first pass to a second pass in an angular position of 180 degrees, then alternates between the second and third passes at 0 degrees, then alternates between the third and fourth passes at 185 degrees and alternates between the fourth and fifth pass at 5 degrees. In exemplary embodiments of the present invention, there are at least two angular degrees between adjacent passes.

The contact tube subassembly 110b and the cored wire W can therefore be the laser beam of the laser optical subassembly 110a leading or lagging around the outer surface of the pipe P. Alternatively or additionally, the burner assembly 110 a second contact tube subassembly 110'b included, as in 2A seen to be associated with a second filler wire spool and a separate feed mechanism that acts as the wire feeder 140 is configured. Thus, the dual contact tube subassembly provides 110b . 110'b a flux-cored wire that precedes the laser beam both clockwise and counterclockwise around the pipe P. As shown, the assembly may rotate in either direction, θ _a or θ _b , to supplement the plating layer on the tube.

We turn to the 2 and 2 B to where the burner assembly 110 is shown in an initial angular position θ ₀ . During operation, the burner assembly becomes 110 from its first position θ ₀ at angle zero to a second position θ ₁ , for example 180 degrees from the first position θ ₀ . When changing from the first position θ ₀ to the second position θ ₁ , a hot-wire process for plating a layer of material to the pipe end portion is performed. When moving, the orientation of the burner assembly varies with respect to a pipe axis XX. In some example embodiments, the assembly may 110 360 degrees are rotated around the tube, while in other embodiments, the assembly 110 turns 180 degrees in a first direction, to hers Starting point returns and turns 180 degrees in the other direction. Accordingly, the input signals to each of the laser optics subassembly must be 110a and the contact tube subassembly 110b may be varied and controlled to maintain the hot wire process and thus the desired plating parameters.

In 3 is a tax system 300 shown with a centralized control unit 301 works to maintain the hot wire process, with a burner assembly 110 which is rotated about the workpiece by an orbital motion device. The control unit 301 is with the laser 113 , the hot wire power supply 115 , the wire feeder 140 and the car 130 coupled to provide the desired motion and process control. Various types of computer control systems can be used. For example, the hot wire process is similarly controlled and operated by embodiments of the present invention, as described in U.S. Patent Nos. 4,917,355, 5,629,688, 4,648,866, and 5,634,648 US Publication No. 2011/0297658 , published on Dec. 8, 2011, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference in the present text.

In addition to the control arrangements for performing an orbital hot-wire welding operation, the wire feed and wiring associated with the rotating burner assembly 110 be configured to avoid entanglement with the rotating components of the system. For example, the power cable should be 117 to the contact tube assembly 110b be configured to avoid entanglement with orbital welding equipment. In addition, the laser optics subassembly has 110a in one embodiment, a fiber optic cable 111 coupled to it to direct the laser beam to the laser source. The fiber optic cable 111 should be arranged to avoid entanglement with orbital welding equipment. In addition, the fiber optic cable should 111 be configured so that the laser signal to the optics is not degraded. In 4 is an alternative arrangement of the system 100 ' so that the fiber optic cable is shortened with the laser optics subassembly 110a is coupled. In particular, the laser source 113 on the car 130 mounted so that they can connect with the burner assembly 110 turns around the pipe P. If the laser source 113 on the car 130 is mounted, the fiber optic cable 111 minimized, so that a disability with the rotating system is reduced.

It should be noted that in many of the embodiments discussed above, which are intended to be exemplary only, the tube remains stationary while the carriage assembly is being rotated. Of course, in other exemplary embodiments, the tube P may also be rotated. Furthermore, embodiments of the present invention are not limited to embodiments that plate the outer diameter of pipes, but may also be used for plating the inner diameter of pipes.

5 shows another exemplary embodiment of the present invention, wherein the system 500 a laser assembly 110 used, which has a rectangular configuration, as shown. The general operation and use of such a system is similar to that described above. However, such embodiments may be used where manufacturing or space constraints have a lower overall height of the system 500 desire. Thus, the assembly 110 Use optics to direct the beam at the tube surface, but use the optics subassembly 110a allow it to be oriented so that it is closer to the tube. This allows for efficient height management and may be particularly useful for plating an interior surface of pipes.

It should also be noted that although a typical round consumable or round wire has been discussed in the above description, embodiments of the present invention may also be used in conjunction with a belt-type consumable (having a generally rectangular cross-section) that has a linear shape. or scan optics to assist in generating the puddle as described herein.

While the invention has been described by way of specific embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the scope of the invention. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the invention without departing from its scope. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed, but that the invention include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

system

100 '

system

108a

collimating lens

108b

focus lens

110

burner assembly

110a

Laser optics subassembly

110b

Contact tubes subassembly

110b '

Contact tubes subassembly

111

electric wire

112

mounting bracket

113

laser source

114a

distal end

114b

proximal end

115

power supply

116a

distal end

116b

proximal end

117

Power cable

120

runner

130

dare

140

Wire feeder

150

adjustment arm

152

mounting bracket

300

control system

301

control unit

500

system

C

distance

D

pipe size

P

pipe

W

wire

zz

spacing

Θ

angular distance

θ _a

every direction

θ _b

every direction

θ ₀

first position

θ ₁

second position

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 2010/0176109 [0020]
• US 5227601 [0021, 0022, 0023]
• US 2011/0297658 [0033]

Claims (7)

Tube Plating System ( 100 ), comprising: a high-intensity energy source that generates a molten puddle on a surface of a pipe (P); a hot wire heating system that generates a heating signal to heat at least one filler wire such that the filler wire in the molten puddle melts when the filler wire is in contact with the puddle, the hot wire heating system setting a threshold for the heating signal below an arc generation value and monitoring feedback from the warm wire heating signal, and the warm wire heating system turns off the heating signal when the threshold is reached so that no arc is formed between the filler wire and the puddle, and after the heating signal is turned off, the heating signal is turned back on continuing the plating of the pipe (P), the hot wire heating system comprising a burner assembly ( 110 ) which directs the heating signal to the filler wire; a wire feed system ( 140 ) advancing the filler wire to the puddle; and a carriage assembly ( 130 ) which is mountable on a pipe (P) and which is rotatable about the pipe (P), wherein both the high-intensity energy source and the burner assembly ( 110 ) on the carriage assembly ( 130 ) is mounted to be moved with the carriage assembly. System ( 100 ) according to claim 1, wherein the burner assembly ( 110 ) is oriented such that the cored wire is directed onto the puddle at an angle in the range of 15 to 80 degrees relative to a normal of a surface of the pipe (P) as the carriage assembly rotates about the pipe (P). System ( 100 ) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the carriage assembly ( 130 ) is rotatable in both clockwise and counterclockwise directions. System ( 100 ) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the high intensity power source is a laser which directs a beam at the pipe (P). System ( 100 ) according to one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the burner assembly ( 110 ) is oriented so that the cored wire is directed onto the puddle at an angle in the range of 15 to 45 degrees relative to a normal of a surface of the pipe (P), while the carriage assembly (14) 130 ) turns around the pipe (P). System ( 100 ) according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the carriage assembly ( 130 ) can be rotated 180 degrees around the pipe (P), or where the carriage assembly ( 130 ) to 360 degrees around the tube (P) is rotatable. System ( 100 ) according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the carriage assembly ( 130 ) comprises a movement mechanism comprising the high-intensity energy source and / or the burner assembly ( 110 ) is moved in a longitudinal direction relative to the pipe (P).

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