Robotized FSW – Evolution of forces and torque with nonlinear welds

The main purpose of the article is to study the evolution of the welding forces and torque with non-straight welding path. The main studies performed on forces and torque are usually done on plane straight welding path when the processing parameter are developed. As industrializing robotized FSW, the robot structure deformation under FSW load depends on the forces generated on the tool. Thus, in order to compensate the robot deformation automatically through the control, statistical model giving the welding forces and torque as function of the process parameters is established. This article deals with the study of the forces and torque generated as welding circular and semi-circular welds. The effect of the welding direction (i.e. position of advancing and retreating side) is also analyzed. The objective is to determine if the statistical model giving the welding forces and torque as function of the process parameters developed on straight line can be applied for welding different weld path geometries

Automatic reel controls filler wire in welding machines

Automatic reel on automatic welding equipment takes up slack in the reel-fed filler wire when welding operation is terminated. The reel maintains constant, adjustable tension on the wire during the welding operation and rewinds the wire from the wire feed unit when the welding is completed

Closed circuit TV system monitors welding operations

TV camera system that has a special vidicon tube with a gradient density filter is used in remote monitoring of TIG welding of stainless steel. The welding operations involve complex assembly welding tools and skates in areas of limited accessibility

EBW technology applied on the ICRF antenna component

Central conductor is one of the key components of ion cyclotron ranges of heating antenna, which is usually formed by welding due to the complex structures. High level of welding seam quality and small deformation are very important to central conductor. Electron beam welding (EBW) is suggested as the central conductor welding. To meet EBW requirements and reduce the risk, complex and high level of the accuracy welding fixture have been designed for central conductor EBW. Some samples were manufactured to do test and examination for EBW qualification before central conductor welding. Based on the welding parameters, thermal analysis using finite element method for the welding seam have been carried out. One mockup of central conductor for EBW has been made for proving welding parameters. In addition, some postwelding process were employed after one central conductor EBW. Results of examination and inspection of one central conductor using EBW are presented in this paper

Welding high-strength aluminum alloys

Handbook has been published which integrates results of 19 research programs involving welding of high-strength aluminum alloys. Book introduces metallurgy and properties of aluminum alloys by discussing commercial alloys and heat treatments. Several current welding processes are reviewed such as gas tungsten-arc welding and gas metal-arc welding

Torch kit for welding in difficult areas

Miniature tungsten inert gas welding torch, used with variously formed interchangeable soft copper tubing extensions, provides inexpensive, accurate welding capability for inaccessible joints. Kit effectively welds stainless steel tubing 0.089 cm thick. Other applications are cited

Small-scale explosive welding of aluminum

Welding technique uses very small quantities of explosive ribbon to accomplish small-scale lap-welding of aluminum plates. Technique can perform small controlled welding with no length limitations and requires minimal protective shielding

Grain refinement control in TIG arc welding

A method for controlling grain size and weld puddle agitation in a tungsten electrode inert gas welding system to produce fine, even grain size and distribution is disclosed. In the method the frequency of dc welding voltage pulses supplied to the welding electrode is varied over a preselected frequency range and the arc gas voltage is monitored. At some frequency in the preselected range the arc gas voltage will pass through a maximum. By maintaining the operating frequency of the system at this value, maximum weld puddle agitation and fine grain structure are produced

Comparison between friction stir and submerged arc welding applied to joining DH36 and E36 shipbuilding steel

With the impending development of FSW tools for steel with useful lifetimes, attention has turned to the mechanical properties of the welds that can be made in a range of industrially significant steels. This work reports on a comparative study undertaken to examine the use of friction stir and submerged arc welding on DH36 and E36 shipbuilding steels. The study made an assessment of the distortion induced in fabricating plates by the two welding techniques, and provides initial comparative data on weld tensile strength, toughness and fatigue life. In each case, friction stir welding was shown to outperform submerged arc welding

An intelligent real time 3D vision system for robotic welding tasks

MARWIN is a top-level robot control system that has been designed for automatic robot welding tasks. It extracts welding parameters and calculates robot trajectories directly from CAD models which are then verified by real-time 3D scanning and registration. MARWIN's 3D computer vision provides a user-centred robot environment in which a task is specified by the user by simply confirming and/or adjusting suggested parameters and welding sequences. The focus of this paper is on describing a mathematical formulation for fast 3D reconstruction using structured light together with the mechanical design and testing of the 3D vision system and show how such technologies can be exploited in robot welding tasks