System and method for welding components
AssigneeROLLS-ROYCE plc
InventorClive Grafton-Reed
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system for welding a first component to a second component. The system includes a first laser head configured to emit a first laser beam and be movably disposable on a first side of the first component. The system further includes a second laser head configured to emit a second laser beam and be movably disposable on an opposing second side of the first component. The system further includes a controller configured to independently control a first power of the first laser beam and a second power of the second laser beam. The controller is also configured to independently and simultaneously control movement of the first laser head and movement of the second laser head relative to the first component.
Claims20
A system for welding a first component to a second component, the system comprising:
- a first laser head configured to emit a first laser beam and be movably disposable on a first side of the first component;
- a second laser head configured to emit a second laser beam and be movably disposable on an opposing second side of the first component;
- a first actuator unit configured to move the first laser head relative to the first component;
- a second actuator unit configured to move the second laser head relative to the first component;
- and
- a controller communicably coupled to the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit and configured to:
- independently control a first power of the first laser beam and a second power of the second laser beam;
- independently control the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit to independently and simultaneously control movement of the first laser head and movement of the second laser head relative to the first component in order to weld the first component to the second component along an interface between the first component and the second component;
- and
- independently control one of the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit to produce a greater or lesser movement of the first laser head or the second laser head as compared to the movement of the other.
A system for welding a first component to a second component, the system comprising:
- a first laser head configured to emit a first laser beam and be movably disposable on a first side of the first component;
- a second laser head independent of the first laser head and configured to emit a second laser beam and be movably disposable on an opposing second side of the first component;
- a first arm assembly coupled to the first laser head;
- a first actuator unit configured to move the first arm assembly relative to the first component;
- a second arm assembly coupled to the second laser head;
- and
- a second actuator unit configured to move the second arm assembly relative to the first component;
- and
- a controller communicably coupled to the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit and configured to:
- independently control a first power of the first laser beam and a second power of the second laser beam;
- independently control the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit for independently and simultaneously controlling the movement of the first laser head and the movement of the second laser head relative to the first component in order to weld the first component to the second component along an interface between the first component and the second component;
- independently control one of the first actuator unit and the second actuator unit to produce a greater or lesser movement of the first laser head or the second laser head as compared to the movement of the other;
- independently control the first actuator unit to move the first laser head based on a profile of the interface between the first component and the second component at the first side;
- and
- independently control the second actuator unit to move the second laser head based on a profile of the interface between the first component and the second component at the second side.
A method for welding a first component to a second component, the method comprising the steps of:
- providing a first laser head at a first side of the first component, wherein the first laser head is configured to emit a first laser beam;
- providing a second laser head at a second side opposite to the first side of the first component, wherein the second laser head is configured to emit a second laser beam;
- independently controlling a first power of the first laser beam and a second power of the second laser beam;
- independently and simultaneously moving the first laser head and the second laser head relative to the first component in order to weld the first component to the second component along an interface between the first component and the second component;
- and
- independently moving one of the first laser head and the second laser head more or less compared to the other of the first laser head and the second laser head.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.