Dual wire welding or additive manufacturing system and method
AssigneeLincoln Global, Inc.
InventorsTodd E. Kooken, Steven R. Peters, Matthew A. Weeks, Bruce J. Chantry, Alexander J. Stergios
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method of welding or additive manufacturing is provided where at least two welding electrodes are provided to and passed through a two separate orifices on a single contact tip and a welding waveform is provided to the electrodes through the contact tip to weld simultaneously with both electrodes, where a bridge droplet is formed between the electrodes and then transferred to the puddle.
Claims20
A welding or additive manufacturing system, comprising:
- a contact tip assembly, wherein the contact tip assembly includes:
- a first electrically conductive portion having a first wire passage terminating at first exit orifice;
- a second electrically conductive portion having a second wire passage terminating at a second exit orifice,
- wherein the first electrically conductive portion and the second electrically conductive portion are directly electrically connected to each other, and a spacing between the first exit orifice and the second exit orifice is adjustable;
- and
- means for adjusting the spacing between the first exit orifice and the second exit orifice.
A welding or additive manufacturing contact tip, comprising:
- an electrically-conductive body extending along an axis between a proximal end of the body and a distal end of the body, the body forming:
- a first bore through the body that extends from a first entrance orifice at the proximal end to a first exit orifice at the distal end;
- a second bore through the body extending from a second entrance orifice at the proximal end to a second exit orifice at the distal end;
- a third bore through the body extending from a third entrance orifice at the proximal end to a third exit orifice at the distal end;
- a fourth bore through the body extending from a fourth entrance orifice at the proximal end to a fourth exit orifice at the distal end;
- wherein the first and second exit orifices are separated from each other by a first distance, and the third and fourth exit orifices are separated from each other by a second distance, wherein the first distance is different from the second distance, and both of the first distance and the second distance are configured to facilitate formation of a bridge droplet between at least two wire electrodes delivered through the contact tip, wherein the bridge droplet couples the at least two wire electrodes prior to contacting a puddle during a deposition operation.
A method of welding or additive manufacturing, comprising the steps of:
- providing a torch including a contact tip assembly having a first exit orifice for a first wire electrode and a second exit orifice for a second wire electrode, wherein the first and second exit orifices of the contact tip assembly are separated from each other such that a distance S is provided between the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode;
- adjusting the distance S provided between the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode;
- providing a current waveform to both of the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode through the contact tip assembly;
- and
- forming a bridge droplet between the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode using the current waveform, wherein the bridge droplet couples the first wire electrode and the second wire electrode prior to contacting a molten puddle during a deposition operation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.