Back to results
US 4,574,176 AGranted
Method and apparatus for pulsed high energy density welding
AssigneeSWS Incorporated
InventorCharles M. Sharp
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeSWS Incorporated
InventorCharles M. Sharp
Estimating the term…
A method and apparatus for high speed welding are disclosed wherein a continuous weld is formed at high speed along a member with a plurality of overlapping welds formed by pulses of high density energy from a pulsed high energy density welding device such as an electronically pulsed gas laser. The movement of the member being welded is detected in the vicinity of the pulsed laser. The pulsed laser is controlled in response to the detected movement so that the energy for welding from the pulses per unit length of the member being welded is accurately controlled. The control of the laser involves pulsing of the laser in response to the detected movement of the member so that the pitch of the overlapping welds along the member is substantially constant. Also, the power of the laser pulses is controlled and adjusted in a predetermined manner in response to the detected movements. The high speed movement of the member is detected by detecting the leading edge of the moving member at or upstream of the pulsed laser and also continuously detecting the position of the moving member at or as it moves past the pulsed laser. High quality welds can be made in materials at speeds of 22-40 m/min. or more with the method and apparatus.
A method.of forming a continuous weld at high speed comprising the steps of moving a member to be welded at high speed relative to a pulsed high energy density welding means capable of producing a plurality of short duration pulses of energy having an average power density of at least 10.sup.6 watts/inch.sup.2, forming a continuous weld along said member with a plurality of overlapping welds formed by applying a plurality of short duration pulses of high density energy from said pulses high energy density welding means to said member, detecting the movement of said moving member in the vicinity of said welding means and controlling the pulsing of said pulsed high energy density welding means during said welding in response to the detected movement of said moving member so that the energy for welding from the pulses per unit length of the member is accurately controlled.
Apparatus for forming a continuous weld along a member at high speed with a plurality of overlapping welds formed by pulses of energy having an average power density of at least 10.sup.6 watts/inch.sup.2 comprising a pulsed high energy density welding means for producing a plurality of short duration pulses of energy having an average power density of at least 10.sup.6 watts/inch.sup.2, means for moving a member to be welded at high speed relative to the pulsed high energy density welding means, means for detecting the movement of said moving member in the vicinity of said welding means, and control means for controlling the pulsing of the pulsed high energy density welding means in response to the detected movement of said moving member so that the energy for welding from the pulses per unit length of the member is accurately controlled.
A method of forming a continuous weld comprising the steps of moving a member to be welded relative to a pulsed high energy density welding means, forming a continuous weld along said member with a plurality of overlapping welds formed by a plurality of short duration pulses of energy from said pulsed welding means having an average power density of at least 10.sup.6 watts/inch.sup.2, continuously detecting the position of the member in the vicinity of the pulsed high energy density welding means, and pulsing said high energy density welding means in response to the detected position of the member so that the welds formed by said pulses overlap in a predetermined manner independent of the speed of movement of the member.
A method of forming a continuous weld comprising the steps of moving a member to be welded relative to a pulsed high energy density welding means for producing a plurality of short duration pulses of high density energy, forming a continuous weld along said member with a plurality of overlapping welds formed by a plurality of short duration pulses of energy from said pulsed welding means having an average power density of at least 10.sup.6 watts /inch.sup.2, continuously detecting the position of the member in the vicinity of the pulsed welding means, and adjusting the power of the pulses from the pulsed welding means in a predetermined manner in respone to the detected position of the member.
Apparatus for pulsed welding comprising a pulsed high energy density welding means for producing a plurality of short duration pulses of high density energy, means for moving a member to be welded relative to the pulsed high energy density welding means, means for continuously detecting the position of the member in the vicinity of the pulsed high energy density welding means, and means for pulsing said pulsed welding means in response to the detected position of said moving member so that the location of the welds formed by the pulses of high density energy from said pulsed welding means can be accurately controlled with respect to the member independent of the speed of movement of the member.
Apparatus for pulsed welding comprising a pulsed high energy density welding means, means for moving a member to be welded relative to the pulsed high energy density welding means, means for continuously detecting the position of the member in the vicinity of the pulsed high energy density welding means, and means for pulsing said pulsed welding means in response to the detected position of said moving member so that the location of the welds formed by the pulses of high density energy from said pulsed welding means can be accurately controlled with respect to the member independent of the speed of movement of the member.
Apparatus for pulsed welding comprising a pulsed high energy density welding means for producing a plurality of pulses of high density energy, means for moving a member to be welded relative to the pulsed high energy density welding means, means for continuously detecting the position of the moving member in the vicinity of the pulsed welding means, and means for adjusting the power of the pulses from said pulsed welding means in a predetermined manner in response to the detected position of the member.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.