Combined cutting and welding method and relative apparatus for manufacturing structural sheet metal products
AssigneeLara Consultants s.r.l.
InventorAldo V. La Rocca
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of manufacturing structural sheet metal products whereby a number of portions of sheet metal are fed simultaneously along concurrent planes so that the leading edge of one portion cooperates with a face of an adjacent portion along the plane of contact between the two portions; respective sheets are cut simultaneously off the portions; and the sheets are welded together along the respective planes of contact; cutting and welding being performed using laser heads.
Claims34
A method of manufacturing structural sheet metal products, comprising at least the following operations repeated cyclically:
- a) at least two portions (5') of respective continuous strips (5) of sheet metal are fed simultaneously along respective concurrent planes (.alpha.);
- b) a sheet (L) is cut simultaneously off each of said sheets (L);
- c) said portions (5') are welded together substantially along a plane of contact;
- wherein said cutting and welding operations are performed using laser means (T,S).
An apparatus (1, 1') for manufacturing structural sheet metal products, comprising:
- means (6a, 7) for supporting and guiding said sheet metal and defining at least two concurrent planes (a);
- means (4) for simultaneously feeding at least two portions (5') of respective continuous strips of sheet metal along said respective planes (a);
- laser means (T) for simultaneously cutting respective sheets (L) off said at least two portions (5') of sheet metal;
- and
- laser means (S) for welding said sheets (L) together substantially along a plane of contact.
An closed polygonal sheet metal section produced by a process comprising the following steps:
- a) feeding simultaneously along respective concurrent planes at least two portions of sheet metal;
- b) cutting a sheet simultaneously off each of said portions using a laser beam;
- and
- c) welding together the sheets substantially along a plane of contact using a laser beam.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.