Devices, systems, and methods are directed to formation of tubular structures, such as spirally formed structures, having spirally extending reinforcing material. In particular, tubular structures can be formed in a continuous process in which a first material is spiral formed along a first spiral and a second material is joined to the first material along a second spiral to reinforce the spirally formed first material. As compared to manual application of reinforcing material, such a continuous process can facilitate producing tubular structures at rates suitable for high-volume, commercial fabrication. Further, or instead, as compared to the use of circumferentially extending reinforcing material to support a spiral formed tube, reinforcing the spirally formed first material with a spiral of the second material may offer certain structural advantages, such as improved resistance to buckling.

An apparatus and a method for producing strip wound tube products are disclosed. The apparatus includes a winding machine for winding a strip to a strip wound tube and a finishing machine for cutting off pieces of desired length from the strip wound tube and for connecting strip layers in the end sections of the strip wound tube product by way of an joining operation, the finishing machine having a mobile operating head and/or a force decoupling unit.

An apparatus for forming spiral pipe includes a spiral pipe forming station having a feeding device for feeding a continuous strip and a bending device that receives the strip fed from the feeding device. The bending device has a fixed rolling element that forms a spiral pipe having a longitudinal axis and a sidewall. The apparatus also includes a cutting station having a cutting device movably extending in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the spiral pipe. A controller is operatively connected to the spiral pipe forming station and the cutting station to continuously operate the pipe forming station while the cutting station is operated to cut through the sidewall of the spiral pipe to define the one or more register holes.

A process for winding a convolutely wound tubular structure having a machine direction, a cross-machine direction coplanar thereto, and a Z-direction orthogonal to both the machine- and cross-machine directions is disclosed.

Tubular structures, systems, and methods are generally directed to support structures having structural properties similar to thick-walled structures while being formed using materials having thickness amendable to rolling and welding and, thus, useful for rapid and cost-effective fabrication.

A process for winding a convolutely wound tubular structure having a machine direction, a cross-machine direction coplanar thereto, and a Z-direction orthogonal to both the machine- and cross-machine directions is disclosed.

An apparatus for automation of weld seams machining of a wind turbine tower is provided. The apparatus includes an automated arm; a machining tool fixed to the automated arm; a compensator system fixed to the machining tool or being part of the automated arm; a joint visor that identifies and locates the weld seam; and a control unit to coordinate the movement of the machining tool with the compensator system and the joint visor. A method of performing a welded circular seam machining in a wind turbine tower with the apparatus is also provided.

A method and a device for separating a wound tube (1) which includes interlocking windings (11, 12, 13, 14) of a metal strip (2) are provided, the wound tube (1) is welded in a predetermined axial region (10) and is then severed within the region (10) in a radial plane (6). The method furthermore defines that the wound tube (1) is axially compressed in the predetermined region prior to welding, such that the windings (11, 12, 13, 14) bear against one another in the region (10), and the welding is carried out along a predetermined number of turns (11, 12) in the region (10).

An automatic formation device or an automatic formation system sets an equipment operation time from a required manufacturing time per product during the manufacturing of tubes having a round, polygonal, or oblong cross-section, wherein values are calculated from a product diameter (D), and a pitch (P), a product length (L) and a preset time (T) of a metal band plate to be wound, operations of respective components are controlled on the basis of the calculated values while the respective values are being controlled, and the metal band plate is held by a chuck that is disposed on the tip side of a winding core member and rotates in a synchronized manner so as to prevent loosening of the wound metal band plate by tightening/untightening the metal band plate as needed. Also, a rotation speed correction function for a motor system is added.

A method and a device for producing strip wound tube products are disclosed. According to the method, a winding machine winds a strip to produce a strip wound tube and a finishing machine cuts off pieces of desired length from the strip wound tube and connects strip layers in the end sections of the strip wound tube product by way of a joining operation. The finishing machine has a mobile operating head and/or a force decoupling unit.