FEEDING DEVICE FOR FEEDING WELDING FILLER ELEMENTS FOR A DEPOSITION WELDING PROCESS AND METHOD

Abstract

The invention relates to a feeding device (1) for feeding welding filler elements (310) for deposition welding processes, a positioning sleeve (300, 302) for a feeding device (1), a processing unit and a method for deposition welding. In particular, the invention relates to a feeding device (1) for feeding welding filler elements (310), in particular a wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped welding filler element (310), for a deposition welding processes, comprising a receiving unit (100) for receiving at least one welding filler element (310), a guide unit (200), which is arranged and designed to feed the welding filler element (310) to a deposition welding processes, the receiving unit (100) and the guide unit (200) being arranged and designed such that the welding filler element (310) is provided discontinuously to the guide unit (200).

Claims

1. A feeding device (1) for feeding welding filler elements (310), in particular a wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped welding filler element (310), for a deposition welding process, comprising: a receiving unit (100) for receiving at least one welding filler element (310), a guide unit (200) arranged and configured to feed the welding filler element (310) to a deposition welding process, wherein the receiving unit (100) and the guide unit (200) are arranged and configured such that the welding filler element (310) is provided discontinuously to the guide unit (200).

2. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, further comprising: at least one positioning sleeve (300, 302), wherein the at least one welding filler element (310) is coupled to the positioning sleeve (300, 302) and the positioning sleeve (300, 302) is receivable in the receiving unit (100), wherein the receiving unit (100) and the guide unit (200) are arranged and configured such that the positioning sleeve (300, 302) is provided discontinuously to the guide unit (200), and wherein preferably the positioning sleeve (300, 302) has a sleeve cavity (316) for arranging and/or passing through the welding filler element (310).

3. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receiving unit (100) is arranged to receive two or more positioning sleeves (300, 302) each with a welding filler element (310), and preferably the two or more positioning sleeves (300, 302) can be arranged circumferentially, in particular in a first direction, next to one another in the receiving unit (100), and/or preferably the two or more positioning sleeves (300, 302) can be arranged circumferentially next to one another in a second direction aligned essentially orthogonally to the first direction.

4. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the guide unit (200) comprises a positioning section configured to position the positioning sleeve (300, 302) and/or the welding filler element (310) such that a distal end of the welding filler element (310) can be fed to a melt pool, and preferably the positioning section comprises a guide channel (218) having an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameter of the welding filler element (310) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302).

5. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, comprising a moving unit (212) which is arranged to move the welding filler element (310) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302) from a coupling area (208), in which the welding filler element (310) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302) passes from the receiving unit (100) to the guide unit (200), to a working area (206) in which the welding filler element (310) is positioned such that it can be used for deposition welding processes.

6. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit (212) comprises a piston (214), and the piston (214) is couplable to a proximal end of the welding filler element (310) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302).

7. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the guide unit (200) is arranged to move the welding filler element (310) relative to the positioning sleeve (300, 302), and preferably a fluid, in particular a shielding gas, is supplied such that the welding filler element (310) is moved, in particular continuously, preferably pressed, out of the positioning sleeve (300, 302), and/or preferably comprises a pressing unit, which is arranged and designed to move the welding filler element out of the distal end of the guide unit and/or the positioning sleeve, in particular continuously, preferably to press it out.

8. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the moving unit (212) comprises a fluid supply (224) arranged and configured to supply a fluid to the proximal end of the welding filler element (310) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302) such that the welding filler element (310) is moved out of the distal end of the guide unit (200) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302), in particular continuously, preferably pressed out, and preferably the piston (214) comprises a fluid channel (226), the first piston end of which is coupled to the fluid supply (224) and the second piston end of which is coupled to the positioning sleeve (300, 302), wherein the second piston end can be brought into fluidic contact with the welding filler element (310).

9. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, comprising: an ejection device (222) for the positioning sleeve (300, 302), which is arranged to dispose the positioning sleeve (300, 302) from the guide unit (200) and/or the feeding device (1), wherein preferably the guide unit (200) comprises an ejection opening (230), and/or wherein preferably the ejection device comprises a spring (222) arranged and configured to move, in particular to push, the positioning sleeve (300, 302) out of the ejection opening (230).

10. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the guide unit (200) is arranged to move the positioning sleeve (300, 302) from the working area (206) into an ejection area (210) in which the ejection device (222) acts, and preferably this movement is affected with the piston (214) coupled to the positioning sleeve (300, 302).

11. The feeding device (1) according to claim 1, comprising a control device (5) arranged to control the moving unit (212) such that the welding filler element (310) and/or the positioning sleeve (300, 302) is moved from the coupling area (208) to the working area (206), and the welding filler element (310) is moved out at a distal end of the guide unit (200), preferably relative to a distal end of the positioning sleeve (300, 302).

12. A positioning sleeve (300, 302) for the feed device (1) according to claim 1, for feeding welding filler elements (310) for a deposition welding processes, which is arranged to receive a welding filler element (310), in particular a wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped welding filler element (310), and extends from a distal end (312) to a proximal end (314), comprising a sleeve cavity (316) extending from the distal end (312) to the proximal end (314) for arranging the welding filler element (310), wherein the distal end (312) is configured such that the welding filler element (310) can be moved out.

13. The positioning sleeve (300, 302) according to claim 12, comprising a coupling portion adjacent the proximal end (314) for coupling the positioning sleeve (300, 302) to a coupling member, the coupling portion having a groove (318) and/or a collar (320).

14. The positioning sleeve (300, 302) according to claim 12, wherein a welding filler element (310), in particular a wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped welding filler element (310), is arranged in the sleeve cavity (316), wherein the sleeve cavity (316) and the welding filler element (310) are arranged such that in the radial direction of the sleeve cavity (316) there is a clearance fit between an inner circumferential surface of the positioning sleeve (300, 302) and an outer circumferential surface of the welding filler element (310).

15. A processing unit (2), in particular handling unit and/or milling machine and/or for deposition welding, comprising the feeding device (1) according to claim 1.

16. A method for deposition welding, in particular wire-based deposition welding, comprising the steps of: feeding a welding filler element (310), in particular a wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped welding filler element (310), from a receiving unit (100) to a guide unit (200); providing the welding filler element (310) for deposition welding; and deposition welding with the welding filler element (310).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the welding filler element (310) is arranged in a positioning sleeve (300, 302), the method comprising the steps of: feeding the positioning sleeve (300, 302) from the receiving unit (100) to the guide unit (200); moving the positioning sleeve (300, 302) from a coupling area (208) to a working area (206); moving the welding filler element (310) relative to the positioning sleeve (300, 302), in particular moving the welding filler element (310) out of a distal end of the positioning sleeve (300, 302), and preferably moving the positioning sleeve (300, 302) to an ejection region (210) and disposing the positioning sleeve (300, 302).

Description

[0062] In the figures, identical or substantially functionally identical or similar elements are designated by the same reference signs.

[0063] The feeding device 1 shown in FIG. 1 comprises a receiving unit 100 for receiving a plurality of positioning sleeves 302 with welding filler elements 310 and a guide unit 200 arranged and adapted to feed a welding filler element 310 arranged in one of the positioning sleeves 300, 302 to a deposition welding processes.

[0064] The receiving unit 100 includes a housing 102, and a holding device 104 is provided within the housing 102 to receive the plurality of positioning sleeves 302. In addition, the receiving unit 100 includes a spring 106 that applies vertically directed downward pressure to the positioning sleeves 302. The housing 102 of the receiving unit 100 includes an opening at a vertically lower portion thereof. Through this opening, the positioning sleeves 300, 302 can pass to the guide unit 200. The area in which the positioning sleeves 300, 302 pass from the receiving unit 100 to the guide unit 200 is referred to as the coupling area 208. The positioning sleeves 300, 302 are provided with the positioning sleeve feed direction 304 of the guide unit 200.

[0065] The guide unit 200 has a tubular geometry extending from a first end 202 to a second end 204. The first end 202 of the guide unit 200 may also be referred to as a distal end, and the second end 204 may be referred to as a proximal end. The guide unit 200 is tubular in shape, and thus in particular has a cavity extending from the first end 202 to the second end 204. The positioning sleeve 300 can move within this cavity. In the coupling region 208, the positioning sleeve 300 is transferred from the receiving unit 100 to the guide unit 200. In the coupling region 208, the positioning sleeve 300 is connected to a piston 214 by means of a coupling element designed as a clamp 216. The piston 214 forms a movement unit 212, which is arranged to move the welding filler element 310 with the positioning sleeve 300 from the coupling region 208, in which the welding filler element 310 and/or the positioning sleeve 300 pass from the receiving unit 100 to the guide unit 200, to the working region 206, in which the welding filler element is positioned such that it can be used for deposition welding processes.

[0066] The working area 206 of the guide unit 200 includes a guide channel 218. The guide channel 218 is characterized by having a smaller diameter than the wider cavity of the guide unit 200. This smaller diameter of the guide channel 218 positions the positioning sleeve 300 in a portion adjacent the first end 202, which is the distal end.

[0067] In FIG. 2, it is shown that the positioning sleeve 300 is located in the working area 206. For this purpose, the piston 214 has been moved towards a central portion of the guide unit 200. As a result of the piston 214 being coupled to the positioning sleeve 300, the positioning sleeve 300 has been pushed into the guide channel 218. A distal portion of the positioning sleeve 300 is now outside of the guide unit 200. Furthermore, a fluid supply 224 has caused the welding filler element 310 disposed within the positioning sleeve 300 to move out of a distal end of the positioning sleeve 300. This outward movement allowed the welding filler element 310 to be delivered to a molten pool 402 of a component 400. The weld pool 402 on the component 400 was affected by an energy source 500, which is in particular a laser.

[0068] The welding filler element 310 is disposed within the positioning sleeve 300 by means of a clearance fit. The plunger 214 has a shielding gas channel that passes through the plunger 214 toward the clamp 216, wherein in the region of the clamp 216 the shielding gas is guided toward the positioning sleeve 300 and there causes a pressure on the welding filler element 310. Due to this pressure caused by the shielding gas, the welding filler element 310 is pressed out of the positioning sleeve 300. Thus, a continuous supply of the welding filler element 310 to the molten pool 402 is enabled. In order for the shielding gas to reach the welding filler element 310 through the shielding gas channel of the piston 214, the feeding device 1 comprises the fluid feed 224. Furthermore, the feed device 1 includes a fluid channel 226 designed, for example, by a hose coupled to a proximal end of the piston 214.

[0069] Furthermore, the feeding device 1 comprises a control device 5 arranged to control the movement unit 212 such that the welding filler element 310 and/or the positioning sleeve 300 is moved from the coupling region 208 to the working region 206, and the welding filler element 310 is moved out at a distal end of the guide unit 200, preferably relative to a distal end of the positioning sleeve 300.

[0070] In particular, the detailed view in FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of the positioning sleeve 300. The positioning sleeve 300 extends from a distal sleeve end 312, which faces a molten pool 402 in the intended operation, to a proximal sleeve end 314, which faces away from a molten pool 402 in the intended operation. A sleeve cavity 316 extends from the distal sleeve end 312 toward the proximal sleeve end 314.

[0071] Within the sleeve cavity 316, the filler metal 310 is disposed. Furthermore, it can be seen that the welding filler element 310 is arranged with a clearance fit in the sleeve cavity 316. This clearance fit is particularly preferred to allow the welding filler element 310 to be moved out of the sleeve cavity 316 with a low pressure to be delivered to the molten pool 402. In a portion adjacent the proximal sleeve end 314, the positioning sleeve 300 includes a collar 320 designed by a groove 318. The groove 318 is engageable by the clamp 216. The clip 216 holds the positioning sleeve 300 in position in the work area 206.

[0072] In FIG. 4, a dispose the positioning sleeve 300 is shown. By means of the piston 214, the positioning sleeve 300 is moved from the working area 206 through the coupling area 208 to an ejection area 210. The ejection device disposed in the ejection region 210 includes a spring 222. The spring 222 pushes the positioning sleeve 300 in the ejection area 210 through an ejection opening 230 out of the feed device 1 or out of the guide unit 200. For this purpose, the guide unit 200 is designed such that the piston 214 can emerge at least in sections at the second end 204.

[0073] FIG. 5 schematically shows a processing unit 2, in particular a milling machine and/or for laser deposition welding. The processing unit 2 comprises a feed device 1 as described in particular in the preceding.

[0074] FIG. 6 shows a schematic process. In step 600, a welding filler element 310, in particular a wire-shaped and/or rod-shaped and/or straight welding filler element 310, is fed from a receiving unit 100 to a guide unit 200. In step 602, the welding filler element 310 is provided for deposition welding on a component 400. In step 604, the filler metal 310 is used for buildup welding.

[0075] FIG. 7 shows another schematic process. In step 700, a positioning sleeve 300 with a welding filler element 310 is transferred from the receiving unit 100 to the guide unit 200. In step 702, the positioning sleeve 300 is moved from a coupling region 208 to a working region 206. In step 704, the welding filler element 310 is moved relative to the positioning sleeve 300, in particular relative to a distal end of the positioning sleeve 300. In step 706, the positioning sleeve is moved to an ejection region 210 to dispose the positioning sleeve 300.

[0076] The feeding device 1 described in the foregoing has the advantage of efficiently feeding straight welding filler elements 310 to a deposition welding processes on a component 400 having a molten pool 402. Thus, the feeding device 1 overcomes the disadvantage in the prior art that the welding filler elements 310 have a curvature because they are previously wound on a spool. Furthermore, the feeding device 1 overcomes the disadvantage existing in the prior art that straight welding filler elements 310 have to be fed manually, and in a labor-intensive manner, to a deposition welding processes. Thus, the feeding device 1 and in particular a processing unit 2 with the feeding device 1 enables an efficient deposition welding processes and, moreover, improves the quality of the component 400 to be manufactured, since the process stability is increased.

REFERENCE LIST

[0077] 1 feeding device

[0078] 2 processing unit

[0079] 5 control unit

[0080] 100 receiving unit

[0081] 102 housing

[0082] 104 holding device

[0083] 106 spring

[0084] 200 guide unit

[0085] 202 first end

[0086] 204 second end

[0087] 206 working area

[0088] 208 coupling area

[0089] 210 ejection area

[0090] 212 motion unit

[0091] 214 piston

[0092] 216 clamp

[0093] 218 guide channel

[0094] 222 spring

[0095] 224 fluid supply

[0096] 226 fluid channel

[0097] 228 distal end

[0098] 230 ejection port

[0099] 300 positioning sleeve

[0100] 302 positioning sleeves

[0101] 304 positioning sleeve feed direction

[0102] 310 welding filler element

[0103] 312 distal sleeve end

[0104] 314 proximal sleeve end

[0105] 316 sleeve cavity

[0106] 318 groove

[0107] 320 collar

[0108] 400 component

[0109] 402 melt pool

[0110] 500 energy source