High-performance welding LaserHybrid, TimeTwin Digital, strip-wire, large-diameter wires

Transcription

1 High-performance welding LaserHybrid, TimeTwin Digital, strip-wire, large-diameter wires

2 The kingly discipline of welding. GENERAL REMARKS It s all about speed And a lot more besides High-performance welding processes. At first glance, it s all a matter of boosting the welding speed or to put it another way of increasing the deposition rate. Look closer, however, and you ll see that what it s really about is higher productivity. And higher productivity calls for perfection, and for the utmost precision in the process. Just imagine you had to take your car up to 250 km/h. Not many cars would be up to the job! The only cars to manage this feat would be ones in top condition, and with a top-rate engine. What s more, not every road can cope with speeds like this, either. It s just like this with high-performance welding, too. Which is why the epithet kingly discipline is so welldeserved. In high-performance welding processes, a very great deal is demanded of the welding system: High availability, a stable process, precision working, reliability, robustness, long service life to name only a few of the properties desired. These are the overall requirements all of which must be met, 100 %. For Fronius, too. If you want to have high-performance welding, there simply is no other way of going about it. For the goal is, and remains: higher productivity. And it s only then that faster really does mean better.

3 System supplier for automated and robot welding The four processes that we ll be introducing to you here are intended for use in robot welding and automated welding. This also makes them suitable for all customary robots, irrespective of whether these are addressed digitally, in analogue or via field-bus. Fronius is a full-liner, meaning that as well as all the application know-how, we can also supply all accessories; indeed, we also see ourselves as having overall responsibility for the process as a whole. High-performance welding is possible for many very diverse applications. Each of these processes can be used just as effectively for light-gauge sheets as for plates, and for steel as for chrome-nickel or aluminium. This means that when a new component is being developed, for instance, the relevant high-performance process can also be taken into consideration right from a very early stage. Working together right from the outset is an excellent way of pooling and synergising both partners knowledge, and makes for superlative results. Fronius currently offers four different high-performance welding processes: - LaserHybrid - TimeTwin Digital - Strip-wire - Large-diameter wires [m/min] 10 8 Welding Speed * * Approximate figures LaserHybrid TimeTwin Digital Deposition Rate * Large Diameter Wires Strip-wire Single Wire: conventional [kg/h] Classification of high-performance welding processes with reference to deposition rate and welding speed.

4 LaserHybrid The most economical process to deliver 9m/min

5 Metal transfer in the LaserHybrid welding process. OVERVIEW Optimum efficiency and optimum quality How to reach peak performance at the speed of light! The LaserHybrid process is the most economical variant of high-performance welding, and also the one that delivers the best quality: As measured by the actual costs per metre of weld-seam, as well as by criteria such as weld-seam quality, post-weld machining and mechanical/technological values. LaserHybrid is the state of the art in the field of materials-joining technology. Essentially, two welding processes have been amalgamated here in such a way as to exploit each of their advantages the processes in question being the conventional laser-beam process and classic MIG welding. Some welcome synergies result, such as a smaller weld-pool (meaning less thermal input), higher availability, very low costs per metre of weld-seam, and shorter fabrication times. Cost comparison for Audi A2 Total costs in / m..... LaserHybrid Punch riveting MIG Savings on shielding-gas: Factor 18 Filler: AlMg4.5Mn LaserHybrid Mig Thickness of material: 2 mm v s : 6 m/min 1 m/min Shielding gas: 100 % Ar Q: 5 l/min 15 l/min Cost of shielding gas: 6 /m 3 Aluminium Aluminium Aluminium CrNi v s = 8.1 m/min v s = 4.2 m/min v s = 2.1 m/min v s = 2.7 m/min

6 Galvanised steel (laser brazed) Steel Aluminium CrNi v s = 3 m/min v s = 4.2 m/min v s = 4.5 m/min v s = 3.6 m/min BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE PROCESS Reconciling opposites A new process: as fast as laser, and as good as MIG. Yes, a contradiction. But that was just what the Fronius developers wanted. They wanted the high welding speed of the classic laser-beam process, at the same time as the superior gap bridgeability of the well-established MIG welding process. It took three years of ultra-intensive research work. Today, we have the solution: a hybrid process that unites both processes and exploits the positive synergies between them. The laser beam and the arc act jointly in one welding zone, influencing and supporting one another. The laser beam feeds heat to the weld metal in addition to the heat from the arc. This causes the processes to influence one another, to a different extent and in different ways. Several things result from this: Process stabilisation, for example, permitting virtually spatter-free welding. Or the very low thermal input and thus a smaller heat-affected zone, leading in turn to an extremely small seam, which together mean less weldment distortion and reduced filler-metal consumption. Or, again, the completely homogeneous seam that can be obtained with aluminium, from beginning to end, owing to the 100 % elimination of fusion defects at the start of welding in LaserHybrid. A special variant: Laser brazing This specialty joining process was developed for coated sheets. Only the filler metal is fused here, not the base metal this is brazed instead. The result is an extremely narrow seam, entirely without distortion and without any weld inhomogeneities such as pores. Light-years ahead The LaserHybrid process represents the future of materials-joining technology and is probably the most advanced welding process in existence today. Fronius developed this process, was the first mover and so is a long way ahead with its know-how. A very long way, in fact. Incidentally, with LaserHybrid productivity improvements of up to 400 % are possible, depending on the application! Gas nozzle LASER P L : 2000W V d : LASERHYBRID P L : 1500W V d : 5.5m/min MSG P L : V d : 11m/min Laser beam Electrode Pulsed arc Fusion zone Schematic representation of LaserHybrid welding process. Comparison of weld-seam geometry P L : Laser power, V d : Wirefeed speed

7 Four different processes realised with one system (1. Laser, 2. LaserHybrid, 3. GMA, 4. GMA tacking) SYSTEM FACTS The LaserHybrid welding system is robot-enabled, flexible, mobile, and compactly built and thus ensures maximum fabrication efficiency. The LaserHybrid process offers the following advantages over the laser or MIG welding processes used on their own: Shorter fabrication times and lower costs; higher productivity Welding speeds of up to 9 m/min Sample LaserHybrid configuration 1. Power source: totally digitised, microprocessor-controlled inverter power source, unrivalled precision in the welding process, exact reproducibility, outstanding welding properties 2. VR 1500 wirefeeder: small, lightweight, digitally controlled with 4-roller drive, suitable for mounting on the 3 rd axis of the robot 3. FK 4000 cooling unit: rugged and reliable, ensures optimum cooling of the welding torch 4. RCU 5000i remote-control: remote-control unit with full-text display, weld-data monitoring by Q-Master, straightforward user guidance, systematic menu structure, user administration 5. Robot interface: suitable for all customary robots, irrespective of whether these are addressed digitally, in analogue or via field-bus 6. LaserHybrid welding head: great flexibility in terms of its manoeuvrability, compact constructional design, integrated crash-box (for collision protection), integrated cross-jet with fume-extractor device, fume-extraction duct. 7. Wire supply 8. Laser-beam source No fusion defects at the beginning of the seam when working with aluminium Deeper penetration and narrow seams, yet less thermal input Higher weld-seam ductility, joint strength and scope for influencing the structure by means of the filler metal Greater gap bridgeability, at the same time as very much higher joining rates Higher process stability and system availability Greater scope for improving weld appearance (design) UTILISATION Materials LaserHybrid welding is suitable for welding lightgauge sheets made of the following materials: Coated and uncoated steel materials High-alloy steels Aluminium materials Applications Construction of plant, containers, machinery & structural steel Automobile & allied vendor industries Aerospace Construction of rail vehicles & rolling stock Shipbuilding

8 TimeTwin Digital Maximum deposition rate of up to 30 kg/h

9 Metal transfer in 180 phase-displaced pulsed arcs using the TimeTwin Digital welding system. OVERVIEW Performance x 2 = perfection and speed In conventional single-wire processes, deposition rates of up to 6 kg/h can be obtained. So it is only logical that if you use two wires instead of one, you can achieve twice as much. And this is just the way it is with the tandem process, except that this is better still giving you deposition rates of up to 30 kg/h. Let s now also assume that the power sources being used here are totally digitised and then the result is not only twice the speed, but also an extraordinarily high degree of perfection. Like with TimeTwin Digital. Which demonstrates the whole point of high-performance welding: The clever thing about it is not so much that it welds fast, but that it welds both fast and perfectly. The TimeTwin Digital welding system achieves the very highest economic efficiency in automated welding of low-alloy or high-alloy steels and aluminium materials. The system "TimeTwin Digital" reduces the welding time for pipeline welding from four hours to only twenty minutes per joint; the automatic system of Fronius welds high-tensile X-100 steels with four "tandem heads".

10 Shipbuilding, steel Truck rim/steel Boiler, steel Fillet weld, aluminium v s = 150 cm/min v s = 155 cm/min v s = 350 cm/min v s = 200 cm/min BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE PROCESS The high-achieving duo TimeTwin Digital is a tandem-based GMA welding process that has already stood the test of time, and passed with flying colours. In this process, two separately controllable TPS 4000 or TPS 5000 power sources work with two insulated wire electrodes in one single gas nozzle and in a shared weld-pool. What is new about this welding process is the fact that it is completely digitised, resulting not only in hitherto unequalled precision and perfection, but also in vastly easier handling. A synchronisation unit mediates between the two power sources, harmonising the two wire electrodes so as to get optimum results. In this way, the metal-transfer processes from both wire electrodes can be timed to co-ordinate with one another. This is the fundamental precondition for a stable, low-spatter tandem process. Another factor which is equally important for the overall sequence is the ignition. In TimeTwin Digital, this is guaranteed to be jerk- and spatter-free, thanks to SFI ignition. Two insulated wire electrodes work in one single gas nozzle, and in a shared weld-pold. Expert know-how comes built-in Fronius digital systems lead in terms of ease of operation is all to do with their integrated expert knowledge: For the most varied applications, there are optimised parameter records which are stored in synergic characteristics and can be utilised at any time. Time-wasting hunting around for parameters is now a thing of the past and results are now 100 % reproducible. Forward, back, single, double everything is possible Automated applications, where every second counts, call for great flexibility. TimeTwin Digital answers this call in several ways. However, particular mention should be made of the facility which TimeTwin Digital gives you to alternate between the leading and trailing wire electrode meaning there is no need to reorientate at the end of the seam in multi-pass welding. This shortens cycle times and improves accessibility. Also, there are jobs that can only be welded with one wire, e.g. smaller round wires. In cases like this, it is very easy to switch off the second installation. SYSTEM Two completely separate and individually controllable power sources work with two insulated wire electrodes in one single gas nozzle, and in a shared weld-pool. This shortens the cycle times and enhances both welding quality and profitability.

11 Container, aluminium v s = 180 cm/min FACTS Sample TimeTwin Digital configuration 1. TimeTwin Digital power sources: consisting of two totally digitised customary TPS 4000 s or TPS 5000 s linked via a digital data interface 2. FK 9000 cooling unit: ensures optimum cooling; comes as standard with thermostat, rate-of-flow watchdog and water filter 3. VR 1500 wirefeeders: small, lightweight, digitally controlled with 4-roller drive, suitable for mounting on the 3 rd axis of the robot 4. VR 1500 PD unreeling unit: unreeling unit with a planetary drive, for ensuring highly constant wirefeed even when using long hosepacks 5. RCU 5000i remote control units: remote-control unit with full-text display, weld-data monitoring by Q-Master, straightforward user guidance, systematic menu structure, user administration 6. Robot interface: suitable for all customary robots, irrespective of whether these are addressed digitally, in analogue or via field-bus 7. Robacta Twin Compact welding torch: for improved ease of access, separate cooling of gas nozzle and torch body, suitable for both welding directions, and with Fronius forced-contacting arrangement for defined current transfer 8. Robacta TC Twin cleaning system: uses electromagnetic forces for touchless, cost-saving removal of the welding spatter that accumulates in the gas-nozzle zone during steel welding 9. Wire supply TimeTwin Digital: A decisive advance made possible by digital technology. The shorter cycle times and higher welding quality boost profitability: 5 times the welding speed of MIG/MAG single-wire welding, and deposition rates of up to 30 kg/h The digitisation results in very stable arcs, perfect droplet detachment and low thermal input The perfect start-up and crater-filling phases lead to identical properties and weld-seam appearance along the entire length of the seam; this has particularly favourable effects with joints that are subject to high dynamic stressing Improved accessibility, as it is possible to alternate between the leading and trailing wire electrodes; this does away with the need for reorientation at the end of the seam in multi-pass welding Built-in applications know-how: over 60 welding programs are available for various base metals and filler metals UTILISATION Materials The TimeTwin Digital welding system has a huge spectrum of applications. The specific know-how can be used for all materials. Applications Construction of plant, containers, machinery & structural steel Automobile & allied vendor industries Pipeline construction Construction of rail vehicles & rolling stock Shipbuilding Construction of special vehicles and construction machinery

12 Strip-wire, large-diameter wires High-deposition single-wire process

13 Longitudinal view of a metal transfer from AlSi5 strip-wire in a pulsed arc. OVERVIEW Special wires call for special technology Special applications, such as extra-thick plates on earthmoving machinery, call for unconventional solutions. Like wires with diameters of up to 3.2 mm, or wires with a rectangular cross-section of approx. 4.5 x 0.5 mm. While wires like these certainly have definite advantages for the intended area of use, they do make very special demands of the welding system. Of the wirefeed, for instance, and in terms of performance and reliability. Fronius response to these demands is a technology that makes possible high deposition rates: - Strip-wire: over 11 kg/h on steel, up to 4 kg/h on aluminium - Large-diameter wires: over 25 kg/h on steel, up to 5 kg/h on aluminium Welding speeds on steel can be as much as 165 cm/min, and even more on aluminium. For classic GMA single-wire processes, these are extraordinary figures! Intended for fully automated applications, incidentally. The TPS 9000 welding system consists of two TPS 5000 s and comes with a robust VR 1500 wirefeeder. Designed for e.g. welding large diameters of wire. The Robacta Drive Flat welding torch, with a water-cooled gas nozzle, ensures exact wirefeed and a high deposition rate.

14 Left: Strip-wire, 4.0 x 0.6 mm Sheet thickness: 3 mm Filler metal: AlSi5 Welding speed: 3 m/min Deposition rate: 2.4 kg/h Right: Strip-wire, 2.4 mm Sheet thickness: 8 mm Filler metal: AlMg4.5Mn Welding speed: 0.8 m/min Deposition rate: 5.2 kg/h BASIC PRINCIPLE OF THE PROCESS SYSTEM Know-how is the whole secret The special rectangular shape of the strip-wire results in an oval weld-pool. This leads to low arc-pressure, meaning better control of the weld-pool. In turn, this results in the above-mentioned advantages of significantly higher deposition rates and/or welding speeds. Owing to the special geometry of the wire, the preferred area of application for strip-wire welding is with weldment handling systems or on longitudinal travel carriages. In this case, the weldment is moved beneath the welding torch. For special applications, the wire may also be turned perpendicular to the welding direction, so that the gaps can be bridged better. Depending on the application, either the TPS 5000, TPS 7200 or TPS 9000 welding system can be used. Big capabilities for big diameters Wires with large diameters (up to 3.2 mm) are welded with the MIG/MAG process at considerably higher power, however. And when the output power can rise as high as 900 A, a welding system has to meet far tougher requirements. What this means is that all the equipment, from the wirefeeder unit all the way through to the torch cooling system, must be designed for this high output power. A system will only function properly if there is perfect interplay between all the components. Sample strip-wire configuration 1. TPS 5000 / 7200 / 9000 power source: totally digitised, microprocessor-controlled inverter power source, unrivalled precision in the welding process, exact reproducibility, outstanding welding properties 2. FK 4000 cooling unit: rugged and reliable, ensures optimum cooling of the welding torch 3. VR 4000 wirefeeder: 4-roller drive with superb wirefeed properties, also suitable for long hosepacks 4. Robot interface: suitable for all customary robots, irrespective of whether these are addressed digitally, in analogue or via field-bus 5. Robacta Drive Flat welding torch: digitally controlled push-pull drive with integral wire-drive; external wire guidance for optimum strip-wire travel, separately from the other welding media, and Fronius forced-contacting arrangement for defined current transfer 6. Wire supply 7. Robots or longitudinal travel carriage for weldment-handling

15 FACTS Sample large-diameter wires configuration 1. TPS 9000 power source: power-scalable by means of two completely digitised customary TPS 4000 s or TPS 5000 s, linked via a digital data interface 2. FK 9000 cooling unit: ensures optimum cooling; comes as standard with thermostat, rate-of-flow watchdog and water filter 3. VR wirefeeder: small, lightweight, digitally controlled with 4-roller drive, suitable for mounting on the 3 rd axis of the robot. 4. Digital Gas Control: The gas-flow rate is pre-set for the welding task in hand, stored with the respective job, and digitally controlled. This makes it possible to reduce the gas consumption and thus to cut costs by between 5 and 20 %. 5. Robot interface: suitable for all customary robots, irrespective of whether these are addressed digitally, in analogue or via field-bus 6. Robacta welding torch: high-performance welding torch with water-cooled gas nozzle for long service life, digitally controlled wirefeed speed, Fronius forced-contacting arrangement for defined current transfer 7. Robacta TC cleaning system: uses electromagnetic forces for touchless, cost-saving removal of the welding spatter that accumulates in the gas-nozzle zone during steel welding 8. Wire supply Welding system (power source, wirefeeder, cooling unit and torch) specially developed for processing strip-wires and large-diameter wires To deliver the high welding current of e.g. 900 A that is required, two scalable power sources work in parallel, jointly creating a single arc Scalable power sources make possible welding currents of 900 A with a duty cycle of 100 % (at 25 C) or 60% (at 40 C) Strip-wire welding is particularly economical for mechanised or automated welding of longitudinal seams, or where the workpiece is moved by a handling robot Shallower penetration in overlay welding, as the oval weld-pool in strip-wire welding results in lower arc pressure Deposition rates in strip-wire welding: over 11 kg/h on steel, up to 4 kg/h on aluminium Deposition rates when welding large-diameter wires: over 25 kg/h on steel, up to 5 kg/h on aluminium UTILISATION Materials Coated and uncoated steel materials High-alloy steels Aluminium materials Applications Construction of plant, containers, machinery & structural steel Automobile & allied vendor industries Pipeline construction Construction of rail vehicles & rolling stock Shipbuilding Construction of special vehicles and construction machinery

16 Excerpt from our list of customers: UralMash Text and illustrations technically correct at time of going to print. We reserve the right to make modifications. This document may not be copied or otherwise reproduced, whether in part or in its entirety, without the express prior written consent of Fronius International GmbH. FRONIUS INTERNATIONAL GMBH Buxbaumstrasse 2, P.O.Box 264, A 4602 Wels Tel: , Fax: sales@fronius.com 40,0006,2305 (1/03)