Rotating welding system and methods

• US 10,589,371 B2
• Filed: 09/25/2017
• Issued: 03/17/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Crc-Evans Automatic Welding Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Crc-Evans Automatic Welding Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Shankar T., Mallick, Siddharth, Kirk, Brian L., Bouche, Jose C., Curbo, Jason W., Kettelkamp, Jonathan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Stoner, Kiley S
• Application Number:
  US15/714,117
• Publication Number:
  US 20180029154A1
• Time in Patent Office: 904 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/10 Pipe-lines
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 31/125 Weld quality monitoring
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/003 Cooling means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0276 for working on or in tubes B23K37/0211 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 37/0531 internal pipe alignment clamps
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0282 for welding tube sections
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0284 with an electrode working inside the tube
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0286 with an electrode moving around the fixed tube during the welding operation
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0956 using sensing means, e.g. optical
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/127 Means for tracking lines during arc welding or cutting copying in general B23Q35/00

Abstract

A field system for welding two pipes includes a first pipe engagement structure, a second pipe engagement structure, one or more weld torches, a motor and one or more processors. The one or more weld torches are configured to be positioned within the pipes to create an internal weld at an interface region between the pipes. The motor is operatively associated with the one or more weld torches to rotate the one or more weld torch along the interface region between the pipes. The one or more processors control the motor and the one or more weld torches. The one or more processors operate the motor and the one or more weld torches to generate a complete circumferential weld along the interface region by rotating the one or more weld torches along the interface region in a single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

Claims

1. A field system for welding two pipes, comprising:

a first pipe engagement structure configured to engage the interior surface of a first pipe to enable the first pipe engagement structure to be fixed relative to the first pipe;

a second pipe engagement structure configured to engage the interior surface of a second pipe to enable the second pipe engagement structure to be fixed relative to the second pipe;

one or more weld torches configured to be positioned within the pipes to create an internal weld at an interface region between the pipes;

a motor operatively associated with the one or more weld torches to rotate the one or more weld torches along the interface region between the pipes; and

one or more processors that control the motor and the one or more weld torches, the one or more processors operating the motor and the one or more weld torches to generate a complete circumferential weld along the interface region by rotating the one or more weld torches along the interface region in a single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to cooperate with the motor to enable the motor to change a lead angle of the one or more weld torches throughout a welding operation in which the one or more weld torches rotate along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed, and

wherein the one or more weld torches are configured to travel in a generally vertical plane in the single rotational direction, while the lead angle is changed by the one or more processors and the motor to accommodate for changes in gravitational forces upon the weld during the rotation in the vertical plane, until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

2. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more weld torches comprise a plurality of weld torches, and wherein at least one of the plurality of weld torches welds in an upwards direction against the force of gravity while at least another of the plurality of weld torches welds in a downwards direction with the force of gravity.

3. The field system according to claim 1, further comprising an inspection detector and wherein the motor drives the inspection detector to inspect the interface region prior to the one or more weld torches generating the complete circumferential weld, the inspection detector providing information to the one or more processors to control movement and articulation of the one or more weld torches.

4. The field system according to claim 3, wherein the inspection detector is configured to scan the full 360 degrees of the interface region between the pipes and generate signals based upon a profile of the interface region between the pipes.

5. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more weld torches comprises a first weld torch and a second weld torch, wherein during a welding operation, the first weld torch and the second weld torch deposit weld material between the pipes simultaneously, wherein the first weld torch and the second weld torch are moved circumferentially by the motor in the same rotational direction while depositing the weld material, wherein during the welding operation, the first weld torch moves in an upwards direction against the force of gravity at least during a part of its movement while depositing weld material, and the second weld torch moves in a downwards direction with the force of gravity at least during a part of its movement while depositing weld material.

6. The field system according to claim 5, wherein the one or more weld torches further comprises a third weld torch that deposits weld material between the pipes simultaneously with the first and second weld torches, wherein the third weld torch is moved circumferentially by the motor in the same rotational direction as the first and second weld torches while depositing the weld material, wherein during the welding operation, the third weld torch moves in the upwards direction against the force of gravity while depositing weld material and also moves in the downwards direction with the force of gravity while depositing weld material.

7. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to change the lead angle of the one or more weld torches based on whether the corresponding weld torch is traveling in an upwards direction against the force of gravity or in a downwards direction with the force of gravity.

8. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle is an angle measured between a line from an axial center of the pipes being welded and a weld tip of the corresponding weld torch, and a line passing through a longitudinal axis of the weld tip of the corresponding weld torch.

9. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle of the one or more weld torches is in the range between 3 and 7 degrees.

10. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle of the one or more weld torches is higher when the corresponding weld torch moves in an upwards direction against the force of gravity and lower when the corresponding weld torch moves in a downwards direction with the force of gravity.

11. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle of the one or more weld torches is negative when the corresponding weld torch moves in a clockwise direction.

12. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle of the one or more weld torches is positive when the corresponding weld torch moves in a counter clockwise direction.

13. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the motor operatively associated with the one or more weld torches comprises a plurality of motors, each being configured to rotate an associated one of the one or more weld torches.

19. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle changes continuously throughout the travel of an associated one of the one or more weld torches.

20. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the lead angle changes as an associated one of the one or more weld torches is moved circumferentially along the interface region between the pipes.

21. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the interface region between the pipes extends circumferentially around the pipes, wherein the circumferentially extending interface region includes a plurality of circumferential sectors having sector boundaries, and wherein the lead angle changes at the sector boundaries.

22. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe engagement structure comprises a first clamp and the second pipe engagement structure comprises a second clamp.

23. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe engagement structure comprises a first seal and the second pipe engagement structure comprises a second seal.

24. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe engagement structure comprises a clamp and the second pipe engagement structure comprises a seal.

25. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the first pipe engagement structure further comprises a first clamp and a first seal, and wherein the second pipe engagement structure further comprises a second clamp and a second seal.

26. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to operate the first pipe engagement structure and/or the second pipe engagement structure to alter the interface region between the pipes prior to the welding operation.

27. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to alter the interface region between the pipes prior to the welding operation by operating a motor to rotate the first pipe engagement structure about an axis of the first pipe engagement structure relative to the second pipe engagement structure.

28. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to alter the interface region between the pipes prior to the welding operation by driving the first pipe engagement structure and/or the second pipe engagement structure to change the roundness of the first pipe and/or second pipe.

29. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to rotate the first pipe engagement structure relative to the second pipe engagement structure, so as to rotate the first pipe relative to the second pipe and to alter the interface region between the pipes prior to the welding operation.

32. The field system according to claim 1, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position of the one or more weld torches and/or a characteristic of the interface region between the pipes to generate signals based thereon,

wherein the one or more processors, in response to the signals from the sensor, are configured to cooperate with the motor to enable the motor to change the lead angle of the one or more weld torches throughout the welding operation in which the one or more weld torches rotate along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

36. The field system according to claim 1, wherein the one or more weld torches do not reverse direction in the generally vertical plane during the welding operation in which the one or more weld torches rotate along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

14. A field system for welding two pipes, comprising:

a first pipe engagement structure configured to engage the interior surface of a first pipe to enable the first pipe engagement structure to be fixed relative to the first pipe;

a second pipe engagement structure configured to engage the interior surface of a second pipe to enable the second pipe engagement structure to be fixed relative to the second pipe;

a weld torch configured to be positioned within the pipes to create an internal weld at an interface region between the pipes;

a motor operatively with the weld torch to rotate the weld torch along the interface region between the pipes; and

one or more processors that control the motor and the weld torch, the one or more processors operating the motor and the weld torch to generate a complete circumferential weld along the interface region by rotating the weld torch along the interface region in a single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed,

wherein the one or more processors are configured to cooperate with the motor to enable the motor to change a lead angle of the weld torch throughout a welding operation such that the weld torch rotates at least rotates 360 degrees, in both an upwards direction against the force of gravity and a downwards direction with the force of gravity, in the single rotational direction to complete the circumferential weld, and

wherein the weld torch is configured to travel in a generally vertical plane in the single rotational direction for at least 360 degrees, while the lead angle is changed by the one or more processors and the motor to accommodate for changes in gravitational forces upon the weld during the rotation in the vertical plane, until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

30. The field system according to claim 14, wherein the pipes are disposed in a horizontal configuration,

further comprising a frame configured to be placed within the horizontally disposed pipes and a plurality of roller configured to rotatably support the frame for a horizontal movement within the horizontally disposed pipes, and wherein the first pipe engagement structure and the second pipe engagement structure are disposed on the frame.

31. The field system according to claim 14, wherein the first pipe engagement structure and the second pipe engagement structure have a longitudinal axis,

wherein the weld torch rotates in the generally vertical plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the first pipe engagement structure and the second pipe engagement structure.

33. The field system according to claim 14, further comprising a sensor configured to detect a position of the weld torch and/or a characteristic of the interface region between the pipes to generate signals based thereon,

wherein the one or more processors, in response to the signals from the sensor, are configured to cooperate with the motor to enable the motor to change the lead angle of the weld torch throughout the welding operation such that the weld torch rotates at least rotates 360 degrees, in both the upwards direction against the force of gravity and the downwards direction with the force of gravity, in the single rotational direction to complete the circumferential weld.

37. The field system according to claim 14, wherein the weld torch does not reverse direction in the generally vertical plane during the welding operation in which the weld torch rotates along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

15. A method for welding two pipes comprising:

engaging the interior surface of a first pipe of the two pipes with a first pipe engagement structure to enable the first pipe engagement structure to be fixed relative to the first pipe;

positioning one or more weld torches within the pipes to create an internal weld at an interface region between the pipes, the one or more weld torches being operatively connected with the first pipe engagement structure;

rotating, using one or more motors operatively associated with the one or more weld torches, the one or more weld torches along the interface region between the pipes; and

operating, using one or more processors that control the one or more motors and the one or more weld torches, the one or more motors and the one or more weld torches

to generate a complete circumferential weld along the interface region by rotating the one or more weld torches along the interface region in a single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed, and

to change a lead angle of the one or more weld torches throughout a welding operation in which the one or more weld torches rotate along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed,

wherein the one or more weld torches are configured to travel in a generally vertical plane in the single rotational direction, while the lead angle is changed by the one or more processors and the motor to accommodate for changes in gravitational forces upon the weld during the rotation in the vertical plane, until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the one or more weld torches comprise a plurality of weld torches, and wherein at least one of the plurality of weld torches welds in an upwards direction against the force of gravity while at least another of the plurality of weld torches welds in a downwards direction with the force of gravity.

17. The method according to claim 15, further comprising scanning, using an inspection detector operatively associated with the motor, the full 360 degrees of the interface region between the pipes and generate signals based upon a profile of the interface region between the pipes.

18. The method according to claim 15, further comprising engaging the interior surface of a second pipe of the two pipes with a second pipe engagement structure to enable the second pipe engagement structure to be fixed relative to the second pipe, the second pipe engagement structure being operatively coupled to the one or more weld torches.

34. The method according to claim 15, further comprising detecting, using a sensor, a position of the one or more weld torches and/or a characteristic of the interface region between the pipes and generating signals based thereon, and

operating, using the one or more processors, the one or more motors and the one or more weld torches to change the lead angle of the one or more weld torches in response to the generated signals from the sensor and throughout the welding operation in which the one or more weld torches rotate along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.

35. The method according to claim 15, wherein the one or more weld torches do not reverse direction in the generally vertical plane during the welding operation in which the one or more weld torches rotate along the interface region in the single rotational direction until the complete circumferential weld is completed.