LASER CONTROLLED INTERNAL WELDING MACHINE FOR A PIPELINE

• US 20140346163A1
• Filed: 05/08/2014
• Published: 11/27/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: CRC-Evans Pipeline International, Inc. (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Rajagopalan, Shankar, Mallick, Siddharth, Bouche, Jose C.
• Granted Patent: US 10,040,141 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/60.A
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2101/10 Pipe-lines
• 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 37/0533 external pipe alignment clamps
• 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 9/1274 Using non-contact, optical means, e.g. laser means

Abstract

The present invention is directed to a system for welding together segments of a pipeline. The system includes an external alignment mechanism for externally supporting and manipulating the orientation of pipe segments in order to align relative segments. The system also includes an internal welding mechanism for applying a weld to an interior face joint of the two abutted pipe segments. The internal welding mechanism including a torch for applying a weld, a laser for tracking the weld profile and guiding an articulating head of the torch, and a camera for visually inspecting the weld after the weld is applied.

Claims

1. A system for aligning and welding together two segments of a pipe:

a welding mechanism for applying a weld to a face joint of the two segments, the welding mechanism including an articulating torch, a laser sensor for reading a profile of the face joint, and an electronic controller for receiving information signals from the laser sensor to control the position and/or orientation of the torch;

an alignment mechanism for manipulating the orientation of the longitudinal axis of at least one of the segments relative to the other; and

wherein the welding mechanism further includes a carriage for securing a position of the welding mechanism in the pipe and a welding portion capable of rotating relative to the supporting portion within the pipe; and

wherein the torch and the laser sensor are rotatably supported by the welding portion such that during welding, the torch follows the laser sensor along the face joint.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein, the weld mechanism further includes a camera for optically sensing a joint face.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein, the articulating movement of a torch head on the torch may include one of radial translation movement toward and away from the face joint, translation movement in a direction of the longitudinal axis of the segments, pivotal movement relative to the weld mechanism about an axis that is parallel to the pipe segment longitudinal axis and pivotal movement relative to the weld head about an axis that is perpendicular to the pipe segment longitudinal axis.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein, the alignment mechanism manipulates the orientation of the at least one segment by contact with an exterior of the at least one segment.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic controller receives a signal from the laser sensor to direct the alignment mechanism to adjust the relative positions of the pipe segments based on predetermined alignment parameters.

6. The system of claim 1 wherein, the weld mechanism rotates within and relative to an interior of a face joint of two segments so that the torch follows the laser sensor, the laser sensor providing continuous face joint profile data to the electronic controller which in turn continuously directs the positioning of the torch.

7. The system of claim 2 wherein, the camera follows the torch along a weld joint path, the camera sending a signal to an operation station display to allow an operator to inspect an image of a portion of the weld.

8. A method of aligning and welding together two segments of a pipe comprising the steps of:

placing a first pipe segment on an alignment device;

inserting an internal welding machine having a laser and a weld torch into the first pipe segment;

generally aligning a second pipe segment with the first pipe segment and internal welding machine;

griping an external portion of the first and second pipe segments to adjusting an axial position of the internal welding machine so as to generally line up with a face joint of the first and second pipe segments;

adjusting a relative alignment of the first and second pipe segments via the alignment device based on a signal from the internal welder;

beginning a root weld cycle in which the laser scans the face joint, the torch follows the laser, and the output from the laser is used to control the position of articulated torch, where the position and orientation of the torch with respect to the face joint is controlled to produce a quality weld;

determining a face joint profile from the laser;

releasing the alignment device and removing internal welding machine from an open pipe segment end; and

repositioning a next sequential pipe segment on the external alignment mechanism in preparation for welding of a next joint.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising the steps of providing a rotary mechanism on which the laser and torch rotate to perform an initial scan of the face joint by laser sensor;

and;

generating a signal from the rotating laser to direct alignment of the first and pipe second by the alignment device before welding begins.