LASER CONTROLLED INTERNAL WELDING MACHINE FOR A PIPELINE
First Claim
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 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
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.
-
Citations
9 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. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
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. - View Dependent Claims (9)
-
Specification