Welding method, welding device, welded joint, and welded structure

• US 7,005,607 B2
• Filed: 02/18/2002
• Issued: 02/28/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 02/19/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Hitachi Construction Machinery Company Limited (Hitachi, Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sakurai, Shigeyuki, Takano, Yutaka, Yamamoto, Hikaru, Miyanagi, Naoki, Takatani, Toru, Hirakawa, Manabu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shaw, Clifford C.
• Application Number:
  US10/468,228
• Publication Number:
  US 20040074885A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,471 Days
• Field of Search: 219/137.R, 219/125.1, 219/124.34, 219/124.22
• US Class Current: 219/124.34
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 33/00 Specially-profiled edge portions of workpieces for making soldering or welding connections; Filling the seams formed thereby B23K11/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 33/004 Filling of continuous seams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/022 Welding by making use of electrode vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/025 for rectilinear seams
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0256 for welding ribs on plates
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/0953 using computing means
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/126 Controlling the spatial relationship between the work and the gas torch between wire tip and piece B23K9/073
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/1735 making use of several electrodes

Abstract

A welding method is disclosed for butt welding a first base material 1 and a second base material 2 with each other. To also permit stable and efficient formation of a bead in the form of a fillet weld on a back side of a groove by conducting arc welding from the side of the groove without arranging a bead beforehand on the back side of the groove, the first member 1, on which a root face 1a and a single groove face 1b have been formed, is brought at its root face 1a into contact with a flat surface 2a of the second base material 2. A welding wire 6 is arranged facing on the groove formed by the contact between the first base material 1 and the second base material 2. The first base material 1 and the second material 2 are caused to fuse at an area of contact between them by an arc from the welding wire 6. A melt, which has been formed by the fusion at the area of contact and the like, is forced out to the back side of the groove to form a bead B4 in the form of a fillet weld on the back side of the groove.

Claims

1. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire to be introduced into a groove formed at an area of contact between said first base material and said second material,

a control device for controlling a position of said welding wire,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to said area of contact, and

control means for outputting a command to said control device such that said welding wire is moved toward said second base material when an actual voltage fed from said welding power source to said area of contact has exceeded a first preset voltage level set in advance and said welding wire is moved toward said first base material when an actual current fed from said welding

power source to said area of contact has exceeded a preset current level set in advance or said actual voltage has fallen below a second preset voltage level set in advance.

2. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire to be introduced into a groove formed at an area of contact between said first base material and said second material,

a control device for controlling a position of said welding wire,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to said area of contact, and

control means for outputting a command to said control device such that said welding wire is moved toward said second base material when an actual voltage fed from said welding power source to said area of contact has exceeded a first preset voltage level set in advance and said welding wire is moved toward said first base material when an actual current fed from said welding power source to said area of contact has exceeded a preset current level set in advance or said actual voltage has fallen below a second preset voltage level set in advance and also for comparing said actual current and voltage with a preset average current level and preset average voltage level set in advance, respectively, and outputting a current control signal and voltage control signal to said welding power source such that these actual

current and voltage are brought into conformity with said preset current and voltage levels set in advance.

3. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire,

a welding torch for holding said welding wire in place, feeding means for feeding said welding wire to said welding torch,

a control unit provided with a position control device for positionally controlling said welding wire in directions of three orthogonal axes,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to an area of contact between said first base material and said second base material,

an average voltage setting device for setting an average voltage level for said welding,

an average current setting device for setting an average current level for said welding,

a voltage detector and current detector for detecting an actual welding voltage and actual welding current to form, by said welding wire positioned facing on a groove formed by a single groove face arranged on said first base material and a flat surface of said second base material, a bead in a form of a fillet weld on a back side of said groove,

a power diagnosis unit for being inputted with said actual

voltage detected by said voltage detector and said actual current detected by said current detector and outputting a command to said position control device such that said welding wire is moved toward said second base material when said actual voltage has exceeded a first preset voltage level set in advance and said welding wire is moved toward said first base material when said actual current detected by said current detector has exceeded a preset current level set in advance or said actual voltage detected by said voltage detector has fallen below a second preset voltage level set in advance and also for outputting said actual voltage and outputting said actual current,

said current control device for comparing said average current level inputted from said average current setting device with said actual current inputted from said power diagnosis unit and outputting a current control signal such that this actual current is brought into correspondence with said preset current level set in advance,

a voltage control device for comparing said average voltage level inputted from said average voltage setting device with said actual voltage inputted from said power diagnosis unit and outputting a voltage control signal such that this actual voltage is brought into conformity with said preset voltage level set in advance, and

said output control device for being inputted with said current control signal outputted from said current control device

and said voltage control signal outputted from said voltage control device, and based on said current control signal and voltage control signal, outputting a power source control signal to said welding power source to control an output of said power source.

4. A welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said welding apparatus is provided with:

a peak voltage setting device for setting a peak voltage for a pulse voltage,

a base voltage setting device for setting a base voltage, a pulse duration setting device for setting a pulse duration, and

a pulse waveform control device for being inputted with said preset peak voltage, preset base voltage level and preset pulse duration from said peak voltage setting device, base voltage setting device and pulse duration setting device, respectively, comparing these preset values with an actual peak voltage, actual base voltage and actual pulse duration, respectively, and outputting a waveform control signal to said output control device,

said power diagnosis unit comprises means for determining an actual peak voltage, actual base voltage and actual pulse duration on a basis of said actual voltage detected by said voltage detector and said actual current detected by said current detector, and outputting the thus-determined actual peak voltage,

actual base voltage and actual pulse duration to said pulse waveform control device, and

said output control device comprises means for being inputted with said waveform control signal outputted from said pulse waveform control device and outputting a power source control signal, which controls an output of said power source, to said welding power source on a basis of said voltage control signal inputted from said voltage control device and said current control signal inputted from said current control device.

5. A welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein:

said pulse waveform control device comprises sinusoidal current forming means for converting a welding current into a sinusoidal current, comparing a preset sinusoidal waveform, which has been set in advance, with an actual sinusoidal waveform and outputting a waveform control signal to said output control device,

said power diagnosis unit comprises means for determining an actual current waveform on a basis of said actual voltage detected by said voltage detector and said actual current detected by said current detector, and outputting the thus-determined actual current waveform to said sinusoidal current forming means, and

said output control device comprises means for outputting a power source control signal, which controls an output of said power source, to said welding power source on a basis of said

waveform control signal inputted from said sinusoidal current forming means, said voltage control signal inputted from said voltage control device and said current control signal inputted from said current control device.

6. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire to be introduced through a welding torch into a groove formed by bringing said first base material, on which a root face and a single groove face have been formed, into contact with said second material having a flat surface, a control device for controlling a position of said welding wire,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to said area of contact,

a voltage detector for detecting an actual voltage to be fed from said welding power source to said area of contact, a clock device for detecting a time, at which an arc from said welding wire passes through a position of contact between an end portion of said single groove face and said flat surface, and clocking a time after said arc passes through said position of contact until said arc moves toward said first base material and returns back to said predetermined position,

memory means for storing a change in welding voltage during said clocking time by said voltage detector and said clock device, and

wire position control means for continuing preceding weaving control when a time (t4−

t3)—

t3 being a time at which an actual voltage begins to exceed a preset voltage level set in advance and t4 being a time at which said actual voltage falls below said preset voltage level, both while clocking a second predetermined time Ate subsequent to an elapse of a first predetermined time At, from a time point at which said welding wire passed through said position of contact during said clocking time—

falls within a target time range in which adequate fusion takes place without punching through said first base material, moving a center axis of weaving of said welding wire toward said second base material when said time (t4−

t3) exceeds said target time, and moving said center axis of weaving toward said first base material when said time (t4−

t3) falls below said target time.

7. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire to be introduced through a welding torch into a groove formed by bringing said first base material, on which a root face and a single groove face have been formed, into contact with said second material having a flat surface, a control device for controlling a position of said welding wire,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to said area of contact,

a current detector for detecting an actual current to be fed from said welding power source to said area of contact, a clock device for detecting a time, at which an arc from said welding wire passes through a position of contact between an end portion of said single groove face and said flat surface, and clocking a time after said arc passes through said position of contact until said arc moves toward said first base material and returns back to said predetermined position,

memory means for storing a change in welding current during said clocking time by said current detector and said clock device, and

wire position control means for continuing preceding weaving control when a time (t4—

t3)−

t3 being a time at which an actual current begins to fall below a preset current level set in advance and t4 being a time at which said actual current exceeds said preset voltage level, both while clocking a second predetermined time Ate subsequent to an elapse of a first predetermined time At, from a time point at which said welding wire passed through said position of contact during said clocking time—

falls within a target time range in which adequate fusion takes place without punching through said first base material, moving a center axis of weaving of said welding wire toward said second base material when said time (t4−

t3) exceeds said target time, and moving said center axis of weaving toward said first base material when said time (t4−

t3) falls below said target time.

8. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire to be introduced through a welding torch into a groove formed by bringing said first base material, on which a root face and a single groove face have been formed, into contact with said second material having a flat surface, a control device for controlling a position of said welding wire,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to said area of contact,

a voltage detector for detecting an actual voltage to be fed from said welding power source to said area of contact, a clock device for detecting a time, at which an arc from said welding wire passes through a position of contact between an end portion of said single groove face and said flat surface, and clocking a time after said arc passes through said position of contact until said arc moves toward said first base material and returns back to said predetermined position,

memory means for storing a change in welding voltage during said clocking time by said voltage detector and said clock device, and

wire tip position control means for moving a tip of said welding wire away from said position of contact when an actual average voltage during said clocking time falls below a preset first voltage level, moving said tip of said welding wire toward said position of contact when said actual average voltage exceeds a preset second voltage level, and maintaining said tip of said welding wire at a preceding position when said actual average voltage falls between said preset first voltage level and said preset second voltage level.

9. A welding apparatus for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, comprising:

a welding wire to be introduced through a welding torch into a groove formed by bringing said first base material, on which a root face and a single groove face have been formed, into contact with said second material having a flat surface, a control device for controlling a position of said welding wire,

a welding power source for feeding welding electric power to said area of contact,

a current detector for detecting an actual current to be fed from said welding power source to said area of contact, a clock device for detecting a time, at which an arc from said welding wire passes through a position of contact between an end portion of said single groove face and said flat surface, and clocking a time after said arc passes through said position of contact until said arc moves toward said first base material and returns back to said predetermined position,

memory means for storing a change in welding current during said clocking time by said current detector and said clock device, and

wire tip position control means for moving a tip of said welding wire away from said position of contact when an actual average current during said clocking time exceeds a preset first current level, moving said tip of said welding wire toward said position of contact when said actual average current falls below a preset second current level, and maintaining said tip of said welding wire at a preceding position when said actual average current falls between said preset first current level and said preset second current level.

10. A welding method for butt welding a first base material and a second base material with each other, said first base material having an abutting end portion with a groove face and a root face formed on a side thereof and on a free end thereof, respectively, and said second base material having a flat surface at which said first base material is to be brought into contact with said second base material, which comprises:

bringing said root face of said first base material into contact with said flat surface of said second base material,

arranging a welding wire to face at a predetermined inclination relative to said flat surface of said second base material such that a center axis of an arc from said welding wire is to be directed toward a position of contact between an end portion of said groove face of said first base material and said flat surface of said second base material or a position adjacent and not farther than said position of contact, and then, in a course of performing arc welding,

inputting less heat in said first base material than in said second base material such that said abutting end portion of said first base material is caused to fuse to a back side thereof without a bum-through while causing said flat surface of said second base material to fuse, thereby to form a molten pool with melts of said first base material, second base material and welding wire,

forcing out said molten pool to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material such that said molten pool is formed extending integrally from an inside of said groove to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material, and

allowing said molten pool to resolidify such that a bead is formed in a form of a fillet weld on said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material.

11. A welding method according to claim 10, wherein said welding wire is caused to weave with a predetermined oscillation width within said groove while maintaining said predetermined inclination.

12. A welding method according to claim 10, wherein said welding wire is caused to weave with a predetermined oscillation width with a center of weaving set at a predetermined point on said predetermined inclination within said groove.

13. A welding method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein:

while said welding wire is weaving, a change in welding voltage or welding current during a time after said arc moves past said position of contact until said arc moves toward said first base material and returns back to said position of contact is detected based on a time at which said arc passes through said position of contact, and

said welding wire is moved in a direction of a width of said groove on a basis of the thus-detected change such that said center of said weaving always remains at an appropriate position relative to said groove.

14. A welding method according to claim 11 or 12, wherein:

while said welding wire is weaving, a change in welding voltage or welding current during a time after said arc moves past said position of contact until said arc moves toward said first base material and returns back to said position of contact is detected based on a time at which said arc passes through said position of contact, and

a tip of said welding wire is moved toward or away from said position of contact on a basis of the thus-detected change such that said center of weaving always remains at an appropriate position relative to said groove.

15. A welding method according to claim 10 wherein a current for generating said arc is a direct current.

16. A welding method according to claim 10 wherein a current for generating said arc is a current obtained by superimposing a direct current and a pulse current on each other.

17. A welding method according to claim 10 wherein a current for generating said arc is a sinusoidal current.

18. A welded “

T”

joint with a first base material and a second base material butt welded with each other, said first base material having an abutting end portion with a groove face and a root face formed on a side thereof and on a free end thereof, respectively, and said second base material having a flat surface at which said first base material is to be brought into contact with said second base material, wherein said welded “

T”

joint has been fabricated by;

bringing said root face of said first base material into contact with said flat surface of said second base material,

arranging a welding wire to face at a predetermined inclination relative to said flat surface of said second base material such that a center axis of an arc from said welding wire is to be directed toward a position of contact between an end portion of said groove face of said first base material and said flat surface of said second base material or a position adjacent and not farther than said position of contact, and then, in a course of performing arc welding,

inputting less heat in said first base material than in said second base material such that said abutting end portion of said first base material is caused to fuse to a back side thereof without a bum-through while causing said flat surface of said second base material to fuse, thereby to form a molten pool with melts of said first base material, second base material and welding wire,

forcing out said molten pool to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material such that said molten pool is formed extending integrally from an inside of said groove to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material, and

allowing said molten pool to resolidify such that a bead is formed in a form of a fillet weld on said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material.

19. A butt-welded “

T”

joint of flat plates with a first base material and a second base material butt welded with each other, said first base material having an abutting end portion with a groove face and a root face formed on a side thereof and on a free end thereof, respectively, and said second base material having a flat surface at which said first base material is to be brought into contact with said second base material, wherein said butt-welded “

T”

joint has been fabricated by;

bringing said root face of said first base material into contact with said flat surface of said second base material,

arranging a welding wire to face at a predetermined inclination relative to said flat surface of said second base material such that a center axis of an arc from said welding wire is to be directed toward a position of contact between an end portion of said groove face of said first base material and said flat surface of said second base material or a position adjacent and not farther than said position of contact, and then, in a course of performing arc welding,

inputting less heat in said first base material than in said second base material such that said abutting end portion of said first base material is caused to fuse to a back side thereof without a bum-through while causing said flat surface of said second base material to fuse, thereby to form a molten pool with melts of said first base material, second base material and welding wire,

forcing out said molten pool to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material such that said molten pool is formed extending integrally from an inside of said groove to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material, and

allowing said molten pool to resolidify such that a bead is formed in a form of a fillet weld on said back side of said abutting end portion of said first base material.

20. A box-shaped structure formed of a plurality of plates comprising a first plate and a second plate butt-welded with each other, said first plate having an abutting end portion with a groove face and a root face formed on a side thereof and on a free end thereof, respectively, and said second plate having a flat surface at which said first plate is to be brought into contact with said second plate, wherein said box-shaped structure has been fabricated by:

bringing said root face of said first plate into contact with said flat surface of said second plate,

arranging a welding wire to face at a predetermined inclination relative to said flat surface of said second plate such that a center axis of an arc from said welding wire is to be directed toward a position of contact between an end portion of said groove face of said first plate and said flat surface of said second plate or a position adjacent and not farther than said position of contact, and then, in a course of performing arc welding,

inputting less heat in said first plate than in said second plate such that said abutting end portion of said first plate is caused to fuse to a back side thereof without a burn-through while causing said flat surface of said second plate to fuse, thereby to form a molten pool with melts of said first plate, second plate and welding wire,

forcing out said molten pool to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first plate such that said molten pool is formed extending integrally from an inside of said groove to said back side of said abutting end portion of said first plate, and

allowing said molten pool to resolidify such that a bead is formed in a form of a fillet weld on said back side of said abutting end portion of said first plate.