Design of an universal source for semi-automatic ac welding and induction heating

This paper proposes a circuit solution and a power source control algorithm for semi-automatic AC welding with improved energy and weight-size characteristics. A distinctive feature of the designed source is the absence of an input rectifier: welding is carried out with a high-frequency alternating current. That has made it possible to significantly reduce power losses in the source, as well as provide the possibility of implementing induction heating by connecting an inductor to the source output. Another distinctive feature of the designed source is an increased power factor and a reduced level of higher harmonics of the current consumed. The power factor of the described source reaches 0.94 against 0.5÷0.7 for sources equipped with a conventional rectifier with capacitive smoothing. The designed source's composition includes a power supply system for the wire feed drive with speed stabilization due to positive feedback on the motor current. That has made it possible to ensure the stable operation of the drive in a wide range of speeds. A model has also been developed of a flux wire welding torch containing a feed drive and a coil with a wire (up to 100 mm in diameter), placed, in order to reduce the size, in the handle of the torch. In addition to the welding function, the source makes it possible to solve the tasks related to induction heating and/or hardening of small parts; to that end, a compact inductor is connected to its output. Tests of the source showed the feasibility of the proposed ideas and circuit solutions. The dimensions of the source are 190×107×65 mm; weight, 1.4 kg; output current, up to 120 A. The proposed technical solution enables the construction of small-sized, lightweight, universal, easy-to-use power supplies for semi-automatic welding with the option of induction heating

Method for tuning feedforward in electric feed drive control systems

The electric feed drive used in metal-cutting machines like any high-precision electric drive requires high accuracy of reference processing and robustness against perturbations. For this purpose, feedforwards are added to the position controller to improve set point processing time and to compensate for disturbances. Feedforwards are usually tuned manually when the machine is setup, either by applying a series of tests on the motor or by calculation. The calculation requires some information about the magnitudes of disturbances that can be compensated by appropriate feedforwards, but this information is not always available a priori. In this paper, we propose tuning the feedforward coefficients based on the results of the parametric identification of the values of the torques acting on the electric drive, as well as the apparent moment of inertia. For parametric identification the methods of electric drive theory, method of least squares, and digital signal processing method are used; mathematical modeling method is applied to assess the compensation quality. The authors propose the method of tuning the parameters of the control system of electric feed drive based on parametric identification of the values of torques acting on the motor and/or the operating device. The results of control system simulation show both high identification accuracy and significant reduction of dynamic control error when feedforwards are activated. The considered structure of the control system and the proposed algorithm of identification and adjustment of its parameters can be used in electric drives of metal-cutting machine tools. The simulation results have shown that the use of feedforwards, tuned in accordance with the algorithm, enable to reduce the dynamic position tracking error by more than 50 times, which can be critical in contour machining.

Hybrid manufacturing of topology optimized machine tool parts through a layer laminated manufacturing method

Load-oriented lightweight structures are commonly designed based on topology optimization. For machine tool parts, they enable the reduction of moving masses and therefore increase the resource and energy efficiency of production systems. However, this usually results in complex part structures that are difficult or impossible to produce using conventional manufacturing methods. In this paper, a hybrid layer laminated manufacturing (LLM) method is proposed enabling manufacturing of topology-optimized machine tool parts. The method is referred to as hybrid, as the subtractive structuring of metal sheets is combined with the additive joining of the sheets by adhesive bonding. This enables enclosed inner cavities without support structures, which are used to approximate the optimal density distribution from a topology optimization via manufacturing. The proposed LLM method is validated on the basis of a bearing block of a ball screw feed drive. A experimental study in the time and frequency domain on a test rig confirms the principle suitability of the LLM method for the production of industrial applicable lightweight components.

Attaining Ultraprecision Machining by Feed Drive System Stability Control with Piezoelectric Preloading Actuators

In this paper, a variable preload force control structure utilizing piezoelectric actuators (PEAs) is proposed for the stability control of the feed drive system. Three PEAs are installed between the two nuts to exert preload force on the ball screw, leading to an elimination or substantial reduction of the backlash, which is the main cause of instability of feed drives. This results in better machining precision throughout the operation process. In addition, the force analysis of the whole preload feed drive system is established. Moreover, the hysteresis of the PEAs is determined with reference to the Prandtl–Ishlinskii (P-I) model. Lastly, the P-I model-based feedforward controller is applied to the feed drive system to improve the resultant machining precision. Based on the modeling and experiments, to demonstrate the efficacy and high-performance of the proposed P-I model-based control algorithm against conventional PID control system, comparative experiments are conducted, showing satisfactory results.

Influence of stiffness of the mechanical part of the drive and cutting parameters on the shaping elastic deformation control

Introduction. One of the ways to improve the accuracy of manufacturing parts by cutting is related to the control of elastic deformations of the tool and the workpiece. This is particularly true for slender parts, whose stiffness law along the tool path is given. In this case, the control parameter, as a rule, is the return flow rate, which affects the cutting forces, whose change causes variations in elastic deformations. To provide the specified accuracy of the diameter, it is required to coordinate the controlled trajectory of the feed drive speed with the feed rate and a priori given law of change in the stiffness of the workpiece or the law of variation of the cutting process parameters. To do this, it is required to determine the law of converting the engine speed into the feed rate, and, ultimately, into elastic deformations. This law depends on the stiffness of the mechanical part of the feed drive and the changing parameters of the cutting process.Materials and Methods. The paper presents mathematical modeling and, on its basis, analysis of the conversion of the feed rate into cutting forces, taking into account the final stiffness value of the mechanical part of the drive and the evolutionary parameters of the cutting process. Results. It is shown that, starting from a certain critical value, the law of converting the feed rate into cutting forces becomes fundamentally dependent on the stiffness of the mechanical part of the drive. At the same time, there is an increase in time for setting a new force value when the feed rate varies, which affects the accuracy of providing forces that are consistent with the stiffness law of the part. The paper presents algorithms for calculating elastic deformations for a given stiffness law, as well as algorithms for calculating the trajectory of the feed rate at which the deformations remain constant. It is shown that the law of conversion is also affected by variations in the cutting parameters. Discussion and Conclusion. The frequency and time characteristics of the conversion are discussed. A conclusion is made about the accuracy of the diameter formed through cutting, depending on the stiffness of the mechanical part of the feed drive and on some parameters of the cutting process.