LaserPipe Case Study
1Pages

LaserPipe Remote in-bore laser welding of industrial pipelines A collaborative project investigating the feasibility of in-bore pipe welding using industrial lasers, integrated with snake-arm robots for industrial applications. Business Case Integrate an industrial high-powered laser with a snake-arm robot to demonstrate: Modern industrial sites often require regular maintenance to replace or repair deteriorated pipes. With limited external access available, external orbital welding is not viable for many applications, therefore in-bore remote processing has many significant advantages. Remote location of weld joint Alignment of laser with weld seam Determine in-bore laser welding parameters Demonstrate welding capability Laser welding tool Alignment mechanism TWI conducted initial in-bore welding trials to identify the following weld parameters for the project, using COTS hardware. The alignment mechanism provides 6 degrees of freedom with a high resolution of movement to deliver the identified weld parameters using an integrated hardware and software based solution. Laser Power – 4kW Weld traverse speed – 1m (3.3ft)/min Tolerance – 0.2mm (0.008”) Series II, X125 snake-arm robot Snake-arm robot OC Robotics snake-arm robots are highly flexible, rope driven robots ideal for working in confined and hazardous spaces. Alignment mechanism on snake-arm (render) Using laser pointers and an integrated camera the tool locates the joint using a 3-point method. A Series II, X125 snake-arm robot was integrated with the laser welding head and alignment system. The snake-arm robot was 2.5m (8.2’) long, 125mm (5”) in diameter and capable of carrying a 11lbs payload. TWI in-bore welding trials Alignment mechanism and tool Operating in a mock-up, the LaserPipe system navigated the environment before reaching the weld site, where a successful, full penetration weld was achieved. LaserPipe Demonstration Video Welding demonstration DELIVER Results Conclusion The project successfully and conclusively demonstrated the feasibility of in-bore laser welding using snake-arm robot technology for delivery and alignment. LaserPipe is led by OC Robotics, with partner TWI. The project is part funded by Innovate UK.