Kl-144 Machine
For Electron Beam Welding Of Airplane Structures

• Vacuum chamber design incorporates a dual wall providing greater vacuum content with lighter overall weight. High structural rigidity ensures motion system of high accuracy and repeatability.
  
• The vacuum chamber volume is 100m3. For the convenient transportation by motor and railway vehicles, the vacuum chamber consists of two similar sections, connected to each other via the vacuum seal. The assembling accuracy is provided by pinning.
• Multi-axis design, programmable CNC 7 -axes motion control, simultaneous control of the 4 coordinates.
  Welding control with real time automatic seam tracking and observation RASTR secondary electron emission system.
• Tungsten tablet cathode is used for long life more than 40 hrs, prevents “beam walking” when the focus position is changed.
• CNC +PLC of all machine systems.
  

 MACHINES DESIGN

Vacuum chamber is equipped with two sliding doors. Two platforms, placed on both sides of the chamber, are functionally designed for the placement of mechanisms for mounting of work pieces. Chamber is pumping out with 3 diffusion pumps DIP 50 000, 2 roots pumps RA 9001 and 4 mechanical pumps SV750.

Hardware architecture of the Control System for KL-144 (see figure) is based on SINUMERIK 840D platform that combines all the CNC, PLC, control and communication task in a single NCU module. Movement system of the machine is based on SIMODRIVE 611U driving system.

Control System is based on open architecture principles of automation systems for Machine Tools. It provides implementation the following features:

• Computerized Numerical Control (CNC) for motion control of 7-axes geometry (3 gun linear axes, 2 gun tilt and turn axes, rotator rotation and tilt axes);
• Simultaneous synchronic movement on any 4 axes with linear and/or circular interpolations;
  
• full integration with CNC control of all beam parameters;
  
• Two operational welding modes: automated mode and manual mode. Manual mode allows movement control made from the handheld unit;
  
• Comprising a few programs into a master program (for instance, tack programs and welding programs);
  
• Trajectory teaching and real time seam tracking during welding (using RASTR);
  
• PLC control of vacuum system and power supply;
  
• Diagnostic tools for trouble-shooting faults or errors;
  
• Logging of all control commands and parameters including welding parameters both in graphic and tabular formats;
  
• Windows oriented User Graphic Interface (GUI) for graphic setting and editing of welding programs, 3D image of inner chamber environment with gun manipulator, rotator, work piece and butt line.

  KL-144 MACHINE FOR ELECTRON BEAM WELDING OF AIRPLANE STRUCTURES