Nanoheater Underwater Robotic Welding for Marine Construction and Manufacturing

Abstract

This research introduces a 6-degree freedom underwater welding robotic system to ignite nano heater foils for metal joining, thus extending these nano heaters from soldering, brazing, and joining of components in the microchip industry to underwater welding. Ni/Al reactive multilayers are utilized to perform aluminum sheet component joining. These commercially available nano heaters release large amounts of heat when an electrical ignition stimulus initiates an exothermic reaction. The integrity of the welds performed by nano heater underwater welding is ensured by introducing openings in the nano heater foil, allowing for weld areas in a lap joint. The generated temperature field is simulated during such welding, establishing the Al sheet and nano heater thickness and the opening geometry conditions for reaching the melting temperature at the weld interface to generate successful and sound joints in the experiments. The proposed robotic system will eliminate the underwater occupational risks/hazards associated with underwater welding.