Nexans

Olaf Petersen

Ralf Egerer

Steven Dinkel

Nico Lange

For the production of fibre waveguides mounted in a metal hollow profile, a flat metal strip is supplied to a deforming unit. The deforming unit is configured for continuously deforming the supplied flat metal strip into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. The hollow profile is continuously welded along a longitudinal seam by means of a laser. A filler gel with a viscosity which increases with decreasing temperature, and one or more fibre waveguides, are introduced into the welded hollow profile in a continuous process via a guide or protective tube. In order to introduce the one or more fibre waveguides with an excess length into the hollow profile, the welded hollow profile is elastically stretched, is cooled, and is relaxed again. The finished product is received in a receiving unit. The continuous closed-loop control of the excess length of the fibre waveguides is performed inter alia through continuous open-loop control of the gel temperature, of the laser power and of the force exerted on the hollow profile for the elastic stretching.

Method for the continuous production of optical fibre waveguides mounted in a thin-walled, radially closed metal tube

A process is provided for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles composed of nonferrous metals and having a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the metal to a forming apparatus at a first supply speed, the thickness of the strip corresponding to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus continuous forms the flat strip into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region and are continuously welded by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats an area in a welding region having a diameter of less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region and taken up in an uptake device.

Process for the production of thin-walled hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have small diameters

A method for the continuous production of a thin-walled, perforated metal hollow profile with one or more fibre waveguides mounted therein. The method includes supplying of a flat metal strip at a first supply rate to a deforming device, which continuously deforms the metal strip into a metal hollow profile with a slot running in a longitudinal direction. Two opposite edges of the metal strip deformed into the metal hollow profile that lie flush against one another in a contact region extending in the longitudinal direction of the metal hollow profile are continuously welded to one another, drawn off from the welding region and perforated. The method further includes positioning a protective tube reaching into the welded metal hollow profile on the draw-off side to beyond the perforation point and supplying one or more fibre waveguides from one or more fibre unwinders via the protective tube, such that the fibre waveguide or waveguides are introduced into the perforated metal hollow profile from the guide or protective tube downstream of the perforation point in the drawing-off direction. The perforated metal hollow profile with the fibre waveguide or fibre waveguides mounted therein is received in a receiving unit.

Method for the continuous production of optical fibre waveguide sensors mounted in a perforated metal hollow profile

A process for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the nonferrous metal to a forming apparatus () at a first supply speed, where the thickness of the strip corresponds to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus () is configured for continuous forming of the flat strip supplied into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region. A welding apparatus () continuously welds the edges which rest flush against one another by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats a point in a welding region which has a diameter which is less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region, provided in a corrugator () with parallel or helical corrugation in sections and taken up in an uptake device ().

Process for the continuous production of thin-walled hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have small diameters and are corrugated in sections

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Hannover, Germany

Olaf Petersen