In short the objective of this project is the design of innovative tube connections. The innovative aspect of these types of connections is that it becomes possible to connect tubes in an intelligent way. This means that these connections fit more precisely, can be positioned quickly and perfectly, that no or simple calibres are needed for welding, that less time is needed for welding, or welding even can be omitted.
To attain this objective, tube laser cutting technology, available since a few years, will be needed. This technology makes it possible to cut all the desired forms in tubes and offers the possibility to create forms which are impossible to realise with classical methods (e.g. drilling, cutting, milling and punching).
The possibilities of tube laser cutting are not fully applied at this moment, because of the lack of example designs. Moreover, the available designs are not precisely described and there are no design rules. These connections are thus to be optimized by trial and error. The objective of this project is to develop a catalogue with design rules for new intelligent connections in function of the dimensions of the tubes and the aimed geometry.
Besides ideas for innovative tube connections, this website will obviously provide some information about tube cutting with laser technology.
