HiSpRing Frequency-Agile RF Generator for high-speed welding

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Coaxial Power Systems Limited (CPS) has identified the need for an overhaul of industrial RF generator technology, addressing inefficient legacy generator designs, improving the weld quality and efficiency of RF welding plant, removing obsolescent electronic valve amplifier technology, and enabling manufacturers to automatically stabilise the weld power and to weld faster.The HiSpRing RF generator project represents a low-cost, high-reliability embodiment of the power monitoring & matching technology commonly used in scientific and medical applications, coupled with a solid-state amplifier architecture now common-place in radar and data-communications applications, suitably ruggedized for industrial welding environments. The key innovation is the demonstration of a kilo-Watt RF Generator with self-tuning (in an RF welder application) achieved in sub-millisecond timescales. With the HiSpRing RF generator, efficiency of the welding system is improved, enabling lower running (energy) costs, improved reliability, and reduced maintenance down-time. Improved load matching (and consequent reduction in RF power required for welding) reduces the RF power level needed in the welding equipment, and improves the quality of the welded material.Given the dated state of installed industrial RF Welder Generators world-wide, the performance, reliability, power consumption and size & weight efficiencies offered by this HiSpRing RF generator are game-changing, and disruptive to a largely US- and Far East-based incumbent competitor base. Support for the HiSpRing project has been obtained from multi-national medical packaging and performance footwear manufacturers, who already recognise the process and cost benefits in their RF welding manufacturing processes, offering superior weld characteristics to thermal welding, combined with fine control and improved quality assurance throughout the weld.The culmination of the project will be demonstration of the new RF generator in an RF welding workstation, to support dissemination of system-level characteristics and performance, alongside the performance characteristics of the new HiSpRing RF generator module. HiSpRing also addresses the wider challenge of improving manufacturing productivity (a persistent problem in the UK).