Friction stir welding tool and friction stir welding method

Abstract

The invention relates to a friction stir welding tool for a machine tool having a frame (6) and a main shaft (5) which can be rotated relative to the frame (6). The friction stir welding tool has a pin (1), a shoulder (2) and a drive shaft (4) which can be connected to the main shaft (5) of the machine tool in order to rotate the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) about an axis of rotation (3) via the main shaft (5), wherein the shoulder (2) can be rotated relative to the pin (1) about the axis of rotation (3). The object of the invention is to achieve different speeds of the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) in a particularly structurally simple and at the same time robust manner. According to the invention, this is achieved by providing a planetary transmission (7) having a ring gear (11), a planet carrier (8) and a sun gear (9), which is connected to the drive shaft (4), the pin (1) and the shoulder (2). The pin (1) or the shoulder (2) is connected to the planet carrier (8) in such a way that the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) can be rotated about the axis of rotation (3) at different rotational speeds, but in the same rotational direction, by driving the drive shaft (4) by means of the main shaft (5).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a friction stir welding tool for a machine tool having a frame and a spindle rotatable relative to the frame, wherein the friction stir welding tool includes a pin and a shoulder and a drive shaft that can be connected to the spindle of the machine tool to set the pin and the shoulder to rotate about a rotation axis via the spindle, wherein the shoulder can be rotated about the rotation axis relative to the pin.

[0002] In addition, the present invention relates to a friction stir welding method, wherein a friction stir welding tool having a drive shaft, a pin and a shoulder is configured to rotate about a rotation axis by using the spindle of a machine tool. Background Technology

[0003] Friction stir welding tools of the type described above are known from the prior art. Corresponding friction stir welding tools typically include a pin and a shoulder arranged perpendicular to the pin, the shoulder having a diameter larger than that of the pin, to join adjacent component parts by mixing materials in the mating area surrounding the friction stir welding tool. For good mixing in the area of ​​the pin, a high rotational speed of the friction stir welding tool in the area of ​​the pin is advantageous.

[0004] However, in the case of friction stir welding tools that include a pin rigidly connected to the shoulder, the correspondingly high rotational speed in the shoulder region results in unfavorably high velocity, which negatively impacts weld quality. To avoid this problem, friction stir welding tools in which the shoulder is separated from the pin and has a different velocity than the pin are known from the prior art, with separate drives proposed for the pin on one side and the shoulder on the other. However, this results in friction stir welding tools that are costly to produce and, even in the best cases, difficult to operate. Summary of the Invention

[0005] This is addressed by the present invention. The object of the present invention is to specify a friction stir welding tool of the type described above that can be manufactured in a simple manner and is robust at the same time.

[0006] In addition, friction stir welding tools of the type described above, which can be implemented in a simple manner and are robust during application, will be specified.

[0007] According to the invention, the first objective is achieved by a friction stir welding tool of the type described above, wherein a planetary gearbox having a ring gear, a planet carrier, and a sun gear is provided, the planetary gearbox being connected to a drive shaft, a pin, and a shoulder, wherein the pin or shoulder is connected to the planet carrier such that the pin and shoulder can be configured to rotate about the axis of rotation at different rotational speeds but in the same direction of rotation by means of a spindle driving the drive shaft.

[0008] In the course of this invention, a simple and robust construction was discovered through the corresponding use of a planetary gearbox in a friction stir welding tool. Thus, on the one hand, a single drive acting on the planetary gearbox is sufficient to achieve different speeds for the pin and shoulder. Since the pin and shoulder rotate at different speeds along the same direction of rotation about the axis of rotation, low wear is achieved on the contact surfaces between the pin and shoulder, especially because the relative speed between the pin and shoulder is therefore lower, for example, lower than the relative speed in the case where the pin and shoulder rotate in different directions.

[0009] This type of friction stir welding tool can be obtained in the most diverse ways using a planetary gearbox. For example, it can be provided that the spindle is rotaryly fixed to the sun gear, planet carrier, or ring gear of the planetary gearbox.

[0010] Typically, either the sun gear or the ring gear remains stationary, or the sun gear or the ring gear can be connected to the frame so that the gear is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation. By connecting the planet carrier to the pin or the shoulder respectively, it is easy to ensure that the pin and the shoulder rotate in the same direction.

[0011] If the sun gear is rotated-fixed to the drive shaft so that the spindle drives the sun gear, the ring gear can typically be rotated-fixed to the frame, and the pin and shoulder are then connected to the sun gear or planet carrier, or alternatively, to the planet carrier and sun gear. In this case, the output therefore occurs via the sun gear and planet carrier, which drive the pin and shoulder at different speeds but in the same direction of rotation. If the ring gear is rotated-fixed to the frame, or does not rotate about the axis of rotation, and the drive occurs via the planet carrier, then the corresponding output via the sun gear and planet carrier can of course also be achieved.

[0012] If the ring gear is rotated-fixed to the drive shaft so that the spindle drives the ring gear, then the sun gear can typically be rotated-fixed to the frame, and the pin and shoulder are then connected to the ring gear and the planet carrier; alternatively, the pin and shoulder are connected to the planet carrier and the ring gear. In this case, the output occurs via the ring gear and the planet carrier. If the sun gear can be rotated-fixed to the frame, or does not rotate about the axis of rotation, and the drive occurs via the planet carrier, then the corresponding output via the ring gear and the planet carrier can certainly also be achieved.

[0013] Regardless of which of the planetary gearbox, sun gear, ring gear, and planet carrier components is driven or rotatedly fixed to the drive shaft, the output therefore occurs with the participation of the planet carrier, or the planet carrier is always connected to the shoulder or pin and is never rigidly connected to the frame in order to ensure that the pin and shoulder rotate in the same direction.

[0014] Preferably, the drive shaft is connected to the planet carrier or sun gear of the planetary transmission, and the shoulder is connected to the planet carrier and the pin is connected to the sun gear of the planetary transmission, wherein the ring gear of the planetary transmission is connected to a support device, via which the ring gear can be connected to the machine tool frame so that it is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation. Alternatively, in a design in which the ring gear is rotatably fixed to the machine tool frame, or can be rotatably fixedly attached to the frame, and the drive occurs via the planet carrier or sun gear, the pin can of course also be connected to the planet carrier and the shoulder can of course also be connected to the sun gear, for example using a hollow shaft for connection.

[0015] This implementation achieves a simple yet robust construction, by which different rotational speeds of the pin and shaft can be obtained. Because the ring gear (in which the planet carrier can rotate about the axis of rotation of the sun gear via the planet gears) can be rotatably fixed to the frame via a support device (which may also be part of the ring gear), stable mounting of the shoulder of the planet carrier, and therefore the shoulder of the friction stir welding tool (the shoulder is typically rotatably fixed to the planet carrier), can be achieved. The sun gear is then similarly mounted in the ring gear via the planets, as is typical in planetary gearboxes, so that the pin and shoulder can rotate about the axis of rotation and relative to each other, but can simultaneously be mounted stably and robustly relative to the frame via the ring gear.

[0016] Typically, the pin is rotatably fixed to the sun gear, and the shoulder is rotatably fixed to the planet carrier. The drive shaft can be connected to the planet carrier or sun gear of the planetary gearbox, typically such that it is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation, so as to transmit torque from the spindle to the friction stir welding tool via the planet carrier or sun gear. Preferably, the drive shaft is connected to the planet carrier such that it is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation. The shoulder, drive shaft, and planet carrier can then be formed by separate and connected components, or they can be formed by a single component.

[0017] In an alternative embodiment, a drive shaft may be connected to a ring gear or planetary carrier, and a shoulder may be connected to the ring gear of a planetary transmission and a pin may be connected to the planetary carrier of a planetary transmission, wherein the sun gear of the planetary transmission is connected to a support device, via which the sun gear may be connected to the frame of the machine tool so that it is rotatably fixed about a rotational axis.

[0018] Therefore, in this embodiment where the sun gear is connected to the frame in a rotationally fixed manner, different rotational speeds of the pin and shoulder can also be achieved in a simple manner, wherein if the drive occurs via a drive shaft connected in this case to the ring gear or planetary carrier, the pin and shoulder also rotate in the same direction.

[0019] By appropriately selecting the number of teeth of the ring gear, planetary gear, and sun gear, any desired transmission ratio between the rotational speed of the shoulder and the rotational speed of the pin can be achieved, wherein the shoulder is preferably connected to the spindle of the corresponding machine tool in a rotationally fixed manner via the planetary carrier and the drive shaft.

[0020] Preferably, the number of teeth of the ring gear, the sun gear, and one or more planetary gears is selected such that the rotational speed of the pin is greater than the rotational speed of the shoulder. If the drive occurs via the planet carrier, the rotational speed of the pin (typically the same as the rotational speed of the sun gear) is therefore higher than the rotational speed of the spindle.

[0021] Typically, at least three planetary gears are provided to achieve a uniform introduction of torque to the sun gear and correspondingly uniform support of the shoulders and pins relative to the frame.

[0022] If the number of teeth on the ring gear, sun gear, and planetary gear is chosen such that the rotational speed of the pin is greater than that of the shoulder, then particularly good mixing of the material of the individual components in the pin region can be achieved simultaneously, while the unfavorably high speed of the shoulder relative to the components to be welded is avoided. As a result, high-quality welds can be obtained, especially even in the case of thick-walled components.

[0023] It is advantageous if a force measuring device is provided between the pin and the drive shaft to determine the axial and / or radial forces on the pin and / or shoulder during friction stir welding operations. The friction stir welding method can then be controlled according to the changes in the forces that occur, and in particular, the breakage of the friction stir welding tool can be reliably avoided even at high feed rates.

[0024] In a machine tool having a frame and a spindle that can rotate relative to the frame, a friction stir welding tool is connected to the spindle, which is advantageous if the friction stir welding tool is implemented according to the invention. A friction stir welding method in which the rotational speed at the pin is higher than the rotational speed at the shoulder can thus be implemented, where simple construction and robust implementation are ensured.

[0025] In this type of machine tool, it is preferably provided that the ring gear or sun gear is connected to the frame by means of a support device so that the gear is rotatably fixed about a rotational axis. For this purpose, the support device can be connected to the frame, for example, by form-fit and / or force-fit. The support device can then be connected to the ring gear or sun gear by force-fit, form-fit, and / or material bonding, or it can be implemented as a single piece with the ring gear or sun gear, for example, as a blade, via which a rotationally fixed and preferably releasable connection can be created between the frame and the ring gear or between the frame and the sun gear. The speed of the planet carrier and the sun gear, or (if the sun gear is rotatably fixed to the frame) the speed of the planet carrier and the ring gear, is then clearly defined based on the speed of the spindle about the spindle axis, which can coincide with the rotational axis of the friction stir welding tool.

[0026] Therefore, the speeds of the pin and shoulder can be easily changed by altering the speed of the spindle. If the ring gear or sun gear is fixed relative to the frame in terms of rotation about the axis of rotation, the transmission ratio of the pin's speed to the shoulder's speed is typically greater than 1.0 and is constant. The pin and shoulder thus rotate about the axis of rotation in the same direction but at different speeds.

[0027] It should be understood that the frame itself (the spindle and friction stir welding tool can be rotated relative to the frame, and the ring gear or sun gear is usually connected to the frame in a rotationally fixed manner) does not need to be fixed, but can be moved along the feed direction relative to, for example, the machine tool table, so that the components can be welded to each other without moving the component components themselves.

[0028] Furthermore, it is advantageous if a force measuring device is provided at the spindle to determine the radial and / or axial forces acting on the spindle. The corresponding friction stir welding method can then be controlled based on the forces measured at the spindle (if necessary, after being converted into forces acting on the friction stir welding tool), such that the maximum feed rate is achieved without exceeding the maximum permissible mechanical load on the friction stir welding tool.

[0029] Preferably, the frame, together with the spindle, can be moved by means of a feed driver, along the feed direction, relative to the machine tool table, and / or relative to the component being welded. The frame can therefore also be implemented as a component movable relative to the machine tool table, wherein the spindle is mounted such that it can rotate about its axis.

[0030] Another objective is achieved according to the invention by a friction stir welding tool of the type described above, wherein the motion of the spindle is transmitted to a drive shaft, wherein the drive power supplied via the drive shaft is distributed to the pin and shoulder via a planetary gearbox connecting the drive shaft, the pin, and the shoulder, wherein the pin and shoulder rotate about a rotation axis in the same direction. A simple and robust construction is achieved by distributing the drive power to the pin and shoulder by means of a planetary gearbox, wherein the pin and shoulder rotate at different speeds while their rotation in the same direction is ensured. Preferably, the friction stir welding tool according to the invention is used in this type of method.

[0031] It has proven effective that the drive shaft is connected to the planet carrier or sun gear of the planetary transmission, wherein the sun gear of the planetary transmission is connected to a pin, and wherein the planet carrier is connected to the shoulder of the friction stir welding tool. Of course, the sun gear can also be alternatively connected to the shoulder, and the planet carrier can also be connected to a pin. In such embodiments of the invention, the ring gear is generally kept stationary, or the ring gear does not rotate relative to the frame of the machine tool used to perform the method, nor relative to the component parts being welded; instead, only the planet carrier and the sun gear rotate about the axis of rotation.

[0032] Alternatively, the drive shaft can be connected to the planet carrier or ring gear of a planetary transmission, wherein the planet carrier is connected to a pin, and the ring gear is connected to the shoulder of the friction stir welding tool. Furthermore, in this type of embodiment where the drive occurs via the planet carrier or ring gear, it can also be provided that the planet carrier is connected to the shoulder and the ring gear is connected to the pin, in order to obtain different speeds for the pin and the shoulder. In such embodiments of the invention, the sun gear generally remains fixed, or the sun gear does not rotate relative to the frame of the machine tool used to perform the method, and correspondingly does not rotate relative to the component being welded; instead, only the planet carrier and the ring gear rotate about the axis of rotation in this case.

[0033] Due to the use of a gearbox between the pin and the shoulder, the pin's rotational speed can differ from that of the shoulder, in particular in order to obtain a high rotational speed of the pin while simultaneously achieving the permissible relative speed between the shoulder and the connected component parts.

[0034] Preferably, the pin rotates at a higher speed about the axis of rotation than the shoulder rotates about the axis of rotation.

[0035] It has been proven effective that axial and / or radial forces are measured at the spindle and / or at the friction stir welding tool. The correspondingly measured forces can be used, in particular, to control the friction stir welding method in order to ensure the maximum possible feed rate without damaging the friction stir welding tool. Attached Figure Description

[0036] Further features, advantages, and effects of the present invention derive from the exemplary embodiments described below. In the accompanying drawings, which are thus referenced:

[0037] Figure 1 The friction stir welding tool according to the invention is shown in the schematic diagram. Detailed Implementation

[0038] Figure 1 A schematic cross-sectional view shows the friction stir welding tool according to the invention, together with a part of the machine tool and the connected component 13. It can be seen that the friction stir welding tool includes a pin 1, a shoulder 2, and a drive shaft 4, which is arranged in the frame 6 of the machine tool such that it can be rotated about a rotation axis 3, and the rotation axis 3 can be driven by the spindle 5 of the machine tool. The spindle 5 is then connected to the frame 6 by bearings 15 so that it can rotate about a spindle axis, wherein the spindle axis in this case coincides with the rotation axis 3 of the friction stir welding tool.

[0039] The spindle 5 of the machine tool is typically connected to the drive shaft 4 of the friction stir welding tool in a rotationally fixed and generally releasable manner. In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the drive shaft 4 is then connected to the shoulder 2 of the friction stir welding tool in a rotationally fixed manner. Alternatively, the drive shaft 4 may also be connected to the pin 1 in a rotationally fixed manner.

[0040] To achieve different speeds for pin 1 and shoulder 2, the friction stir welding tool includes a planetary transmission 7, wherein shoulder 2, and in the illustrated example, drive shaft 4, are rotatably fixed to the planet carrier 8 of the planetary transmission 7. The planet carrier 8, as is typical for a planetary transmission 7 or a rotary transmission, is connected to a ring gear 11 via planetary gears 10 rotatably connected to the planet carrier 8, wherein planetary gears 10 mesh with the ring gear 11 on one hand and with the sun gear 9 of the planetary transmission 7 on the other. Thus, the sun gear 9 and the planet carrier 8 rotate about the same axis of rotation 3, while the planetary gears 10 rotate together with the planet carrier 8 about the axis of rotation 3 that circulates within the ring gear 11.

[0041] According to a first embodiment of the invention, the ring gear 11 of the planetary transmission 7 is rotationally fixed to the frame 6 of the machine tool (i.e., via a support device 12), the support device 12 being, for example, force-fitted and / or form-fitted connected to the frame 6. The sun gear 9 of the planetary transmission 7 is, in this case, rotationally fixed to the pin 1 of the friction stir welding tool such that the shoulder 2 of the friction stir welding tool has a rotational speed corresponding to the planet carrier 8, and the pin 1 has a rotational speed corresponding to the sun gear 9.

[0042] As a result of this arrangement, a difference in rotational speed is achieved between pin 1 and shoulder 2, wherein the speed increase ratio is preferably achieved between shoulder 2 and pin 1 such that the rotational speed of pin 1 about the rotational axis 3 is therefore generally higher than the rotational speed of shoulder 2 about the rotational axis 3. In the exemplary embodiment illustrated, pin 1 and shoulder 2 rotate in the same direction. Because the ring gear 11 is rotationally fixed to the frame 6 in the exemplary embodiment, the speed of planet carrier 8, and therefore the speed of shoulder 2 and the speed of sun gear 9, and therefore the speed of pin 1, are clearly defined by the number of teeth of ring gear 11, planet gear 10, and sun gear 9.

[0043] As schematically depicted, the frame 6, together with the spindle 5 and the friction stir welding tool, can be moved along the feed direction 16 relative to the machine tool table 14, which can be rigidly connected to the component 13 being welded, so as to connect the component 13 to each other by means of the weld seam extending along the feed direction 16.

[0044] Although in the exemplary embodiment illustrated, the ring gear 11 is rotatably fixed to the frame 6 and the drive occurs via the planet carrier 8, other embodiments of the invention are of course possible. In other embodiments, instead of the ring gear 11, the sun gear 9 is rotatably fixed to the frame 6 and the drive occurs via the ring gear 11 or the planet carrier 8.

[0045] Furthermore, it should be understood that each of the planetary gearbox 7, planet carrier 8, sun gear 9, and ring gear 11 components that is not connected to the frame 6 in a rotationally fixed manner can be connected either to pin 1 or to shoulder 2 in order to obtain different speeds for pin 1 and shoulder 2 and simultaneously obtain rotation of pin 1 and shoulder 2 in the same direction.

[0046] Therefore, there are four exemplary embodiments of the present invention, in each embodiment of which the ring gear 11 is rotatably fixed to the frame 6. The first embodiment corresponds to Figure 1In the embodiment illustrated in the figure, the shoulder 2 is rotatably fixed to the planet carrier 8, and the pin 1 is rotatably fixed to the sun gear 9, and the drive is generated via the planet carrier 8, or the planet carrier 8 is rotatably fixed to the drive shaft 4.

[0047] According to a second embodiment (not depicted), pin 1 may, unlike the first embodiment, be rotatably fixed to the planet carrier 8, and shoulder 2 may be rotatably fixed to the sun gear 9. The connection between the planet carrier 8 and pin 1 may occur, for example, via the hollow shaft of the sun gear 9.

[0048] The third embodiment, which is also not depicted, corresponds to the first embodiment in terms of the coupling of pin 1 and shoulder 2 with planetary gearbox 7; however, drive shaft 4 is not coupled to planet carrier 8, but to sun gear 9.

[0049] Similarly, according to a fourth embodiment that is also not depicted, the drive shaft 4 can also be coupled to the sun gear 9, wherein the fourth embodiment corresponds to the second embodiment in terms of the coupling of the pin 1 and the shoulder 2 to the planetary gearbox 7, such that in this case, the pin 1 is also rotatably fixed to the planet carrier 8, and the shoulder 2 is also rotatably fixed to the sun gear 9.

[0050] Similarly, four other embodiments not depicted can be similarly formed, since instead of the ring gear 11, the sun gear 9 is rotatably fixed to the frame 6, and the pin 1 and shoulder 2 are coupled to the ring gear 11 and the planet carrier 8, or to the planet carrier 8 and the ring gear 11, wherein drive can occur via the planet carrier 8 or the ring gear 11. The invention can therefore be implemented in at least eight different ways, with the inventive effect achieved in each case.

[0051] Using the friction stir welding tool and corresponding friction stir welding method according to the invention, it is easy to achieve a speed different from that of the shoulder 2. As a result, exceptionally good stirring of the material of the individual component 13 in the region of the pin 1 can be obtained, while unacceptably high heating in the region of the shoulder 2 due to excessive relative speed between the shoulder 2 and the component 13 can be avoided, thus achieving exceptionally high-quality welds in the friction stir welding method. The use of the planetary gearbox 7 in this case ensures a robust and simultaneously simple design.

Claims

1. A friction stir welding tool for a machine tool having a frame (6) and a spindle (5) rotatable relative to the frame (6), wherein the friction stir welding tool comprises a pin (1) and a shoulder (2) and a drive shaft (4) connected to the spindle (5) of the machine tool to configure the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) to rotate about a rotation axis (3) via the spindle (5), wherein the shoulder (2) rotates about the rotation axis (3) relative to the pin (1), characterized in that A planetary transmission (7) having a ring gear (11), a planet carrier (8), a sun gear (9), and one or more planet gears (10) is provided, the planetary transmission being connected to the drive shaft (4), the pin (1), and the shoulder (2), wherein the pin (1) or the shoulder (2) is connected to the planet carrier (8) such that the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) are configured to rotate about the axis of rotation (3) at different rotational speeds but in the same rotational direction by means of the main shaft (5) driving the drive shaft (4).

2. The friction stir welding tool as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The drive shaft (4) is connected to the planet carrier (8) or the sun gear (9) of the planetary transmission (7), wherein the shoulder (2) is connected to the planet carrier (8) of the planetary transmission (7), and the pin (1) is connected to the sun gear (9) of the planetary transmission (7), wherein the ring gear (11) of the planetary transmission (7) is connected to the support device (12), and via the support device (12), the ring gear (11) is connected to the frame (6) of the machine tool so that the ring gear (11) is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation (3).

3. The friction stir welding tool as described in claim 1, characterized in that... The drive shaft (4) is connected to the ring gear (11) or the planet carrier (8), and wherein the shoulder (2) is connected to the ring gear (11) of the planetary transmission (7), and the pin (1) is connected to the planet carrier (8) of the planetary transmission (7), wherein the sun gear (9) of the planetary transmission (7) is connected to the support device (12), and via the support device (12), the sun gear (9) is connected to the frame (6) of the machine tool so that the sun gear (9) is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation (3).

4. The friction stir welding tool as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that... The number of teeth of the ring gear (11), the sun gear (9) and the one or more planetary gears (10) is selected such that the rotational speed of the pin (1) is greater than the rotational speed of the shoulder (2).

5. The friction stir welding tool as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that... A force measuring device is provided between the pin (1) and the drive shaft (4) to determine the axial and / or radial forces on the pin (1) and / or the shoulder (2) during friction stir welding operations.

6. A machine tool having a frame (6) and a spindle (5) rotatable relative to the frame (6), wherein a friction stir welding tool is connected to the spindle (5), characterized in that... The friction stir welding tool is implemented according to any one of claims 1 to 5; The ring gear (11) or the sun gear (9) is connected to the frame (6) by means of a support device (12) so that the gear is rotatably fixed about the axis of rotation (3).

7. The machine tool according to claim 6, characterized in that... A force measuring device is provided at the main shaft (5) to determine the radial force and / or axial force acting on the main shaft (5).

8. The machine tool according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that... The frame (6) together with the spindle (5) is moved by means of a feed driver, along the feed direction (16), relative to the machine tool table (14) and / or relative to the component (13) being welded.

9. A friction stir welding method, wherein a friction stir welding tool having a drive shaft (4), a pin (1), and a shoulder (2) is configured to rotate about a rotation axis (3) by using a machine tool spindle (5), characterized in that... The motion of the main shaft (5) is transmitted to the drive shaft (4), wherein the drive power supplied via the drive shaft (4) is distributed to the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) via a planetary gearbox connecting the drive shaft (4), the pin (1) and the shoulder (2), wherein the pin (1) and the shoulder (2) rotate in the same direction about the axis of rotation (3), and the friction stir welding tool according to any one of claims 1 to 5 is used.

10. The friction stir welding method according to claim 9, characterized in that... The drive shaft (4) is connected to the planet carrier (8) or the sun gear (9) of the planetary transmission (7), wherein the sun gear (9) of the planetary transmission (7) is connected to the pin (1), and wherein the planet carrier (8) is connected to the shoulder (2) of the friction stir welding tool.

11. The friction stir welding method according to claim 9, characterized in that... The drive shaft (4) is connected to the planet carrier (8) or ring gear (11) of the planetary transmission (7), wherein the planet carrier (8) of the planetary transmission (7) is connected to the pin (1), and wherein the ring gear (11) is connected to the shoulder (2) of the friction stir welding tool.

12. The friction stir welding method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that... The pin (1) rotates at a higher speed about the axis of rotation (3) than the shoulder (2) rotates about the axis of rotation (3).

13. The friction stir welding method according to any one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that... Axial and / or radial forces are measured at the spindle (5) and / or at the friction stir welding tool.

Images