Automobile outer side armrest framework assembly welding process method and welding system thereof
By using a dedicated welding system with positioning grooves, limiting gaps, and bidirectional limiting design, combined with step-by-step clamping and visual inspection, the problem of inconsistent welding quality caused by the easy deformation of steel wire parts was solved, achieving high-quality, consistent, and efficient welding of the automotive outer armrest frame assembly.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202511458342.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Applications(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Filing Date
- 2025-10-13
- Publication Date
- 2025-11-28
AI Technical Summary
Existing welding systems are unable to effectively constrain steel wire parts, resulting in inconsistent welding quality, low product qualification rate, and easy deformation of steel wires, which affects the dimensional accuracy and reliability of products.
A dedicated welding system is used, which employs positioning grooves, limiting gaps, and bidirectional limiting designs, combined with a step-by-step clamping strategy and visual inspection, to achieve precise positioning and welding of steel wires to pipes and plates. A side-pushing mechanism is used for error compensation.
It significantly improves the consistency and reliability of welding quality, suppresses clamping deformation and residual stress, increases the degree of automation and efficiency of production, and ensures the dimensional accuracy and long-term reliability of products.
Smart Images

Figure CN121017907A_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] This invention relates to the field of automotive armrest welding technology, and in particular to a welding process and welding system for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly. Background Technology
[0002] The exterior armrest frame assembly of an automobile is a key structural and functional component of the vehicle's interior, typically welded from various tubular parts, plates, and steel wires of different specifications. Among these, steel wire components are widely used for connection and support due to their excellent plasticity and lightweight advantages. However, the inherent low stiffness and easy deformation of steel wire parts pose significant challenges to automated, mass-production welding.
[0003] Traditional welding systems primarily focus on positioning and clamping rigid components (such as pipes and stamped plates). When used for welding steel wire, general-purpose clamps struggle to effectively constrain circular cross-section wires, especially at welding points. The wires are prone to displacement, rotation, or warping under clamping force or welding thermal stress, leading to inconsistent weld positions and shapes. Furthermore, improper clamping sequence or force can easily cause excessive deformation of flexible steel wires. Even after release, residual stress remains within the workpiece, affecting dimensional accuracy and long-term reliability. Additionally, random errors in the initial state of the wire (e.g., slight curvature) and its position after clamping prevent welding robots from performing welding with fixed trajectories and parameters, increasing the risk of unstable weld quality, incomplete welds, missed welds, or burn-through, making it difficult to guarantee product yield.
[0004] Therefore, there is an urgent need in this field for a new process specifically designed to address the challenges of welding steel wire components, in order to improve the quality consistency and efficiency of handrail frame assembly production. Summary of the Invention
[0005] Purpose of the invention: In order to overcome the shortcomings of the existing technology, the present invention provides a welding process method and welding system for the outer armrest frame assembly of automobiles, which can achieve precise positioning of mixed welding of steel wire, pipe and plate parts, and with the help of a step-by-step clamping strategy, solves the problem of inconsistent welding quality caused by the easy deformation of steel wire parts.
[0006] Technical Solution: To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a welding process and welding system for an automotive exterior armrest frame assembly. A dedicated welding system is used to position and fix various components, welding them together to form the armrest frame assembly. The armrest frame assembly is constructed by welding together several pipe fittings, a first external component, a second external component, and supporting components. Specifically, the process includes the following steps:
[0007] S1. Weld the first plate to the first steel wire to form the first external component and the second external component.
[0008] S2. Weld the first external component to several of the pipe fittings and the second steel wire to form the main frame structure.
[0009] S3. Weld the main frame structure to the second external component, the support component, and several second plates to form the handrail skeleton assembly.
[0010] The ends of the first and second steel wires are bent to form welded sections, and the outer circular surface of the welded sections is welded to other components to form welds.
[0011] Both the first external component and the second steel wire are welded only to the pipe fitting.
[0012] The second external component is welded to at least two of the following components: the pipe fitting, the first external component, the second steel wire, and the support component.
[0013] The first plate has at least two contacts with the first steel wire, and the second plate has only one contact with the main frame structure; both the first and second plates have holes for external connection, and both are formed by flanging to form a welding surface at an angle to their external functional surface.
[0014] Further, in step S1, all the first plates are first installed on the corresponding first positioning units and a portion of them are pressed; then the first steel wire is inserted into the matching positioning groove so that the first steel wire presses the first plate on the first positioning unit, and the first steel wire and the welding surface of the first plate make lateral contact to form an upward weld track; finally, the first steel wire and the remaining first plates are pressed simultaneously, and welding is performed after clamping is completed.
[0015] Further, in step S2, the plurality of pipe fittings include two longitudinally arranged first pipe fittings, and several longitudinally arranged second pipe fittings are arranged between the two first pipe fittings. The ends of some of the longitudinal pipe fittings are attached to the third pipe fittings, and transverse fourth pipe fittings are sandwiched between adjacent longitudinal pipe fittings. After the plurality of pipe fittings, the first external component and the second steel wire are installed in place by the corresponding positioning mechanism, the ends of the first pipe fittings, the second pipe fittings, the third pipe fittings and the first external component and the second steel wire in contact with them are first pressed simultaneously. Then, the middle parts of the plurality of fourth pipe fittings, the first external component and the second steel wire are pressed simultaneously. After clamping is completed, welding is performed.
[0016] Furthermore, during the positioning and installation of the first external component, the positioning hole on its first plate is first fitted with the positioning pin on the second positioning unit, and then the two welded sections of its first steel wire are respectively engaged with a one-way limiting groove; wherein, a limiting gap is formed between the one-way limiting groove and the welding surface of the adjacent pipe, and when the welded section of the first steel wire is engaged in the limiting gap, it can make lateral contact with the weld of the pipe to form an upward weld trajectory.
[0017] Further, in step S3, after the main frame structure, supporting component, second external component, and second plate are installed in place by the corresponding positioning mechanism, the supporting component is first clamped and fixed, and then the supporting component is pushed laterally towards the main frame structure so that one side of the main frame structure can be inserted into the mounting groove of the supporting component and kept in a fixed relative position; then the main frame structure is pressed onto the base, and finally the first plate on the second external component and all the second plates are pressed simultaneously, and welding is performed after clamping is completed.
[0018] Furthermore, when one end of the second external component needs to be welded to the first or second steel wire, during the positioning and installation of the second external component, the positioning holes of the multiple first plates on it are fitted with the positioning pins on the multiple second positioning units, so that one end of its first steel wire is engaged with the unidirectional limiting groove, thereby making lateral contact with the welding surface of the pipe to form an upward weld track, and the other end is engaged in the bidirectional limiting groove, making parallel contact with the end of the steel wire to be welded to form an upward weld track.
[0019] Furthermore, the second plate is installed and positioned relative to the third positioning unit. The upper surface of the third positioning unit is a positioning profile that is adapted to the surface of the second plate. A positioning pin is provided on the positioning profile. When the positioning hole on the second plate is fitted with the positioning pin and the plate itself is completely in contact with the positioning profile, the welding surface of the second plate makes lateral contact with the corresponding welding point on the main frame structure to form an upward weld trajectory.
[0020] Furthermore, before each clamping action, the vision module first identifies whether each component is installed in place, and at the same time detects the size of the gap between the contacting components. If there is a gap with an error greater than the allowable range, the component with a size problem is identified and prompted to be replaced. At all locations of the weld seam trajectory made of steel wire, a side pushing mechanism is provided on one side of the corresponding welding segment. The side pushing mechanism can apply a lateral pushing force to the welding segment and can adjust the degree of application of the lateral pushing force according to the clamping force feedback, so that the weld seam trajectory is continuous and of sufficient length.
[0021] Beneficial effects: The welding process and welding system for the outer armrest frame assembly of an automobile of the present invention have at least the following advantages:
[0022] 1. Significantly improves welding quality consistency and reliability: Through a dedicated positioning groove, limiting gap, and bidirectional limiting design, the welding segment of the flexible steel wire is firmly constrained in the predetermined position, forming a stable and repeatable contact relationship with the welding partner. Combined with the upward weld trajectory design, the robot welding parameters are optimized and fixed, fundamentally eliminating welding quality differences caused by positional fluctuations, ensuring that the welds on each product are uniform, continuous, and have reliable penetration depth.
[0023] 2. Effectively suppresses clamping deformation and residual stress: The step-by-step and synchronous clamping strategy adopted follows the principle of "main body first, then local; rigidity first, then flexibility," ensuring that the entire frame is in a low-stress state during welding. This effectively prevents plastic deformation and internal stress of the steel wire caused by forced assembly, guaranteeing the dimensional accuracy of the product assembly and the structural integrity for long-term use.
[0024] 3. Intelligent error tolerance and compensation capabilities: The introduction of visual inspection and side-push compensation mechanisms transforms this process from passive positioning to active adaptation. The system can automatically identify defective parts and issue early warnings, while simultaneously compensating for acceptable minor errors in real time. This intelligent closed-loop control greatly enhances the tolerance for manufacturing tolerances and incoming material conditions, reduces reliance on operators, and ensures smooth production line operation and high yield.
[0025] 4. Improved production automation and efficiency: Precise tooling design and automated inspection and compensation processes reduce the need for manual adjustments and interventions. Clear processes and reliable positioning enable faster production cycles, making it particularly suitable for large-scale, fast-paced automotive body parts production lines. This not only improves product quality but also brings considerable economic benefits. Attached Figure Description
[0026] Figure 1 This is a block diagram of the welding process method for the automotive outer armrest frame assembly of the present invention;
[0027] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of each positioning mechanism on the first positioning substrate in one embodiment of the present invention;
[0028] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of positioning mechanisms on a second positioning substrate according to an embodiment of the present invention.
[0029] Figure 4 This is a structural diagram of a clamping module for synchronously clamping steel wires and pipes or plates in one embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation
[0030] The invention will now be further described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
[0031] As attached Figure 1-4 The aforementioned welding process and welding system for an automotive exterior armrest frame assembly utilizes a dedicated welding system to position and fix various components, welding them together to form the armrest frame assembly. The armrest frame assembly is constructed by welding together several pipe fittings 1, a first external component 2, a second external component 3, and a support component 4. The specific steps include:
[0032] S1. Weld the first plate 5 to the first steel wire 6 to form the first external component 2 and the second external component 3; wherein, the first plate 5 has an opening for external connection, and a welding surface is formed at an angle to its external functional surface by flanging.
[0033] Specifically, all the first plates 5 are first installed on the corresponding first positioning units, with their flanges facing vertically upwards, so that the welding surfaces remain vertical. The two positioning pins on the first positioning unit are used to fit into the functional holes on the first plates 5, or the profile is used to ensure the correct posture of the first plates 5. Several key plates are first pressed by a partial clamping mechanism to prevent displacement during subsequent operations.
[0034] The first steel wire 6 is then inserted into a suitable positioning groove, the contour of which matches the theoretical shape of the steel wire welding section. When the steel wire is inserted, its own weight and the constraint of the groove will cause the first steel wire 6 to press the first plate 5 onto the first positioning unit, forming a stable lateral contact with the vertical welding surface of the plate. The lateral contact between the first steel wire 6 and the welding surface of the first plate 5 forms an upward weld trajectory. The key here is that the design of the groove ensures that the contact line between the steel wire and the plate, i.e., the future weld trajectory, is in an upward spatial position, greatly facilitating vertical or near-vertical welding by the robotic welding torch, ensuring weld quality and weld accessibility. It also facilitates subsequent inspection of the weld gap size, ensuring that the steel wire and the plate are in reliable contact during welding, thereby improving the yield rate.
[0035] Finally, the remaining clamping mechanism is activated to simultaneously clamp the middle of the first steel wire 6 to prevent it from vibrating or warping, as well as the first plate 5 that was not previously clamped. After all components are reliably secured, the welding robot performs welding along the preset upward weld seam trajectory.
[0036] This step aims to pre-weld the flexible first steel wire 6 to the rigid first plate 5 into an assembly, namely the first and second external components, forming a semi-rigid module, laying the foundation for subsequent precise docking with the main frame.
[0037] S2. The first external component 2 is welded to several pipe fittings 1 and the second steel wire 7 to form a main frame structure; wherein, the several pipe fittings 1 include two longitudinally arranged first pipe fittings 11, and several longitudinal second pipe fittings 12 are arranged between the two first pipe fittings 11, wherein the ends of some of the longitudinal pipe fittings are attached to the third pipe fittings 13, and a transverse fourth pipe fitting 14 is sandwiched between adjacent longitudinal pipe fittings.
[0038] Specifically, firstly, install the two first pipe fittings 11, several second pipe fittings 12, third pipe fittings 13, multiple fourth pipe fittings 14, the first external component 2 prefabricated in step S1, and the second steel wire 7 onto the corresponding positioning mechanism.
[0039] The pipe fittings are positioned by using positioning components such as grooved positioning blocks and positioning pin holes. If the pipe fitting 1 is a round pipe fitting, a V-shaped block is used; if it is a rectangular pipe fitting, a block with a rectangular groove is used.
[0040] In this design, the ends of both the first steel wire 6 and the second steel wire 7 are bent to form welded sections, and the outer surfaces of these sections are welded to other components to form weld seams. Both the first external component 2 and the second steel wire 7 are welded only to the pipe fitting 1.
[0041] During the positioning and installation of the first external component 2, the positioning holes on its first plate 5 are first precisely fitted into the positioning pins on the second positioning unit to achieve initial hole-pin mating positioning. Then, the welded sections at both ends of its first steel wire 6 are respectively inserted into a one-way limiting groove. One side of this groove is the groove wall, and the other side is the welding surface of the adjacent pipe fitting 1, forming a precise limiting gap between them. The welded sections of the steel wire are forced into this gap, achieving tight and repeatable lateral contact with the welding surface of the pipe fitting, thereby forming an upward weld trajectory with the weld joint of the pipe fitting 1. This positioning method cleverly uses the rigid pipe fitting as one of the positioning references for the flexible steel wire, greatly enhancing the stability of the steel wire end at the welding point.
[0042] The second steel wire 7 is positioned using a groove-limiting method similar to that of the first steel wire 6 to ensure accurate contact with each pipe fitting.
[0043] After positioning and installation in place, tighten the clamps in stages:
[0044] The first stage of compression: synchronously compresses the first pipe fitting 11, the second pipe fitting 12, the third pipe fitting 13, and the ends of the first external component 2 and the second steel wire 7 that are in contact with them; thus stabilizing the main structure of the entire frame.
[0045] The second stage of compression involves simultaneously compressing the middle of multiple fourth pipe fittings 14, the first external component 2, and the second steel wire 7, thus avoiding the accumulation of structural stress and the problem of the steel wire being forcibly stretched and deformed due to improper compression sequence.
[0046] After all clamping is completed, robotic welding is performed to form a rigid main frame. This step is the core of the process, involving the mixed positioning of multiple pipes and flexible steel wires, and is crucial for controlling the overall dimensional accuracy.
[0047] S3. Weld the main frame structure to the second external component 3, the support component 4 and several second plates 8 to form the handrail skeleton assembly;
[0048] Specifically, after the main frame structure, support component 4, second external component 3, and second plate 8 are installed in place using their respective positioning mechanisms, the support component 4 is first clamped and fixed. Then, the support component 4 is pushed laterally towards the main frame structure, allowing one side of the main frame structure to be inserted into the mounting groove of the support component 4 and maintaining a fixed relative position; that is, the support component 4 is clamped and fixed separately on a movable slide. Then, the slide is pushed, allowing the support component 4 to smoothly and laterally approach the positioned main frame structure, allowing one side of the frame to accurately insert into the mounting groove of the support component 4. This "active embrace" docking method avoids forcibly deforming the frame to adapt to the support component when pressing it, protecting the main frame, especially the geometry of the welded steel wire on it.
[0049] Then, the main frame structure is pressed onto the base, and finally the first plate 5 on the second external component 3 and all the second plates 8 are pressed simultaneously. After clamping, welding is performed.
[0050] The second external component 3 is used to define an external component that is welded to at least two of the components: the pipe fitting 1, the first external component 2, the second steel wire 7, and the support component 4. This makes the positioning of the second external component 3 more complex.
[0051] When both ends of the second external component 3 need to be welded to the pipe fitting and another steel wire (either the first or second wire) simultaneously, the positioning becomes more complex. One end uses the aforementioned "unidirectional limiting groove" to cooperate with the pipe fitting, while the other end uses a bidirectional limiting groove. This bidirectional groove can simultaneously accommodate and constrain the wire end of the second external component 3 and the original wire end that needs to be connected, so that the welding sections of the two steel wires are side by side and tightly attached, forming a clear and stable common weld seam trajectory.
[0052] Since the first plate 5 has at least two contacts with the first steel wire 6, while the second plate 8 has only one contact with the main frame structure; the second plate 8 also has functional holes for external connection, and a welding surface is formed at an angle to its external functional surface by flanging.
[0053] The second plate 8 is installed and positioned relative to the third positioning unit. The upper surface of the third positioning unit is a positioning profile that matches the surface of the second plate 8, and a positioning pin is provided on the positioning profile. The second plate 8 engages with the positioning pin on the third positioning unit through positioning holes on its surface, while its body is completely fitted with the positioning profile on the upper end of the unit. This profile is precisely machined according to the theoretical three-dimensional shape of the second plate 8 to ensure that the welding surface formed by its flange can achieve the expected lateral contact with the corresponding point on the main frame, thereby forming an upward weld seam trajectory.
[0054] After all components are clamped and confirmed to be in good condition, the final welding of the assembly is carried out.
[0055] To fundamentally solve the problems caused by steel wire deformation, this process integrates the following advanced functions, including:
[0056] Visual Inspection and Early Warning: Before each clamping action, a vision module mounted on the tooling scans key assembly points. It not only identifies whether components are in place but also accurately measures the assembly gaps between contacting parts, especially between steel wires and pipes / plates. If a gap exceeds the allowable tolerance range, the system immediately alarms and indicates which specific component may have dimensional errors or deformation, prompting the operator to replace or adjust it. This achieves "early detection and early handling" of problems, preventing defective products from entering the welding process. This function can solve the problem of excessive contact gaps between rigid components such as pipes and plates, as the main cause of the error is the precision of the cutting or bending of the components. Once the problem is detected, it can be quickly resolved by replacing the defective component.
[0057] Adaptive lateral push compensation mechanism: Near all weld lines formed by steel wire, a lateral push mechanism, such as a small electric or pneumatic push rod, is installed inside the tooling. When the vision system detects a gap that is slightly large but still within the compensable range, or when the force sensor of the clamping mechanism reports insufficient pressure, the control system instructs the corresponding lateral push mechanism to apply a controllable, gentle lateral push to the welded section of the steel wire, "pushing" it towards the welding partner until the gap is eliminated and the contact force reaches the preset value. This proactive "fine-tuning" mechanism dynamically compensates for the dimensional tolerances and minor deformations of the parts themselves, ensuring that each steel wire weld has a continuous and sufficiently long contact trajectory at the moment of welding, thus guaranteeing extremely high weld quality consistency. This greatly solves the problem that minor deformations of easily deformable components such as steel wire during standby periods due to various factors ultimately affect welding quality.
[0058] In summary, this specific implementation method successfully transforms easily deformable steel wire parts into predictable and controllable welding elements through a set of interlocking, rigid and flexible positioning, clamping, detection and compensation methods, ultimately achieving high-quality and highly consistent automated welding production of the automotive outer armrest frame assembly.
[0059] The dedicated welding system includes at least two positioning substrates, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 2 As shown in the figure, the first positioning base plate is provided with a first positioning mechanism 100, a second positioning mechanism 200, a third positioning mechanism 300, and a plurality of fourth positioning mechanisms 400; as shown in the attached figure. Figure 3 As shown, the second positioning base plate is provided with a fifth positioning mechanism 500, a plurality of sixth positioning mechanisms 600, a seventh positioning mechanism 700, a plurality of fourth positioning mechanisms 400, and a support component clamp 800.
[0060] The first positioning mechanism 100 is used to position and install each of the pipe fittings 1, and is composed of a groove adapted to the pipe fitting 1 and a number of positioning pins.
[0061] The second positioning mechanism 200 is used to position and install the first external component 2, and is composed of a plurality of second positioning units (depending on the number of first plates 5 on the first external component 2) and two unidirectional limiting grooves.
[0062] The third positioning mechanism 300 is used to position and install the second steel wire 7, and is composed of a positioning block with a matching groove.
[0063] The fourth positioning mechanism 400 is used to position and install the first plate 5 and the first steel wire 6, and is composed of a plurality of first positioning units and positioning blocks with grooves adapted to the first steel wire 6.
[0064] The fifth positioning mechanism 500 is used to position and install the main frame structure, and is composed of multiple positioning pins and supporting surfaces.
[0065] The sixth positioning mechanism 600 is used to position and install the second plate 8, and is composed of a number of third positioning units arranged in a distributed manner.
[0066] The seventh positioning mechanism 700 is used to position and install the second connecting component 3, and is composed of a plurality of second positioning units (depending on the number of first plates 5 on the second connecting component 3) and two unidirectional limiting grooves.
[0067] The support component clamp 800 is used to clamp and fix the support component 4 and push it horizontally to complete the insertion action with the main frame structure. It consists of a reference surface with a positioning pin and several clamping blocks that are synchronously fixed relative to the reference surface. The entire clamping part is installed on a horizontally movable slide. The slide is driven by a cylinder to slide closer to the fifth positioning mechanism 500.
[0068] Each of the aforementioned positioning mechanisms is equipped with a corresponding clamping mechanism. Each clamping mechanism has a clamping module corresponding to each synchronous pressure point. The clamping module for synchronously clamping the steel wire and pipe or plate is composed of multiple clamping blocks, as shown in the attached figure. Figure 4 As shown, it includes at least one first pressure block 10 and at least one second pressure block 20. The first pressure block 10 is connected to the output end of a pressure cylinder via a connector. The second pressure block 20 is screwed onto the upper end face of the first pressure block 10 via fastening bolts. An elastic layer 30 is sandwiched between the second pressure block 20 and the first pressure block 10. When the first pressure block 10 applies pressure to a rigid component (such as a pipe or plate), the second pressure block 20 can apply pressure to the adjacent steel wire.
[0069] The aforementioned clamping module enables "one source, multiple pressures" and synchronous clamping, ensuring the initial position of the structure. One clamping cylinder, by driving the first clamping block, can simultaneously clamp the rigid components (pipes / plates) below and the flexible steel wire clamped by the second clamping block, ensuring the synchronicity of the rigid body and flexible accessories at the moment of clamping from the source, and establishing a stable reference state without initial assembly stress for the entire welded assembly.
[0070] The elastic layer between the first and second pressure blocks is crucial. This elastic layer is a sophisticated force management element, which can be made of high-performance polyurethane, silicone, or spring assemblies. When the clamping cylinder presses down, the first pressure block first contacts and clamps the rigid component. Since the rigid component is incompressible, the force of the cylinder continuously increases. At this time, the second pressure block, supported by the elastic layer, presses against the steel wire with a relatively independent and controllable force. The presence of the elastic layer ensures that the pressure applied to the steel wire by the second pressure block is not the full force of the cylinder, but a buffered and regulated, flexible force sufficient to fix the steel wire without crushing or bending it. This achieves differentiated clamping that combines rigidity and flexibility, firmly locking the rigid foundation while gently and firmly fixing the flexible steel wire like a pair of skillful hands, perfectly avoiding clamping damage.
[0071] Furthermore, this elastic layer allows the second pressure block to have a certain vertical floating stroke relative to the first pressure block. Even if there is a slight height difference between the top surface of the steel wire and the top surface of the adjacent pipe due to manufacturing tolerances, the second pressure block can adapt to this change under the compression of the elastic layer, ensuring that the clamping force is effectively applied to the two parts at different heights simultaneously. This significantly improves the tooling's adaptability to batch fluctuations in parts and its production robustness, reduces downtime for adjustment due to tolerances, and guarantees 100% reliability of the clamping effect.
[0072] On the other hand, the output force of a single cylinder is decomposed into two more targeted components. The cylinder and the first pressure block primarily bear the reaction force required to clamp the rigid components, resulting in a clearly defined force distribution. The elastic layer absorbs the impact and vibration from the steel wire, protecting precision components such as the cylinder piston rod. Overall, this avoids stress concentration at a single point, leading to more rational stress distribution on the tooling, less wear, and a longer service life.
[0073] In summary, this composite clamping module solves the problem of how to achieve synchronous and reliable fixation with rigid components without damaging flexible components, thus laying a solid foundation for subsequent high-quality and consistent welding. It is one of the key guarantees for the success of this solution's process.
[0074] The above description is only a preferred embodiment of the present invention. It should be noted that for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the above principles of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications are also considered to be within the scope of protection of the present invention.
Claims
1. A welding process for an outer armrest frame assembly of an automobile, comprising using a dedicated welding system to position and fix various components, and welding them together to form an armrest frame assembly; the armrest frame assembly is constructed by welding together several pipe fittings (1), a first external component (2), a second external component (3), and a support component (4), characterized in that, Includes the following steps: S1. Weld the first plate (5) to the first steel wire (6) to form the first external component (2) and the second external component (3). S2. Weld the first external component (2) to several of the pipe fittings (1) and the second steel wire (7) to form the main frame structure; S3. Weld the main frame structure to the second external component (3), the support component (4) and several second plates (8) to form the handrail skeleton assembly; The ends of the first steel wire (6) and the second steel wire (7) are bent to form a welded section, and the outer surface of the welded section is welded to other components to form a weld. Both the first external component (2) and the second steel wire (7) are welded only to the pipe fitting (1); The second external component (3) is welded to at least two of the following components: pipe fitting (1), first external component (2), second steel wire (7), and support component (4); The first plate (5) has at least two contacts with the first steel wire (6), and the second plate (8) has only one contact with the main frame structure; both the first plate (5) and the second plate (8) have holes for external connection, and both are formed by flanging to form a welding surface at an angle to their external functional surface.
2. The welding process for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 1, characterized in that: In step S1, all the first plates (5) are first installed on the corresponding first positioning units and a portion of them are pressed; then the first wire (6) is inserted into the matching positioning groove so that the first wire (6) presses the first plate (5) on the first positioning unit and the welding surface of the first wire (6) and the first plate (5) are in lateral contact to form an upward weld track; finally, the first wire (6) and the remaining first plates (5) are pressed simultaneously, and welding is performed after clamping is completed.
3. The welding process method for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 2, characterized in that: In step S2, the plurality of pipe fittings (1) include two longitudinally arranged first pipe fittings (11), and a plurality of longitudinal second pipe fittings (12) are arranged between the two first pipe fittings (11). The ends of some of the longitudinal pipe fittings are attached to the third pipe fittings (13), and a transverse fourth pipe fitting (14) is sandwiched between adjacent longitudinal pipe fittings. After installing multiple pipe fittings (1), the first external component (2) and the second steel wire (7) into place through the corresponding positioning mechanism, firstly, the ends of the first pipe fitting (11), the second pipe fitting (12), the third pipe fitting (13) and the first external component (2) and the second steel wire (7) in contact with them are simultaneously pressed; then, multiple fourth pipe fittings (14) and the middle of the first external component (2) and the second steel wire (7) are simultaneously pressed, and welding is performed after clamping is completed.
4. The welding process method for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: When the first external component (2) is positioned and installed, the positioning hole on its first plate (5) is first fitted with the positioning pin on the second positioning unit, and then the two welded sections of its first steel wire (6) are respectively fitted with a one-way limiting groove; wherein, the one-way limiting groove forms a limiting gap with the welding surface of the adjacent pipe (1), and when the welded section of the first steel wire (6) is inserted into the limiting gap, it can make lateral contact with the welding point of the pipe (1) to form an upward weld trajectory.
5. The welding process method for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 3, characterized in that: In step S3, after the main frame structure, support component (4), second external component (3) and second plate (8) are installed in place by the corresponding positioning mechanism, the support component (4) is clamped and fixed first, and then the support component (4) is pushed to the side close to the main frame structure so that one side of the main frame structure can be inserted into the mounting groove of the support component (4) and the relative position is fixed; then the main frame structure is pressed on the base, and finally the first plate (5) on the second external component (3) and all the second plates (8) are pressed simultaneously. After clamping is completed, welding is performed.
6. The welding process method for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 5, characterized in that: When one end of the second external component (3) needs to be welded to the first steel wire (6) or the second steel wire (7), when the second external component (3) is positioned and installed, the positioning holes of the multiple first plates (5) on it are fitted with the positioning pins on the multiple second positioning units, so that one end of its first steel wire (6) is engaged with the one-way limiting groove, thereby making lateral contact with the welding surface of the pipe fitting (1) to form an upward weld track, and the other end is engaged in the two-way limiting groove, making parallel contact with the end of the steel wire to be welded to form an upward weld track.
7. The welding process method for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 6, characterized in that: The second plate (8) is installed and positioned relative to the third positioning unit. The upper surface of the third positioning unit is a positioning surface that is adapted to the plate surface of the second plate (8). A positioning pin is provided on the positioning surface. When the positioning hole on the second plate (8) is fitted with the positioning pin and the plate itself is completely in contact with the positioning surface, the welding surface of the second plate (8) makes lateral contact with the corresponding welding point on the main frame structure to form an upward weld trajectory.
8. A welding process for an automotive outer armrest frame assembly according to claim 4 or 7, characterized in that: Before each clamping action, the vision module first identifies whether each component is installed in place, and at the same time detects the size of the gap between the contacting components. If there is a gap with an error greater than the allowable range, the component with a size problem is identified and prompted to be replaced. At all locations of the weld track made of steel wire, a side pushing mechanism is set on one side of the corresponding welding segment. The side pushing mechanism can apply a lateral pushing force to the welding segment and can adjust the degree of application of the lateral pushing force according to the clamping force feedback, so that the weld track is continuous and of sufficient length.