Double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus and method for operating the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus

Abstract

To provide a friction stir point joint device which can suppress adhesion of a material derived from an object to be bonded to a peripheral surface of a tool in comparison to a conventional friction stir point joint device.SOLUTION: A double-acting type friction stir point joint device comprises: a pin member 11 which is formed into a columnar shape; a shoulder member 12 which is formed into a cylindrical shape and to which the pin member 11 is inserted; a rotary driving unit 57 which rotates the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 around an axial line Xr matching the axial center of the pin member 11; and an advancing / retreating driving unit 53 which advances / retreats the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 along the axial line Xr. An oil solution 70 is arranged on at least one of an outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11, an inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, an outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12 and an inner peripheral surface 13b of a clamp member 13.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present specification relates to a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus and a method for operating the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus. [Background technology]

[0002] A double-action rotary tool for friction stir spot welding is known that ejects material that has entered the gap between a probe and a shoulder member to the outside to prevent the material from adhering to the gap (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] In the double-action rotary tool for friction stir spot welding disclosed in Patent Document 1, a step between the tip and base of the probe is used as an adhesion prevention / elimination means. After the friction stir spot welding operation, the probe is protruded relative to the shoulder member to expel the intruding member to the outside. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] JP 2007-29979 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] However, even in the double-action rotary tool for friction stir spot welding disclosed in Patent Document 1, a gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the step portion and the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member. Therefore, if material penetrates into the gap, the invaded material cannot be discharged to the outside at the step portion. In addition, it is difficult to discharge the material adhered to the outer peripheral surface of the probe and / or the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member at the step portion.

[0006] The applicant's intention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems by providing a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus and an operating method of a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus which, compared to conventional double-action friction stir spot welding apparatuses, can suppress adhesion of material originating from the workpiece to at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the pin member (probe), the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member, the outer circumferential surface of the shoulder member, and the inner circumferential surface of the clamp member. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] In order to solve the above problems, the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus disclosed in this specification comprises a cylindrical pin member, a cylindrical shoulder member into which the pin member is inserted, a cylindrical clamp member into which the shoulder member is inserted, a rotation driver that rotates the pin member and the shoulder member around an axis that coincides with the axis of the pin member, and an advance / retract driver that moves the pin member and the shoulder member back and forth along the axis, and an oil agent is disposed on at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the pin member, the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, the outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member.

[0008] As a result, an oil film is formed on at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the pin member, the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, the outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member, thereby making it possible to suppress adhesion of material from the workpiece to the peripheral surface compared to conventional friction stir spot welding devices.

[0009] Furthermore, the present specification discloses a method for operating a friction stir spot welding apparatus, which is a method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus, the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus comprising: a pin member formed in a cylindrical shape; a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the pin member inserted therein; a clamp member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the shoulder member inserted therein; a rotation driver which rotates the pin member and the shoulder member around an axis which coincides with the axis of the pin member; and an advance / retract driver which moves the pin member and the shoulder member back and forth along the axis, and (A) supplying an oil agent to at least one of an outer peripheral surface of the pin member, an inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, an outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and an inner peripheral surface of the clamp member is carried out.

[0010] As a result, an oil film is formed on at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the pin member, the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, the outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member, thereby making it possible to suppress adhesion of material from the workpiece to the peripheral surface compared to conventional friction stir spot welding devices.

[0011] The above objects, other objects, features, and advantages disclosed in this specification will become apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Effect of the Invention

[0012] According to the friction stir spot welding apparatus and the operating method of the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus disclosed in this specification, adhesion of material originating from the workpiece to the peripheral surface can be suppressed compared to conventional friction stir spot welding apparatuses. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0013] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic view of a main part of the friction stir spot welding apparatus shown in FIG. [Diagram 3]FIG. 3 is an enlarged schematic view of a main part of the friction stir spot welding apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is an enlarged schematic view of a main part of the friction stir spot welding apparatus shown in FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the friction stir spot welding apparatus shown in FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the second embodiment. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 11] FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 12] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment. [Figure 13] FIG. 13 is a graph showing the change in current value of the motor that constitutes the pin driver with respect to the number of hits. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0014] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the disclosure of this specification will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following, the same or corresponding elements are denoted by the same reference numerals throughout all the drawings, and duplicated descriptions thereof will be omitted. In addition, in all the drawings, components necessary for explaining the disclosure of this specification are extracted and illustrated, and other components may be omitted from the illustration. Furthermore, the disclosure of this specification is not limited to the following embodiments.

[0015] (Embodiment 1) The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus of the first embodiment comprises a pin member formed in a cylindrical shape, a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the pin member inserted therein, a clamp member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the shoulder member inserted therein, a rotation driver that rotates the pin member and the shoulder member around an axis that coincides with the axis of the pin member, and an advance / retract driver that moves the pin member and the shoulder member back and forth along the axis, and an oil agent is disposed on at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the pin member, the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, the outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member.

[0016] Moreover, in the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the first embodiment, the oil may be a liquid or semi-solid oil.

[0017] The method of operating the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the first embodiment comprises a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus comprising a cylindrical pin member, a cylindrical shoulder member through which the pin member is inserted, a cylindrical clamp member through which the shoulder member is inserted, a rotation driver which rotates the pin member and the shoulder member around an axis which coincides with the axis of the pin member, and an advance / retract driver which moves the pin member and the shoulder member back and forth along their respective axes, and (A) supplying an oil agent to at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the pin member, the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, the outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member is carried out.

[0018] In this case, the oil may be supplied manually by an operator, or may be supplied by an oil supply mechanism as described below.

[0019] In addition, in the operating method of the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the first embodiment, in (A), an oil agent may be supplied to the peripheral surface by the oil agent supply mechanism before performing the friction stir spot welding operation and / or after performing the friction stir spot welding operation.

[0020] Hereinafter, an example of the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

[0021] [Configuration of friction stir spot welding device] Fig. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the present embodiment 1. Fig. 2 to Fig. 4 are schematic diagrams showing enlarged main parts of the friction stir spot welding apparatus shown in Fig. 1. Note that in Fig. 1, the up-down direction in the figure is represented as the up-down direction in the friction stir spot welding apparatus.

[0022] As shown in FIG. 1, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the present embodiment 1 includes a pin member 11, a shoulder member 12, a tool fixture 52, an advance / retreat driver 53, a clamp member 13, a backing support portion 55, a backing member 56, and a rotation driver 57.

[0023] The pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, the tool fixture 52, the advance / retract driver 53, the clamp member 13, and the rotation driver 57 are provided at the upper end of a backing support part 55 consisting of a C-type gun (C-type frame). A backing member 56 is provided at the lower end of the backing support part 55. The pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, the clamp member 13, and the backing member 56 are attached to the backing support part 55 at positions facing each other. Note that an article 60 to be welded is disposed between the pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, the clamp member 13, and the backing member 56.

[0024] The article 60 has two plate-like members, a first member 61 and a second member 62. The first member 61 and the second member 62 may be made of a metal material (e.g., aluminum, steel, etc.) or a fiber-reinforced plastic (e.g., carbon fiber-reinforced plastic).

[0025] In the first embodiment, the article 60 is configured with a plate-shaped first member 61 and a plate-shaped second member 62, but the shape of the article 60 (the first member 61 and the second member 62) is not limited to this, and may be any shape, for example, a rectangular parallelepiped shape or an arc shape. The article 60 may have three or more members.

[0026] The pin member 11, shoulder member 12, and clamp member 13 are fixed to a tool fixture 52 composed of a rotating tool fixture 521 and a clamp fixture 522. Specifically, the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 are fixed to the rotating tool fixture 521, and the clamp member 13 is fixed to the clamp fixture 522 via a clamp driver 41. The rotating tool fixture 521 is supported by the clamp fixture 522 via a rotation driver 57. The clamp driver 41 is composed of a spring.

[0027] The pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13 are driven to advance and retreat in the vertical direction by an advance / retract driver 53 composed of a pin driver 531 and a shoulder driver 532. In the following description, at least one of the pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13 may be referred to as a tool.

[0028] The pin member 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and although not shown in detail in Fig. 1, is supported by a rotary tool fixture 521. The pin member 11 is rotated around an axis Xr (rotation axis) that coincides with the axis of the pin member 11 by a rotation driver 57, and is configured to be movable back and forth in the direction of arrow P1, i.e., along the axis Xr direction (up and down direction in Fig. 1), by a pin driver 531. The pin driver 531 may be configured to apply a pressure to the pin member 11, and for example, a mechanism using gas pressure, hydraulic pressure, a servo motor, or the like can be suitably used.

[0029] The shoulder member 12 is formed in a cylindrical shape having a hollow center, and is supported by a rotary tool fixture 521. The pin member 11 is inserted into the hollow center of the shoulder member 12. In other words, the shoulder member 12 is disposed so as to surround the outer circumferential surface of the pin member 11.

[0030] Additionally, the shoulder member 12 is configured to be rotated around the same axis Xr as the pin member 11 by a rotation driver 57, and to be movable back and forth in the direction of arrow P2, i.e., along the axis Xr, by a shoulder driver 532. The shoulder driver 532 may be configured to apply a pressure to the shoulder member 12, and for example, a mechanism using gas pressure, hydraulic pressure, a servo motor, or the like can be suitably used.

[0031] In this embodiment, the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 are both supported by the same rotary tool fixture 521, and both are rotated integrally around the axis Xr by the rotation driver 57. Furthermore, the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 are configured to be movable back and forth along the axis Xr direction by a pin driver 531 and a shoulder driver 532, respectively.

[0032] In the present embodiment 1, the pin member 11 is capable of moving back and forth independently, and is also capable of moving back and forth in association with the movement of the shoulder member 12. However, the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 may be configured to be capable of moving back and forth independently of each other.

[0033] The clamp member 13, like the shoulder member 12, is formed in a cylindrical shape having a hollow center, and is provided so that its axis coincides with the axis line Xr. The shoulder member 12 is inserted into the hollow center of the clamp member 13.

[0034] That is, a cylindrical shoulder member 12 is disposed so as to surround the outer circumferential surface of the pin member 11, and a cylindrical clamp member 13 is disposed so as to surround the outer circumferential surface of the shoulder member 12. In other words, the clamp member 13, shoulder member 12, and pin member 11 each have a coaxial nested structure.

[0035] Moreover, the clamp member 13 is configured to press the article 60 from one surface (front surface). As described above, in the present embodiment 1, the clamp member 13 is supported by the clamp fixing device 522 via the clamp driver 41. The clamp driver 41 is configured to bias the clamp member 13 toward the backing member 56. The clamp member 13 (including the clamp driver 41 and the clamp fixing device 522) is configured to be able to advance and retreat in the direction of the arrow P3 (the same direction as the arrows P1 and P2) by the shoulder driver 532.

[0036] In the first embodiment, the clamp driver 41 is configured with a spring, but is not limited to this. The clamp driver 41 may be configured to apply a biasing force or a pressure to the clamp member 13, and for example, a mechanism using gas pressure, hydraulic pressure, a servo motor, or the like may be suitably used.

[0037] The pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13 respectively have a tip surface 11a, a tip surface 12a, and a tip surface 13a. Moreover, the pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13 are moved forward and backward by the forward and backward driver 53, so that the tip surface 11a, the tip surface 12a, and the tip surface 13a respectively come into contact with the surface of the article 60 (the part to be joined of the article 60) and press the article 60.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 2 to 4, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of this embodiment 1, an oil agent 70 is arranged (applied) on at least one of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11, the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, the outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12, and the inner peripheral surface 13b of the clamp member 13.

[0039] 2 and 4, the oil agent 70 is disposed on both the outer circumferential surface 11c of the pin member 11 and the inner circumferential surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, but it is sufficient to dispose the oil agent 70 on either one of the circumferential surfaces. Similarly, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 shown in Figures 3 and 4, the oil agent 70 is disposed on both the outer circumferential surface 12c of the shoulder member 12 and the inner circumferential surface 13b of the clamp member 13, but it is sufficient to dispose the oil agent 70 on either one of the circumferential surfaces.

[0040] In addition, from the viewpoint of being placed on the peripheral surface of the tip of the tool where adhesion of materials originating from the workpiece 60 is likely to occur, the oil agent 70 may be placed on the peripheral surface of at least one of the tip portions of the tip portion 11d of the pin member 11, the tip portion 12d of the shoulder member 12, and the tip portion 13d of the clamp member 13.

[0041] In addition, from the viewpoint of supplying the oil 70 to the peripheral surface of the tip of the tool, the oil 70 may be arranged on the peripheral surface of at least one of the base ends 11e of the pin member 11, the base end 12e of the shoulder member 12, and the base end 13e of the clamp member 13.

[0042] Here, the tip end of the tool may be a portion extending from the tip end surface to a portion that is ½ or less of the length of the tool in the direction of the axis Xr, and the base end of the tool may be a portion extending from the base end surface of the tool to a portion that is ½ or less of the length of the tool in the direction of the axis Xr.

[0043] Furthermore, from the viewpoint of suppressing adhesion of the material originating from the workpiece 60 to the tip surface of the tool, the oil agent 70 may be placed on any of the tip surface 11a of the pin member 11, the tip surface 12a of the shoulder member 12, and the tip surface 13a of the clamp member 13. In particular, when the oil agent 70 is placed on the tip surface 11a of the pin member 11 and the tip surface 12a of the shoulder member 12, adhesion of the material originating from the workpiece 60 is suppressed, so that the joint surface can be made smoother.

[0044] In addition, when the oil agent 70 is placed on any one of the tip surfaces 11a of the pin member 11, the tip surface 12a of the shoulder member 12, and the tip surface 13a of the clamp member 13, a form in which the oil agent 70 is not placed on the peripheral surface of the tool may be adopted.

[0045] The oil agent 70 may be a liquid or semi-solid (grease) oil agent. The oil agent 70 may be a high-temperature heat-resistant oil agent. For example, Hi-Temp Oil G (trade name), Sumiko SN-B Grease (trade name), or Moly Paste S (trade name) may be used as the oil agent 70.

[0046] The oil agent 70 may be placed (applied) on the peripheral surface of the tool by an operator. Also, the oil agent 70 may be placed (applied) on the peripheral surface of the tool by a robot holding a cloth soaked in the oil agent or a brush with the oil agent attached thereto. Furthermore, the oil agent 70 may be placed (applied) on the peripheral surface of the tool by fixing a brush, a cotton swab, or the like with the oil agent 70 attached thereto to a base and operating a robot holding the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50.

[0047] In addition, the oil agent 70 may be placed (applied) on the circumferential surface of the tool before performing the friction stir spot welding operation, and / or may be placed (applied) on the circumferential surface of the tool after performing the friction stir spot welding operation.

[0048] In the present embodiment 1, the backing member 56 is configured to support the flat plate-shaped workpiece 60 by a flat surface (support surface 56a) so as to abut against the back surface of the workpiece 60. The configuration of the backing member 56 is not particularly limited as long as it can appropriately support the workpiece 60 so as to perform friction stir spot welding. The backing member 56 may be configured such that, for example, backing members 56 having a plurality of types of shapes are separately prepared and can be detached from the backing support part 55 and replaced according to the type of the workpiece 60.

[0049] The specific configurations of the pin member 11, shoulder member 12, tool fixture 52, advance / retract driver 53, clamp member 13, backing support portion 55, and rotation driver 57 in the present embodiment 1 are not limited to those described above, and configurations widely known in the field of friction stir welding can be suitably used. For example, the pin driver 531 and the shoulder driver 532 may be configured with a motor and gear mechanism known in the field of friction stir welding.

[0050] In the present embodiment, the backing support part 55 is configured as a C-type gun, but is not limited to this. The backing support part 55 may be configured in any manner as long as it can support the pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13 so as to be movable forward and backward, and can support the backing member 56 at a position facing the pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13.

[0051] Furthermore, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment is adapted to be disposed in a friction stir spot welding robot apparatus (not shown). Specifically, the backing support part 55 is attached to the tip of the arm of the robot apparatus. Therefore, the backing support part 55 can also be considered to be included in the friction stir spot welding robot apparatus. The specific configuration of the friction stir spot welding robot apparatus, including the backing support part 55 and the arm, is not particularly limited, and a configuration known in the field of friction stir welding, such as an articulated robot, can be suitably used.

[0052] The friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 (including the backing support part 55) is not limited to application to a friction stir spot welding robot apparatus, but can also be suitably applied to known processing equipment such as, for example, NC machine tools, large C-frames, and auto riveters.

[0053] Furthermore, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment may be configured such that two or more pairs of robots directly face the backing member 56 to the portions of the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 other than the backing member 56. Furthermore, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 may adopt a form in which the workpieces 60 are handheld, or a form in which a robot is used as a positioner for the workpieces 60, as long as it is possible to stably perform friction stir spot welding on the workpieces 60.

[0054] [Control configuration of friction stir spot welding device] Next, a control configuration of the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment will be specifically described with reference to FIG.

[0055] FIG. 5 is a block diagram illustrating a control configuration of the friction stir spot welding apparatus shown in FIG.

[0056] As shown in FIG. 5, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 includes a controller 51, a memory 31, an input device 32, and a position detector 33.

[0057] The controller 51 is configured to control each member (each device) constituting the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50. Specifically, the controller 51 controls the pin driver 531 and the shoulder driver 532 constituting the advance / retract driver 53, and the rotation driver 57, by reading and executing software such as a basic program stored in the memory.

[0058] This makes it possible to switch between advancing and retreating movements of the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12, control the tip positions, movement speed, movement direction, etc. of the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12 during advancing and retreating movements. Also, it is possible to control the pressing force with which the pin member 11, the shoulder member 12, and the clamp member 13 press the workpiece 60. Furthermore, it is possible to control the number of rotations of the pin member 11 and the shoulder member 12.

[0059] The controller 51 may be configured by a single controller 51 performing centralized control, or may be configured by a plurality of controllers 51 performing distributed control in cooperation with each other. The controller 51 may be configured by a microcomputer, or may be configured by an MPU, a PLC (Programmable Logic Controller), a logic circuit, or the like.

[0060] The memory 31 stores the basic program and various data in a readable manner, and is configured as a storage device such as a known memory or a hard disk. The memory 31 does not need to be a single device, and may be configured as multiple storage devices (for example, a random access memory and a hard disk drive). When the controller 51, etc., is configured as a microcomputer, at least a part of the memory 31 may be configured as an internal memory of the microcomputer, or may be configured as an independent memory.

[0061] It goes without saying that data may be stored in the memory 31 and may be readable from a device other than the controller 51, and data may be written from the controller 51, etc.

[0062] The input device 32 enables various parameters related to the control of friction stir spot welding or other data to be input to the controller 51, and is configured with a known input device such as a keyboard, a touch panel, a group of button switches, etc. In the present embodiment 1, at least data on the welding conditions of the workpieces 60, such as the thickness and material of the workpieces 60, can be input by the input device 32.

[0063] The position detector 33 is configured to detect position information of the tip portion (tip surface 12a) of the shoulder member 12 and output the detected position information to the controller 51. As the position detector 33, for example, an LVDT, an encoder, etc. may be used.

[0064] In the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of this embodiment 1 configured as described above, an oil agent 70 is arranged (applied) on at least one of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11, the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, the outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12, and the inner peripheral surface 13b of the clamp member 13.

[0065] As a result, the lubricating effect of the oil agent 70 does not inhibit the movement of the tools (in the forward and backward directions and / or in the rotational directions), so that it is possible to inhibit the intrusion (adhesion) of the material originating from the workpieces 60 into the gaps between the tools. Also, because an oil film is formed on the peripheral surface of the tool, ... adhesion of the material originating from the workpieces 60 to the peripheral surface of the tool.

[0066] Therefore, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment, the number of times that the friction stir spot welding operations are successively performed can be increased compared to the conventional friction stir spot welding apparatus.

[0067] (Embodiment 2) The friction stir spot welding apparatus of the second embodiment is the friction stir spot welding apparatus of the first embodiment, in which a recess is formed on at least one of the outer peripheral surface of the pin member, the inner peripheral surface of the shoulder member, the outer peripheral surface of the shoulder member, and the inner peripheral surface of the clamp member.

[0068] Hereinafter, an example of the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0069] [Configuration of friction stir spot welding device] 6 to 8 are schematic diagrams showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the second embodiment.

[0070] As shown in Figures 6 to 8, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of the second embodiment has the same basic configuration as the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of the first embodiment, but differs in that a recess is formed in at least one of the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11, the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, the outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12, and the inner peripheral surface 13b of the clamp member 13.

[0071] Specifically, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 shown in Figures 6 and 8, a recess 80a is formed on the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11, and a recess 80b is formed on the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12. In addition, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 shown in Figures 7 and 8, a recess 80c is formed on the outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12, and a recess 80d is formed on the inner peripheral surface 13b of the clamp member 13. In the following, when the recesses 80a to 80d are not to be distinguished from one another, they may be referred to as recess 80.

[0072] The recess 80 may be formed at the base end of the tool from the viewpoint of supplying the oil agent 70 to the peripheral surface of the tip end of the tool. The recess 80 may have any shape as long as it can hold (store) the oil agent 70. The recess 80 may be configured as a depression, for example, recess 80a and recess 80c, or may be configured as a groove, for example, recess 80b and recess 80d.

[0073] When the recess 80 is configured as a groove, the groove may be formed to extend along the axis Xr, may be formed to extend in a diagonal direction relative to the axis Xr, may be formed in an arc (ring) shape along the circumference, or may be formed in a spiral shape.

[0074] In the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 shown in Figures 6 and 8, the recesses 80 are formed on both the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11 and the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, but it is sufficient that the recesses 80 are formed on either one of the peripheral surfaces. Similarly, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 shown in Figures 7 and 8, the recesses 80 are formed on both the outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12 and the inner peripheral surface 13b of the clamp member 13, but it is sufficient that the recesses 80 are formed on either one of the peripheral surfaces. In addition, the recesses 80 may be formed in either one of the peripheral surfaces, with one recess or multiple recesses being formed.

[0075] The friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the second embodiment configured as above achieves the same effects as the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment.

[0076] Moreover, in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the second embodiment, a recess 80 is formed on the peripheral surface of the tool, and the oil agent 70 is held in the recess 80. Therefore, the oil agent 70 can be supplied to the peripheral surface of the tip of the tool, which may further increase the number of times that the friction stir spot welding operation is performed consecutively.

[0077] (Embodiment 3) The friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment is the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the first or second embodiment, further comprising an oil agent supplying mechanism configured to supply an oil agent to the circumferential surface.

[0078] In addition, the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment may further include a controller, and the controller may be configured to supply oil to the circumferential surface by the oil supply mechanism when the friction stir spot welding operation reaches or exceeds a predetermined first number of times that is set in advance.

[0079] Hereinafter, an example of the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

[0080] [Configuration of friction stir spot welding device] 9 to 11 are schematic diagrams showing a schematic configuration of a main part of a friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0081] As shown in Figures 9 to 11, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of the third embodiment has the same basic configuration as the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of the first embodiment, but differs in that it further includes an oil agent supply mechanism 100.

[0082] The oil supply mechanism 100 may be in any form as long as it is capable of supplying the oil 70 to the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50, and may be composed of, for example, a container for storing the oil 70 and a pump (piston) for discharging the oil 70 from the container.

[0083] The oil agent supplying mechanism 100 may be composed of a container for storing the oil agent 70, and a robot for holding the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 with the tip portions of the pin member 11 and / or shoulder member 12 protruding beyond the tip portion of the clamp member 13, and for inserting the tip portions of the pin member 11 and / or shoulder member 12 into the container. The robot may remove the pin member 11 and / or shoulder member 12 from the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 and hold it.

[0084] Furthermore, the oil supplying mechanism 100 may be composed of a brush, a cotton swab, or the like to which the oil 70 is applied. In this case, the robot may hold the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 in a state in which the tip portions of the pin member 11 and / or the shoulder member 12 protrude beyond the tip portions of the clamp member 13, and may supply the oil 70 to the peripheral surface of the tool by bringing the tip portions of the pin member 11 and / or the shoulder member 12 into contact with a brush or the like.

[0085] Furthermore, the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 may be configured to place the oil agent 70 on the upper surface (the surface that comes into contact with the tool) of the workpiece 60. In this case, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 friction stir spot welds the portion of the workpiece 60 on which the oil agent 70 is placed, thereby supplying the oil agent 70 to the peripheral surface of the tool.

[0086] In addition, the oil agent 70 adhering to the tip surface of the tool may be removed by having an operator or a robot hold a cloth or the like.

[0087] 9 and 11, a through hole 90a is provided in the peripheral surface of the base end 12e of the shoulder member 12. The through hole 90a is connected to the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 via a flow path 91a. This makes it possible to supply the oil agent 70 from the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 to the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11 and / or the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12 via the through hole 90a.

[0088] The flow path 91a is configured with appropriate piping or the like, and does not need to be always disposed in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50. The flow path 91a may be configured to connect the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 and the through hole 90a when the oil agent 70 is supplied from the oil agent supplying mechanism 100.

[0089] 10 and 11, a through hole 90b is provided in the peripheral surface of the clamp member 13. The through hole 90b is connected to the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 via a flow path 91b. This allows the oil agent 70 to be supplied from the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 to the outer peripheral surface 12c of the shoulder member 12 and / or the inner peripheral surface 13b of the clamp member 13 via the through hole 90b.

[0090] The flow path 91b is configured with an appropriate pipe or the like, and does not need to be always disposed in the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50. The flow path 91b may be configured to connect the oil agent supplying mechanism 100 and the through hole 90b when the oil agent 70 is supplied from the oil agent supplying mechanism 100.

[0091] In addition, in FIG. 11, the through-holes 90a and 90b are arranged so as not to overlap when viewed in the horizontal direction, but this is not limiting, and they may be arranged so as to overlap.

[0092] [Operation and effects of friction stir spot welding device] Next, the operation of the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the third embodiment will be specifically described with reference to Fig. 12. Note that the following operation is executed by the controller 51 reading out a program stored in the memory 31.

[0093] FIG. 12 is a flowchart showing an example of the operation of the friction stir spot welding apparatus according to the third embodiment.

[0094] As shown in FIG. 12, the controller 51 judges whether or not an operator has operated the input device 32 to input an execution command for the friction stir spot welding operation of the workpieces 60 (step S101).

[0095] When the controller 51 determines that a command to execute the friction stir spot welding operation has not been input (No in step S101), it executes the process of step S101 again, for example, after 50 msec. On the other hand, when the controller 51 determines that a command to execute the friction stir spot welding operation has been input (Yes in step S101), it executes the process of step S102.

[0096] In step S102, the controller 51 causes the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 to perform the friction stir spot welding operation of the workpiece 60. Note that the friction stir spot welding operation by the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 is performed in the same manner as a known friction stir spot welding operation, and therefore a detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0097] Next, the controller 51 stores the number of times N of the friction stir spot welding operation in the memory 31 (step S103). k Next, the controller 51 acquires the number of times N k Add the number of times to N, k+1 may be stored in the storage device 31 as the above.

[0098] Next, the controller 51 judges whether the number N stored in step S03 is equal to or greater than a predetermined first number (step S104). Here, the first number can be set in advance by experiment or the like. For example, the first number may be 100 times, 150 times, or 200 times when a liquid oil agent 70 is used from the viewpoint of maintaining a state in which an oil film is formed on the circumferential surface of the tool. Also, the first number may be 1000 times, 1500 times, or 2000 times when a semi-solid oil agent 70 is used from the viewpoint of maintaining a state in which an oil film is formed on the circumferential surface of the tool.

[0099] When the controller 51 determines that the number of times N stored in step S103 is less than the first number of times (No in step S104), the controller 51 ends this program and executes the process of step S101 again, for example, after 50 msec. On the other hand, when the controller 51 determines that the number of times N stored in step S103 is equal to or greater than the first number of times (Yes in step S104), the controller 51 executes the process of step S105.

[0100] In step S105, the controller 51 controls the oil supply mechanism 100 to supply the oil 70 to the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50. Next, the controller 51 controls the number of times N k+1 Reset (number of times N k+1 is set to 0 (step S106), and the program is terminated.

[0101] The friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the third embodiment configured as above achieves the same effects as the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment.

[0102] In the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the third embodiment, the controller 51 supplies the oil agent 70 from the oil agent supply mechanism 100 to the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 when the first number of times or more is reached, but the present invention is not limited to this.

[0103] For example, the controller 51 may adopt a configuration in which the oil supply mechanism 100 supplies the oil 70 to the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 after performing maintenance work on the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50. The controller 51 may also adopt a configuration in which the oil supply mechanism 100 supplies the oil 70 to the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 before the friction stir spot welding operation is performed by the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 (after it is determined in step S101 that a command to perform the friction stir spot welding operation has been input).

[0104] In addition, the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the third embodiment adopts the configuration of the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment, but the configuration of the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the second embodiment may also be adopted.

[0105] [Test example] Next, a test example of the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 according to the first embodiment will be described.

[0106] (Test Example 1) In test example 1, an oil agent 70 was applied to the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11 and the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, and using a friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 (see FIG. 2), workpieces 60 were continuously welded.

[0107] As the oil agent 70, Molypaste S (product name) was used, and before the objects 60 were successively joined, the oil agent 70 was applied to the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11 and the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12. In the following, the number of times the objects 60 were joined may be referred to as the number of points.

[0108] (Test Example 2) In Test Example 2, similarly to Test Example 1, the workpieces 60 were continuously welded using a friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 (see FIG. 2 ) in which oil 70 was placed on the outer circumferential surface 11c of the pin member 11 and the inner circumferential surface 12b of the shoulder member 12. Sumiko High Temp Oil G (product name) was used as the oil 70, and the oil 70 was supplied every 112 welding points. The oil 70 was supplied by an operator bringing a cotton swab with the oil 70 attached thereto into contact with the inner circumferential surface 12b of the shoulder member 12.

[0109] (Comparative Example) In the comparative example, the workpieces 60 were continuously welded using a conventional friction stir spot welding apparatus in which the oil agent 70 was not placed on the tool. (Test Results) The workpieces 60, that is, the first member 61 and the second member 62, were made of aluminum alloy plates (A6061) having a thickness of 1.0 mm. Friction stir spot welding was performed continuously using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of test example 1, test example 2, and the comparative example, and the current value of the motor constituting the pin driver was detected.

[0110] Fig. 13 is a graph showing the change in the current value of the motor constituting the pin driver with respect to the number of welding points. The horizontal axis of Fig. 13 shows the number of welding points, which is the number of times that the welded parts of the workpieces 60 are welded by the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50. The vertical axis of Fig. 13 shows the maximum current value (hereinafter referred to as the pin shaft maximum current value) when the tip of the pin member 11 is retracted relative to the tip of the shoulder member 12 at each of the motor's welding points.

[0111] Furthermore, in FIG. 13, a diamond (dashed line) indicates the maximum pin shaft current value at each impact point when continuous joining is performed using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of the comparative example, a triangle (dotted line) indicates the maximum pin shaft current value at each impact point when continuous joining is performed using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of test example 1, and a square (solid line) indicates the maximum pin shaft current value at each impact point when continuous joining is performed using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of test example 2.

[0112] 13, when continuous welding was performed using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of the comparative example, the maximum pin shaft current value increased rapidly. This is because the material originating from the workpiece 60 adhered to the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11 and / or the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, resulting in an increase in the torque for moving the pin member 11 back and forth, and an increase in the current value flowing through the pin driver 531.

[0113] On the other hand, when continuous welding was performed using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of Test Example 1, it was shown that the maximum pin shaft current value could be kept at a low current value of about 3 amperes even when the number of welding points exceeded 2000. Furthermore, when continuous welding was performed using the friction stir spot welding apparatus 50 of Test Example 2, it was shown that the maximum pin shaft current value could be kept at a low current value of about 3 amperes even when the number of welding points exceeded 8000.

[0114] As a result, it was shown that by applying oil 70 to the outer peripheral surface 11c of the pin member 11 and the inner peripheral surface 12b of the shoulder member 12, adhesion of material from the workpiece 60 to these peripheral surfaces is suppressed (not shown), and as a result, it is possible to increase the number of times that friction stir spot welding operations can be performed consecutively compared to conventional friction stir spot welding devices.

[0115] Furthermore, the results of Test Example 2 show that the number of consecutive executions of friction stir spot welding operations can be increased by supplying the oil 70 to the circumferential surface of the tool every predetermined number of welding points (first number of times). This suggests that the number of consecutive executions of friction stir spot welding operations can be increased by maintaining the state in which the oil 70 is disposed on the circumferential surface of the tool.

[0116] Furthermore, in Test Example 2, the maximum pin shaft current value was about 0.1 to 0.3 amperes until the number of hits exceeded 2000, but it suddenly increased to 0.6 to 1 ampere after the number of hits exceeded 2000. For this reason, it is considered that the sudden increase in the maximum pin shaft current value can be suppressed by cleaning the tool (removing material adhering to the tool) when the number of hits exceeds 2000.

[0117] [Disclosure form] Each of the following aspects discloses preferred embodiments.

[0118] [Aspect 1] A pin member formed in a cylindrical shape; a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the pin member inserted therein; a clamp member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the shoulder member inserted therein; a rotation driver that rotates the pin member and the shoulder member about an axis that coincides with an axis of the pin member; a forward / backward actuator that moves the pin member and the shoulder member forward / backward along the axis, a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus, wherein an oil is applied to at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the pin member and the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member.

[0119] [Aspect 2] 2. The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to aspect 1, wherein at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the pin member and the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member has a recess formed thereon.

[0120] [Aspect 3] 3. The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to aspect 1 or 2, wherein the oil is a liquid or semi-solid oil.

[0121] [Aspect 4] 4. The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to any one of aspects 1 to 3, further comprising an oil supplying mechanism configured to supply the oil to the circumferential surface.

[0122] [Aspect 5] Further comprising a controller; The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus of aspect 4, wherein the controller is configured to supply the oil to the circumferential surface by the oil supply mechanism when the friction stir spot welding operation reaches or exceeds a predetermined first number of times that is set in advance.

[0123] [Aspect 6] A method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus, comprising the steps of: The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus is A pin member formed in a cylindrical shape; a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the pin member inserted therein; a clamp member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the shoulder member inserted therein; a rotation driver that rotates the pin member and the shoulder member about an axis that coincides with an axis of the pin member; a forward / backward actuator that moves the pin member and the shoulder member forward / backward along the axis, A method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus, comprising: (A) supplying an oil agent to at least one of an outer circumferential surface of the pin member and an inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member.

[0124] [Aspect 7] The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus further includes an oil supply mechanism, 7. The method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to aspect 6, wherein in (A), the oil supply mechanism supplies the oil to the circumferential surface.

[0125] [Aspect 8] In the method of operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus described in aspect 7, in which, in the method (A), when the friction stir spot welding operation reaches or exceeds a predetermined first number of times that is set in advance, the oil supply mechanism supplies the oil to the circumferential surface.

[0126] [Aspect 9] In the above (A), before performing the friction stir spot welding operation and / or after performing the friction stir spot welding operation the oil supply mechanism supplies the oil to the circumferential surface after the welding operation is performed.

[0127] [Aspect 10] 10. The method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to any one of aspects 6 to 9, wherein the oil is a liquid or semi-solid oil.

[0128] From the above description, many improvements or other embodiments of the disclosure of the present specification will be apparent to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the above description should be interpreted only as an example, and is provided for the purpose of teaching those skilled in the art the best mode for carrying out the disclosure of the present specification. The details of the structure and / or function can be substantially changed without departing from the disclosure of the present specification. In addition, various disclosures of the present specification can be formed by appropriate combination of multiple components disclosed in the above embodiment. [Industrial Applicability]

[0129] The friction stir spot welding apparatus and the operating method of the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus disclosed in this specification are useful because they can suppress adhesion of material originating from the workpiece to the peripheral surface of the tool, compared to conventional friction stir spot welding apparatuses. [Explanation of symbols]

[0130] 11 Pin member 11a Tip surface 11c Outer surface 11d Tip 11e Proximal end 12 Shoulder member 12a Tip surface 12b Inner surface 12c Outer surface 12d Tip 12e Proximal end 13 Clamping member 13a Tip surface 13b Inner surface 13d Tip 13e Proximal end 31 Memory device 32 Input device 33 Position detector 41 Clamp driver 50 Friction stir spot welding equipment 51 Controller 52 Tool retainer 53 Advance / retract driver 55 Support part 56 Backing material 56a Support surface 57 Rotary Drive 60 Object to be joined 61 First member 62 Second member 70 Oils 80 Recess 80a Recess 80b Recess 80c recess 80d recess 90a through hole 90b through hole 91a Flow path 91b Flow path 100 Oil supply mechanism 521 Rotary tool holder 522 Clamp Fixer 531 Pin Driver 532 Shoulder actuator P1 Arrow P2 Arrow P3 Arrow Xr axis

Claims

1. A pin member formed in a cylindrical shape; a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the pin member inserted therein; a clamp member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the shoulder member inserted therein; a rotation driver that rotates the pin member and the shoulder member about an axis that coincides with an axis of the pin member; a forward / backward actuator that moves the pin member and the shoulder member forward / backward along the axis, an oil is disposed on at least one of an outer circumferential surface of the pin member and an inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member; an oil supply mechanism configured to supply the oil to the peripheral surface; and a controller. The controller is configured to supply the oil to the peripheral surface by the oil supply mechanism when the friction stir spot welding operation reaches or exceeds a predetermined first number of times.

2. The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the outer circumferential surface of the pin member and the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member has a recess formed thereon.

3. 3. The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the oil is a liquid or semi-solid oil.

4. A method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus, comprising the steps of: The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus is A pin member formed in a cylindrical shape; a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the pin member inserted therein; a clamp member formed in a cylindrical shape and having the shoulder member inserted therein; a rotation driver that rotates the pin member and the shoulder member about an axis that coincides with an axis of the pin member; a forward / backward actuator that moves the pin member and the shoulder member forward / backward along the axis, (A) supplies an oil agent to at least one of an outer circumferential surface of the pin member and an inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member; The double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus further includes an oil supply mechanism, In (A), when the friction stir spot welding operation reaches or exceeds a predetermined first number of times, the oil supply mechanism supplies the oil to the peripheral surface.

5. In the above (A), before performing the friction stir spot welding operation and / or after performing the friction stir spot welding operation The method for operating the double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the oil supply mechanism supplies the oil to the peripheral surface after the welding operation is performed.

6. 6. The method for operating a double-action friction stir spot welding apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the oil is a liquid or semi-solid oil.

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