Method for connecting two components by application extrusion of an additional material

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for connecting a first component to a second component by application extrusion of an additional material (2), characterised by the steps of: - providing a rotating or oscillating stirring pin (5), an extrusion device (7), and a closure element (9); - conditioning a surface of at least one of the components by moving the rotating or oscillating stirring pin (5) along a trajectory (T) such that it comes into contact with at least one of the components; - in a time interval after the conditioning, moving the extrusion device (7) along the same trajectory (T) and simultaneously extruding the additional material from the extrusion device (7) in order to apply the additional material (2) to the conditioned surface; and - moving the closure element (9) along the same trajectory (T) over the extruded additional material (2) in order to shape said additional material.

Description

[0001] Method for joining two components by extruding an additional material

[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of material processing, and in particular to techniques for joining two components by deposition extrusion of an additional material.

[0003] With current technology, joining metal and plastic is difficult. Particularly in lightweight construction, for example in e-mobility, there are efforts to increasingly manufacture large aluminum housings from plastic. This often requires sealing cavities with covers, which can be made of aluminum, for example. A common method for creating such joints is plastic-to-metal stir welding, see, for example, AT 525908. This method, which is characterized by its suitability for creating strong bonds between plastic and metal, has the disadvantage that it requires access from the plastic side, as the stirring rod must penetrate the plastic part (i.e., the upper joining partner). This can be a significant limitation in many applications, especially with complex geometries.

[0004] Thermal direct joining is another process used in material joining technology. In this process, the surface of a metal component is treated mechanically, chemically, or using a process engineering method before a solid plastic is pressed onto the metal and melted by the heat of the metal.

[0005] Another well-known process is metal overmolding. In this process, the metal is first pretreated and then inserted into an injection mold to produce plastic-metal parts. While this method is widespread in many industrial applications, it also has significant disadvantages. Pretreating the metal requires additional time and expense, and the insertion processes are often not automatable, which can lead to slower production speeds and higher defect rates.

[0006] It is therefore an objective of the present invention to provide a method for joining a first component to a second component by deposition extrusion of an additional material, in particular for joining a plate to a base material, thereby at least partially overcoming the aforementioned disadvantages of the prior art.

[0007] In a first aspect of the invention, this objective is achieved by a method for joining a first component (preferably a base material) with a second component (preferably a plate) by deposition extrusion of an additive material, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0008] Providing a rotating or oscillating stirring stick, an extrusion device and a closure element,

[0009] - Conditioning a surface of at least one of the components (preferably conditioning a surface of both components) by moving the rotating or oscillating stirring rod along a trajectory while in contact with at least one of the (preferably both) components,

[0010] At a time interval after conditioning, the extrusion device is moved along the same trajectory and the additive material is simultaneously extruded from the extrusion device to apply the additive material to the conditioned surface, and

[0011] - Moving the closure element along the same trajectory over the extruded additive material to shape it.

[0012] The method according to the invention enables the joining of components made of plastic and / or metal by means of an additive material such as a thermoplastic material. In the method according to the invention, at least one of the joining partners, i.e., components, is conditioned and thereby optionally heated by the rotating or oscillating stirring pin, which can also be heated, so that it can form a bond with the additive material. Preferably, in the method according to the invention, one of the components consists of metal and the other of plastic.

[0013] Conditioning or the removal of pre-extruded material can be achieved by profiling the stirring pin, for example, on the underside and / or a side surface of the stirring pin. The additive material can be heated, particularly inside the extrusion device, and preferably introduced under pressure into the forming closure element.

[0014] The method according to the invention has a particular advantage over AT 525908 in that extrusion takes place at a time interval after conditioning, whereby the extruded material does not come into contact with the stirring pin, or only to a minimal extent. Tests have shown that the additive material, especially if it is a thermoplastic material, can wet the stirring pin, thereby reducing its ability to condition the surfaces or remove parts of the workpiece. The solution of separating the extrusion device (temporally and spatially, and therefore also temporally) from the stirring pin was not obvious, also because the heat generated by the stirring pin is usually intended to be used to bind the additive material at the weld point.It therefore seems counterintuitive to carry out the extrusion process at a time interval after conditioning; however, this achieves the aforementioned advantages. According to the invention, the extrusion device is thus decoupled from the stirring pin so that extrusion can take place after conditioning, thereby improving the performance of the stirring pin.

[0015] In particular, the additive material should not be introduced into a reservoir surrounding the stirring rod, as this is tantamount to stating that the additive material is applied to the surface during conditioning. In other words, the additive material should be dispensed into a reservoir that does not surround the stirring rod and is only bounded on one side or not at all by the stirring rod.

[0016] For example, the time interval can be set at least 0.01 seconds, 0.1 seconds, or even at least 1 second, particularly if no partition such as the one at the bottom of the closure element is provided. However, if the partition described below is provided to separate the additive material from the stirring pin, the time interval can also be very short. The partition, however, inevitably results in a temporal separation of the extrusion device from the stirring pin during the process along the trajectory, even if they move as a single unit.

[0017] By selecting a very short time interval, the contact between the additive material and the stirring pin can be at least reduced. Preferably, the extrusion device can dispense the additive material in such a way that it is dispensed onto the conditioned surface without contact with the stirring pin. This can be achieved, for example, by the partition or by selecting a sufficiently long time interval. The specific time intervals depend on the speed of the extrusion device along the aforementioned trajectory, but can be determined by a person skilled in the art under the conditions described above. Furthermore, the method according to the invention, in contrast to the teaching of AT 525908, enables the components to be joined even without removing any material from the components.For this purpose, it is provided that, during the conditioning step, the stirring pin moves in contact with at least one, preferably both, components and conditions only the surface of the components. In other words, the stirring pin does not penetrate either component until the other component is reached; it is sufficient that the surfaces are conditioned. While the method of AT 525908 always required access for the stirring pin from the plastic side to penetrate the plastic to the metal, the method according to the invention can also use access from the metal side (e.g., with a slot in the metal), since only the surfaces are conditioned. "Only the surface of the components is conditioned" can be understood to mean that the stirring pin removes as little material as possible and, for example, preferably penetrates no more than 0.1 mm into the respective component.

[0018] While the extrusion device and the closure element can also move at different times, this is disadvantageous, among other reasons, because the additive material cannot be applied under pressure. Therefore, it is preferred that the closure element has an opening to which the extrusion device connects, the extrusion device extruding material into an interior space of the closure element and consequently onto the conditioned surface. The closure element can be formed by two side walls (spaced apart in a direction perpendicular to the trajectory) and a top wall, with the opening being provided in the top wall. The side walls slide on the surface of the first and / or second component and space the top wall away from the components. The cross-section of the interior space perpendicular to the trajectory can taper in the opposite direction of the trajectory to build up even more pressure in the interior.Furthermore, the closure element can include a front wall, which can be formed by the partition described below. The closure element can also include a back wall to define the profile of the extruded additive material. If necessary, the back wall can be designed in the same way as the partition.

[0019] As explained at the outset, it is preferred if the closure element has a partition that defines an interior space within the closure element at the front, viewed in the direction of the trajectory, wherein the partition preferably defines a constant distance between the stirring pin and the extrusion device. The partition can, in particular, prevent the extruded additive material from coming into contact with the stirring pin. This reduces the time interval between the extrusion device and the stirring pin moving along the trajectory, thereby allowing more heat from the stirring pin to be utilized.

[0020] In a further preferred embodiment, the sealing element comprises a cooling device, preferably arranged downstream of the extrusion device, to cool the filler material ejected by the extrusion device. The cooling device causes the filler material to solidify more quickly, thereby increasing the welding speed.

[0021] The method according to the invention particularly preferably comprises one of the following steps: rotating an extruder screw located in the extrusion device to extrude the additive material from the extrusion device; or

[0022] - Extruding the additive material using a linear filament extrusion.

[0023] These variants have proven to be particularly advantageous, especially since the inventive method allows extrusion directly onto the conditioned surface and not, for example, into a stirring chamber around the stirring pin as in AT 525908.

[0024] According to the invention, one of two options can be used to carry out the method. Either all components (stirring pin, extrusion device, and closure element) can move as a unit, in which case they necessarily move along the same trajectory, or two or three of the components can be moved separately, in which case care is taken when controlling the elements to ensure that they actually move along the same trajectory. While the first variant is easier to control and also advantageous in many aspects, the second variant can also be used when the individual components are already available but not as a unit. In a preferred embodiment, the stirring pin can be moved separately, and the extrusion device and the closure element can be moved as a unit, for example, when the extrusion device engages with the aforementioned opening of the closure element.

[0025] If the stirring pin, extrusion device, and closure element move as a unit along the trajectory, this unit may preferably be driven by a single drive. If the stirring pin, extrusion device, and / or closure element are moved separately, they may preferably have separate drives, although this is not mandatory, e.g., if they are coupled sequentially to the same drive. As explained above, it is preferred if the frictional heat of the stirring pin is utilized, i.e.,The extrusion device is moved over the conditioned surface while the surface has a second temperature higher than the initial temperature it had before conditioning, and / or the extrusion device moves over the aforementioned trajectory at a time interval of no more than 1 minute, preferably no more than 30 seconds, and particularly preferably no more than 10 seconds, after the stirring pin. To ensure the closure element optimally shapes the additive material, the closure element should move over the aforementioned trajectory no more than 1 minute, preferably no more than 30 seconds, and particularly preferably no more than 10 seconds, after the extrusion device.

[0026] In a particularly preferred embodiment, the first component has a step on the surface to be conditioned. The second component can be placed on the lower section of the step, and the stirring pin, preferably a shoulder of the stirring pin, can move directly alongside the second component along its trajectory. Here, the surfaces of the two components preferably lie in the same plane, which can be achieved if the second component is a plate or has a plate-shaped section, wherein the plate or plate-shaped section has the same height as the step.

[0027] In a particularly preferred embodiment, where neither component needs to be penetrated, the second component can be a plate with an elongated groove. The plate is placed on top of the first component, and the stirring pin, optionally a shoulder of the stirring pin, lies flush in the groove of the plate as it moves along the trajectory. If the stirring pin has a shoulder, this shoulder can lie flush in the groove to condition the side faces of the groove in the second component and the surface of the first component below the groove. An annular underside of the stirring pin surrounding the shoulder can additionally condition the surface of the second component.

[0028] As already explained, the methods according to the invention can be used, in particular, to join components made of different materials. Preferably, one of the components is made of metal, preferably aluminum, and the other component is made of plastic, preferably an injection-molded plastic part or a carbon fiber material, which preferably comprises a thermoplastic binder. In one embodiment, the stirring pin is essentially cylindrical and its underside is essentially flat (apart from a profile). Here, the stirring pin can preferably be profiled on both its underside and its cylindrical side surface in order to condition the component below as well as the component adjacent to the side of the stirring pin. Furthermore, the stirring pin can have a shoulder on its underside, and optionally, the stirring pin can be profiled on its underside around the shoulder in the annular section.Furthermore, the shoulder can be profiled on both its underside and its side surfaces. The ring-shaped profiling can also be used to condition the top surface of the components.

[0029] In a second aspect, the invention provides a device for joining a first component to a second component by deposition extrusion of an additive material, wherein the device comprises a rotatable or oscillating stirring pin and an extrusion device, wherein the device further comprises a closure unit and optionally also a control device, wherein the device, e.g.by means of the control device, which is designed to first move the rotating or oscillating stirring pin along a trajectory while in contact with at least one of the components in order to condition at least one of the components, then, at a time interval, to move the extrusion device along the same trajectory and simultaneously control the extrusion device to apply additive material to the conditioned surface, and then to move the closure element along the same trajectory to form the extruded additive material.

[0030] All the advantages and variations described above for the method can also be applied to the apparatus. When it is stated herein that the apparatus is configured to move one of the aforementioned components along a trajectory, this may, for example, include a control unit and one or more drives that cause one or more of the components to move along the trajectory. This control unit, or another control unit of the apparatus, may also perform other functions, such as controlling the operation (e.g., on / off or frequency of rotation or oscillation) of the stirring pin and / or the operation (e.g., on / off or extrusion speed) of the extrusion device.

[0031] For further explanation of the present invention and its advantages, reference is made below to the accompanying figures. These figures show exemplary embodiments of the invention and serve to illustrate the invention and its various features in more detail. It should be noted that the examples shown are for illustrative purposes only and that the invention is not limited to these specific embodiments. The figures are as follows:

[0032] Figure 1 shows a device for contract extrusion.

[0033] Figure 2 shows a welded joint produced between a lid and a housing using the device of Figure 1.

[0034] Figure 3 shows the device of Figure 1 in a top view in a first configuration of two elements to be connected.

[0035] Figure 4 shows the device of Figure 1 in a top view in a second configuration of two elements to be connected together.

[0036] Figure 5 shows the device of Figure 1 in a top view in a third configuration of two elements to be connected together.

[0037] Figure 6 shows another variant of a device for contract extrusion.

[0038] Figure 7a shows the basic material in the variant of Figure 6 in a first initial state.

[0039] Figure 7b shows the basic material in a second initial state for the variant of Figure 6.

[0040] Figure 8 shows the stirring stick of the device of Figure 6 in detail.

[0041] Figure 1 shows a device 1 for joining a plate 4 to a base material 3 by applying an additive material 2, wherein the applied additive material 2 forms a welded joint 31. Here, the plate 4 is the upper joining partner and the base material 3 the lower joining partner. In general, the base material 3 can also be referred to as the first component and the plate 4 as the second component, whereby the second component need not be completely plate-shaped, but could, for example, only have a plate-shaped section or be designed in a completely different way. In the following, however, we will refer to a base material 3 and a plate 4, although all descriptions also apply generally to a first component and a second component.

[0042] Typically, though not necessarily, the device 1 is used to join workpieces made of different materials, for example, when the base material 3 is made of plastic and the plate 4 is made of metal; or the base material 3 is made of metal and the plate 4 is made of plastic. The weld 31 produced with the device 1 should, for example, be leak-proof after production so that the weld 31 between the base material 3 and the plate 4 can be used, for example, in automotive engineering, aerospace engineering, or in the production of so-called "white goods".

[0043] In particular, the plate 4 can be a cover and the base material 3 a housing, as shown in Figure 2. The housing can have an opening 30, and the cover is arranged to fit over the opening 30. The device 1 is used to produce a weld joint 31 around the opening 30. In Figure 2, the weld joint 31 is shown along four linear sections along grooves 11 of the cover, as explained below in connection with Figure 5. However, the groove 11 is not mandatory, and covers without a groove 11 could be used, for example, if material is removed from the cover analogously to Figure 3, or if the weld joint 31 is produced at the edge of the cover analogously to Figure 4 or Figure 6. However, the present invention is not limited to this application, and in general, weld joints 31 of other shapes could also be produced.Furthermore, the workpiece does not have to be a combination of housing and lid. It is clearly evident that with the depicted variants, the housing could also be made of plastic and the lid of metal, since, as explained below, only surfaces need to be conditioned and material does not necessarily have to be removed.

[0044] The device 1 comprises, in particular, a stirring pin 5 which rotates or oscillates during operation to condition the base material 3. For this purpose, the rotating or oscillating stirring pin 5 travels along a trajectory T while in contact with the base material 3 to condition it. The trajectory T is generally a two-dimensional trajectory T that runs in a plane parallel to the base material 3. However, if the base material 3 is curved, it could also be provided that the trajectory T follows the path of the base material 3. It is evident that the stirring pin 5 conditions the base material essentially along a line defined by the trajectory T.

[0045] In this context, "conditioning" means, for example, modifying the surface properties by mechanically processing it with the special stirring pin 5 to achieve specific characteristics such as heat, roughness, or adhesion. If necessary, the removal of existing material may also occur during the conditioning step, although this is not mandatory and, depending on the variant, may not even be desirable. The term "conditioning only the surface of the components" excludes any significant removal of existing material. If the stirring pin 5 is also in contact with the plate 2 when it travels along the trajectory T, the stirring pin 5 can simultaneously condition the plate 2 (which is not mandatory, however; see, for example, the variants in Figures 5 and 6, where this is optional).

[0046] The stirring pin 5 is usually profiled on its underside, i.e., on the side facing the base material 3. However, the stirring pin 5 can also be profiled on its side surfaces with a profile 6, especially if it is also intended to condition the plate 2.

[0047] Furthermore, the device 1 comprises an extrusion device 7, which travels along the same trajectory T and simultaneously extrudes additive material 2 from the extrusion device 7. This allows the additive material 2 to be applied to the conditioned surface of the base material 3. The additive material 2 can generally be, for example, a thermoplastic material, regardless of the embodiment.

[0048] The extrusion device 7 can, for example, be a screw for extruding molten plastic as additive material 2. For this purpose, the extrusion device 7 could, for example, include a heating element to melt the plastic granules. In other versions, the extrusion device 7 could, for example, enable linear filament extrusion, as is the case with 3D printers. In this case, the extrusion device 7 can include a cartridge or other storage for the additive material 2 to be extruded.

[0049] The additive material 2 dispensed from the extrusion device 7 will be in a liquid, semi-liquid, or malleable state immediately after dispensing and is referred to as melt 8. As soon as the additive material 2 cools, it will solidify and can thus bond the plate 4 to the base material 3. This bond is particularly advantageous due to the conditioning of the base material 3 with the stirring rod 5.

[0050] Furthermore, the device 1 comprises a closure element 9, which travels along the same trajectory T over the extruded additive material 2 to shape it. The closure element 9 can, in particular, be profiled to define the shape of the additive material 2 after solidification, so that the additive material 2 has, for example, a rectangular shape after application (see, for example, Figure 6). Typically, the closure element 9 is designed such that it has an opening to which the extrusion device 7 connects (see, in particular, Figures 3 to 5) and, if necessary, also penetrates (see Figure 1).This is particularly advantageous because it creates a confined interior space (reservoir) that is bounded above, left, and right by the locking element 9, at the front by the stirring pin 5 (or alternatively by the locking element 9), at the bottom by the base material 3 and / or the plate 4), and at the rear either open or closed by a back panel. As previously stated, the interior space could also be bounded at the front by the stirring pin.

[0051] If the closure element 9 has an opening for the extrusion device 7, the closure element 9 moves along the same trajectory T as the extrusion device 7 and is also (at least partially) downstream of it. In this case, the closure element 9 and the extrusion device 7 are mechanically connected so that they can be controlled by a single control unit to be moved as a unit.

[0052] In particular, the stirring pin 5 can also be coupled to the extrusion device 7 and / or the closure element 9. This coupling means that only one control unit is used to move the stirring pin 5 together with the extrusion device 7 and / or the closure element 9 as a single unit. This coupling can be, for example, mechanical or electronic, i.e., the drives of the stirring pin 5 on the one hand and the extrusion device 7 and / or the closure element 9 on the other are moved simultaneously according to the same control signals.

[0053] Figures 1 and 3 to 5 show, in particular, that the closure element 9 can be attached directly to the stirring pin 5 (usually, however, without touching it). In this case, a coupling as described above is preferred so that the stirring pin 5, the extrusion device 7, and the closure element 9 move together as a unit. It is evident, among other things, that the closure element can form a partition 10, which separates the stirring pin 5 from the extrusion device 7. This prevents the additive material 2 or the melt 3 from coming into contact with the stirring pin 5. The interior space within the closure element 9 is bounded at the front by the partition 10. With the partition 10 in place, the additive material 2 is thus dispensed into a reservoir that is not bounded by the stirring pin 5.The partition 10 could also be omitted, so that the additive material 2 is dispensed into a reservoir that is bounded at the front (viewed in the direction of the trajectory T) by the stirring pin 5, thereby at least largely reducing the wetting of the stirring pin 5 with the additive material 2. As just described, the stirring pin 5, the extrusion device 7, and the closure element 9 can thus be designed as a unit that is also moved as a unit, so that they move automatically along the same trajectory T. In alternative versions, however, it can also be provided that the stirring pin 5, the extrusion device 7, and / or the closure element 9 are moved separately from one another. For example, the stirring pin 5, the extrusion device 7, and / or the closure element 9 can each have separate drives, i.e., first the stirring pin 5 moves along the trajectory T, and then (at a time interval) the other moves, e.g.,The unit consisting of the closure element 9 and the extrusion device 7 moves along the same trajectory T, but independently of the stirring pin 5. Alternatively, all three components can move independently of each other; for example, first the stirring pin 5, then the extrusion device 7, and then the closure element 9 can move along the same trajectory T, but independently of each other.

[0054] If the stirring pin 5, the extrusion device 7, and the closure element 9 are designed as a unit, they will move sequentially along the trajectory T in a very short period, determined only by the unit's speed and the distance between the respective components within the unit. If the stirring pin 5, the extrusion device 7, and / or the closure element 9 are moved separately, the time after which the respective elements move along the trajectory T can be chosen essentially freely. However, the movement of the extrusion device 7 across the conditioned surface should, in particular, take place while the conditioned surface has a second temperature higher than the initial temperature it had before conditioning, so that the heat released during conditioning can be utilized when the melt 8 is dispensed onto the conditioned surface.It is usually provided that the extrusion device 7 moves along the aforementioned trajectory T at a time interval of no more than 1 minute, preferably no more than 30 seconds, and particularly preferably no more than 10 seconds, after the stirring pin 5. Likewise, it can be provided that the closure element 9 moves along the aforementioned trajectory at a time interval of no more than 1 minute, preferably no more than 30 seconds, and particularly preferably no more than 10 seconds, after the extrusion device 7.

[0055] With reference to Figures 3 to 7b, different variants for connecting the plate 4 to the base material 3 are now explained. According to the variant shown in Figure 3, the plate 4 is a continuous plate without recesses. The plate 4 lies flat on the base material 3. Here, the stirring rod 5 penetrates the plate 4 until it touches the base material 3 in order to condition it. The stirring rod 5 is moved at a non-zero distance from the edge of the plate 4. As the stirring rod 5, or the device 1, is moved along the trajectory T, it will displace the leading material 4a of the plate 4, which can then be mixed with the additive material 2 in the melt 3. In this case, the base material 3 is typically metal and the plate 4 is plastic.

[0056] The variant shown in Figure 4 is analogous to that shown in Figure 3, except that the stirring pin 5 is moved along the edge of the plate 4 and passes through the plate 4. Here too, the material of the plate displaced by the stirring pin 5 can be mixed with the additive material 2, but the joining point will be located at the edge of the plate 4, and not inside the plate 4.

[0057] In the variant shown in Figure 5, the plate 4 has a groove 11 which, for example, has essentially the same width as the stirring stick 5. Here, little or no material will be displaced from the plate, and a sufficient quantity of additional material 2 will be introduced into the groove 11 to essentially fill or overfill it. Overfilling refers to a vertical protrusion of the joining surface, as shown in Figure 6.

[0058] Another variant for joining a plate 4 to a base material 3 is shown in Figure 6. It is particularly evident that the base material 3 has a step on the surface to be conditioned. A step, as is commonly understood, consists of a raised section 12 and a lowered section 13. The step height is determined by the distance between sections 12 and 13. If the step height corresponds to the thickness of the plate 4, it can be placed on the lowered section 13, and the top surface of the plate 4 is flush with the raised section 12, representing a particularly high-quality joining technique. To join the plate 4 to the base material 3, the stirring pin 5 can condition the base material 3 as described, and the additive material 2 can be applied using the extrusion device 7 and the sealing element 9.

[0059] Specifically, the stirring pin 5, as shown in Figure 7a, can remove a portion 14 of the higher section 12 of the base material 3, which lies directly adjacent to the lower section 13. In this case, the plate 4 is placed flush against the step's edge. Alternatively, as shown in Figure 7b, a second step 15 could be present on the lower section 13, directly adjacent to the higher section 12, with a lower step height than the first step. Here, the plate 4 is placed flush against the second step 15, creating a recess for the stirring pin 5, bounded at the bottom by the second step 15, on one side by the first step, and on the other side by the plate 4.The stirring stick 5 can thus proceed analogously to Figure 5 in order to condition the base material 3 and, if necessary, also the plate 4, without removing any pre-existing material, after which this recess can be filled with the additional material 2.

[0060] If the stirring pin 5 has the same diameter as the width of the part 14 to be removed in Figure 7a or of the second stage 15, it can be cylindrical as described above. However, it can also be provided that the stirring pin 5 has a shoulder 16 on its underside, as shown in Figure 8. The shoulder 16 is, for example, also essentially cylindrical and profiled on its underside and, if necessary, also on its side surface.

[0061] In the variant of the stirring pin 5 with a shoulder 16, the stirring pin 5 may be provided with a profile on its underside in the annular area around the shoulder 16. This allows the shoulder 16 to condition the surfaces at the recess above the second stage 15 and, optionally, to remove the aforementioned part 14. Simultaneously, the annular underside of the stirring pin 5 around the shoulder 16 can condition the top surface of the base material 3 and the plate 4.

[0062] The variant of the stirring pin 5 with paragraph 16 can, however, be used not only in the embodiment of Figures 5 to 7b, but also in the embodiment of Figures 1 and 3 to 5, particularly in the embodiment of Figure 5, if the groove 11 has the same width as the paragraph 16 and the annular underside of the stirring pin 5 is intended to condition the surface of the plate in order to apply additional material 2 to it as well. Generally, the annular underside of the stirring pin 5 is used to condition a top surface of one or both components.

[0063] While in the embodiments of Figures 1 and 3 to 5, the base material 3 is usually made of metal and the plate 4 of plastic, in the embodiments of Figures 6 to 7b, the base material 3 is usually made of plastic and the plate 4 of metal. Generally, the element 3, 4 from which material is removed, as in Figures 3, 4 and 7a, should be made of plastic. If one or both of the components 3, 4 are only conditioned without substantial material removal (meaning that only the surface of the respective component 3, 4 is conditioned), this component 3, 4 can be made of either metal or plastic.

Claims

Claims:

1. Method for joining a first component to a second component by deposition extrusion of an additional material (2), characterized by the steps: - Providing a rotating or oscillating stirring stick (5), an extrusion device (7) and a closure element (9), - Conditioning a surface of at least one of the components by moving the rotating or oscillating stirring pin (5) along a trajectory (T) while in contact with at least one of the components, At a time interval after conditioning, the extrusion device (7) is moved along the same trajectory (T) and the additive material is simultaneously extruded from the extrusion device (7) to apply the additive material (2) to the conditioned surface, and - Moving the closure element (9) along the same trajectory (T) over the extruded additive material (2) to shape it.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the extrusion device dispenses the additive material (2) in such a way that it is dispensed onto the conditioned surface without contact with the stirring stick (5).

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the stirring stick (5) moves in contact with both components during the conditioning step and conditions only the surface of the components.

4. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element (9) has an opening to which the extrusion device (7) connects, wherein the extrusion device (7) extrudes material into an interior of the closure element (9) and consequently onto the conditioned surface.

5. Method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element (9) has a partition (10) which provides an interior space within the The closure element (9) is limited at the front, as seen in the direction of the trajectory (T), wherein the partition (T) preferably provides a constant distance between the stirring pin (5) and the extrusion device (7).

6. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the closure element (9) comprises a cooling device, preferably located behind the extrusion device (7) is arranged to cool the additive material (2) dispensed by the extrusion device (7).

7. A method according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the step of: rotating an extruder screw located in the extrusion device (7) to extrude the additive material (2) from the extrusion device (7); or - Extruding the additive material (2) by means of a linear filament extrusion.

8. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stirring pin (5), the extrusion device (7) and the closure element (9) move as a unit along the trajectory (T), the unit preferably being driven by a single drive.

9. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the stirring pin (5), the extrusion device (7) and / or the closure element (9) are moved separately from one another and preferably have separate drives.

10. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the movement of the extrusion device (7) takes place over the conditioned surface while the conditioned surface has a second temperature which is greater than a first temperature which the surface had before conditioning, and / or wherein the extrusion device (7) moves over said trajectory (T) at a time interval of at most 1 minute, preferably at most 30 seconds, particularly preferably at most 10 seconds, after the stirring stick.

11. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the first component has a step on the surface to be conditioned and wherein the second component is placed on the lower section of the step and the stirring pin (5), preferably a shoulder of the stirring pin (5), moves directly next to the second component while moving along the trajectory (T), wherein the surfaces of the two components preferably lie in the same plane.

12. Method according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the second component is a plate (4) with an elongated groove (11) which is placed on the first component and the stirring pin (5), optionally a shoulder (16) of the stirring pin (5), lies flush in the slot (11) of the plate (4) during movement along the trajectory (T).

13. Method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one of the components is made of metal, preferably of aluminium, and the other component is made of plastic, wherein the second component is preferably a plastic injection molded part or comprises a carbon fiber material, which particularly preferably comprises a thermoplastic binder.

14. Device (1) for joining a first component to a second component by applying an additive material (2), wherein the device (1) comprises a rotatable or oscillating stirring pin (5) and an extrusion device (7), characterized in that the device (1) further comprises a closure unit (9), wherein the device (1) is configured to first move the rotating or oscillating stirring pin (5) in contact with at least one of the components along a trajectory (T) in order to condition at least one of the components, then, at a time interval, move the extrusion device (7) along the same trajectory (T) and simultaneously control the extrusion device (7) to apply additive material to the conditioned surface, and then move the closure element (9) along the same trajectory (T) to form the extruded additive material (2).

15. Device (1) according to claim 14, wherein the device (1) is configured to move the stirring stick (5) in the conditioning step while in contact with both components and to condition only the surface of the components.

16. Device (1) according to claim 14 or 15, wherein the device (1) is configured to dispense the additive material (2) in such a way that it is dispensed onto the conditioned surface without contact with the stirring stick (5).

17. Device (1) according to one of claims 14 to 16, wherein the closure element (9) has an opening to which the extrusion device (7) connects, wherein the extrusion device (7) is configured to extrude material into an interior of the closure element (9) and consequently onto the conditioned surface.

18. Device (1) according to one of claims 14 to 17, wherein the closure element (9) has a partition (10) which limits an interior space within the closure element (9) forwards, viewed in the direction of the trajectory (T), wherein the partition (10) preferably provides a constant distance between the stirring pin (5) and the extrusion device (7).

19. Device (1) according to any one of claims 14 to 18, wherein the device (1) is configured to move the stirring pin (5), the extrusion device (7) and / or the closure element (9) separately from each other, wherein the stirring pin (5), the extrusion device (7) and / or the closure element (9) preferably each have separate drives.

20. Device (1) according to one of claims 14 to 19, wherein the stirring pin (5) has a shoulder (16) on the underside and wherein the stirring pin (5) is preferably profiled on the underside at the annular section around the shoulder (16).

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