Welded Steel Motor Vehicle Component With Beveled Thick-Thin Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing welding methods for automotive components with varying wall thicknesses struggle to achieve high weld penetration into the thicker component without causing burn-through in the thinner component, leading to reduced service life and compromised joint strength.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a bevel and V-shaped joint gap configuration is applied to the components, where the bevel is created without machining by controlled plastic deformation, ensuring high penetration into the thicker component while preventing burn-through in the thinner one, facilitated by a weld seam that utilizes the bevel and V-shaped gap to enhance penetration depth.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If conventional welding methods are used to join components with different wall thicknesses, then welding process simplicity is maintained, but weld penetration into the thicker component is insufficient and burn-through occurs in the thinner component
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies a bevel specifically to the thicker component's joining surface, creating a localized geometric modification only where needed. This allows the thicker component to receive adequate weld penetration while the thinner component maintains its original geometry and avoids burn-through, resolving the contradiction between penetration depth and joint reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The bevel is prepared in advance on the thicker component before the welding process. This preliminary geometric preparation creates optimal conditions for weld penetration without requiring complex welding parameters or procedures during the actual welding operation, thereby improving penetration while maintaining process simplicity
2Manufacturing precision
If the welding parameters are increased to improve penetration into the thicker component, then weld penetration depth increases, but burn-through occurs in the thinner component
Solution Approach 1:
The bevel creates a localized geometry change only on the thicker component, allowing increased penetration in that specific area while the thinner component remains unaffected. This spatial differentiation resolves the contradiction between achieving sufficient penetration and avoiding burn-through in different components
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of adjusting welding parameters (one dimension), the invention modifies the geometric dimension of the joining surface by adding a bevel. This dimensional change provides an additional degree of freedom to control penetration depth without affecting the thermal balance that causes burn-through in thinner components
3Reliability
If a bevel is added to the joining surface to improve penetration, then weld penetration and joint strength are enhanced, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameter of the joining surface by adding a bevel with specific angle and depth parameters. This parameter modification directly improves joint strength through enhanced penetration while the bevel's simple conical geometry minimizes the increase in manufacturing complexity
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The method achieves reliable penetration of 2% to 10%, with potential for up to 50%, enhancing joint strength and service life without increasing weight, resulting in a stable welded joint suitable for automotive components like twist-beam axles.
Implementation Method 1
the bevel is created without machining by controlled plastic deformation
Implementation Method 2
Welding is the permanent, material-to-material joining of components using heat and pressure
Data Source
Figure 1a~1d
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
A motor vehicle component 2 comprises two steel parts 1, 11 with different wall thicknesses t1, t2, arranged at an angle α to each other and joined by a weld 18. A joining surface 13 at the end section 5 of the first part 1 has a chamfer 7 formed without machining. To form the chamfer 7, an end section 5 of a starting blank 3 is formed without machining. Subsequently, the end section 5 is trimmed and a butt surface 10 is created on the end face of the end section 5. The two parts 1, 11 are positioned relative to each other so that the joining surface 13 of the first part 1 and the joining surface 14 of the second part 11 face each other. The material-locking connection of the first part 1 and the second part 11 is achieved by a weld 18 at the joining surfaces 13, 14.