Curved Butt-Weld Boundary for Stronger Metal Plate Joints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Butt welding of metal members often results in insufficient joining strength due to a straight welding boundary line, which can lead to fractures, and increasing the number of butt portions is limited by design constraints.
Innovation Solution
The welding boundary line is made longer than a straight line connecting the ends, allowing for increased joint area and strength without adding more butt portions, and the thickness of plates can vary to optimize strength and weight, with a curved portion connecting butt portions to prevent interference during bending.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a straight welding boundary line is used in butt welding, then the welding process is simple, but the joining strength is insufficient and the joint portion may fracture
Solution Approach 1:
The welding boundary line is designed with a curved shape instead of a straight line, specifically forming an arc that connects the first and second ends. This curvature increases the length of the welding boundary line, thereby increasing the joint area and improving the joining strength between the first plate and second plate without adding multiple butt portions.
2Strength
If the number of butt portions is increased to enhance joining strength, then the joining strength improves, but design limitations prevent increasing the number of butt portions
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of increasing the number of butt portions (one-dimensional approach), the invention extends the welding boundary line in the longitudinal direction of the plates by introducing curvature. This dimensional change allows the welding boundary line to cover a larger area along the length of the plates, effectively increasing the joint area and joining strength without adding more butt portions, thus respecting design limitations.
3Strength
If plate thickness is increased to improve strength, then the joining strength increases, but the weight of the metal member increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention applies different plate thicknesses in different regions: the first plate has a first thickness and the second plate has a second thickness that is different from the first thickness. This local variation in thickness allows optimization of strength where needed while reducing weight in areas where full thickness is not required, achieving a balance between joining strength and weight reduction.
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
This approach enhances the joining strength of metal members and allows for reduced weight by optimizing plate thickness, while preventing interference with bending dies during removal.
Implementation Method 1
making a first plate (2) and a second plate (3) abut against each other in at least one butt portion (S1) and welding the first plate (2) and the second plate (3) together
Data Source
AI summary
A metal member includes a first plate, and a second plate abutting against and welded to the first plate in at least one butt portion. In the butt portion, a length from a first end to a second end of a welding boundary line between the first plate and the second plate is longer than a length of a straight line connecting the first end to the second end of the welding boundary line.