Elastic Rotary Tool for Friction Stir Load Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing joining devices for friction stir welding that rely on load control, such as those using robots, are complex and expensive, necessitating a rotary tool that can perform load control while mounted to a relatively inexpensive machining center.
Innovation Solution
A rotary tool design incorporating a stirring pin and a shoulder, both biased by elastic members, allowing for load control through elastic forces, which can be mounted to a machining center for precise friction stir welding.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If load control is implemented using a robot-based joining device, then joining quality is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the load control function from the robot system and relocates it to the rotary tool itself through elastic members. This separates the positioning function (handled by the simple MC) from the load control function (handled by the elastic members in the rotary tool), thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining joining quality
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic members act as intermediaries between the driving force and the stirring pin, providing load control through their elastic deformation. This intermediary mechanism enables precise control of the stirring pin's insertion depth and joining load without requiring complex robot-based control systems
2Reliability
If load control is implemented using a robot-based joining device, then joining quality is improved, but device cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the expensive load control capability from the robot system and embeds it in the rotary tool using simple elastic members. This allows the use of inexpensive MCs instead of expensive robots, significantly reducing device cost while maintaining joining quality through the elastic member-based load control mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces expensive, complex robot-based load control systems with simple, inexpensive elastic members that provide equivalent load control functionality. This substitution dramatically reduces device cost while maintaining the necessary control precision for high-quality joining
3Ease of manufacture
If position control is used with a machining center, then device cost is reduced, but load control capability is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The elastic members serve as intermediaries that provide load control capability within the rotary tool itself. This allows inexpensive MCs with only position control to achieve load control functionality through the elastic deformation of the members, which automatically adjusts the stirring pin insertion depth based on joining conditions
Solution Approach 2:
The elastic members enable the rotary tool to self-regulate the joining load and stirring pin insertion depth based on the mechanical properties of the joint member. This self-service load control mechanism eliminates the need for expensive external robot-based control systems while maintaining reliable joining quality
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 rotary tool enables load control and improves joining quality by stabilizing the insertion depth of the stirring pin and reducing burrs, achieving consistent and high-quality friction stir welding.
Implementation Method 1
a first elastic member that biases the stirring pin toward a distal-end side relative to the axial direction of the rotary shaft
Implementation Method 2
a stirring pin that is arranged on the main body so as to be rotatable by receiving the rotary force from the main body and to be movable relative to an axial direction of the rotary shaft, and that is inserted into the joint member to perform friction stirring on the joint member
Data Source
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AI summary
An object of the present invention is to provide a rotary tool, a joining device, and a joining method that can carry out load control while mounted to a machining center. A rotary tool includes: a main body (10) having a fixed unit (11) attached and secured to a joining device (3), and a rotary shaft (12) for transmitting a rotary force from the joining device (3); a stirring pin (60) that is arranged on the main body (10) so as to be rotatable by receiving the rotary force from the main body (10) and to be movable relative to an axial direction of the rotary shaft (12), and that is inserted into a joint member (2) to perform friction stirring on the joint member; a shoulder (70) that is formed separately from the stirring pin (60), that is arranged on the main body (10) so as not to receive the rotary force from the main body (10) but to be movable separately from the stirring pin (60) relative to the axial direction of the rotary shaft (12), and that presses the joint member (2) while in contact with the joint member (2); and a first elastic member (61) that biases the stirring pin (60) toward a distal-end side relative to the axial direction of the rotary shaft (12).