Friction Stir Welding Head With Rolling Press Discs for Warp Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
During friction stir welding using a general-purpose machine tool, workpieces can warp upward due to heat generation, leading to uneven welding and difficulties in handling curved or irregular joint lines.
Innovation Solution
A friction stir welding attachment with a pair of disc-shaped elastic press components, supported diagonally and capable of rotating, is used to press the workpiece from the top, reducing warping and accommodating irregular joint lines by rolling over the surface.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If a press component is added to press the workpiece from the top to prevent warping, then workpiece stability is improved, but device complexity increases and it becomes difficult to accommodate curved or irregular joint lines
Solution Approach 1:
The press component is designed to rotate around the rotation axis of the welding tool, transforming from a static pressing mechanism to a dynamic one. This rotation allows the press component to adapt to curved and irregular joint lines while maintaining continuous contact with the workpiece surface, preventing warping without requiring complex adjustable mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The press component serves multiple functions: it prevents workpiece warping through pressing force, accommodates curved joint lines through rotation, and adapts to irregular surfaces. This multi-functionality is achieved by integrating the pressing and rotating capabilities into a single component that moves with the welding tool
2Stability of the object's composition
If a press component slides on the workpiece to prevent warping, then workpiece stability is improved, but surface quality deteriorates due to friction and scars
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of sliding friction, the press component rotates around the welding tool's axis, converting sliding contact into rolling contact. This dynamic rotation significantly reduces frictional resistance and prevents surface scars while maintaining the necessary pressing force to stabilize the workpiece
3Stability of the object's composition
If the press component moves in advance of the welding tool along a curved joint line, then workpiece stability is improved, but the movement is hindered by irregularities on the workpiece surface
Solution Approach 1:
The press component is configured to rotate around the welding tool's rotation axis, allowing it to naturally follow curved and irregular joint lines. This rotational movement eliminates the need for the press component to move independently in advance, as it can adapt to surface irregularities through rotation while maintaining stable contact
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 solution effectively prevents workpiece warping by providing a stable pressing force that adapts to the movement of the welding tool and overcomes irregularities, allowing for consistent and high-quality welding on various workpiece shapes.
Implementation Method 1
a rotation drive unit configured to rotate the metalworking shaft, where the rotation drive unit is in a form of an air motor driven by center through air supplied through the spindle
Implementation Method 2
the press components are each made of a disc-shaped elastic material
Implementation Method 3
Friction stir welding is used in order to weld materials... produce sufficient frictional heat
Data Source
AI summary
A friction stir welding attachment includes a body configured to be attached to a spindle of a machine tool, a metalworking shaft rotatably supported by the body and including an attachment portion configured to attach a welding tool at an end thereof, and a pair of press components supported by the body and provided at respective sides across the attachment portion. The press components are each made of disc-shaped elastic material and are each supported in a manner rotatable around a rotation axis diagonally intersecting a rotation axis of the metalworking shaft.