Friction Stir Weld Enclosure for Thin-Thick Metal Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Friction stir welding techniques are not effective for welding metal components with significantly different thicknesses, such as thin and thick components, which limits their application in creating hermetically sealed electronic device enclosures that require a reliable and high-quality seal to maintain a low-density atmosphere.
Innovation Solution
The development of specific base and cover components with features such as dimensions, shapes, and materials that facilitate efficient friction stir welding, including an interference fit between the cover lip and base shoulder, and the use of a rotating friction stir weld tool to form a hermetic seal around the perimeter of the enclosure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If friction stir welding is used to join metal components, then a hermetic seal can be achieved, but the technique is not effective when components have significantly different thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a localized thickened region (protrusion) at the welding interface of the thinner component. This protrusion provides additional material volume specifically at the weld zone, enabling the friction stir welding process to effectively join components with significantly different thicknesses while maintaining hermetic seal quality.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs preliminary action by pre-forming the protrusion on the thinner metal component before the welding process. This preparatory step ensures that when friction stir welding is performed, there is sufficient material at the joint interface to create a reliable hermetic seal, even when joining components with large thickness differences.
2Productivity
If the base and cover are designed with specific features to facilitate friction stir welding, then welding efficiency and seal quality improve, but the manufacturing complexity of the base and cover increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies segmentation by dividing the base component into distinct structural regions: a main body portion and a separately formed protrusion feature. This segmentation allows the protrusion to be created using specific forming processes while keeping the overall base design modular and manageable, balancing manufacturing complexity with welding efficiency.
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 enables the formation of a high-quality friction stir weld that effectively seals the enclosure, maintaining a low-density atmosphere with minimal leakage, enhancing the reliability and performance of electronic devices like hard disk drives.
Implementation Method 1
Friction stir welding is a technique that is known to be useful in various applications for welding metals
Implementation Method 2
contacting the joint with a rotating friction stir weld tool
Data Source
AI summary
Described are enclosures that include a friction stir weld, including electronic device enclosures, and precursors thereof, that contain a base and a cover that in an assembled condition form a joint at which a friction stir weld can be produced, as well as methods for producing a friction stir weld at a joint of such an assembly.