Friction Stir Welding Tool Cooling to Prevent Overheating and Wear
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Solution Overview
Problem
Friction stir welding devices face challenges in maintaining optimal tool temperature, leading to either insufficient friction heat causing welding defects or tool overheating and damage, as existing control methods fail to balance rotating and moving speeds effectively.
Innovation Solution
A friction stir welding device equipped with a control unit and cooling system that regulates the welding tool's temperature by controlling its rotating speed, moving speed, and refrigerant flow rate to maintain the tool within a predetermined temperature range, preventing overheating and ensuring sufficient friction heat application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the rotating speed or moving speed of the welding tool is controlled to lower the tool temperature, then the tool temperature is reduced, but the friction heat applied to the member becomes insufficient causing welding defects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a cooling device as an intermediary element that mediates between the welding tool and the workpiece. The cooling device applies cooling force directly to the welding tool to reduce its temperature, allowing the welding tool to maintain higher rotating and moving speeds (generating sufficient friction heat for quality welding) while the cooling device prevents overheating. This resolves the contradiction by decoupling the temperature control from the friction heat generation parameters.
2Manufacturing precision
If the rotating speed or moving speed is increased to ensure sufficient friction heat and prevent welding defects, then the welding quality is maintained, but the welding tool enters an overheated state leading to wear and damage
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling device acts as a protective intermediary between the welding tool and the thermal overload. By applying cooling force directly to the welding tool, it enables the tool to operate at high rotating and moving speeds necessary for quality welding while preventing the tool from overheating and suffering wear or damage, thus maintaining both welding quality and tool reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling device applies preliminary cooling action to the welding tool before excessive heat accumulation occurs. By continuously or periodically applying cooling force during the welding process, it prevents the tool from reaching temperatures that would cause wear or damage, allowing sustained high-speed operation for quality welding without compromising tool durability.
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 solution allows for effective friction stir welding while preventing tool wear and damage by maintaining the welding tool within a target temperature range, ensuring consistent and high-quality welds.
Implementation Method 1
applies friction heat to a member to be welded by a rotating welding tool, causes a plastic flow phenomenon in the member to be welded
Implementation Method 2
includes a cooling device which applies cooling force to the welding tool
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
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AI summary
The invention is directed to a friction stir welding device which can realize appropriate friction stir welding while preventing a welding tool from being worn out and damaged. Therefore, the friction stir welding device is provided with a welding tool (1) which rotates while abutting on a member to be welded to cause a plastic flow phenomenon in the member to be welded, a tool holder (2) which grasps the welding tool (1) and rotates together with the welding tool (1), supply paths (202, 203, 204, and 252) which are formed in the tool holder (2) and supply a refrigerant to the welding tool (1).