Friction Stir Welding Tool Automatic Exchange Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing friction stir welding technologies face challenges in efficient automatic tool exchange and reduced human labor, particularly in systems where separate pins and shoulders are used, leading to increased operational complexity and costs.
Innovation Solution
A friction stir welding tool and machine tool configuration that includes a pin holder, stir pin, and housing with a one-touch connection and disconnection mechanism, allowing for automatic exchange of pin holders and housings using a spindle frame and tool magazine, reducing manual intervention and enabling efficient tool management.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If separate pin and shoulder are mounted on rotation head for friction stir welding, then frictional heating is supplied by pin rotation alone, but operational complexity and exchange time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The tool is divided into separate pin holder and housing components that can be independently exchanged. The pin holder contains the stir pin while the housing contains the shoulder, allowing separate management and replacement of each component based on wear or damage patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
A connection mechanism serves as an intermediary between the pin holder and housing, enabling quick attachment and detachment. This mediator component facilitates automatic exchange operations without requiring complex manual assembly or disassembly procedures.
2Ease of operation
If separate pin and shoulder are used with automatic exchanger, then exchange operation is facilitated, but housing exchange frequency increases operational costs
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the tool into pin holder and housing components, the system allows selective replacement. Only the pin holder needs frequent exchange while the housing with the shoulder can be retained and reused, reducing overall exchange frequency and operational costs.
Solution Approach 2:
The design enables recovery and reuse of the housing component containing the shoulder. Instead of discarding or exchanging the entire tool or housing assembly, only the consumable pin holder is replaced, while the housing is recovered and reused across multiple welding operations.
3Extent of automation
If pin holder and housing are automatically exchangeable, then human labor is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The connection mechanism acts as an intermediary that enables automatic exchange through standardized interfaces. This mediator component provides coupling and decoupling functions that can be controlled automatically while maintaining relatively simple mechanical structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The connection mechanism is designed with universal functionality to handle both pin holder attachment/detachment and positioning operations. This multi-functional design reduces the need for separate specialized mechanisms, thereby controlling overall device complexity while achieving automation.
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 enables automatic tool exchange, reduces human labor and operational steps, and minimizes costs by allowing separate pins and shoulders to be managed efficiently within the machine tool system, enhancing productivity and reducing the need for frequent housing exchanges.
Implementation Method 1
the frictional heating necessary for the welding is supplied by the rotation of the pin alone
Data Source
AI summary
A friction stir welding tool includes a stir pin, a pin holder, and a housing. The pin holder supports the stir pin to rotate with the stir pin around a rotation axis of the stir pin and has a front portion and a rear portion opposite to the front portion along the rotation axis. A tip end of the stir pin projects from the front portion. The housing houses the pin holder such that the pin holder is rotatable relatively to the housing. The tip end of the stir pin projects from the housing. The housing includes an engaging portion engageable with a spindle frame of a machining head such that the rear portion of the pin holder is attached to a rotation spindle of the machining head to rotate the pin holder. The rotation spindle is rotatable relatively to the spindle frame.