Friction Weld Vibration Control via Sensor Feedback

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Friction welding systems experience vibration during the welding process, which diverts energy and can cause damage to workpieces and tooling, leading to increased costs and complexity due to the need for expensive and unreliable damping equipment.

Innovation Solution

A friction welding system that includes a sensor to measure parameters such as fluid pressure, temperature, or acoustic responses to determine the amount of vibration, allowing for real-time adjustment of the force application to prevent excessive vibration, thereby reducing energy diversion and potential damage.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If damping equipment is added to reduce vibration, then vibration damage is reduced, but system cost and complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvevibration damageVSAvoiddamping equipment
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The control system performs preliminary action by predicting future vibration levels based on measured process parameters (torque, speed, pressure) and adjusts the welding process parameters in advance to prevent excessive vibration before it occurs, rather than adding damping equipment to react to vibration after it occurs

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical damping equipment with a control system that uses sensors to measure process parameters and a controller to adjust welding parameters, substituting a mechanical vibration reduction approach with a measurement-and-control approach

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Manufacturing precision

If vibration monitoring and control is implemented, then weld quality improves, but measurement and control complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveweld qualityVSAvoidvibration measurement
Core Design Contradiction:
Manufacturing precisionVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The control system uses feedback by continuously measuring welding parameters (torque, speed, pressure) with sensors and using these measurements to adjust process parameters in real-time, creating a closed-loop control system that maintains weld quality without requiring direct vibration measurement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses process parameters (torque, speed, pressure) as intermediaries to indirectly monitor and control vibration, rather than directly measuring vibration. These intermediaries correlate with vibration levels and allow control without direct vibration measurement complexity

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 reduces the need for expensive damping equipment, improves weld quality, and enhances process control, resulting in greater efficiency and cost savings by minimizing workpiece and tooling damage.

Implementation Method 1

a sensor to measure process parameters (such as fluid pressure, temperature, acoustic responses)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAcoustic emission: Acoustic Emission

Implementation Method 2

a welding arrangement configured to impart kinetic friction between at least one surface of a first workpiece and at least one surface of a second workpiece to form a weld

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Data Source

PatentEP2384256B1Friction weld system and method with vibration quality monitoring means
Publication Date: 2015.06.17 GENERAL ELECTRIC CO
  • EP2384256B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2384256B1 patent drawingFigure 3
  • EP2384256B1 patent drawingFigure 4

AI summary

The present application relates to a friction welding system (100) and method including a welding arrangement (107) configured to impart kinetic friction between at least one surface of a first workpiece and at least one surface of a second workpiece to form a weld, a force providing mechanism (100) arranged and disposed for applying a force to one or both of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, and a sensor arranged (102) and disposed to measure a parameter of the welding arrangement (107), wherein an amount of vibration is determinable from the measured parameter.