Friction Stir Welding Tool Counterbearing Roller
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Solution Overview
Problem
Friction stir welding robots face significant challenges in absorbing the high forces and moments required for lap joint connections, necessitating powerful and stable drives, which can be inefficient and costly.
Innovation Solution
A friction stir welding device with a counterbearing roller and drive that absorbs forces perpendicular to the workpieces and moments parallel to their surface, allowing the handling device to only apply movement forces, thus neutralizing external forces and moments during operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the robot absorbs both linear movement forces and perpendicular pressure forces during friction stir welding, then the welding operation can be performed, but the robot requires very powerful drives and high stability
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into two independent force absorption systems: the robot handles only linear movement forces while the counterbearing device handles perpendicular pressure forces and moments. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized for its specific function, reducing the overall power requirements of the robot.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterbearing device acts as an intermediary between the friction stir welding tool and the workpiece, absorbing the perpendicular pressure forces and moments that would otherwise be transmitted to the robot. This intermediary structure protects the robot from excessive loads.
2Ease of operation
If the robot absorbs all forces during friction stir welding, then the welding process can be controlled, but the handling device must be made very stable and powerful
Solution Approach 1:
The control functions are segmented between the robot (linear movement control) and the counterbearing device (pressure and moment control). This segmentation simplifies the control requirements for each individual component while maintaining overall process control.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterbearing device serves as an intermediary that takes over the complex force absorption tasks, allowing the robot to focus solely on positioning and movement control, thereby reducing the operational complexity of the handling device.
3Reliability
If powerful robot drives are used to absorb welding forces, then the welding operation can be performed, but the system becomes less efficient and more costly
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the force absorption functions, the system avoids the inefficiency of using an oversized robot for tasks it is not optimized for. The counterbearing device handles the high-force tasks while the robot handles precision movement, improving overall system efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The counterbearing device as an intermediary enables the system to perform high-force welding operations without requiring a proportionally powerful and expensive robot, thereby improving cost-effectiveness and productivity.
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 device reduces the load on the handling device, requiring less powerful and stable robot drives, enabling efficient and stable friction stir welding operations, particularly for lap joint connections.
Implementation Method 1
the circumferential surface of the counterbearing roller being arranged opposite the friction stir welding tool
Implementation Method 2
the edge region of the two workpieces is plasticized by the friction between the pin and the workpieces
Data Source
AI summary
Illustrated and described is a friction stir welding device for mounting on a handling device. The object that the forces and moments which have to be absorbed by the handling device during the welding operation in the course of the movement of the friction stir welding tool along the weld seam are independent of the welding operation is achieved by a friction stir welding device with a tool drive, with a mounting element for connection to the handling device, with a friction stir welding tool, which is driven by the tool drive in a rotating manner about an axis of rotation, with a counterbearing roller and with a counterbearing drive, the counterbearing drive driving the counterbearing roller in a rotating manner about a counterbearing axis and the circumferential surface of the counterbearing roller being arranged opposite the friction stir welding tool.