Hole-Free Component Joining Using Arc-Softened High-Strength Materials
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for joining components made of high-strength materials, such as those used in the automotive industry, require pre-formed holes, which are time-consuming and can lead to misalignment, and are limited by the maximum forces that can be applied, making it difficult to join components without pre-drilled or pre-punched holes.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a joining device with an auxiliary joining element to connect two components without pre-formed holes by heat-treating the first component with an electric arc, reducing its strength in the joining area, allowing the auxiliary joining element to pass through and connect with the second component without the need for pre-drilling or punching, and optionally heating the second component to further reduce its strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If pre-formed holes are used for joining high-strength material components, then the joining process is simpler and more reliable, but the manufacturing time increases and alignment precision may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by heat-treating the joining area of high-strength material components before the actual joining process. This pre-heat treatment reduces the material strength locally in the joining area, enabling subsequent direct joining without pre-formed holes. The heat treatment is performed in advance to prepare the material for easier penetration and joining, thus eliminating the time-consuming pre-hole formation step while maintaining joining reliability.
2Strength
If maximum joining forces are applied to pierce high-strength materials, then the joining capability is improved, but the available force capacity of joining devices is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the physical state of the high-strength material in the joining area through heat treatment. By increasing the temperature in the joining area, the material strength is reduced, making it easier to penetrate with the auxiliary joining element. This changes the material parameters (strength, hardness) locally, enabling joining with reduced force requirements while maintaining overall component strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies local quality by creating a localized heat-affected zone in the joining area of the components. The heat treatment is applied only to the specific joining area where penetration is needed, not to the entire component. This creates a local difference in material properties - the joining area has reduced strength for easier penetration, while the rest of the component maintains its high-strength properties.
3Ease of manufacture
If pre-drilling or punching is performed before joining, then the joining process is more straightforward, but the components may lose their relative position between steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies merging by combining the heat treatment step and the joining step into a single integrated process sequence without intermediate handling. The heat treatment is performed immediately before joining on the same positioned components, and the auxiliary joining element is inserted directly into the heat-treated area. This eliminates separate pre-hole formation steps that would require component repositioning, thus maintaining manufacturing precision while simplifying the overall process.
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 method simplifies the joining process by eliminating the need for pre-drilling or punching, prevents misalignment, and allows for the connection of components with different materials, such as steel and aluminum, using various auxiliary joining elements like nails, bolts, or rivets, with reduced joining forces and cycle time.
Implementation Method 1
the first component in the region of the joining area is heat-treated via an electric arc, which is formed between the first component on the one hand and an electrode provided on the joining device on the other hand
Implementation Method 2
the first component is heated in such a way that a strength of the first component in the heat-affected zone is reduced
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a joining method for connecting at least one first component (1) to a second component (2) without pre-punching, wherein the first component and the second component are positioned relative to one another prior to the production of the connection and in any case are placed against one another in part by means of an auxiliary joining element (7), which is joined via a joining device to the components positioned relative to one another, wherein the auxiliary joining element firstly passes through the first component in the region of a joining area without pre-punching and is then connected to the second component, also without pre-punching, wherein, before the components are connected by means of the auxiliary joining element, the first component is thermally pre-treated locally in the region of the joining area via an electric arc (9), which is formed between the first component (1) on the one hand and an electrode (3) of the joining device on the other hand, in such a way that in any case a heat-affected zone (10) is formed on the first component in the joining area, in which heat-affected zone the first component is heated in such a way that a strength of the first component in the heat-affected zone is reduced and/or the first component is melted in the heat-affected zone.