Laser Weld Joint Hole Layout to Reduce Steel Sheet Deformation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Narrow gap laser welding of hot-rolled steel sheets often results in significant welding deformation due to angular and longitudinal shrinkage, which existing methods struggle to mitigate effectively.
Innovation Solution
A weldment manufacturing method involving the formation of recesses with holes on both target members to be welded, allowing filler material to be placed and melted within these holes using a laser, thereby eliminating the need for a groove and reducing deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If narrow gap laser welding is used to join thick steel sheets, then welding capability is improved, but welding deformation becomes more prominent
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the continuous groove structure into multiple discrete holes arranged in a line. This segmentation allows the filler material to be contained in separate zones, reducing the cumulative shrinkage effect that occurs in continuous groove welding and thereby suppressing welding deformation while maintaining welding capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure is pre-formed on the steel sheets before welding. This preliminary action creates a defined space that guides the filler material and controls the welding process, enabling better deformation control compared to traditional methods where the groove forms during welding.
2Strength
If filler material is supplied into a groove for welding, then welding strength is improved, but welding deformation increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous groove is segmented into multiple discrete holes. This segmentation confines the filler material to specific zones, reducing the overall shrinkage force and deformation compared to filling a continuous groove, while still providing sufficient welding strength through the distributed hole structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure is designed with varying characteristics - the depth and spacing of holes can be adjusted locally along the weld line. This allows optimization of filler material placement in different regions, achieving balanced welding strength and deformation control across the entire joint.
3Ease of manufacture
If a groove structure is used for welding, then weld formation is improved, but gap management complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous groove is divided into discrete holes, which simplifies the gap management requirement. Instead of maintaining a continuous gap of precise dimensions, only the hole positions and sizes need to be controlled, reducing the complexity of gap management while still enabling proper weld formation.
Solution Approach 2:
The groove structure with multiple holes is pre-formed on the steel sheets before the welding operation. This preliminary structuring eliminates the need for complex real-time gap management during welding, as the hole positions provide built-in alignment and gap control.
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 effectively suppresses welding deformation by filling the holes with molten filler material, eliminating the need for gap management and reducing misalignment, while efficiently welding even thin and long holes with high aspect ratios.
Implementation Method 1
irradiating and scanning the filler material with laser to cause the filler material to melt
Implementation Method 2
cause the filler material to melt so as to fill the holes with the molten filler material
Data Source
AI summary
A weldment manufacturing method includes a recess forming step of forming recesses on a first target member and a second target member, the recesses delineating holes each of which spans across the first target member and the second target member and that are arranged along a boundary between the first target member and the second target member when the first and second target members that are the objects to be welded together are brought into abutment against each other; an abutting step of bringing the first and second target members into abutment against each other by aligning the recesses so that the recesses delineate the respective holes; and a welding step of placing filler material in the respective holes irradiating and scanning the filler material with the laser to cause the filler material to melt so as to fill the holes with the molten filler material.