Laser Welded Motorcycle Frame Flat Surface Joint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle body frames for saddle-ride vehicles are heavy due to the need for increased joint strength through thicker materials, which increases weight and fuel consumption, necessitating a method to enhance joint strength without adding weight.
Innovation Solution
The use of flat surface portions on frame members for laser welding, allowing for a larger weld area with reduced material thickness, enabling efficient welding and weight reduction by ensuring weld strength through strategic surface contact and laser beam application.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of frame members is increased to enhance joint strength through welding, then the joint strength is improved, but the weight of the vehicle body frame increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the welding parameters by transitioning from conventional welding methods to laser welding, and by modifying the surface geometry to include flat portions. This allows achieving the same joint strength with thinner frame members, thereby reducing weight while maintaining structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces flat surface portions on the frame members that extend in the width direction, creating an additional dimensional aspect for welding contact. This increases the effective weld area without increasing the thickness of the frame members, resolving the contradiction between joint strength and weight
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional welding methods are used with pipe materials, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the weld area is limited and joint strength requires thicker materials
Solution Approach 1:
The invention modifies the surface geometry parameter by adding flat portions to the pipe materials, and changes the welding method parameter to laser welding. This combination increases the weld area and joint strength while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple and compatible with existing pipe materials
Solution Approach 2:
By extending flat surface portions in the width direction beyond the pipe thickness, the invention creates additional welding area in a different dimension, allowing stronger joints without increasing material thickness or complicating the manufacturing process
3Strength
If thicker frame members are used to ensure sufficient weld area, then the joint strength is improved, but the vehicle weight increases and fuel consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the welding parameters to laser welding and modifies the surface geometry to include flat portions, enabling sufficient joint strength with thinner frame members. This weight reduction directly decreases fuel consumption while maintaining the required joint strength
Solution Approach 2:
The invention compensates for reduced material thickness by increasing the weld area in the width direction through flat surface portions. This allows using thinner, lighter frame members that reduce fuel consumption while achieving the same joint strength through expanded welding contact area
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 approach significantly increases the weld area for conventional pipe materials, reduces welding time, and allows for a lighter vehicle body frame by minimizing the size of frame components while maintaining necessary joint strength, thus addressing the weight reduction challenge.
Implementation Method 1
welding the first flat surface portion and the second flat surface portion with a laser beam which is parallel to the first flat surface portion
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle body frame manufactured by welding is configured for weight reduction, and includes first and second frame members. The first frame member has a predetermined thickness including a first flat surface portion wider than the predetermined thickness. The second frame member includes a second flat surface portion touching the first flat surface portion. The first and second frame members are joined by bringing the flat surface portions together and welding the first and second flat surface portions together with laser beams parallel to the first flat surface portion. In this way, the laser welding can be performed with a reduced gap between the two members. Welding using laser beams applied from directions parallel to the flat surfaces allows the weld area to be significantly larger than conventional fillet welding.