Modular Ultrasonic Sonotrode Pin Assembly for Hard-to-Reach Welding
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ultrasonic sonotrodes face challenges in accessing difficult-to-reach welding points in battery cells due to increasing dimensions, leading to higher material and manufacturing costs when extending the sonotrode length.
Innovation Solution
An ultrasonic sonotrode with a base body and a processing pin connected via material bonding and/or force fitting, allowing adaptation to specific geometries and materials, ensuring efficient sound energy transmission without screw connections, and featuring designs like circular cylinders or hollow pins made of metals or ceramics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the length of the sonotrode is increased to access difficult-to-reach welding points, then accessibility to welding points is improved, but material and manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The sonotrode is divided into two separate parts: a base body and a processing pin. The processing pin can be produced in different lengths corresponding to integer multiples of half the resonance wavelength, allowing selection of the appropriate length for specific application geometries without manufacturing custom-length sonotrodes, thereby reducing costs while maintaining accessibility.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of sonotrode length by providing processing pins with lengths corresponding to integer multiples of half the resonance wavelength. This allows optimization of the length parameter for different applications without requiring custom manufacturing, reducing both material costs and manufacturing complexity.
2Ease of manufacture
If the sonotrode is designed as a single piece, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but adaptability to different geometries and materials is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The sonotrode is segmented into a base body and a processing pin that can be connected via material bonding or force fitting. This allows different processing pins with varying lengths, materials, and geometries to be attached to a standard base body, providing adaptability to different application requirements while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular production.
Solution Approach 2:
The base body is designed as a universal component that can accommodate different types of processing pins. This universal design allows the same base body to be used with various processing pins made of different materials and with different geometries, enabling the system to adapt to different application requirements without redesigning the entire sonotrode.
3Ease of manufacture
If screw connections are used to attach the processing pin, then assembly is simplified, but sound energy transmission is lost and welding tolerances cannot be achieved
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the connection method from the assembly process by providing pre-connected processing pins that are attached to the base body through material bonding or force fitting during manufacturing. This eliminates the need for screw connections during assembly, ensuring loss-free sound energy transmission and precise welding tolerances while maintaining assembly simplicity.
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
Enables effective welding in hard-to-reach areas with reduced material and manufacturing costs by optimizing pin length and material selection, maintaining low tolerances for ultrasonic welding.
Implementation Method 1
a base body (1) with a coupling surface (3) for coupling ultrasonic vibrations and a processing pin (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) with a working surface (4) for emitting the ultrasonic vibrations to a component
Implementation Method 2
The processing pin (2) can have a length (1) along the longitudinal axis (L) that corresponds to an integer multiple of half the resonance wavelength
Implementation Method 3
The material bonding and/or force fitting of the processing pin (2) to the base body (1) ensures a largely loss-free transmission of the sound energy from the base body (1) to the processing pin (2) and thus to the component
Data Source
AI summary
An ultrasonic sonotrode (10) is disclosed, comprising a base body (1) with a coupling surface (3) for coupling ultrasonic vibrations and a processing pin (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (L) with a working surface (4) for emitting the ultrasonic vibrations to a component (21), in particular a welding surface (4) for welding the component (21). The processing pin (2) is connected to the base body (1) by material bonding and/or force fitting. Also disclosed is a method of manufacturing such an ultrasonic sonotrode (10). The method includes a step in which the processing pin (2) is connected to the base body (1) by material bonding and/or force fitting. Also disclosed is a method of welding at least two components (21) by means of the ultrasonic sonotrode (10).