Friction Weld Mandrel with Threaded Polygonal Profile
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing friction-welded connections face challenges in managing displaced material during the welding process, leading to excessive accumulation and stagnation, which compromises the security of the connection between components.
Innovation Solution
A connecting element with a non-round profile designed like a thread, featuring corner regions with a slope shorter than a complete thread turn, guides displaced material away from the welding area, preventing stagnation by thread-like cavity guidance, ensuring a secure friction-welded connection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a non-round profile with rounded corner areas is used during friction welding, then material displacement occurs, but excessive accumulation and stagnation of softened material compromises connection security
Solution Approach 1:
The non-round profile is segmented into multiple corner areas (at least three) distributed around the mandrel circumference, creating multiple cavities between them. This segmentation allows material to be directed into multiple separate flow paths rather than accumulating in a single location, resolving the contradiction by distributing material displacement effects throughout the welding area.
Solution Approach 2:
The corner areas are designed with a slope extending along the mandrel in the longitudinal direction, adding a longitudinal dimension to the material flow guidance. This three-dimensional slope structure actively directs softened material away from the welding zone along the mandrel length, preventing stagnation while maintaining the non-round cross-sectional profile.
2Ease of operation
If the corner areas are designed with a slope shorter than a complete thread turn, then material flow guidance is achieved, but the profile complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The slope of the corner areas is defined by specific geometric parameters: the slope length is intentionally kept shorter than the pitch of a complete thread turn, and the slope angle is optimized to effectively guide material flow. By controlling these parameters, the profile achieves effective material guidance without requiring the full complexity of a complete thread structure.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of implementing a complete thread profile around the entire mandrel circumference, only partial thread-like slopes are created at specific corner areas. This partial action provides sufficient material guidance functionality while significantly reducing the overall profile complexity compared to a full thread design.
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 solution effectively manages material flow during friction welding, preventing excessive accumulation and enhancing the security of the connection between plate-like components by actively guiding softened material away from the melting point.
Implementation Method 1
friction-welded connection for connecting at least two plate-like components with a mandrel that is under rotation and pressure
Implementation Method 2
friction-welded connection for connecting at least two plate-like components with a mandrel that is under rotation and pressure
Implementation Method 3
the non-round profile is designed like a thread in such a way that the corner regions running along the mandrel (2) have a slope whose length is shorter than a complete thread turn
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a connecting element (1) for a friction-welded connection for connecting at least two panel-like components (8, 9), comprising a rotating and pressurised mandrel (2, 13), the length of which is adapted to the thickness of the upper component(s) (7, 8) in order to penetrate the upper component(s) (7, 8), and which has a polygonal noncircular profile having rounded corner regions (5a, 5b). The noncircular profile has a thread-like design and has a pitch, the length of which is shorter than a complete thread turn.