Profiled Sheet Metal Tabs for Robotic Welding Tolerance
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Solution Overview
Problem
The assembly of vehicle body parts from sheet metal components often faces issues with wedging and weakened welds due to relative tolerance discrepancies, which can lead to interrupted assembly processes and deformed components, especially when using robotic devices for welding.
Innovation Solution
The design involves profiled sheet metal parts with tabs separated by recesses that can be resiliently deformed to ensure contact and secure welding, allowing for varying relative height tolerances and preventing wedging, with welding spots located on tabs and edge portions to ensure strong overlaps.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If robotic devices are used to assemble sheet metal parts in overlapping positions, then automation and productivity are improved, but relative tolerance discrepancies cause wedging and assembly interruptions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by providing relief zones and positioning features on the sheet metal parts before assembly. These features pre-compensate for tolerance variations, ensuring that parts can be correctly positioned and welded without interruption during automated robotic assembly, thus maintaining both productivity and reliability
2Ease of operation
If hat-shaped inner part is made narrower to avoid wedging, then assembly smoothness is improved, but internal gap prevents welding along opposed sides
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing relief zones specifically at critical locations where tolerance accumulation occurs, rather than uniformly reducing the entire inner part width. This localized approach maintains adequate gap for welding along opposed sides while preventing wedging at specific assembly points, thus preserving both assembly smoothness and weld quality
3Strength
If relative height tolerances are narrowed to ensure contact between edges and upper portions, then weld strength is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the geometric parameters of the sheet metal parts, specifically by providing relief zones and positioning features that alter the effective contact areas. This allows for larger height tolerances while maintaining adequate contact for strong welds, thus improving weld strength without increasing manufacturing precision requirements
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 solution ensures high-quality welds and secure assembly by allowing for resilient deformation of tabs, maintaining contact between edge portions and enabling robust joining of sheet metal parts with varying tolerances, thus preventing wedging and ensuring strong structural components.
Implementation Method 1
This allows the tabs on adjacent central portions to be resiliently deformed into contact with an adjacent part of an adjacent central portion prior to welding
Implementation Method 2
a first and a second profiled sheet metal part joined together by welding spots
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to a structural component for a motor vehicle, comprising first and second profiled sheet metal parts (101, 102) joined together by welding spots, which sheet metal parts (101, 102) have opposing free ends (103, 104) arranged to be mating to form an overlapping portion (100) over a predetermined distance. A cross-section of the component through the overlapping portion (100) has a hat shape comprises first and second edge portions (111, 112; 121, 122) extending in the longitudinal direction of the component; first and second side portions (113, 114; 123, 124) arranged to join a respective edge portion; and a central portion (115; 125) arranged to join the side portions (113, 114; 123, 124). The free end of the central portion (115; 125) of each sheet metal part comprises at least two tabs (116, 117; 126, 127) separated by a recess, and that the tabs (116, 117; 126, 127) of the first and second sheet metal parts (101, 102) are joined to a part of an adjacent central portion (115; 125) by welding. The invention further relates to a method for making the component.