Welding Clamp Positioning for Car Body Deflection Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for positioning welding clamps do not effectively determine suitable clamp positions, leading to potential distortion exceeding tolerable levels in large and heavy workpieces like car bodies, which can compromise welding accuracy.
Innovation Solution
A method that iteratively determines clamp positions by identifying sites with deflection exceeding a predetermined amount and adding additional clamp positions until all sites within tolerable limits, using a combination of simulation and operator input to classify and address maximum deflection areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If multiple clamp positions are set for large and heavy welding target workpieces, then welding accuracy is improved, but the number of clamp positions increases and positioning time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary computer simulation to calculate deflection amounts at various sites before actual welding setup. This allows determination of the minimum necessary clamp positions in advance, avoiding unnecessary positioning adjustments during actual production and reducing positioning time while ensuring welding accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses computer simulation to create a virtual model of the workpiece and clamp system to predict deflection behavior. This virtual copying allows optimization of clamp positions without physical trial-and-error, reducing the time needed for actual positioning while maintaining accuracy.
2Device complexity
If clamp positions are determined without considering deflection distribution, then positioning process is simplified, but deflection at distant sites exceeds tolerable levels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses computer simulation to calculate deflection amounts at all workpiece sites based on clamp positions, providing feedback on which sites exceed tolerable deflection levels. This feedback loop allows iterative optimization of clamp positions to ensure all sites meet deflection requirements while maintaining a systematic and relatively simple positioning process.
3Manufacturing precision
If clamp positions are added to reduce deflection at all sites, then deflection control is improved, but the number of clamp positions increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different clamp positions based on local deflection requirements at different workpiece sites. Rather than uniformly distributing clamps, the simulation identifies specific locations where clamps are needed to control deflection, allowing the use of the minimum necessary number of clamp positions while maintaining deflection control at all critical sites.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for positioning a welding clamp includes: a first step of determining a reference clamp position on a first workpiece (STEP 2); a second step of determining a first workpiece state in welding and determining the presence or absence of a site having a deflection larger than a predetermined deflection amount in the first workpiece (STEPs 3 to 5); and a third step of, if the second step determines the presence, determining the site as an additional clamp position (STEP 6). The method suitably determines a limited number of clamp positions that cause no welding target workpiece deflection exceeding the predetermined deflection amount by repeating the second step and the third step until the second step determines the absence.