Setting welding device, modular components thereof and a continuous connecting method that can be carried out with such a device
AssigneeBöllhoff Verbindungstechnik GmbH
InventorsTorsten Draht, Sergej Hartwig-Biglau, Holger Thommes
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A setting welding device is set forth for setting stud-like auxiliary joining parts in a plurality of layers of material and subjecting them to a mechanical-thermoforming process on a second layer of material and connecting them to said second layer by way of a welding operation. For this purpose, the punch is used to apply to the welding auxiliary joining part mechanical and thermal loads that follow prescribed characteristic force and current curves. Furthermore, a corresponding connecting method that can be realized with the aid of the setting welding device is also disclosed.
Claims26
A combined setting welding device designed to set stud-like welding auxiliary joining parts in at least one first layer of material and to subject them to a mechanical thermoforming process on a second layer of material made of electrically conductive material or on an electrically conductive area of a second layer of material and to connect them in a surface-connected manner through a welding operation in the contact area, wherein the setting welding device has the following characteristics:
- a driven punch, which is movable with a setting force of at least 5 kN, preferably at least 8 kN, against an oppositely arranged counter support, while
- the punch and the counter support are designed electrically conductively and connectable with an electric current source so that the punch and the counter support each form a welding electrode,
- an electronic control system of the setting welding device with a combined control and/or regulation device so that combined mechanical and electrical loads can be generated via the punch and the counter support on the welding auxiliary joining part, which ensure a mechanically and thermally supported penetration of the at least one first layer of material and a planar welding with the second layer of material.
A continuous connecting method in the form of a mechanical-thermal setting welding process with the aid of a stud-like welding auxiliary joining part for at least one first layer of material without prepunching the at least one first layer of material \with at least one second layer of material made of weldable material or with a section made of weldable material, which has the following steps:
- a. driving of the welding auxiliary joining part into the at least one first layer of material with a combined mechanical-thermal load of at least the welding auxiliary joining part,
- b. deforming of the welding auxiliary joining part under combined mechanical-thermal load on the at least one second layer of material and
- c. planar welding of the welding auxiliary joining part with the at least one second layer of material so that the at least one first layer of material and the at least one second layer of material are interconnected via the welding auxiliary joining part, wherein
- d. during the driving in, deforming and welding of the welding auxiliary joining part the force applied to the welding auxiliary joining part by the punch and the electric current directed through the welding auxiliary joining part via the punch are specified with the aid of adjustable superimposed force and current characteristics lines depending on the time in order to continuously control the connecting method, wherein
- e. the force applied by the punch is reduced during the driving in of the welding auxiliary joining part, wherein a heat generated in the welding auxiliary joining part by electric current simultaneously supports the driving in of the welding auxiliary joining part.
A preparation method for welding between a welding auxiliary joining part and a layer of material made of weldable material or a layer of material with a section of weldable material, which has the following steps:
- targeted reshaping of at least one tip and/or shaft area of the welding auxiliary joining part during a driving in in a material layer of electrically conductive material and deforming of the welding auxiliary joining part by means of a punch setting device so that the welding auxiliary joining part is prepared for the subsequent welding with the at least one second layer of material, wherein an electric current is generated via the punch and a counter support in the welding auxiliary joining part and in the material layer to support the setting process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.