Apparatus for joining, in particular laser welding, two components, and operating method for such a joining apparatus

An apparatus for joining two components, comprising:

• two workpiece holders for respectively holding the two components to be connected,
• respectively a bearing element for each of the workpiece holders,
• a clamping drive for at least one bearing element for feeding and bracing the two components held in the workpiece holders during the joining process,
• a controller for the clamping drive and a laser welding device, and
• a mechanically loose coupling between the clamping drive and the bearing element, such that the two workpiece holders can be tilted with respect to one another during the feeding and bracing,
• wherein the clamping drive comprises a plurality of linear drive elements arranged and acting parallel in a feed direction, on which the bearing element, configured as a bearing plate, of one workpiece holder is mounted in a floating fashion.

A method for operating a joining apparatus in which a clamping drive comprises a plurality of linear drive elements arranged and acting parallel in a feed direction, on which bearing elements, configured as a bearing plate, of workpiece holders are mounted in a floating fashion,

• during a process of joining two components held in the workpiece holders, comprising the following method steps:
• feeding at least one of the bearing elements with the aid of the linear drive elements until contact of the two components to be joined, according to a predefined system setpoint value the workpiece holders being adjusted into a corresponding position with respect to one another,
• establishing the contact position as a reference position, during the joining process further driving of the linear drive elements starting from the reference position according to at least one predefined system parameter until reaching a target criterion for the system parameter, and
• ending the joining process after reaching the target criterion.