Device and method for the machining of an end of an elementary panel for its friction stir welding
AssigneeAirbus Atlantic
InventorsDavid Chartier, Franck Darras, Yannick Wattiez
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Device for machining an end of an elementary panel for its subsequent friction stir welding, the elementary panel comprising a metal body defining two opposite faces, the machining device comprising a chassis, at least two guiding members configured to guide a first face of the elementary panel, at least one machining tool mounted on the chassis, the machining tool being positioned between the two guiding members and at least one pressure member mounted on the chassis and configured to exert a pressure on a second face of the elementary panel so as to press the elementary panel against the guiding members along the horizontal reference direction.
Claims9
A machining and welding system for machining and welding ends of elementary panels with each elementary panel comprising a respective metal body having a respective two faces including a first face and a second face, the machining and welding system comprising:
- a first support having a surface supporting a first of the elementary panels;
- a second support having a surface supporting a second of the elementary panels;
- a displacement device having a functional unit that is displaceable relative to the first and second support devices;
- and
- a machining device connectable to the functional unit and configured to remove a thickness from at least one of the two faces of the first elementary panel mounted on the first support device, the machining device comprising:
- a chassis;
- at least two guiding members mounted on the chassis, the at least two guiding members being aligned along a horizontal reference direction and configured to guide a first face (F1) of the first elementary panel;
- at least one machining tool mounted on the chassis and positioned between the at least two guiding members with respect to the horizontal reference direction and being displaceable, relative to the horizontal reference direction, in a vertical direction;
- and
- at least one pressure member mounted on the chassis along the horizontal reference direction and configured to exert a pressure on a second face of the first elementary panel so as to press the first elementary panel against the at least two guiding members;
- and
- a friction stir welding unit connectable to the functional unit to friction stir weld an end of the first elementary panel and an end of the second elementary panel together.
A machining and welding system for machining and welding ends of two adjacent elementary panels together, the machining and welding system comprising:
- a first support having a surface sized and shaped to support a first elementary panel;
- a second support having a surface sized and shaped to support a second elementary panel in side-by-side configuration relative to the first elementary panel;
- a crane structure connected to a mobile base, said crane structure having a displaceable functional unit attached thereto and the functional unit is adapted to separately connect to a machining device and to a friction stir welding device;
- wherein the machining device comprises:
- a chassis;
- two spaced apart guiding members mounted on the chassis, the two spaced apart guiding members aligned along a horizontal reference direction and configured to guide one of the elementary panels;
- a machining tool mounted on the chassis and positioned between the two spaced guiding members and displaceable, relative to the horizontal reference direction, in a vertical direction;
- and
- a pressure member mounted on the chassis and movable by a cylinder to exert pressure on one of the elementary panels that is located between the pressure member and at least one of the two spaced apart guiding members;
- and
- a friction stir welding device connectable to the functional unit without the machining device to friction stir weld an end of the first elementary panel and an end of the second elementary panel together.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.