Systems and methods for joining and repair using ultrasonic additive manufacturing with a contoured sonotrode
AssigneeOhio State Innovation Foundation
InventorsMarcelo Dapino, Leon Headings, Mark Gingerich
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An ultrasonic additive manufacturing system may include a base structure, a sonotrode configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, and one or more transducers configured to vibrate the sonotrode. The sonotrode may include a welding surface extending along a circumference of the sonotrode, and the welding surface may have a contoured profile. At least one of the sonotrode and the base structure may be configured to translate relative to the other of the sonotrode and the base structure.
Claims14
An ultrasonic additive manufacturing system configured to weld a first structure defining a first channel, the ultrasonic additive manufacturing system comprising:
- an anvil comprising a planar member with a flat top surface configured for supporting the first structure;
- a cutter configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein at least one of the cutter and the anvil is configured to translate in a linear direction relative to the other of the cutter and the anvil to machine the first channel in the first structure;
- a sonotrode configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein the sonotrode comprises a welding surface extending along a circumference of the sonotrode, wherein the welding surface has a contoured profile corresponding to a shape of the first channel and a first side and a second side disposed opposite one another in a direction of the axis of rotation of the sonotrode, wherein the welding surface has a central plane disposed between the first side and the second side in the direction of the axis of rotation of the sonotrode, wherein the central plane extends perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the sonotrode, wherein the welding surface has a maximum diameter located in the central plane, and wherein at least one of the sonotrode and the anvil is configured to translate relative to the other of the sonotrode and the anvil;
- one or more transducers configured to vibrate the sonotrode in the direction of the axis of rotation of the sonotrode, parallel to the planar member of the anvil;
- and
- a first foil configured to be positioned at least partially within the first channel and to conform to the shape of the first channel of the contoured profile of the sonotrode during welding.
An ultrasonic additive manufacturing system configured to weld a first structure defining a first channel, the ultrasonic additive manufacturing system comprising:
- an anvil;
- a second structure positioned on the anvil adjacent to the first structure, the first and second structures contacting each other at an interface, wherein the first channel is defined along the interface;
- a cutter configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein at least one of the cutter and the anvil is configured to translate in a linear direction relative to the other of the cutter and the anvil to machine the first channel along the interface;
- a sonotrode configured to rotate about an axis of rotation, wherein the sonotrode comprises a welding surface extending along a circumference of the sonotrode, wherein the welding surface has a contoured profile corresponding to a shape of the first channel and a first side and a second side disposed opposite one another in a direction of the axis of rotation, wherein the welding surface has a central plane disposed between the first side and the second side in the direction of the axis of rotation, wherein the central plane extends perpendicular to the axis of rotation of the sonotrode, wherein the welding surface has a maximum diameter located in the central plane, and wherein at least one of the sonotrode and the anvil is configured to translate relative to the other of the sonotrode and the anvil;
- one or more transducers configured to vibrate the sonotrode;
- and
- a first foil configured to be positioned at least partially within the first channel and to conform to the shape of the first channel of the contoured profile of the sonotrode during welding.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.