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US 2003/0116609 A1Published application
Friction stir welding as a rivet replacement technology
AssigneeLockheed Martin Corporation
InventorsBrian J. Dracup, William J. Arbegast
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention provides an improved method and apparatus for joining aluminum allow panels (eg. 2090-T83 aluminum lithium alloy). The method preliminarily positions two panels and skin panels next to each other so that a stringer panel overlaps a skin panel. A friction stir weld pin tool penetrates through one panel and at least partially into another panel. The panel material around the pin tool is frictionally heated.
Claims31
A method of joining aluminum alloy panels,
- comprising the steps of:
- a) preliminary positioning a top panel and a bottom panel such that the top panel overlaps the bottom panel at a lap joint that positions overlapping portions of the panels in different planes, said overlapping portions defining a faying surface;
- b) providing a friction stir weld pin tool;
- c) fully penetrating the pin tool through one of the panels at the lap joint and at least partially into the other panel at the lap joint;
- and
- d) wherein in step “c” the panel material around the pin tool is frictionally heated, plasticized, and joined until the faying surface is substantially consumed.
3 more elements
A method of joining aluminum alloy panels comprising the steps of:
- a) preliminary positioning two panels next to each other so that they overlap at a lap joint defined by respecting overlapping surface portions of the panels that do not present any partial thickness recess, the overlapping surface portions defining a faying surface;
- b) providing a friction stir weld pin tool;
- c) penetrating the pin tool through one of the panels and at least partially into the other panel;
- and
- d) wherein in step “c” the panel material around the pin tool is frictionally heated until the panels are lap welded together and the faying surface substantially consumed.
2 more elements
An air frame comprising:
- (a) a plurality of connected panels of aluminum alloy;
- and
- (b) a plurality of lap welds that connect the panels together with a friction stir welding tool that fully penetrates one panel and partially penetrates another panel, at least a plurality of said lap welds being friction stir welds at overlapping surface portions of the respective connected panels, wherein the overlapping surface portions define a faying surface that is substantially consumed by the friction stir welds.
A fuel tank apparatus comprising:
- (a) a plurality of connected fuel tank panels of aluminum alloy;
- and
- (b) a plurality of lap welds that connect the fuel tank panels together at first and second overlapping panel surface portions with a friction stir welding tool that fully penetrates one panel and partially penetrates another panel, at least a plurality of said lap welds being friction stir welds;
- (c) said first and second overlapping panel surface portions define a faying surface that is substantially consumed by the friction stir welds.
1 more element
A method of joining a plurality of aluminum alloy panels to form an air frame, comprising the steps of:
- a) assembling the plurality of panels of a parent aluminum alloy metal together by positioning a first panel having an edge portion with a first full panel thickness so that it overlaps a second panel having an edge portion with a second full panel thickness, the overlapping panel edge portions defining a faying surface of a lap joint that is free of any partial thickness recess portions that weaken the parent metal of either panel at said lap joint;
- b) providing a friction stir weld pin tool;
- c) penetrating the pin tool through the full thickness of one of the panels and at least partially into the other panel;
- d) wherein in step “c” the panel material around the pin tool is frictionally heated until the panels are lap welded together at said lap joint and the faying surface is substantially consumed;
- e) placing an additional panel having an edge portion with a third, full thickness edge portion next to the panels that were joined in steps “a” through “d” so that it overlaps an edge portion of one of the first or second panels;
- and
- f) joining the additional panel to one or both of the joined panels of steps “a” through “d” by repeating steps “b” through “d”.
4 more elements
A method of joining a plurality of aluminum alloy panels to form an air frame, comprising the steps of:
- a) assembling a plurality of panels of a selected parent aluminum alloy metal together by positioning a first panel having an edge portion with a first full panel thickness so that it overlaps a second panel having an edge portion with a second full panel thickness, the overlapping panel edge portions defining the overlapping panel edge portions defining a faying surface and a lap joint that is free of reduced panel thickness portions that negate development of full panel strength at the lap joint;
- b) providing a friction stir weld pin tool;
- c) penetrating the pin tool through the full thickness of one of the panels and at least partially into the other panel;
- d) wherein in step “c” the panel material around the pin tool is frictionally heated until the panels are lap welded together at said lap joint and the lap joint is substantially consumed;
- e) placing an additional panel having an edge portion with a third generally uniform thickness next to the panels that were joined in steps “a” through “d” so that it overlaps an edge portion of one of the first or second panels;
- and
- f) joining the additional panel to one or both of the joined panels by repeating steps “b” through “d”.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.