US 6,595,403 B2 · Friction stir welding method

Abstract

The invention intends to reduce a frequency at which defects occur in a welding region during friction stir welding, and to improve the reliability of the welding region. The invention resides in a friction stir welding apparatus wherein a distance to the surfaces of the workpieces is detected by a detector, a change of the detected distance is found by a signal processing device, and a tool is rotated by a rotation driving device in a state where a vertical driving device is controlled by a control device so as to suppress the found change, whereby a plastic fluidity of the workpieces is caused to accomplish joining of the workpieces.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A friction stir welding method comprising the steps of:

rotating a tool, the tool having a tip portion and a shoulder portion adjoining the tip portion;
inserting the rotating tool into workpieces;
detecting a distance to surfaces of the workpieces with a distance detector, the distance detector being disposed ahead of the tool in a direction of progress of welding;
and
moving the tool in the welding progress direction so that the workpieces are welded by friction heat generated between the tool and the workpieces, while controlling a depth of insertion of the tool into the workpieces to keep the distance detected by the distance detector at starting of welding until completion of the welding.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

09/940,883Filed 29 Aug 2001 · division

Priority

24 Feb 2000

Published

US 2002/0027155 A17 Mar 2002

Granted

22 Jul 2003

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

B23K 20/125
Characterised by the apparatus: rotary tool drive mechanism
B23K 20/123
Using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding: controlling or monitoring the welding process
B23K 20/124
Controlling or monitoring the welding process: at the beginning or at the end of a weld
B23K 20/1245
Using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding: characterised by the apparatus

Friction stir welding method

Life of this patent

Friction stir welding method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims3