Active material-augmented vibration welding system and method of use

A method for regulating a welding force imparted by a vibration welding system having a sonotrode, a welding anvil for supporting a work piece, a weld head, and a weld tip configured for forming a welded joint at a welding interface of the work piece in response to an oscillation of the sonotrode and the weld head, the method comprising:

• positioning an Active Material (AM) element adjacently to the welding interface, wherein the AM element is one of a piezoelectric stack, an Electroactive Polymer (EAP) material element, and a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) element;
• and
• varying a property of the AM element, either actively or passively, to thereby regulate the welding force at the welding interface within a predetermined displacement range of the weld tip;
• wherein positioning an AM element includes one of:
• directly connecting the AM element to at least one of the weld tip and the welding anvil, and inserting the AM element into a recess defined by at least one of the weld tip and the welding anvil.

A vibration welding system for forming a welded joint at a welding interface between surfaces of a work piece supported by a welding anvil during a vibration-welding process, the system comprising:

• a weld head having at least one weld tip adapted to vibrate in response to an oscillation of a sonotrode, the weld tip having a predetermined displacement range;
• and
• an Active Material (AM) element positioned adjacently to the welding interface, wherein the AM element is one of a piezoelectric stack, an Electroactive Polymer (EAP) material element, and a Shape Memory Alloy (SMA) element;
• wherein the vibration welding system is configured to automatically vary a property of the AM element to thereby regulate a welding force imparted by the weld tip within the predetermined displacement range.