Dynamic path correction of friction stir welding
AssigneeApple Inc.
InventorsAlfredo Castillo, Umakaran Nemallan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method for controlling friction stir welding is provided. The method may include initiating friction stir welding and determining the position of a friction stir welding tool and at least one part being welded. The method may also include adjusting the position of the friction stir welding tool while friction stir welding based at least in part on the positions of the tool and at least one of the parts. The position of the parts may be determined downstream of the friction stir welding tool in order to prospectively account for the position of the parts. Accordingly, the position of the friction stir welding tool may be dynamically adjusted during friction stir welding to account for part movement. Related systems and computer code are provided.
Claims17
A method for controlling a friction stir welding operation, the method comprising:
- initiating friction stir welding of a first part to a second part with a friction stir welding tool along a welding path, the welding path corresponding to a junction between the first part and the second part;
- determining a position of the friction stir welding tool during the friction stir welding;
- determining a position of at least one of the first part and the second part, downstream of the friction stir welding tool;
- predicting an amount of lateral displacement of the junction with respect to the welding path using at least the determined positions;
- and
- dynamically correcting the welding path of the friction stir welding tool while friction stir welding the first part to the second part to account for the predicted lateral displacement of the junction with respect to the welding path during the welding operation.
A method for guiding a friction stir welding tool during a friction stir welding operation, the method comprising:
- providing a welding path to the friction stir welding tool, the welding path corresponding to a junction between a first part and a second part prior to applying the friction stir welding operation to join the first and second parts along the junction;
- detecting a position of a portion of the first part downstream of the friction stir welding tool using at least an optical sensor;
- predicting an amount of lateral movement of the junction with respect to the welding path using at least the detected position;
- and
- dynamically adjusting the welding path of the friction stir welding tool during the friction stir welding operation in accordance with the predicted lateral movement.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.