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US 9,751,153 B2Granted
Effort modulation for process control of friction stir operations
AssigneeBrigham Young University
InventorsKenneth Alec Ross, Carl D. Sorensen
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A system and method for making adjustments to output effort from a spindle driver using a multi-stage nested control loop of an active controller to provide constant power to a friction stir zone during a friction stir operation. Providing constant power facilitates temperature control within the friction stir zone and thereby improves the result of the operation such as a weld.
Claims18
A method comprising:
- sensing a flow variable of a friction stir tool to a friction stir zone;
- and
- controlling, to a temperature setpoint and with an active controller, a temperature of the friction stir zone by adjusting a power provided by the friction stir tool to the friction stir zone,
- the controlling, to a power setpoint, the power provided by the friction stir tool to the friction stir zone being performed by controlling an output effort variable of a spindle driver that is used to drive the friction stir tool in response to the sensed flow variable feedback.
1 more element
A friction stir system comprised of:
- a friction stir tool;
- a spindle that is coupled to the friction stir tool;
- a spindle driver that is coupled to the spindle to thereby cause the friction stir tool to rotate;
- a sensor that senses a flow variable of the friction stir tool;
- an active controller for controlling operation of the friction stir tool, wherein the active controller controls a temperature, to a temperature setpoint, of a friction stir zone by adjusting a power provided by the friction stir tool to the friction stir zone,
- the active controller configured to control power, to a power setpoint, provided by the friction stir tool to the friction stir zone during friction stirring operations by controlling an output effort variable of the spindle driver that is used to drive the friction stir tool in response to the sensed flow variable feedback.
3 more elements
An active controller controlling operation of a friction stir tool to a friction stir zone, the active controller comprising:
- an inner control loop that controls power, to a power setpoint, provided by the friction stir tool to the friction stir zone by using sensed angular velocity of the friction stir tool to control torque of a spindle driver of the friction control tool, wherein power, the torque and the angular velocity are related by the equation:
- P=co*M,
- wherein:
- P is power provided by the friction stir tool to the friction control zone;
- M is the torque of the spindle driver;
- and
- co is the angular velocity of the friction stir tool;
- and
- an outer control loop that maintain a desired temperature, to a temperature setpoint, for the friction stir zone by using a sensed temperature to adjust the power provided by the friction stir tool to the friction stir zone.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.