Pressure welding machine and pressure welding method

A method for pressure welding a plurality of workpieces along a common feed axis, the method comprising:

• providing a pressure welding machine with a common frame;
• providing two welding heads movable on said frame along a feed axis, each of said welding heads having a workpiece holder;
• providing two adjusting units with bearings for axial movement of the adjusting units at the common frame and with feed drives for driving said welding heads;
• moving said workpieces relative to one another by the feed drives of the two adjusting units mounted axially movably at the common frame and applying pressure welding forces from said adjusting units to respective said welding heads;
• connecting said two adjusting units to one another by a common adjusting element with an adjusting drive driving said common adjusting element and positioning each of said two adjusting units along said common frame;
• and
• mutually supporting said adjusting units in an adjustable manner with the common adjusting element while absorbing the pressure welding forces at the common adjusting element with the common adjusting element and supported adjusting units forming a closed system of forces.

A pressure welding machine comprising:

• a common frame;
• a first mobile welding head movably mounted on said common frame for movement along a feed axis, said first mobile welding head having a first workpiece holder;
• a second mobile welding head movably mounted on said common frame for movement along said feed axis, said second mobile welding head having a second workpiece holder;
• a first side adjusting unit mounted on bearings and axially movable at said common frame and with a first side feed drive acting on said first mobile welding head with resulting upsetting forces at said first side adjusting unit;
• a second side adjusting unit on bearings and axially movable at said common frame and with a second side feed drive acting on said second mobile welding head with resulting upsetting forces at said second side adjusting unit;
• a common adjusting element, said two adjusting units being connected to one another by said common adjusting element and each being supported by said common adjusting element with resulting upsetting forces at said first side adjusting unit transmitted from said first side adjusting unit to said common adjusting element and with resulting upsetting forces at said second side adjusting unit transmitted from said second side adjusting unit to said common adjusting element to provide a closed frictional connection between said first side adjusting unit and said second side adjusting unit to relieve load applied by said first side adjusting unit and said second side adjusting unit on said frame;
• and
• an adjusting drive for driving said common adjusting element for positioning each of said first side adjusting unit and said second side adjusting unit along said common frame, said first side adjusting unit being only driven via said common adjusting element with said common adjusting element being connected to said adjusting drive as a drive connection, said second side adjusting unit being only driven via said common adjusting element, whereby all load of applied axial force to form a friction weld is transmitted to said common adjusting element.