METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING A HYDRAULIC HOUSING, HYDRAULIC HOUSING

Abstract

A method for manufacturing a hydraulic housing for a braking system of a motor vehicle. A cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical first housing part and a second housing part of the hydraulic housing are integrally joined using friction welding. The method includes: a) attaching the first housing part to the second housing part, an end face of the first housing part being attached to the second housing part so that a shared contact area is created, b) plasticizing the two housing parts in the contact area and/or in a joint area adjoining the contact area by friction-based heat introduction, and c) compressing at least one housing part and/or pressing a friction welding tool against the housing parts so that material forming and/or material shearing is effectuated in the plasticized area of the two housing parts and both housing parts form an integral joint in the contact area and/or in the joint area.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a hydraulic housing for a braking system of a motor vehicle, in which a cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical first housing part and a second housing part of the hydraulic housing are integrally joined using friction welding, the method comprising the following steps: a) attaching the cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical first housing part to the second housing part, an end face of the first housing part being attached to the second housing part so that a shared contact area is created; b) plasticizing, by friction-based heat introduction, the two first and second housing parts in the contact area and/or in a joint area adjoining the contact area; and c) compressing at least one of the first and second housing parts and/or pressing a friction welding tool against the first and second housing parts so that material forming and/or material shearing is effectuated in the plasticized contact area and/or joint area, and both of the first and second housing parts form an integral joint in the contact area and/or in the joint area.

2. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the heat introduction in step b) is generated by friction between the first and second housing parts and/or by friction between the friction welding tool and the first and second housing parts.

3. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the friction welding tool is attached to the first and second housing parts in the joint area at a work angle, pressed on, and rotated around its longitudinal axis, the friction welding tool being guided along the joint area at the same time.

4. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the friction welding tool includes a stationary, asymmetrical shoulder and is used for the friction welding, the friction welding being a friction stir welding.

5. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein the cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical first housing part is pressed against the second housing part and rotated around its longitudinal axis.

6. The method as recited in claim 1, wherein a circumferential fillet weld or a circumferential welding bead is implemented in step c).

7. A hydraulic housing for a braking system of a motor vehicle, comprising: a cylindrical or hollow-cylindrical first housing part; and a second housing part, the first housing part resting against the second housing part via an end face, so that both of the first and second housing parts have a shared contact area, both of the first and second housing parts being integrally joined using friction welding in the contact area and/or in a joint area adjoining the contact area.

8. The hydraulic housing as recited in claim 7, wherein the integral joint is formed via a circumferential fillet weld and/or a circumferential welding bead.

9. The hydraulic housing as recited in claim 7, wherein at least one of the first and second housing parts is made from a metallic material.

10. The hydraulic housing as recited in claim 9, wherein the metallic material is aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0028] FIG. 1 shows a schematic longitudinal section through a first hydraulic housing according to an example embodiment of the present invention during the joining of two housing parts.

[0029] FIG. 2 shows a schematic side view of a further hydraulic housing according to an example embodiment of the present invention during the joining of two housing parts.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS

[0030] A cylindrical first housing part 1 and a cuboid second housing part 2 of a hydraulic housing are shown in FIGS. 1. To manufacture the hydraulic housing, the two housing parts 1, 2 have to be joined in a gas-tight and water-tight manner. Since the hydraulic housing is moreover subjected to high dynamic stresses in its product life cycle, softening in the joint area due to melting of the material is to be avoided. The two housing parts 1, 2 are therefore integrally joined with the aid of friction stir welding.

[0031] Before the integral joining, first housing part 1 is attached via an end face 3 to second housing part 2, so that the two housing parts 1, 2 are linked together in a shared contact area 4. Contact area 4 is formed on second housing part 2 by flat contact surface 9. With the aid of a friction welding tool 6, which is pressed at a work angle α in a joint area 5 against the two housing parts 1, 2 (pressure F) and rotated around its longitudinal axis A.sub.W, plasticization of the material is effectuated in joint area 5, so that friction welding tool 6 is dipped into the plasticized material. At the same time, friction welding tool 6 is moved around the outer circumference of first housing part 1 while maintaining work angle α and pressure F. The result is a near-net-shape fillet weld 7.

[0032] As shown by way of example in FIG. 2, an integral joint may be manufactured between the two housing parts 1, 2 even without friction welding tool 6. For this purpose, cylindrical first housing part 1 is simply attached via its end face 3 to a flat contact surface 9 of second housing part 2 and pressed on (pressure F) and also rotated around its longitudinal axis A.sub.G. A plasticization of the material in contact area 4 is achieved by the rotation of first housing part 1 in relation to second housing part 2. Pressure F with which first housing part 1 is pressed or compressed against second housing part 2 has the result that plasticized material is raised to form a welding bead 8. Welding bead 8 strengthens the welded joint.

[0033] Cylindrical first housing part 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 may alternatively be hollow-cylindrical in each case.