Method for Integrally Bonding a Cast Aluminum Part to a Joining Partner, and Part

Abstract

A method for integrally bonding a cast aluminum component to a joining partner. The method includes laser-treating a region of the cast aluminum component that is to be connected to the joining partner. The laser treatment is carried out via a pulsed laser system having a pulse duration of 100 to 200 ns, and an impulse frequency of 10 to 80 kHz. The method also includes integrally bonding the cast aluminum component and the joining partner.

Claims

1. A method for integrally bonding a cast aluminum component to a joining partner, the method comprising: laser-treating a region of the cast aluminum component that is to be connected to the joining partner, wherein the laser treatment is carried out via a pulsed laser system having a pulse duration of 100 to 200 ns, and an impulse frequency of 10 to 80 kHz, and integrally bonding the cast aluminum component and the joining partner.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the integral bonding of the cast aluminum component to the joining partner after the laser treatment is carried out without any further treatment of the region of the cast aluminum component that is to be connected to the joining partner.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, wherein the impulse frequency is 10 to 40 kHz.

4. The method as claimed in claim 3, wherein the pulse duration is 120 to 160 ns.

5. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a wavelength of the laser system is 800 to 1200 nm.

6. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a beam diameter of the laser system is 500 to 1000 m.

7. The method as claimed in claim 5, wherein a mean laser output is 700 to 1000 W.

8. The method as claimed in claim 7, wherein the integral bonding is performed by adhesive bonding, welding, or brazing/soldering, in particular by adhesive bonding.

9. The method as claimed in claim 8, wherein a content of aluminum in the cast aluminum component is at least 70% by mass in relation to the total weight of the cast aluminum component.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, further comprising using a pulsed laser system having a pulse duration of 100 to 200 ns, and an impulse frequency of 10 to 80 kHz, to connect a cast aluminum component to a joining partner.

11. A component comprising a cast aluminum component and a joining partner, wherein the component is produced by a method as claimed in claim 9.

12. The method as claimed in claim 4, wherein a wavelength of the laser system is 1064 nm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0020] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration for visualizing the inventive method.

[0021] The embodiments of the present invention will be explained in detail by means of an exemplary embodiment. Only the presently relevant aspects of the inventive method are illustrated in FIG. 1; all other aspects have been omitted for the sake of clarity.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

[0022] FIG. 1 in detail visualizes laser-treating a cast aluminum component 2 by means of a pulsed laser system 1. The laser treatment is provided in order for the surface topology and the surface tension of the cast aluminum component 2 to be pre-treated such that the adhesion to a joining partner in the step of the integral bonding of the cast aluminum component 2 to the joining partner, subsequent to the laser treatment, is increased, and the adhesive strength between the workpieces joined by integral bonding is thus high. This facilitates a high degree of durability of the join connection.

[0023] An aluminum alloy having an aluminum content of at least 70% by mass is preferably applied as the aluminum material for the cast aluminum component 2.

[0024] The laser system 1 emits pulsed waves (indicated in FIG. 1 by h v) onto a region 3 of the cast aluminum component 2 to be connected to the joining partner, said waves having a pulse duration of 100 to 200 ns, and an impulse frequency of 10 to 80 kHz. On account thereof, a very high quantity of energy acts repeatedly over a very short time on envisaged regions of the cast aluminum component 2, said quantity of energy changing the surface properties of the treated region of the cast aluminum component 2 and preparing said surface properties for a subsequent step of integral bonding to the joining partner, for example by adhesive bonding.

[0025] As is further illustrated in FIG. 1, the pulsed laser light, by way of the high energy density thereof, can be applied in a targeted focused manner and to specific regions, on account of which, depending on the envisaged design embodiment of the joining region, spot geometries 4 having a point-to-point overlap and linear overlaps result in an exemplary manner. To this end, a Nd:YAG laser which has a wavelength of 1064 nm and a beam diameter of 500 to 1000 m, in particular of 700 m, can be advantageously used.

[0026] A system having the following components can be used as a laser system, for example:

Radiation source: Rofin DQ*80/serial number: 013;
Scanner: SCANLAB hurry SCAN 25;
Cooling device for the radiation source: KKT vBoxX;
Conducting fiber from the radiation source to the scanner: round.

[0027] The preceding description of the embodiment of the present invention serves only illustrative purposes and not the purpose of limiting the invention. Various changes and modifications are possible within the context of the invention without departing from the scope of the invention and the equivalents of the latter.

[0028] The foregoing disclosure has been set forth merely to illustrate the invention and is not intended to be limiting. Since modifications of the disclosed embodiments incorporating the spirit and substance of the invention may occur to persons skilled in the art, the invention should be construed to include everything within the scope of the appended claims and equivalents thereof.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

[0029] 1 Laser system [0030] 2 Cast aluminum component [0031] 3 Region to be connected [0032] 4 Spot geometry