Method for Manufacturing a Welded Component and Use of the Component

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for manufacturing a welded component, where at least one material piece is positioned between metal pieces to be welded together. At least one protrusion (5, 13, 23, 33, 43) is achieved to at least one of the metal pieces (3, 4; 11, 12; 21, 22; 31, 32; 41, 42) to be welded together, and at least one opening (2, 14, 24, 34, 44) is achieved to at least one material piece (1, 15, 25, 35, 45) which is positioned between the metal pieces (3, 4; 11, 12; 21, 22; 31, 32; 41, 42) to be welded and isolated (16, 17; 26; 36) from the metal pieces to be welded. At least one part of the protrusion (5, 13, 23, 33, 43) in one of those metal pieces to be welded together is taken through the opening (2, 14, 24, 34, 44) in order to have mechanical contact through the upper end of the protrusion (5, 13, 23, 33, 43) with the second metal piece to be welded. Welding (37, 38, 39) of the metal pieces together is carried out by focusing the weld effect to the surface of the second metal piece which is in connection with the protrusion to the first metal piece to be welded. The invention also relates to the use of the component.

Claims

1. A method for manufacturing a welded component, where at least one material piece is positioned between metal pieces to be welded together, wherein at least one protrusion present on at least one first metal piece to be welded together, and at least one opening is present in at least one material piece which is positioned between the metal pieces to be welded and isolated from the metal pieces to be welded so that at least one part of the protrusion in at least one first metal piece to be welded together extends through the opening in order to have mechanical contact between an upper end of the protrusion and a second metal piece to be welded, and welding of the metal pieces together is carried out by focusing the weld effect on a surface of the second metal piece which is in contact with the protrusion of the first metal piece to be welded.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is manufactured by a forming process selected from the group consisting of injection, clinching, spiring, expanding or hydroforming.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the opening in the material piece is manufactured by stamping, punching, boring, cutting, thermal cutting, laser beam, plasma jet, or plasma beam.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the welding of the metal pieces together is carried out by a thermal joining process selected from the group consisting of resistance welding and TIG-spot welding or by a beam welding process selected from the group consisting of laser beam welding and electron beam welding.

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein isolating material is distributed on a surface of the at least one material piece in order to prevent contact between the material piece and the protrusion.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the isolating material is selected from the group consisting of a polymer, fluidity adhesive, a bonding tape, a tape with impregnated fleece material, plastic isolating material and ceramic material.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the metal pieces to be welded together are made of coated steel, stainless steel, aluminium, magnesium, copper or brass.

8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the material piece is made of a metal-based material.

9. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion is shaped as a cone, a pin, a taper or any other geometry useful for achieving a mechanical contact with the other metal piece to be welded.

10. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as a connection part or as a joining area in a passenger car.

11. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as a connection part or as a joining area in a railway vehicle car.

12. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as a connection part or as a joining area in an agricultural machine.

13. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as a connection part or as a joining area in a bus or in a truck.

14. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as a connection part or as a joining area in aerospace solutions.

15. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as a connection part or as a joining area in a space flight solutions.

16. Use of the component manufactured according to the method of claim 1 as an adaptation member to be connected to at least one other component.

17. The method according to claim 8, wherein the metal-based material is selected from the group consisting of coated steel, stainless steel, aluminium, magnesium, copper or brass, a fiber composite or a cement plate or a ceramic material.

Description

[0015] The present invention is described in more details referring to the drawings, wherein

[0016] FIG. 1 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention schematically as an a axonometric projection seen on a slant position from above before stacking,

[0017] FIG. 2 shows the embodiment of FIG. 1 schematically as a side view after stacking and welding,

[0018] FIG. 3 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention schematically as a cut side view after stacking,

[0019] FIG. 4 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention schematically as a cut side view after stacking,

[0020] FIG. 5 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention schematically as a cut side view after stacking and welding, and

[0021] FIG. 6 shows one preferred embodiment of the invention schematically as a cut side view after stacking and welding.

[0022] In FIG. 1 an interlayer sheet 1 is provided with holes 2, and the interlayer 1 is positioned between two metal sheets 3 and 4. The metal sheet 3 is structured so that protrusions 5 are shaped on the surface of the metal sheet 3.

[0023] In FIG. 2 the metal sheets 3 and 4 are stacked so that the protrusions 5 are partly taken through the holes 3 of the interlayer 1. The metal sheets 3 and 4 have mechanical contacts 6 through upper ends 7 of the protrusions 5. An isolating material achieving isolation between the interlayer 1 and the metal sheets 3 and 4 is not shown.

[0024] In FIG. 3 the metal sheets 11 and 12 are stacked so that the protrusions 13 are partly taken through the holes 14 in the interlayer 15. The interlayer 15 is supported with two isolating materials 16 and 17 in order to prevent any mechanical contact between the protrusions 13 and the interlayer 15.

[0025] In FIG. 4 the metal sheets 21 and 22 are stacked so that the protrusions 23 are partly taken through the holes 24 in the interlayer 25. The interlayer 25 is supported with one isolating material 26 in order to prevent any mechanical contact between the protrusions 23 and the interlayer 25.

[0026] In FIG. 5 the metal sheets 31 and 32 are stacked so that the protrusions 33 are partly taken through the holes in the interlayer 35. The interlayer 35 is supported with one isolating material 36 in order to prevent any mechanical contact between the protrusions 33 and the interlayer 35. FIG. 5 also illustrates alternatives for welding of the metal sheets 31 and 32 together; a weld nugget 37 generated by a resistance spot weld, a weld seam 38 generated by a laser beam process and a weld seam 39 generated by a TIG spot welding process.

[0027] In FIG. 6 the metal sheets 41 and 42 are stacked so that the protrusions 43 are partly taken through the holes 44 in the interlayer 45. Any isolating material is not shown. In order to manufacture a tailored product from the component of the invention the metal sheet 41 has a joint 46 to another component 47, and the interlayer 46 has a joint 48 with an interlayer material 49 separated from the interlayer 45 of the component of the invention.