Friction Stir Processing Tool Having Non-Circumferential Shoulder and Friction Stir Processing Method Performable Therewith

Abstract

A friction stir processing tool for friction stir processing includes a shoulder for pressing against a workpiece surface and a pin, which protrudes beyond the shoulder and can be driven to rotate, for plasticizing introduction into at least one workpiece to be processed. The shoulder has an interruption opening on a circumferential region, so that the shoulder is not led around the entire circumference of the pin.

Claims

1. A friction stir processing tool for friction stir processing, comprising: a shoulder configured to press against a workpiece surface; and a pin, which protrudes beyond the shoulder and which is rotatable, configured for plasticizing introduction into at least one workpiece to be processed, wherein the shoulder of the friction stir processing tool has an interruption opening on a circumferential region, so that the shoulder is not led around an entire circumference of the pin.

2. The friction stir processing tool of claim 1, wherein the interruption opening is in a form of a circular segment when viewed in an axial direction in relation to an axis of rotation of the pin.

3. The friction stir processing tool of claim 1, wherein the friction stir processing tool is configured as a friction stir welding tool for connecting two workpieces along a weld seam by friction stir welding.

4. The friction stir processing tool of claim 1, wherein the pin is rotatable in relation to the shoulder or the shoulder is implemented to have a speed n =0 with pin rotating during the friction stir processing.

5. A friction stir processing device, comprising a friction stir processing tool, which comprises a shoulder configured to press against a workpiece surface; and a pin, which protrudes beyond the shoulder and which is rotatable, configured for plasticizing introduction into at least one workpiece to be processed, wherein the shoulder of the friction stir processing tool has an interruption opening on a circumferential region, so that the shoulder is not led around an entire circumference of the pin, and a tool guide unit configured to move and guide the friction stir processing tool in a feed direction during seam welding, wherein the interruption opening is oriented in the feed direction.

6. A friction stir processing method for processing at least one workpiece by friction stir processing, comprising the following steps: introducing a rotating pin into the at least one workpiece and plasticizing the workpiece material by friction stir processing, preventing an escape of plasticized material by pressing a shoulder enclosing the pin against the surface of the at least one workpiece, wherein a shoulder has an interruption opening and does not completely enclose the pin.

7. The friction stir processing method of claim 6, wherein the friction stir welding method connects a first and a second workpiece by friction stir welding.

8. The friction stir processing method of claim 7, further comprising: forming a weld seam by moving the pin and the shoulder in a feed direction to form a weld seam; and holding the shoulder stationary during the welding operation with rotating pin, with interruption opening oriented in the feed direction, so that the shoulder is moved over the weld seam to be formed in a nonrotating manner with interruption opening oriented forward in the feed direction.

9. The friction stir processing method of claim 7, further comprising: welding the first workpiece and the second workpiece along a step or an edge offset between the workpieces.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

[0037] Exemplary embodiments of the invention will be explained in greater detail hereafter on the basis of the drawings. In the figures:

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a first workpiece and a second workpiece, which press against one another with an edge offset and are to be connected to one another in the region of the edge offset by a friction stir processing method;

[0039] FIG. 2 shows a side view of an embodiment of a friction stir processing tool for carrying out the friction stir processing method;

[0040] FIG. 3 shows a top view of the tool from FIG. 2;

[0041] FIG. 4 shows a schematic, very simplified illustration of an embodiment of a friction stir processing tool; and

[0042] FIG. 5 shows a schematic sketch, which outlines a performance of a friction stir welding method for welding the two workpieces shown in FIG. 1 by means of the friction stir processing tool shown in FIGS. 2 and 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0043] FIG. 1 shows a first workpiece 10 and a second workpiece 12, which are laid adjacent to one another in a butt joint and are to be welded to one another. The first workpiece 10 is thicker than the second workpiece 12. An edge offset 18 thus results on a workpiece surface 14 in the region of the butt joint 16, which is provided in the form of a step 20 when the workpieces 10, 12 are not yet welded.

[0044] The two workpieces 10, 12 are to be connected to one another in the region of the butt joint 16 by means of a friction stir welding method.

[0045] FIG. 2 shows for this purpose an exemplary embodiment of a friction stir processing tool 30 for friction stir processing, wherein the friction stir processing tool 30 has a pin 32 (also called a probe, welding pin, or welding probe), which can be driven to rotate, and which protrudes from a shoulder 34 in the axial direction when viewed with respect to an axis of rotation 36 of the pin 32.

[0046] The shoulder 34 is implemented on a body 38 of the friction stir processing tool 30. The body 38 is preferably implemented as rotatable in relation to the pin 32.

[0047] FIG. 3 shows a view of the friction stir processing tool 30 in a comparable implementation to that of FIG. 2, viewed in the axial direction from the bottom in FIG. 2.

[0048] As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the shoulder 34 is not led around the entirety of the circumference of the pin 32 in the circumferential direction, but rather the shoulder 34 has, in the engagement region 40, which is implemented for the friction attack on the workpieces 10, 12, an interruption opening 42. The interruption opening 42 extends from the external circumference of the shoulder 34 in the engagement region 40 continuously up to the pin 32.

[0049] The interruption opening 42 is implemented like a circular segment, in particular viewed in a top view in the axial direction (see FIG. 3) and opens at an angle W, which is preferably implemented as an acute angle in the range of 0° to 90°. The angle W is particularly preferably less than approximately 45° and more preferably less than 20°. The opening angle W and the extension of the interruption opening 42 in the axial direction can be implemented differently depending on the welding task.

[0050] The body 38 having the shoulder 34 is rotatable in relation to the pin 32. In particular, the body 38 having the shoulder 34 is implemented such that it does not rotate during the friction stir processing, but rather has a speed n=0. For example, the friction stir processing tool 30 is implemented as disclosed in German patent document DE 10 2005 030 800 B4 with respect to the relative mobility of the pin 32 and the body 38.

[0051] FIG. 4 shows an example of a friction stir processing device 50 for friction stir processing, which has the friction stir processing tool 30 having the interruption opening 42 on the shoulder 34 and a tool moving unit 52 for moving and guiding the friction stir processing tool 30.

[0052] The tool moving unit 52 is implemented for moving and guiding the friction stir processing tool 30 in various directions. For this purpose, in the example shown in FIG. 4, which outlines a simple embodiment of the tool moving unit 52, a first guide unit 54 for moving the friction stir processing tool 30 in a first direction R1 (for example, the X direction) and a second guide unit 56 for moving the friction stir processing tool 30 in a second direction R2 (for example, the Y direction) are provided. Of course, a third guide unit (not shown) for moving the friction stir processing tool 30 in a third direction (for example, the vertical direction, the Z direction) can also be provided.

[0053] The friction stir processing device 50 furthermore has a frame 58 or a housing, which is to be moved by means of the tool guide unit 52, controlled via a controller 60, in the respective direction for performing the desired friction stir process.

[0054] A first rotary drive 61 for rotating the pin 32 is provided on the frame 58 (or the housing).

[0055] In the exemplary embodiment of the friction stir processing device 50 shown here, furthermore a pivot drive 62, which is controlled by the controller 60, is provided on the frame 58 (or the housing), by means of which the body 38 having the shoulder 34 is movable into an arbitrary angle alignment, where the body 38 is then held stationary. The pivot drive 62 is connected, for example, via a gear wheel 64 and a gear ring 66 to the body 38. For example, the pivot drive 62 has a stepping motor.

[0056] The controller 60 is preferably implemented such that friction stir welding for connecting the first workpiece 10 and the second workpiece 12 can be carried out using the friction stir processing device 50. For this purpose, the pin 32 is driven to rotate using the rotary drive 61 and introduced into the region of the butt joint 16 (or another connecting region) of the workpieces 10, 12. The materials of the workpieces 10, 12 are plasticized by the friction heat between pin 32 and the workpieces 10, 12. For the friction stir processing, the friction stir processing tool 30 is then moved in a feed direction V, controlled via the controller 60. The shoulder 34 is aligned in this case by the pivot drive 62 such that the interruption opening 42 always points in the feed direction V.

[0057] The alignment of the interruption opening 42 can be varied by the pivot drive 62 in accordance with the profile of the butt joint 16 and depending on a corresponding change of the feed direction V. This is indicated in FIG. 4 by a curved profile of the butt joint 16 and the edge offset 18 by dotted lines; along this curved profile, a curved weld seam 70 can thus also be formed.

[0058] FIG. 5 shows a very schematic illustration of the friction stir processing tool 30 in the course of the friction stir welding in the attack on the first workpiece 10 and the second workpiece 12.

[0059] Heretofore, it has always been presumed that shoulders of friction stir processing tools must be led around the entire circumference of the pin 32, so that they can fulfill their task of holding back plasticized material at the welding point. As shown in FIG. 5, in the case of the not fully-circumferential shoulder 34, the interruption opening 42 is provided; however, the edge offset 18 of the still un-welded workpieces 10, 12 fulfills the task of holding back the plasticized material here.

[0060] Experiments have shown that using such a friction stir processing tool 30 having not fully-circumferential shoulder 34, friction stir processing of workpieces 10, 12 having edge offset 18 can be carried out with greater process reliability, without an oblique angle of attack of the friction stir processing tool 30 having to be set. Such an oblique angle of attack is difficult to handle, in particular with a curved profile of the weld seam 70, as indicated by dotted lines in FIG. 4.

[0061] Various embodiments of the friction stir processing tool 30 and the friction stir processing device 50 are possible. The shape of the interruption opening 42 can thus deviate from the illustrated shape.

[0062] Instead of the simple version of the tool moving unit 52 indicated in FIG. 4, a robot arm can also be provided as the tool moving unit 52—as is well-known—on the end of which the frame 58 or the housing having the rotary drive 61 is to be provided. The pivot drive 62 can be formed, for example, by a corresponding pivot capability of the tool attachment of the robot arm.

[0063] Although the friction stir processing tool 30 and the friction stir processing device 50 were shown and described for use as a friction stir welding tool for connecting workpieces 10, 12 along a weld seam or as a friction stir welding device for connecting the workpieces 10, 12 along the weld seam, respectively, the possible uses of the friction stir processing tool 30 and the friction stir processing device 50 are not restricted to this application. Other friction stir processing tasks, for example, smoothing an edge offset 18 on a one-piece workpiece (not shown) or repairing a workpiece in the region of an edge offset or the like can also be carried out.

[0064] 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 Numerals

[0065] 10 first workpiece [0066] 12 second workpiece [0067] 14 workpiece surface [0068] 16 butt joint [0069] 18 edge offset [0070] 20 step [0071] 30 friction stir processing tool [0072] 32 pin [0073] 34 shoulder [0074] 36 axis of rotation [0075] 38 body [0076] 40 engagement region [0077] 42 interruption opening [0078] 50 friction stir processing device [0079] 52 tool moving unit [0080] 54 first guide unit [0081] 56 second guide unit [0082] 58 frame [0083] 60 controller [0084] 61 rotary drive [0085] 62 pivot drive [0086] 64 gear wheel [0087] 66 gear ring [0088] 70 weld seam [0089] W opening angle [0090] R1 first direction [0091] R2 third direction [0092] V feed direction