Systems and methods for use in induction welding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10058950-B1
Application number	US-201213660376-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Oct 25, 2012
Priority date	Oct 25, 2012
Publication date	Aug 28, 2018
Grant date	Aug 28, 2018

Abstract

An induction welding system is provided. The system includes at least one induction coil configured to generate an alternating magnetic field, and a smart susceptor film sized to be positioned between a first component and a second component to be welded to the first component. The smart susceptor film includes a thermoplastic resin, and a plurality of metal alloy wires disposed in the thermoplastic resin such that the plurality of metal alloy wires are oriented substantially parallel to the generated alternating magnetic field.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for induction welding a first component to a second component, said method comprising:
positioning a temperature-limited susceptor film between the first component and the second component, wherein the temperature-limited susceptor film includes a plurality of metal alloy wires disposed in a thermoplastic resin, wherein each of said plurality of metal alloy wires extends within a range of between approximately 60% and approximately 100% a length of the temperature-limited susceptor film;
generating an alternating magnetic field to induce an eddy current within the plurality of metal alloy wires that causes the plurality of wires to melt the thermoplastic resin in response to the eddy current such that the first component is inductively welded to the second component, wherein the metal alloy wires are oriented parallel to a direction of the generated alternating magnetic field between the first component and the second component; and
positioning an insulating layer outward of the second component such that the second component is positioned between the temperature-limited susceptor film and the insulating layer.

2. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein generating an alternating magnetic field comprises generating an alternating magnetic field such that the plurality of metal alloy wires melt the thermoplastic resin at a limit temperature, wherein the limit temperature is dependent upon the dimensions and composition of the plurality of metal alloy wires, wherein the limit temperature is a maximum temperature of the plurality of metal wires able to be generated by the eddy currents.

3. The method in accordance with claim 2 , further comprising maintaining the limit temperature for a period of time in a range of from approximately ten seconds to approximately three minutes.

4. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein generating an alternating magnetic field comprises generating a magnetic field using at least one induction coil.

5. The method in accordance with claim 4 , wherein positioning the insulating layer outward of the second component comprises positioning the insulating layer between the second component and the at least one induction coil to facilitate shielding the at least one induction coil from heat energy generated when melting the temperature-limited susceptor film.

6. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein positioning the temperature-limited susceptor film between the first component and the second component comprises positioning the temperature-limited susceptor film between a honeycomb core and a facesheet.

7. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein positioning the temperature-limited susceptor film comprises positioning the temperature-limited susceptor film including a plurality of metal alloy wires disposed in polyphenylene sulfide.

8. The method in accordance with claim 4 , wherein generating an alternating magnetic field comprises generating a magnetic field using a first induction coil coupled to a second induction coil using at least one parallel circuit.

9. The method in accordance with claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the plurality of metal alloy wires within the thermoplastic resin is approximately 64 wires-per-inch.

10. The method in accordance with claim 1 , further comprising forming at least one of the first component and the second component from a polyphenylene sulfide material.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Gerken Noel T
• Miller Robert James
• Marcoe Jeffery L
• Moser John B
• Bartel Aaron W
• Matsen Marc R

Classifications

• B23K13/015 Primary

  Butt welding · CPC title

• B23K13/04

  by conduction heating · CPC title

• B23K13/01 Primary

  by induction heating · CPC title

• B23K35/001

  Interlayers, transition pieces for metallurgical bonding of workpieces · CPC title