Structural elements obtained by linear friction welding

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10065266-B2
Application number	US-201414392149-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2014
Priority date	Jun 26, 2013
Publication date	Sep 4, 2018
Grant date	Sep 4, 2018

Abstract

The invention concerns a method for forming by welding along a flat surface an article. The method according to the invention is particularly useful to improve strength and elongation of welded joints obtained by linear friction welding. Structural articles of aircrafts obtained with the method of the invention are advantageous, in particular aircraft structural members.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for forming by welding along a flat surface of an article comprising
at least a first metallic member in the form of an aluminium alloy wrought product having elongated grains in a longitudinal direction (L10), with an anisotropy index in a longitudinal oriented surface of at least 4 according to ASTM E112 and/or an anisotropy index in a planar oriented surface of at least 1.5 according to ASTM E112, wherein said first metallic member is in a final metallurgical temper chosen from T7X or T8 before welding, and
at least a second metallic member in the form of an aluminum alloy wrought product, in a final metallurgical temper, having elongated grains in a longitudinal direction (L11), with an anisotropy index in a longitudinal oriented surface of at least 4 according to ASTM E112 and/or an anisotropy index in a planar oriented surface of at least 1.5 according to ASTM E112, wherein
the first metallic member is positioned in contact with the second metallic member so that said longitudinal direction (L10) of the elongated grains is positioned substantially within the weld plane, and wherein the transverse direction (T10) of the grains of said first metallic member is substantially perpendicular to the weld plane,
wherein said longitudinal direction of the elongated grains (L11) of said second metallic member is positioned substantially within the weld plane, and
the article is formed by linear friction welding.

2. A method according to claim 1 wherein the oscillating direction is substantially parallel to the planar direction of the grains (P10) of said first metallic member.

3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first metallic member is a forge member and wherein said second metallic member is an oscillating member.

4. A method according to claim 1 wherein the transverse direction of the grains (T11) of said second metallic member is substantially perpendicular to the weld plane.

5. A method according to claim 1 wherein the oscillating direction is substantially parallel to the planar direction of the grains (P11) of said second metallic member.

6. A method according to claim 1 wherein said first metallic member and optionally said second metallic member are made of an aluminum-lithium type aluminum alloy.

7. A method according to claim 1 wherein said article is a structural article of an aircraft or of an automobile, optionally an aircraft rib.

8. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the transverse direction of the grains (T11) of said second metallic member is substantially within the weld plane.

9. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first metallic member has an anisotropy index in a longitudinal oriented surface of at least 6 according to ASTM E112 and/or an anisotropy index in a planar oriented surface of at least 2 according to ASTM E112.

10. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the first metallic member has an anisotropy index in a longitudinal oriented surface of at least 8 according to ASTM E112 and/or an anisotropy index in a planar oriented surface of at least 4 according to ASTM E112.

11. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first metallic member is in a final metallurgical temper T7X before welding.

12. The method according to claim 1 , wherein said first metallic member is in a final metallurgical temper T8 before welding.

Assignees

• Constellium Issoire

Inventors

• Glazebrook Christopher John
• Grenet Manuel
• Laye Julien

Classifications

• B23K20/1205 Primary

  using translation movement · CPC title

• B23K2103/10

  Aluminium or alloys thereof · CPC title

• B23K20/2336 Primary

  both layers being aluminium · CPC title

• B23K2101/006

  Vehicles · CPC title

• B23K2201/006

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic