Laser metal deposition welding of automotive parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10124441-B2
Application number	US-201314436894-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 24, 2013
Priority date	Oct 24, 2012
Publication date	Nov 13, 2018
Grant date	Nov 13, 2018

Abstract

A part, such as an automotive part, is provided. The part includes at least two work pieces of steel which are joined together at a weld seam which includes at least one of nickel and iron and is substantially entirely free of silicate islands. The part also includes a painted, phosphated or electrocoated coating which is bonded with at least a portion of the substantially entirely silicate island free weld seam.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method of making a part, comprising the steps of:
placing at least two work pieces of steel into a joint;
directing a stream of powder at the joint, the powder only consisting of nickel and iron or only consisting of nickel or only consisting of iron;
melting with a laser beam a portion of each of the work pieces and the powder to produce a weld seam that is free of silicate islands; and
without removing any material from the weld seam through material abrasion or chemical processes, applying a coating onto at least a portion of the weld seam through a painting, phosphating or electrocoating process.

2. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the powder only consists of nickel.

3. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the powder only consists of iron.

4. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying the coating is further defined as painting at least a portion of the weld seam.

5. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying the coating is further defined as phosphating at least a portion of the weld seam.

6. The method as set forth in claim 1 wherein the step of applying the coating is further defined as electrocoating at least a portion of the weld seam.

7. The method as set forth in claim 1 further including the step of directing a shielding gas at the joint.

8. The method as set forth in claim 7 wherein the shielding gas and the powder and the laser beam are all emitted from a single laser head.

9. The method as set forth in claim 8 wherein the laser beam and the powder and the shielding gas are all emitted from the single laser head co-axially with one another.

10. The method as set forth in claim 9 wherein the stream of powder is emitted radially outwardly of the laser beam and wherein the shielding gas is emitted radially outwardly of the stream, of powder.

Assignees

• Magna Int Inc
• Hanschmann Florian
• Magda Jeremy Brian
• Smith Kevin Dale

Inventors

• Hanschmann Florian
• Magda Jeremey Brian
• Smith Kevin Dale

Classifications

• B23K35/3033 Primary

  Ni as the principal constituent · CPC title

• B23K2103/04

  Steel {or steel} alloys · CPC title

• C25D11/36

  Phosphatising · CPC title

• C25D13/20

  Pretreatment · CPC title

• B23K26/32

  taking account of the properties of the material involved · CPC title