Laser metal deposition welding of automotive parts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10486266-B2
Application number	US-201816155140-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 9, 2018
Priority date	Oct 24, 2012
Publication date	Nov 26, 2019
Grant date	Nov 26, 2019

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 part comprising:
at least two work pieces attached together by a weld seam;
said weld seam being free of silicate islands;
a coating applied to said weld seam;
said part being formed according to a process which includes the steps of:
placing the 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 the weld seam that is free of silicate islands; and
without removing any material from the weld seam through material abrasion or chemical processes, applying the coating onto at least a portion of the weld seam through a painting, phosphating, or electrocoating process.

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

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

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

5. The part 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 part 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 part as set forth in claim 1 wherein the process further includes the step of directing a shielding gas at the joint.

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

9. The part 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 coaxially with one another.

10. The part as set forth in claim 8 wherein the stream of powder is emitted radially outwardly of the laser beam and wherein the shielding gas is emitted outwardly of the stream of powder.

Assignees

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

Inventors

• Hanschmann Florian
• Magda Jeremey Brian
• Smith Kevin Dale

Classifications

• B23K35/3033 Primary

  Ni as the principal constituent · CPC title

• B23K26/24 Primary

  Seam welding · CPC title

• B23K26/32

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

• C25D11/36

  Phosphatising · CPC title

• B23K35/3053

  Fe as the principal constituent · CPC title