Method for stiffening metal components by means of a robot-controlled application head

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10919284-B2
Application number	US-201815910513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 2, 2018
Priority date	Mar 2, 2017
Publication date	Feb 16, 2021
Grant date	Feb 16, 2021

Abstract

In order to optimize a method for stiffening a metal component by pressing a fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component in such a way that the method can be integrated into the serial production of the car body, it is proposed that the fiber-reinforced plastic insert be picked up by means of a robot-controlled application head and pressed onto the metal component.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for stiffening a metal component by pressing a fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component by means of a robot-controlled application head, whereby the method comprises at least the following steps:
a) picking up the fiber-reinforced plastic insert by means of the application head, and
b) picking up the metal component by means of a robot-controlled auxiliary head,
c) arranging the fiber-reinforced plastic insert on the metal component, and
d) pressing the fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component by means of a pressure piston located on the application head, wherein the auxiliary head builds up a counter-pressure on the application head in order to assist with the pressing.

2. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before and/or during step d), heating the metal component to a temperature between 60° C. and 180° C., at least in certain sections.

3. The method according to claim 2 , comprising heating the metal component by means of a robot-controlled inductor for purposes of inductive heat transfer.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising heating the fiber-reinforced plastic insert to a temperature between 60° C. and 180° C. before and/or while it is being picked up in step a).

5. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fiber-reinforced plastic insert is picked up in step a) by means of a gripper arranged on the application head ( 12 ).

6. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, in step d), actuating the pressure piston by means of a pressure element arranged on the application head.

7. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, during step c), holding the metal component on the application head by means of a holding mechanism.

8. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before step d), rigidly coupling the application head to the auxiliary head via at least one coupling element.

9. The method according to claim 1 , further comprising, before step d), placing a nonwoven fabric between the metal component and the fiber-reinforced plastic insert in order to reduce corrosive effects.

10. A device for stiffening a metal component by pressing a fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component, wherein the device comprises:
a robot-controlled auxiliary head configured to pick up the metal component; and
a robot-controlled application head having a pressure piston located thereon;
wherein the robot-controlled application head is configured to:
pick up the fiber-reinforced plastic insert,
arrange the fiber-reinforced plastic insert on the metal component, and
press the fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component using the pressure piston;

wherein the robot-controlled auxiliary head is configured to build up a counter-pressure on the robot-controlled application head while the robot-controlled application head presses the fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component.

11. A device for stiffening a metal component by pressing a fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component, wherein the device comprises:
an application head having a pressure piston located thereon;
an auxiliary head; and
a robot configured to:
control the auxiliary head to pick up the metal component;
control the application head to:
pick up the fiber-reinforced plastic insert,
arrange the fiber-reinforced plastic insert on the metal component, and
press the fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component using the pressure piston; and
control the auxiliary head to build up a counter-pressure on the application head while the application head presses the fiber-reinforced plastic insert onto the metal component.

Assignees

• Volkswagen Ag

Inventors

• Thomas Robert
• Ehleben Max
• Mertens Thomas
• Bochtler Anselm Tobias
• Fischer Fabian

Classifications

• B32B38/1833 Primary

  Positioning, e.g. registration or centering · CPC title

• B32B7/12 Primary

  using interposed adhesives or interposed materials with bonding properties · CPC title

• B29C70/46

  using matched moulds, e.g. for deforming sheet moulding compounds [SMC] or prepregs · CPC title

• B29C65/46

  heated by induction · CPC title

• B29C65/50

  using adhesive tape {, e.g. thermoplastic tape; using threads or the like (B29C65/3444 takes precedence)} · CPC title