Double-action friction-stir joining system and method utilizing a cleaning mechanism

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11938558-B2
Application number	US-201917270751-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 23, 2019
Priority date	Aug 23, 2018
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

A double-action friction stir joining system, which includes a double-action friction stir joining device, a cleaning mechanism having a dressing member, a robot, and a control device. The double-action friction stir joining device includes a first rotary driver configured to rotate a pin member and a shoulder member, and a tool driver configured to reciprocate the pin member and the shoulder member. The control device is adapted to (A) operate the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into the shoulder member, (B) operate the first rotary driver so that the shoulder member rotates, and (C) operate the robot so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device and the dressing member contacts an inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A double-action friction stir joining system, comprising:
a double-action friction stir joining device;
a cleaning mechanism having a dressing member;
a robot; and
a control device,
wherein the double-action friction stir joining device includes:
a pin member formed in a cylindrical shape and configured to be rotatable on an axis and reciprocatable in a direction along the axis;
a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape, into which the pin member is inserted, and configured to be rotatable on the axis and reciprocatable in a direction along the axis;
a first rotary driver configured to rotate the pin member and the shoulder member on the axis, respectively; and
a tool driver configured to reciprocate the pin member and the shoulder member along the axis, respectively,

wherein the control device is adapted to:
(A) operate the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into the shoulder member;
(B) operate the first rotary driver so that the shoulder member rotates; and
(C) operate the robot so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device and the dressing member contacts an inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member, and

wherein the control device operates the tool driver in (A) during a cleaning process so that:
(A1) a tip-end face of the pin member is moved to a first position set in advance; and
(A2) the tip-end face of the pin member is moved to a second position set in advance, after (A1), at a larger speed than in (A1).

2. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning mechanism further includes a second rotary driver configured to rotate the dressing member, and
wherein the control device is adapted to:
(A) operate the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into the shoulder member;
(B1) operate the second rotary driver so that the dressing member rotates; and
(C) operate the robot so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device and the dressing member contacts the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member.

3. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the robot is configured to be pivotable or rotatable on the axis while holding the double-action friction stir joining device, and
wherein the control device operates the robot in (C) so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device, and the dressing member contacts the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member while pivoting the double-action friction stir joining device.

4. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the dressing member is comprised of a cutting tool and/or a wire brush.

5. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 4 , wherein the control device operates the robot in (C) so that:
(C1) the cutting tool contacts the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member; and
(C2) the wire brush contacts the inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member.

6. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 5 , wherein the cleaning mechanism further has an air blow device, and
wherein the control device is adapted in (C) to:
(C0) activate the air blow device so that air is blown toward the cutting tool, before (C1).

7. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the control device is further adapted to:
(D) operate the tool driver so that the pin member protrudes with respect to a tip-end part of the shoulder member;
(B2) operate the first rotary driver so that the pin member and/or the shoulder member rotate; and
(E) operate the robot so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device, and an outer circumferential surface of the pin member and/or an outer circumferential surface of the shoulder member contacts the dressing member.

8. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 7 , wherein the robot is configured to be pivotable or rotatable on the axis while holding the double-action friction stir joining device, and
wherein the control device operates the robot in (E) so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device, and the outer circumferential surface of the pin member and/or the outer circumferential surface of the shoulder member contacts the dressing member while pivoting the double-action friction stir joining device.

9. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the double-action friction stir joining device is formed in a cylindrical shape, and further includes a clamp member into which the pin member and the shoulder member are inserted,
wherein the cleaning mechanism further includes a second rotary driver configured to rotate the dressing member, and
wherein the control device is configured to:
(B1) operate the second rotary driver so that the dressing member rotates;
(F) operate the tool driver so that the pin member and the shoulder member are thrusted into the clamp member; and
(G) operate the robot so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device and the dressing member contacts the inner circumferential surface of the clamp member.

10. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning mechanism further includes an assisting member having an assisting part configured to be insertable into an interior space of the shoulder member, and an operating part configured to reciprocate the assisting part along the axis, and
wherein the control device is adapted in (A) to operate the robot so that the tip-end face of the pin member contacts a tip end of the assisting part, and operate the operating part so as to be synchronized with the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into the shoulder member while a movement of the pin member being assisted by the assisting part during thrusting of the pin member into the shoulder member.

11. The double-action friction stir joining system of claim 1 , wherein the cleaning mechanism further includes an assisting member having an assisting part configured to be insertable into an interior space of the shoulder member, an operating part configured to reciprocate the assisting part along the axis, and a controller configured to control the operating part,
wherein the control device is adapted in (A) to operate the robot so that the tip-end face of the pin member contacts a tip end of the assisting part, and operate the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into the shoulder member, and
wherein the controller is adapted in (A) to operate the operating part so as to be synchronized with the tool driver to assist a movement of the pin member during thrusting of the pin member into the shoulder member.

12. A method of operating a double-action friction stir joining system provided with a double-action friction stir joining device, a cleaning mechanism having a dressing member, and a robot,
wherein the double-action friction stir joining device includes:
a pin member formed in a cylindrical shape and configured to be rotatable on an axis and reciprocatable in a direction along the axis;
a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape, into which the pin member is inserted, and configured to be rotatable on the axis and reciprocatable in a direction along the axis;
a first rotary driver configured to rotate the pin member and the shoulder member on the axis; and
a tool driver configured to reciprocate the pin member and the shoulder member along the axis, respectively,

wherein the method comprises the steps of:
(A) operating the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into t

Assignees

• Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Miyake Masahiro
• Maeda Kengo
• Fukushima Masato
• Ishido Yohei

Classifications

• B23K20/125 Primary

  Rotary tool drive mechanism · CPC title

• B23K20/123

  Controlling or monitoring the welding process · CPC title

• B23K20/1255

  Tools therefor, e.g. characterised by the shape of the probe · CPC title

• B23K20/126

  Workpiece support, i.e. backing or clamping · CPC title

• B23K20/26

  Auxiliary equipment · CPC title