Metal joining using ultrasonic and reaction metallurgical welding processes

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2018281101-A1
Application number	US-201715478694-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 4, 2017
Priority date	Apr 4, 2017
Publication date	Oct 4, 2018
Grant date	—

Abstract

According to aspects of the present disclosure, a method includes selecting a faying surface of a first metal substrate, placing a reaction material on the faying surface, and attaching, prior to a second metal substrate being adjacent the first metal substrate, the reaction material to the faying surface via ultrasonic welding. The reaction material is configured to form a metallurgical joint between the faying surface and the second metal substrate adjacent the first metal substrate.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method comprising:
selecting a faying surface of a first metal substrate; placing a reaction material on the faying surface, the reaction material configured to form a metallurgical joint between the faying surface and a second metal substrate adjacent the first metal substrate; and attaching, prior to the second metal substrate being adjacent the first metal substrate, the reaction material to the faying surface via ultrasonic welding.

2 . The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
moving the second metal substrate adjacent the faying surface of the first metal substrate; compressing the reaction material between the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate; and heating the reaction material to join the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate using reaction metallurgical joining.

3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction material defines a geometry configured to control flow of molten material during a reaction metallurgical joining of the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate.

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction material is a multi-functional reaction material including an internal material and an external material, the internal material being different than the external material.

5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the internal material and the external material each contact the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate prior to heating the reaction material.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein attaching the reaction material to the faying surface via ultrasonic welding includes:
contacting a first exterior surface of the first metal substrate opposite the faying surface with an anvil; contacting a second surface of the reaction material with a welding horn; and vibrating the welding horn at a predetermined frequency to thereby ultrasonically weld the reaction material to the faying surface.

7 . The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
disposing, after attaching the reaction material to the faying surface, the second metal substrate adjacent the first metal substrate; applying a first electrode to the first metal substrate and a second electrode to the second metal substrate; and heating the reaction material via the first electrode and the second electrode to thereby form a metallurgical joint between the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate.

8 . The method of claim 6 , wherein the reaction material is a multi-functional reaction material including a first material and a second material, the first material being different than the second material, the first material configured to promote attaching the reaction material to the faying surface via ultrasonic welding, and the second material configured to promote the metallurgical joint between the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reaction material is a multi-functional reaction material including a first material and a second material, the first material having a first resistivity and a first liquidus temperature, the second material having a second resistivity and a second liquidus temperature, the first resistivity being higher than the second resistivity, the first liquidus temperature being lower than the second liquidus temperature.

10 . A method comprising:
selecting a first faying surface of a first metal substrate; placing a reaction material on the first faying surface, the reaction material configured to form a metallurgical joint between the first faying surface and a second faying surface of a second metal substrate; attaching the reaction material to the first faying surface via ultrasonic welding; disposing, after attaching the reaction material to the first faying surface, the second faying surface in contact with the reaction material; and welding the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate via fusion welding.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising compressing the reaction material between the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate, wherein welding the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate includes heating the reaction material to form a metallurgical joint between the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate.

12 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the reaction material defines a geometry configured to control flow of molten material when welding the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate.

13 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the reaction material is a multi-functional reaction material including an internal material and an external material, the internal material being different than the external material.

14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the internal material and the external material each contact the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate prior to welding the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein attaching the reaction material to the first faying surface via ultrasonic welding includes:
contacting a first exterior surface of the first metal substrate opposite the first faying surface with an anvil; contacting the reaction material with a welding horn; and vibrating the welding horn at a predetermined frequency to thereby ultrasonically weld the reaction material to the first faying surface.

16 . The method of claim 10 , wherein welding the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate via fusion welding includes:
applying a first electrode to the first metal substrate and a second electrode to the second metal substrate; and heating the reaction material via the first electrode and the second electrode to thereby form a metallurgical joint between the first metal substrate and the second metal substrate.

17 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the reaction material is a multi-functional reaction material including a first material and a second material, the first material being different than the second material, the first material configured to promote attaching the reaction material to the first faying surface via ultrasonic welding, and the second material configured to promote welding the first metal substrate to the second metal substrate via fusion welding.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the reaction material is a multi-functional reaction material including a first material and a second material, the first material having a first resistivity and a first liquidus temperature, the second material having a second resistivity and a second liquidus temperature, the first resistivity being higher than the second resistivity, the first liquidus temperature being lower than the second liquidus temperature.

19 . A method comprising:
selecting a first faying surface of a first metal substrate; placing a reaction material on the first faying surface, the reaction material configured to form a metallurgical joint between the first faying surface and a second faying surface of a second metal substrate; attaching the reaction material to the first faying surface, wherein attaching includes:
contacting a first exterior surface of the first metal substrate opposite the first faying surface with an anvil,
contacting the reaction material with a welding horn, and
vibrating the welding horn at a predetermined frequency to thereby ultrasonically weld the reaction material to the first faying surface;
disposing, after attaching the reaction material to the first faying surface, t

Assignees

• Gm Global Tech Operations Llc

Inventors

• Wang Hongliang
• Zhou Chen
• Cai Wayne W

Classifications

• B23K35/24 Primary

  Selection of soldering or welding materials proper (B23K35/34 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B23K35/22

  characterised by the composition or nature of the material · CPC title

• B23K11/00

  Resistance welding; Severing by resistance heating · CPC title

• B23K11/34

  Preliminary treatment · CPC title

• B23K20/10 Primary

  making use of vibrations, e.g. ultrasonic welding · CPC title