Adaptive friction element weld process and control

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022324051-A1
Application number	US-202117225399-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 8, 2021
Priority date	Apr 8, 2021
Publication date	Oct 13, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A method of installing a friction element includes driving the friction element through a top panel and friction welding the friction element to a bottom panel. At least one additional panel may or may not be between the top panel and the bottom panel. Also, at least one key friction element weld (FEW) parameter is controlled during installing of the friction element, at least one key FEW parameter is monitored during installing of the friction element, and the at least one key FEW controlled parameter is adjusted in real-time as a function of and in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter exhibiting completion of at least one key FEW process characteristic. Non-limiting examples of the at least one key FEW controlled parameter include RPM of the friction element and insertion force applied to the friction element.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of installing a friction element, the method comprising:
driving the friction element through at least a top panel and welding the friction element to a bottom panel using a friction element weld (FEW) machine; controlling at least one key FEW controlled parameter of the FEW machine during installation of the friction element, wherein the at least one key FEW controlled parameter is at least one of RPM of the friction element and applied insertion force on the friction element; monitoring at least one key FEW monitored parameter of the FEW machine during installation of the friction element, wherein the at least one key FEW monitored parameter is at least one of torque of an electric motor rotating the friction element, time during installation of the friction element, energy consumption during installation of the friction element, electric current of the electric motor during installation of the friction element, and electric current of a servo-motor during installation of the friction element; and adjusting the at least one key FEW controlled parameter of the FEW machine in real-time as a function of and in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter exhibiting completion of at least one key FEW process characteristic such that the friction element is adaptively installed based on the adjusting of the at least one key FEW controlled parameter of the FEW machine.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the driving and welding of the friction element comprises rotating, with an electric motor, and applying an insertion force to, with a servo-motor, a bit that is engaged with the friction element.

3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one key FEW characteristic is at least one of movement of a friction element shaft through the top panel, penetration of a distal end of the friction element through the top panel, cleaning debris from the bottom panel with the distal end of the friction element, removing a coating on an upper surface of the bottom panel with the distal end of the friction element, welding of the friction element to the bottom panel, and deformation of the friction element after welding during insertion.

4 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising comparing the at least one key FEW monitored parameter with at least one stored key FEW monitored parameter and adjusting the at least one key FEW controlled parameter in real-time as a function of the comparison.

5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the at least one stored key FEW monitored parameter is provided from a remote database.

6 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising installing a plurality of friction elements and collecting and storing the at least one key FEW controlled parameter during the installation of the plurality of friction elements in a remote database.

7 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising installing a plurality of friction elements and collecting and storing the at least one key FEW monitored parameter during the installation of the plurality of friction elements in a remote database.

8 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising generating an alert in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter signaling a failure to complete the at least one key FEW process characteristic.

9 . The method according to claim 8 , wherein the at least one key FEW monitored parameter comprises the torque not increasing during a predefined portion of the installation of the friction element.

10 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising generating an alert in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter signaling overfilling of an underhead of the friction element.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the at least one key FEW monitored parameter signaling overfilling of an underhead of the friction element comprises a spiked increase in energy consumption during installing of the friction element.

12 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein:
the driving and friction welding of the friction element comprises rotating a bit with an electric motor and applying an insertion force onto the bit with a servo-motor, wherein the bit is engaged with the friction element, and the at least one key FEW process characteristic comprises at least one of movement of a friction element shaft through the top panel, penetration of a distal end of the friction element through the top panel, cleaning debris from the bottom panel with the distal end of the friction element, removing a coating on an upper surface of the bottom panel with the distal end of the friction element, welding of the friction element to the bottom panel, and deformation of the friction element during insertion.

13 . The method according to claim 12 , wherein the exhibiting completion of the at least one key FEW process characteristic is a change in the torque.

14 . The method according to claim 13 , wherein the RPM of the bit is adjusted in real-time as a function of the change in torque.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the applied insertion force on the bit is adjusted in real-time as a function as of the change in torque.

16 . A method of installing a friction element, the method comprising:
driving the friction element through at least a top panel and welding the friction element to a bottom panel using a friction element weld (FEW) machine using an electric motor to rotate the friction element at one or more predefined RPMs and a servo-motor to apply one or more axial insertion forces to the friction element; controlling at least one key FEW controlled parameter of the FEW machine during installation of the friction element, wherein the at least one key FEW controlled parameter is at least one of RPM of the friction element and applied insertion force on the friction element; monitoring at least one key FEW monitored parameter of the FEW machine during installation of the friction element, wherein the at least one key FEW monitored parameter is at least one of torque of the electric motor rotating the friction element, time during installation of the friction element, energy consumption during installation the friction element, electric current of the electric motor during installation of the friction element, and electric current of the servo-motor during installation of the friction element; adjusting the at least one key FEW controlled parameter of the FEW machine in real-time as a function of and in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter exhibiting completion of at least one key FEW process characteristic such that the friction element is adaptively installed based on the adjusting of the at least one key FEW controlled parameter of the FEW machine; and generating an alert in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter signaling a failure to complete the at least one key FEW process characteristic.

17 . The method according to claim 16 further comprising generating an alert in response to the at least one key FEW monitored parameter signaling overfilling of an underhead of the friction element.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the at least one key FEW monitored parameter signaling overfilling of an underhead of the friction element comprises a spiked increase in energy consumption during installing of the friction element.

19 . A method of installing a friction element, the method comprising:
driving the friction element through at least a t

Assignees

• Ford Global Tech Llc

Inventors

• Huff Garret Sankey
• Freis Amanda Kay

Classifications

• B23K20/127 Primary

  Friction stir welding involving a mechanical connection · CPC title

• B23K20/123

  Controlling or monitoring the welding process · CPC title

• B23K20/121 Primary

  Control circuits therefor · CPC title

• B23K20/26

  Auxiliary equipment · CPC title

• B23K20/122 Primary

  using a non-consumable tool, e.g. friction stir welding · CPC title