Method for monitoring a lateral offset of an actual weld seam configuration relative to a desired weld seam configuration, assembly and motor vehicle seat

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9649726-B2
Application number	US-201214002863-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 24, 2012
Priority date	Mar 3, 2011
Publication date	May 16, 2017
Grant date	May 16, 2017

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for monitoring a lateral offset of an actual weld seam configuration relative to a desired weld seam configuration in particular in the motor vehicle sector, comprising the following steps: a) providing at least a first structural part having a geometric deviation in the region of the desired weld seam configuration; b) guiding a laser beam along the first structural part to produce a weld seam, forming a melt pool, thereby producing the actual weld seam configuration; and c) detecting a reflection from the melt pool simultaneously with step b).

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An offset monitoring method configured for monitoring a lateral offset of an actual weld seam path relative to a target weld seam path, comprising:
providing at least a first component with a geometric deviation in the region of the target weld seam path;
guiding a laser beam along the first component to produce a weld seam with the formation of a weld pool, resulting in the actual weld seam path;
detecting a reflection from the weld pool simultaneously with the guiding a laser beam along the first component; and
detecting a change in the reflection when the laser beam travels over the geometric deviation.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geometric deviation is provided in the region of an edge of the first component.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first component is connected to a second component by way of the produced weld seam, the geometric deviation being provided in the region of a joint between the first and second components.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the weld seam is produced in the form of a flanged seam, T seam, fillet seam or I seam.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the reflection is detected by means of a detection device in the beam path of the laser beam.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geometric deviation is produced by mechanical machining, punching, turning, grinding, sawing or cutting.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the geometric deviation is configured in the form of one or more recesses along the target weld seam path.

8. The method of claim 7 , wherein:
the weld seam is produced in the form of a flanged seam, T seam, fillet seam or I seam, and for a fillet seam the recess is formed with a depth of 0.5-0.8 mm and a length of 2-10 mm, or for a flanged seam the recess is formed with a depth of 0.5-1 mm and a length of 2-10 mm, or for an I seam or T seam the recess is formed with a depth of 0.3 to 0.6 mm and a length of 2-10 mm,
wherein the diameter of the laser beam in the region of the weld pool being 0.2-0.6 mm.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the edge comprises the recess and the recess penetrates the first component in the thickness direction thereof.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the thickness of the edge being less than or equal to 4 mm, the depth of the recess being at least 0.3 mm and the length of the recess being 2-10 mm.

11. The method of claim 7 , wherein the edge comprises the recess and forms therewith a stepped region.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the thickness of the edge preferably being greater than 4 mm or the depth of the recess being at least 0.3 mm, the width of the recess being at least 3 mm or the length of the recess being 2 to 10 mm.

Assignees

• Seidel Torsten
• Bladowski Christof
• Brose Fahrzeugteile

Inventors

• Seidel Torsten
• Bladowski Christof

Classifications

• B23K26/03 Primary

  Observing, e.g. monitoring, the workpiece · CPC title

• B23K2201/006

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• B23K2203/04

  Operations & Transport · mapped topic

• Y10T403/478

  Cross-Sectional Technologies · mapped topic

• B23K26/032

  using optical means · CPC title