DE102013218275A1 - Method for welding both aluminum to aluminum panels and steel to steel panels using single weld gun, involves cleaning/dressing weld electrodes to remove any buildup of aluminum on electrodes, and rebutting protruding rings of ridges - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves providing a resistance spot welder with a pair of weld electrodes having electrode face radius of curvature in specific range. An electrode face is provided with several concentric circular ridges protruding from electrode face from 20 micrometers to 200 micrometers in height. A series of aluminum to aluminum is welded, and series of steel to steel is welded. Weld electrodes are cleaned and dressed to remove any buildup of aluminum on the electrodes. The protruding rings of ridges are configured to recut from 20 micrometers to 200 micrometers in height.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to butt welding of metal sheets and, more particularly, to a method of resistance welding together of both aluminum and aluminum panels as well as steel to steel panels using a single welding tongs.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Automotive body manufacturing steps include joining two sheet metal layers by resistance spot welding. The spot welding step is typically accomplished by assembling the sheet metal panels in a suitable tightening or other clamping device and then pressing welding electrodes against opposite sides of adjacent metal sheets. The welding electrodes both provide the clamping force and also transport the welding current to the point of contact with the metal panels.

The welding gun is typically operated by a robot so that a sequence of welds can be made in a particular manufacturing cell. The manufacturing efficiency requires that the welds be made in a very rapid sequence as quickly as possible, thereby reducing the number of welders and robots required to assemble the vehicle body.

Modern automotive vehicles typically can use both steel panels and aluminum panels to optimize the strength and weight characteristics of the vehicle body. Thus, the welding steps for a vehicle body may include both welding aluminum panels to aluminum panels and welding steel panels to steel panels. Steel panels are often galvanized with a zinc coating as a corrosion inhibitor.

As for spot welding of steel, it is known that a copper electrode over a number of weld joints will soften and mold in the mold due to the combined effect of the clamping pressure, high temperature and alloying of the copper with the galvanized steel surface. Accordingly, it has been recognized in the art that when the copper electrode is used to weld steel or galvanized steel, the electrode must be periodically dressed to reshape the electrode to extend its life and maintain weld quality.

As for the use of a copper electrode for welding aluminum panels, it is known that accumulation of aluminum from the aluminum sheet on the electrode surface may result in the formation of a Cu-Al eutectic having a low melting point, eventually dimpling the surface of the electrode produced. In order to minimize the pitting reaction, it has been recognized in the art that the surface of the copper electrode used to weld the aluminum panels must be renewed occasionally to remove the contaminants from their surface.

In terms of welding aluminum to aluminum, this is what it looks like U.S. Patent 6,861,609 issued to the assignee of this invention, that the electrode surface is patterned by blasting with small-grain particles or loops with a coarse abrasive paper to clean and restore the surface of the copper electrode. In addition, patent application US Ser. No. 11,536,001, filed Sep. 28, 2006, and also assigned to the assignee of this invention, discloses a method of using a tool to finish the tip of the copper electrode and create a series of concentric rings thereon. The cutting or dressing of the surface during the formation of the concentric rings was designed to both clean the electrode surface and to produce a structure.

Thus, while the prior art has developed techniques for welding steel to steel and techniques for welding aluminum to aluminum, welding of steel to steel and aluminum to aluminum using welding tongs has not heretofore been accomplished for two main reasons. First, welding electrodes designed for spot welding one of the materials are typically unsuitable for spot welding the other material. For example, a ball-and-socket electrode used for spot-welding steel causes excessive metal deformation and expulsion of the weld metals when used to spot-weld aluminum. Second, contamination of aluminum panels by ferrous particles carried by the welding electrode could cause galvanic corrosion and premature aging of the panels.

It would therefore be desirable to provide further improvements in the welding process such that a single welding gun using the same pair of copper electrodes makes welded joints from steel to steel panels as well as aluminum to aluminum panels without causing the above problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A method of welding a plurality of aluminum to aluminum welds and a plurality of steel to steel welds using the same welder includes providing a resistance spot welder with a pair of welding electrodes having an electrode surface radius of curvature in the range between 20 mm and 40 mm , The electrode material is chosen with sufficient high temperature resistance so that the steel welding process does not unduly soften the electrode and does not affect the effectiveness of the structure used for aluminum spot welding. The series of aluminum on aluminum welds is made, and then, after finishing the aluminum on aluminum welds, the series of steel is made on welded steel joints. After completion of the steel on welded steel joints, the welding electrodes are cleaned with an abrasive to remove any accumulation or contamination of iron on the electrodes. If the electrodes are mushroomed then trimming of the electrodes is provided and then the grinding cleaning is performed to restore the surface texture.

Further fields of application of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description provided hereinafter. It should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating exemplary embodiments of the invention, are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 Fig. 2 is a schematic illustration of a welder using the welding electrodes of this invention in spot welding both aluminum to aluminum and steel to steel.

2 a perspective view of an electrode for use in the practice of this invention.

3 a side elevational view of the electrode of 2 with broken parts is.

4 is a side elevation view of a pair of electrodes that is cleaned and restructured with a grinding wheel.

5 Another side elevational view of the pair of electrodes is cleaned and restructured with a grinding wheel.

6 Another side elevational view of a pair of electrodes is cleaned and restructured with a grinding wheel.

7 Figure 3 is a perspective view of another embodiment of an electrode for use in the practice of this invention.

8th a side elevational view of the electrode of 7 with parts broken away and in cross section.

9 an enlarged section of 8th is.

10 is a side elevational view of a pair of electrodes, which is cleaned and trimmed with a cutting knife.

11 another side elevational view of a pair of electrodes is cleaned and trimmed with a cutting knife.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

1 Fig. 3 is a schematic illustration of a side view of a representative spot welding gun 10 with the associated devices used in spot welding steps. In such an operation, an arrangement of two or more metal sheets to be welded is made 13 and 14 from a transport device or other device for the welding gun device 10 prepared and delivered to this. The welding gun device 10 is typically attached to a robot, which is the welding gun device 10 along the sheet metal panels 13 and 14 moved to quickly accomplish a sequence of individual electrical resistance welding joints. The metal panels 13 and 14 Both can be made of aluminum or both can be made of steel.

In 1 are the metal plates 13 and 14 between a pair of axially aligned and opposing electrodes 16 and 18 a welding gun arm 20 shown floating. The pliers arm 20 is in the configuration of a C so that the opposing electrodes 16 and 18 can be brought to opposite sides of the metal panels 13 and 14 to carry and to this press. In the arrangement shown is the electrode 16 on a shaft 17 fastened in a holder 22 which is attached to a fixed arm 24 of the welding gun arm 20 is appropriate. The other electrode 18 is on a shaft 19 attached and in another holder 26 used on an air cylinder or servomotor 28 worn. The air cylinder or servomotor 28 is suitable for the electrode 18 axially into clamping engagement with the outer surface of the panel 14 to move. A high pressure air source from a remote source, not shown, supplies air via a programmable air regulator 30 over an air line 32 to the cylinder 28 to provide a clamping force. Alternatively, servomotor control provides power and voltage to the servomotor to provide pinch. During a spot welding sequence, the timely application of compressed air is put on the air cylinder 28 or the movement of the servomotor the bracket 26 before, so the electrode 18 the sheets 13 and 14 with a force of the order of 500 to 1500 pounds against the fixed electrode 16 pressed.

The welding tongs 20 , which is typically attached to the end of a robotic arm, is equipped with a robotic welding controller 34 connected. The controller 34 influences and operates the programmable air regulator 30 and also a welding controller 36 , The welding controller 36 controls the passage of primary welding current to the welding transformer, which supplies power to the electrodes. On the order of the welding controller 36 becomes primary current via a primary power line 38 to the welding transformer 40 delivered. The welding transformer 40 Converts the primary current into a secondary welding current of lower voltage and higher current, which then via a secondary power line 42 and the electrode holder 26 as well as the conductive pliers arm 20 and the electrode holder 22 provided.

Turning now 2 to, here is a single structure of a copper electrode 16 in particular, designed to accomplish both welding together of steel panels and welding aluminum panels together. As in 2 to see, points the electrode 16 a round body 50 with a frusto-conical, conical end 52 on. The body 50 has a hollow receptacle 51 which is suitable for a shaft 17 for insertion into the electrode holder 22 take. The welding surface 54 the frustoconical, conical end 52 is arched. In particular, it was found that the radius of curvature of the curvature of the electrode welding surface 54 should be between 20mm and 40mm to provide an electrode that is effective to make both the aluminum on aluminum weld joints and the steel on welded steel joints. It was also found that the diameter "B" of the curved welding surface 54 the electrode 16 . 3 , is a feature of the welding electrode assembly, and that the diameter of the electrode welding surface 54 with the desired lens size, the aluminum is related to aluminum weld joint. The minimum allowable lens diameter for aluminum to aluminum is approximately 4 × (t) ^1/2 , where t is the thickness of the thinner sheet of aluminum in a stack of two sheets of aluminum. It was found that the diameter B of the welding surface 54 should be at least 1.5 mm larger than the permissible lens diameter, and the diameter of the electrode welding surface 54 should preferably be at least 3 mm larger than the permissible lens diameter. As an example, when the thinner one of the aluminum sheets is 1 mm thick, the lens diameter for welding the 1-mm-thick aluminum sheet should be 4 × (t) ^1/2 = 4 mm, 4 mm, and then the diameter would be welding surface 54 4 mm plus at least 1.5 mm. Thus, the diameter B would be 5.5 mm in diameter. Or the diameter of the welding surface 54 would preferably be 4 mm plus 3 mm, so that the diameter would be 7 mm.

In addition, it was found that the electrode surface 54 should be patterned to provide a surface roughness in the range of 2 microns to 50 microns to penetrate the tough adherent oxide present on the aluminum materials. In addition, it has been found that the electrode material must have high conductivity and high hardness or yield stress and must be able to withstand softening at elevated temperatures for the electrode to function successfully. The electrode flow limit should be at least 400 MPa and preferably over 500 megapascals (MPa) for the structure to have sufficient durability in use. The alloy must withstand softening when exposed to the high temperatures encountered during spot welding of steel. It has been found that the alloy must not soften at a temperature of at least 400 ° C, and preferably more than 500 ° C. Finally, the alloy must have sufficient electrical conductivity to prevent overheating during the passage of the high welding current required for the aluminum. This must be a conductivity of more than 80% according to the International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS) and preferably more than 90% IACS.

In addition, it has been found that during welding steps where (the use of) a single welding tongs is used, To make welds in both aluminum panels and steel panels, this should include the completion of all aluminum on aluminum welds before the steel is made on welded steel joints. In particular, it has been found that making the steel on steel weld will cause the accumulation of zinc and iron contaminants on the copper electrodes, which are then transferred to the aluminum sheets and interfere with obtaining an effective corrosion resistant weld in the aluminum sheet. However, although aluminum is taken up by the electrode during the manufacture of the aluminum on aluminum weld joint, it has been found that the contamination of the steel weld joint with aluminum is not as problematic as the contamination of the aluminum weld joint with the zinc and iron. Accordingly, it is found that the sequence of aluminum on aluminum welds should be completed prior to making the steel on welded steel joints, thereby avoiding the condition in which an impurity resulting from the steel to steel welds is applied to the aluminum Aluminum welded joints could be transferred. In addition, making the steel on steel welds destroys the structuring faster than making the aluminum on aluminum welds, thus also indicating that the aluminum should be made on aluminum welds before the steel is made on welded steel joints.

It is also noted that subsequent to establishing the sequence of steel on steel welds, the electrodes should then be cleaned and patterned before the aluminum on aluminum welds is restarted. Cleaning and patterning the electrodes from aluminum to aluminum welding ensures that no iron or zinc contamination is transferred from the galvanized steel panels to the aluminum panels, and that the electrode has a structure suitable for aluminum welding.

In addition, if long aluminum welding is to be expected, the aluminum welding may be temporarily stopped and an intermediate cleaning and structuring step may be undertaken to restore the structure and remove any accumulation of aluminum, thus preventing corrosion and pitting on the electrode surface 54 to avoid that can be caused if too much aluminum to aluminum welded joints are tried.

This cleaning / structuring of the welding electrodes can most effectively be achieved by using a flexible abrasive medium, such as a grinder. As a rubber-coated silicone disc, a Scotch-Brite disc or a stainless steel wire disc can be accomplished to both clean the electrodes and restore the desired surface texture. Thus, the welding gun robot aligns the welding gun with the abrasive material, and then the abrasive material can be rotated against the electrode surface. Alternatively, the abrasive material may be held stationary and the robot may rotate or translate the electrode surface over the surface of a fixed abrasive material. The abrasive both removes the accumulation of aluminum and also creates a series of grooves or bumps in the surface to produce the desired surface texture. The cleaning process must remove all the contaminants that have accumulated and do so in a short enough time not to disturb the production.

4 shows the example of a disc 56 from a flexible medium, on a horizontal shaft 58 rotates, with the opposing electrodes 16 and 18 on the wreath 64 the disc 56 from the flexible medium. The robot can use the electrodes 16 and 18 back and forth in the direction of the arrows 68 rotate, leaving the entire curved surface of the surface 54 the electrodes evenly with the garland 64 the disc 56 from the flexible medium in contact.

5 shows another example of a rigid grinding wheel 74 standing on a horizontal shaft 78 rotates, with the opposing electrodes 16 and 18 on the opposite surfaces 80 and 82 the rotating grinding wheel 74 press. In 5 is the grinding wheel 74 a rigid grinding wheel with grooves 84 and 86 with a curved bottom that coincides with the curvature of the electrode surface 54 match. The robot can use the electrodes 16 and 18 back and forth in the direction of the arrows 88 rotate so that the entire surface of the electrode surface 54 the electrodes 16 and 18 evenly with the surfaces 80 and 82 the grinding wheel 74 will be in contact.

6 shows another example of a rotating grinding wheel 90 in a rotating gear 92 is held on an axis 96 which coextensively rotates with the axis of the opposite electrodes 16 and 18 coincides, which on the opposite surfaces 98 and 100 the rotating grinding wheel 90 press. In 6 can the grinding wheel 90 a rigid grinding wheel with grooves 104 and 106 with a curved bottom coinciding with the curvature of the electrode surface 54 match. Or the grinding wheel can be one be flexible medium that yields to the curved shape of the electrode surface.

In addition, it has been found that the method should include monitoring the electrodes for the occurrence of mushrooming, which typically occurs due to the high temperatures and pressures encountered during spot welding of steel. The easiest way to monitor it is to use a robotic servo tongs with sensors to monitor the servo piston stroke. The length of each electrode can be determined by making the robot move the fixed electrode into contact with a reference block, such as a reference block. B. to bring a fixed to a fixed location block of steel. The monitoring of the robot motion required to contact the fixed electrode will give the length of the fixed electrode. Closing the servo tongs and monitoring the piston movement will result in the length of the movable electrode. Comparing the electrode length with that determined at an earlier time point is used to determine the shortening of the electrode due to the pruning. Once one of the electrodes has reached a predetermined degree of shortening, the electrodes would be redrawn and a new reference length point determined. For servo tongs that are not attached to robots, forceps closure may still determine the electrode length change, however, closing will result in the total change in both electrodes rather than the length change of individual electrodes. The determination of the electrode length would preferably be done while the panels would be transported between stations and no welding would take place on the way. The extent of the shortening would preferably not exceed 0.1 mm before the trimming is initiated. Alternatively, the robot controller would be designed to track the number of welds produced, particularly the steel welds, and to initiate trimming at a predetermined count. The electrodes are dressed to the shape of 2 restore. The electrode dressing means and processes for returning the shape of the electrode back to that of 2 are known in the art. The dressing step removes in particular the mushroomed material and provides the desired surface diameter and radius of curvature of the electrode surface 54 come back. After trimming to restore the correct shape, the electrodes are again abraded with the abrasive material to restore the desired textured surface.

7 . 8th and 9 show a further embodiment of the invention. In 7 and 8th has a copper electrode 116 a round body 150 with a frusto-conical, conical end 152 on. The body 150 has a hollow receptacle 151 which is suitable for a shaft 17 for insertion into the electrode holder 22 take. A welding surface 154 the frustoconical, conical end 152 is arched. As with the embodiments of 1 to 6 it was found that the radius of curvature of the curvature of the electrode welding surface 154 should be between 20mm and 40mm to provide an electrode that is effective to make both the aluminum on aluminum weld joints and the steel on welded steel joints.

As in 7 . 8th and 9 you can see, is the welding surface 154 the electrode 116 machined to several concentrically arranged annular elevations 160 to create that from the welding surface 154 protrude. In particular, a plurality of annular ridges, as in the example of FIG 7 . 8th and 9 can be seen, increases 160a . 160b . 160c . 160d and 160e , As it is in 9 can be seen, the annular ridges are each by a height "H", ranging from 20 microns to 200 microns, from the welding surface 154 and a distance "S" from increase to increase is in the range of 80 μm to 1500 μm. The width W of an annular ridge is in the range of 40 μm to 2000 μm.

The annular elevations 160 are preferably a round cross-sectional shape, as in 9 you can see. Alternatively, the annular ridges 160 be more triangular or rectangular in cross-section. Although 7 . 8th and 9 5 show concentric elevations, it will be appreciated that either a greater number or a fewer number of concentric elevations may be used, depending on the variations in the width of the annular elevations and the spacing between the annular elevations.

As with the example of 1 to 6 will the electrode of 7 . 8th and 9 after preparing the sequence of steel on welded steel joints and before restarting the production of the aluminum on aluminum welded joints and cleaned. With reference to 10 . 11 and 12 a mechanism for cleaning and dressing the electrodes is shown. In particular shows 10 the example where a trimming tool 162 a cutting edge 164 includes an upper cutting surface 166 for cleaning and dressing a first electrode and a lower cutting surface 168 for simultaneous cleaning and dressing of the welding surface 154 a second electrode. The cutting edge 164 is rapidly rotated between the electrodes by a drive mechanism, not shown, typically while the electrodes remain attached to the welding gun. Or alternatively, the electrodes may be positioned in a fixture and relative to a fixed blade 164 be rotated quickly.

In 11 has the dressing tool 162 a cutting edge 164 on that a groove 164a with an upper cutting surface 166a and a lower cutting surface 168b and a groove 164b with an upper cutting surface 166b and a lower cutting surface 168b having. Accordingly, it can be seen that the dressing tool of 11 a larger contact area with the welding surface 154 having the electrodes and cleaning and dressing the annular ridges 160 the welding surface 154 can be faster.

It can be seen that the welding process using the electrode 116 from 7 - 9 is applied using the same process parameters as described herein when using the electrode of 2 and 3 are described. During welding operations, where a single welding gun is used to make welds on both aluminum panels and steel panels, it should include the completion of all aluminum to aluminum welds before the steel is made on welded steel joints. Subsequently, the welding surface 154 cleaned and dressed before the next sequence of aluminum is made on aluminum welds. In addition, the yield strength of the copper electrode is 116 preferably above 500 MPa, the electrode is made of a copper alloy which does not soften at a temperature of 400 ° C, and the electrode has an electrical conductivity greater than 80% IACS conductivity, and preferably greater than 90% IACS.

It will thus be seen that the invention provides a new and improved welding method capable of accomplishing the welding of both aluminum and aluminum panels to steel panels with a single welding gun in a single manufacturing cell.

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• US 6861609 [0007]

Claims (10)

A method of welding a plurality of aluminum to aluminum and a plurality of steel to steel resistive electrode welded joints using the same welding apparatus, comprising: a spot welder having a pair of welding electrodes having an electrode surface radius of curvature in the range between 20 millimeters and 40 millimeters, and the electrode surface having a plurality of concentric annular ridges protruding from the electrode surface with a height of 20 microns to 200 microns, first a series of aluminum is made on aluminum welded joints; after finishing the aluminum on welded aluminum joints afterwards a series of steel is made on welded steel joints; after finishing the steel on welded steel joints, thereafter cleaning and trimming the welding electrodes to remove any accumulation of aluminum on the electrodes and to re-cut the protruding rings of the ridges at a height of 20 microns to 200 microns before a next one Series of aluminum is started on aluminum welded joints. The method of welding of claim 1, further comprising, if the electrodes are mushroomed, then the electrodes are dressed. The method of claim 1, further comprising, after completing the steel on steel welds, measuring the electrodes to determine the extent of mushrooming of the electrode, and when an uptake is detected, the electrodes are then re-dressed before the electrodes be restructured. The method of claim 1, further comprising the yield strength of the copper electrode being at least 400 MPa. The method of claim 1 further comprising the yield strength of the copper electrode preferably greater than 500 MPa. The method of claim 1, further comprising that the electrodes are made of a copper alloy that does not soften at a temperature of 400 ° C. The method of claim 1, further comprising the electrode having an electrical conductivity of greater than 80% IACS conductivity, and more preferably greater than 90% IACS. The method of claim 1, further comprising performing the cleaning and trimming by a cutting knife. The method of claim 1, further comprising the distance from increasing to increasing the concentric annular ridges being in the range of 80 μm to 1500 μm. The method of claim 1, further comprising the width of an annular ridge being in the range between 40 μm to 2000 μm.

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