EP2018243A2

EP2018243A2 - Energy beam brazing or welding of components

Info

Publication number: EP2018243A2
Application number: EP07725079A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Jochen Schneegans; Martin Kraft
Original assignee: EDAG GmbH and Co KGaA
Current assignee: EDAG GmbH and Co KGaA
Priority date: 2006-05-10
Filing date: 2007-05-10
Publication date: 2009-01-28
Also published as: WO2007128586A2; US8686314B2; US20100233508A1; EP2036654B1; WO2007128586A3; EP2036654A2; DE102006021755A1; EP2036654A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for brazing or welding components in a serial production, preferably for the joining of vehicle chassis parts, with a) generation of a fixed joint (11) connecting the components (1, 2) along a joint formed by the components (1, 2) by fusion of a joint material (3), introduced as an auxiliary material or formed from the base material of the components (1, 2) and b) a volume -forming layer (12) of joint material (3) is applied to the fixed joint (11) by fusion, or the fixed joint (11) generated form joint material introduced as auxiliary material is remelted.

Description

Energy beam soldering or welding of components

The invention relates to a method for soldering or welding of components, preferably sheets, in a series production, created by soldering or welding component assembly, a production line for joining components including a soldering or welding manufacturing stage and finally a particular for the Carrying out the process suitable tool head. The invention can be used in particular in the mass production of vehicle body parts for soldering or welding of body panels used. It is particularly suitable for joining metal sheets of the outer skin of vehicles, for example a side part with a roof part or an outer panel with an inner panel of an attachment, such as a door or tailgate.

In the assembly of bodyshells of automobiles, body panels, for example body side panels and roofs, are joined together by laser beam soldering or laser beam welding. The body panels to be joined together are clamped relative to each other in a joining position and then soldered or welded. In modern production lines, there is only limited time available for the soldering or welding process, which suffers from the quality of the soldering or welding seam to be produced. On the other hand, the soldering or welding seam must be tight and have a smooth outer surface. In particular, the seam must not be penetrated by tubular pores.

A method and an apparatus for laser beam soldering or laser beam welding are known, for example, from DE 100 06 852 C5. A soldering or welding wire, from which the soldering or welding seam is produced, also serves as a contact probe, by means of which the device, when the method is carried out, is guided along a path between the workpieces to be joined. piece formed joint is guided. Further methods and devices are described in DE 198 03 734 C2 and DE 10 2004 028 787 A1.

It is an object of the invention, in spite of the limited time available in mass production, to enable the production of a high-quality soldering or welding seam which connects the components.

The task is solved by the splitting of the soldering or welding process in several, preferably exactly two process steps, which are performed sequentially. In a first process step, along a joint formed by the components to be joined, a fixing seam is produced which melts a connecting material and fixes the geometry of the desired component assembly. The connecting material is preferably a soldering or welding material, which is supplied as a filler material. In principle, however, the fixing seam can also be produced by fusing only one base material of the components, in that the components themselves provide the connecting material. In a subsequent second process step, a volume-forming layer of this bonding material is applied, ie melted, in a preferred first variant by melting a bonding material. The bonding materials of the two process steps should have melting points at least close to each other and metallurgically similar to each other so far that they connect firmly with each other in the application of the volume-forming layer. Preferably, the same compound material is used in the two process steps. The two process steps can be performed simultaneously along the same joint, for example with a leading and a trailing tool. However, the two process steps are preferably carried out separately by the second process step being carried out along the same joint only after the complete execution of the first process step. Instead of melting further bonding material onto the previously created fixing seam in the second process step, the second process step in an alternative second process variant consists only in a remelting of the fixing seam without additional application of material. In the second variant, the fixing seam is produced by means of additional material and, in the second process step, this connecting material of the fixing seam is heated to such an extent that it extends over at least its entire outer surface and a near-surface depth. densely compressed and at least in the compressed depth range has a material structure that satisfies the quality requirements imposed on the soldering or welding seam in terms of porosity and the rest, in particular forms a smooth surface and at least not the ready-seam penetrating hose pores, but at most closed pores. As a result, the invention comprises at least two process steps, and in at least one of these process steps, connecting material in the form of an additional material is supplied and melted in the relevant process step. In preferred embodiments, a connecting material is supplied as filler material both in the first process step and in the second process step.

The Fixiernaht need only fix the components relative to each other in a joining position and can therefore be relieved of all other functions. In particular, it does not already have to meet the porosity requirements. Accordingly, the fixing seam can be produced at a greater rate of progress than conventional soldering or welding seams, which are produced as a finished seam in a single process step. The Fixiernaht could be performed in fulfillment of geometriebildenden function basically as a stitching or stitching, ie as a discontinuous seam with interruptions, but it is preferably produced as a continuous seam. Since no special requirements have to be placed on the quality of the material structure of the fixing seam, in particular the absence of pores or at least low pores, the fixing seam can advantageously be produced continuously continuously in the longitudinal direction of the joint. If the fixing seam is produced as a stitching seam, however, the interruptions in the seam are only so long that, despite the interruptions, the geometry-forming function is fulfilled and it is ensured that the components can not be separated from one another along the joint, if they are only visible via the joint the Fixiernaht be held together. The Fixiernaht is continuous at least in the sense and no stapling in the broadest sense. The production of a fixing seam that forms a geometry also has the advantage that the components that are already geometry-retaining, ie geometrically preserved in the above-mentioned sense, no longer have to be tensioned for the completion of the seam, but the components can already be relaxed after the fixing seam has been produced, so that in the subsequent second process step unhindered by tensioners of a clamping device, the volume-forming layer applied or the fixing seam can be remelted. In terms of time pressure Advantageously still comes into play, that it does not matter in the production of the fixing seam to bring in the use of filler material, the entire volume of a finished seam in the joint. In the preferred first variant of the method, advantageously even more connecting material is introduced during the production of the volume-forming layer. If the production speed for the fixing seam can already be increased because of the reduced quality requirement, the production rate can be further increased by reducing the connecting material to be introduced per unit length.

The volume-forming layer or the compressive remelting is preferably produced with a lower feed rate than the fixing seam along the joint, which feed rate can correspond to the usual feed rate for conventional joining seams. The volume-forming layer is the cover seam in the preferably two-layered finished seam and can be produced with a very smooth outer surface and low porosity because of the lower production speed or feed rate compared to the fixing seam. If soldering or welding material is introduced as a filler material in two steps, the soldering or welding material to be introduced into the joint can be reduced per process step, whereby the volume-forming layer, in principle the Fixiernaht, with higher production speed, but the same quality as conventional seams or can be generated at the same production rate in higher quality or can. In the case of the fixing seam, this gain in flexibility is preferably converted into a higher production rate, while preference is given to increasing the quality of the volume-forming layer.

The term of the joint is broadly defined within the meaning of the invention, but is preferably a butt joint or zero joint along which the components abut one another. Thus, the joint may have a V-shape, it may also be, for example, an overlapping shock, a corner joint, or possibly also a multiple impact of components. Accordingly, the finished seam can be, for example, a V-seam, a fillet weld or another seam shape. The joint can thus be formed in basically any form between mutually facing flanks of the components to be joined. The relevant flanks form the joint edges. The soldering or welding method used is preferably laser beam soldering or laser beam welding. Alternatively, however, other methods may be used in which the respective bonding material is melted by means of an energy beam. Alternatives to laser beam joining are, for example, soldering or welding by means of electron or plasma jet. In principle, it is also possible to use an arc for melting the connecting material, which in the broader sense is also understood as an energy beam.

In particular, Cu-based alloys, Al-based alloys or Fe-based alloys can be used as the soldering or welding material. Cu base alloys are primarily used for brazing steel components and Fe base alloys for welding.

The fixing seam is produced in preferred embodiments with a measured speed in the longitudinal direction of the joint, which is at least by a factor of 1.5 greater than the speed at which the volume-forming layer is produced or the fixing seam is remelted. The production rate of the fixing seam can advantageously be even twice as large as the rate of production of the volume-forming layer or the remelted fixing seam, or possibly even greater. Since in the extreme case the fixing seam is only concerned with producing a firm composite which is no longer variable with respect to the geometry, the production rate of the fixing seam can advantageously be greater than 3 m / min, which is generally the upper limit for conventionally produced Joint seams apply, since at higher speeds the quality requirements to be imposed on the finished seams can only be fulfilled with a special expense which increases costs. The Fixiernaht can certainly be applied according to the invention with a rate of advancement of up to 6 m / min or even more.

In the preferred variant, in which the volume-forming layer is applied to the fixation seam, it is also advantageous to bear in mind that the joint edges are automatically cleaned when the fixation seam is produced and the quality of the volume-forming layer is thereby increased again. In order to be able to exploit this advantage undiminished in the second process step, a joining tool carrying out the second process step is selected in a preferred embodiment. guided along the joint tactile in such a way that provided for the tactile guide contact sensor does not touch the previously produced Fixiernaht, but only on the facing joint edges abfährt, ie contacted only the left and right seam edge in the guide contact to the Fixiernaht however, has a clearance. As an alternative to such a two-point guidance, wherein the contact may also take place linearly or in a narrow strip, the tool known from DE 100 06 852 C5, for example, could also be used. The use of a conventional contact sensor is basically also conceivable, although then there is a risk of partial contamination of the previously cleaned by the first process step joining environment. The preferred two-point guidance can also be realized with advantage for the guidance of a joining tool executing the first process step. Furthermore, the two-point guidance is also advantageous for the second process variant, the remelting of the fixing seam. The contact sensor forms on two opposite outer sides depending on a contact point, which is preferably punctiform or linienfbrmig or optionally strip-shaped. The contact points have in the transverse direction of the joint from each other at a distance which is greater than the also measured in the transverse direction width of the outer surface of the volume-forming layer or at least greater than the width of the outer surface of the previously produced Fixiernaht. If the joining tool is preferably equipped with a wire feed for wire solder or welding material, the distance between the contact points of the contact probe is greater than the thickness of the wire; preferably it is at least a factor of 1.5 greater than the thickness of the wire.

In addition to the method, the invention also relates to a component composite which can be produced by means of the method as such. The B auteil verbünd comprises at least two components and a component connecting the soldering or welding seam. The soldering or welding seam produced according to the invention is multi-layered according to the preferred first variant of the method, but can also be only single-layered in the second variant of the method. The multilayer variant is preferably exactly double-layered with a lower layer formed by the connecting material of the fixing seam and a cover layer formed by the volume-forming layer and a part of the fixing seam. A characteristic of the multilayer finished seam is a melting line which can be recognized in the cross-section of the seam. The melting line is created by applying the volume-forming layer. When applying the bonding material is the Fixiernaht remelted at least in a bordering on the volume-forming position depth range. The melting line separates the remelted depth range from the still remaining depth range of the fixing seam. The finished seam produced in the second variant of the method can likewise have a fusion line, if in fact the connecting material of the fixing seam was not completely remelted during the remelting, but only in the depth region adjoining the surface of the fixing seam. The finished seam produced according to one of the two variants of the method has a very low porosity, at least from its surface up to the melting line. In particular, it contains no hose pores, but at most closed pores. The largest of the possibly still existing pores each have a maximum volume of a ball with a diameter of 0.3 mm, preferably 0.2 mm.

The invention, which, as mentioned above, is used in series production, finally also has a production line for joining components, preferably body parts of vehicles. In such production lines groups of components to be joined together, for example, a bottom part, side panels and a roof of a body along a conveyor line successively required by joining stations or other workstations and successively joined or otherwise processed. The components to be joined together are clamped in a geometry station by means of a clamping device relative to one another in a joining position, which they are to occupy relative to one another in the component composite to be created. The respective component group is firmly grouted in the tensioned state by welding or soldering. After joining, the clamping device is released from the component assembly, so that it can be further requested in the conveyor line to the next workstation. The geometry station has for joining via one or more robots, on whose or their robotic arm or robot arms one or more joining tools is or are arranged, in the case of the invention in each case an energy-beam soldering tool or an energy-beam welding tool for producing a soldering or welding seam , The ends of the robot arms serve as actuators that move freely in space. The clamping device forms interference contours for the joining process. Furthermore, the dwell time or transit time of the respective component group in or through the geometry station is only short, typically in the range of about one minute. Much of this time is needed to clamp the components. In most applications, during the Transport is not stretched, so that even the time for transport into and out of the geometry station is to be considered. The joining process only has the remaining time left.

This is where the invention starts and generates the fixing seam in the time available.

The geometry station has at least one first actuator which is movable in space and preferably forms a robot. The first actuator is equipped with a first tool head. The first tool head is an energy beam soldering head or welding head for creating the fixing seam. The bonding material is provided in the form of a soldering or welding wire or the base material of the components. If joined with additional material, the first tool head comprises a wire guide, by means of which the wire can be guided in the wire longitudinal direction by an exit of the wire feed into the joint. The outlet may form the wire guide or a guide part of the wire guide, preferably a wire guide is provided on the path of the wire before the exit. The tool head further comprises a first energy radiator directed towards the wire tip for melting the bonding material. In that regard, the first tool head may correspond to conventional energy beam soldering heads or energy beam welding heads. However, the wire is preferably thinner than the conventionally used solder or welding wires. Preferably, the wire has a diameter of at most 1.4 mm, while previously wires with a diameter of typically 1.6 mm are used. 1.2 mm is a particularly preferred wire thickness, but can be easily reduced to 1.0 mm, possibly even below. In the conveying direction of the conveyor line behind the geometry station at least one movable in space second actuator is arranged and equipped with a second tool head. With the second tool head, the second process step according to the invention is carried out. The second tool head comprises at least a second energy emitter. If the volume-forming layer is applied in the second process step, the second tool head also comprises a wire guide and an outlet for the soldering or welding wire, from which the geometry-forming layer is formed. As for the energy radiator and the wire guide and the wire as such, the two tool heads can be made the same. If in the second process step, the fixing seam is only remelted, the wire guide can be omitted in the second tool head. The respective component group preferably stands still during the clamping and soldering or welding in the geometry station. Alternatively, however, the conveyor line can also convey it continuously or at temporarily reduced speed through the geometry station. If the component group further promoted during the stay in the geometry station, a correspondingly mobile clamping device is provided.

The second tool head is equipped in preferred embodiments with the described contact probe to guide the second tool head tactile along the joint, without touching the Fixiernaht. Such an embodiment is preferred for the second tool head with respect to both method variants.

The second actuator with the second tool head can be arranged at any point behind the geometry station. Thus, one or more other work station (s) or one or more pure buffer station (s) can be arranged along the conveyor line between the geometry station and the second actuator. The second actuator with the second tool head may be part of such a workstation or in particular a buffer station, so that in the relevant station, the second process step of the method according to the invention is carried out alone or in combination with another work. Preferably, a separate joining station is provided only for the second process step. It is also true for the second process step that the component assembly already held together by the fixing seam preferably stands still in the joining station concerned, but rather than the first process step, the component assembly can also be further conveyed during the execution of the second process step.

Although the respective energy radiator at the same time an energy beam generator and accordingly such an energy beam generator may also be part of the relevant tool head, it corresponds to preferred embodiments, when the energy beam is not generated on or in the tool head, but separately from this elsewhere. The energy beam generator, preferably a laser beam generator, which is separate from the tool head, is connected to the tool head and its energy radiator by means of an energy transmission device, preferably via an optical waveguide. The tool head adds via a corresponding connection for coupling the energy generated by the energy beam generator, preferably laser energy. If several tool heads are used, as described above with reference to the production line, although a separate energy jet generator can be provided for each of the tool heads, however, preferably a plurality of tool heads, for example the first tool head and the second tool head, each via an energy transfer device with one for the associated tool heads commonly provided energy beam generator. Such a device comprising the plurality of tool heads and the common laser beam generator preferably has the ability to supply either one of the tool heads or their energy radiator with the required energy. With more than two tool heads, it is also possible to form a plurality of groups of tool heads which are supplied by a common energy beam generator, wherein the device comprising the energy beam generator and the several groups of tool heads also preferably has the capability of optionally one of the groups with the required energy to supply.

Further advantageous features are also described in the subclaims and their combinations.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the invention will be explained with reference to figures. The features disclosed in the exemplary embodiments form each individually and in each combination of features the subject-matter of the claims and also the embodiments described above. Show it:

FIG. 1 shows a component composite with a fixing seam according to a first variant,

FIG. 2 shows the component composite with a finished seam according to the first variant,

FIG. 3 shows a component composite with a fixing seam according to a second variant,

FIG. 4 shows the component composite with a finished seam according to the second variant,

FIG. 5 shows a tool head for laser beam soldering or laser beam welding,

6 shows a contact sensor of the tool head and

FIG. 7 shows a production line for joining components. Figure 1 shows in a cross section a component composite of two components 1 and 2 and a fixing seam 11. The fixing seam 11 connects the components 1 and 2 along a joint formed joint. Of the components 1 and 2, only the two flanks are drawn, which form between them the joint and, accordingly, the joint edges. The component 1 is for example a side wall and the component 2 is a roof panel of a body shell of an automobile. The component 1 forms with its component 2 facing edge relative to the component 2 a step change. At the bottom of the joint, components 1 and 2 are in abutment. The fixing seam 11 is made of a brazing material such as a Cu alloy or an Al alloy. The Fixiernaht 11 connects the components 1 and 2 permanently firmly together and acts in this sense for the composite component geometriebildend.

FIG. 2 shows the component composite after a cover layer 12 of soldering material has been applied to the fixing seam 11 of FIG. 1 by melting. For melting the cover layer 12, the same solder material as for the fixing seam 11 is used.

The fixing seam 11 and the cover layer 12 are formed in a first process variant in two process steps. FIG. 1 shows the result of the first process step, and FIG. 2 shows the result of the second process step. Before execution of the first process step, the components 1 and 2 are clamped in the desired joining position relative to each other. In the embodiment, as shown, they are in abutment, i. they are positively clamped against each other, which is preferable to an alternatively also possible purely positive clamping. The tensioned in the joining position components 1 and 2 form between the mutually facing component edges, the cross-section shown in the figure.

In the first process step, the geometry-forming fixing seam 11 is produced in the joint by melting the soldering material, in the exemplary embodiment by laser-beam soldering. The material of the Fixiernaht 11 forms in the finished joint seam 11, 12 a lower layer, which is also designated in Figure 2 11. In the second process step, in the exemplary embodiment also by laser beam soldering, the cover layer 12 is applied to the fixing seam 11. During the melting and application of the melt, the fixing seam 11 is also melted at least on the surface and in a near-surface depth region and thereby compressed in the relevant depth region up to a melting line I Ia. From the Thus, a part above the fusing line I Ia is located. This part is attributed to solidification in the context of the invention, the cover layer 12. The melting line 11a does not separate the soldering material introduced into the joint during the production of the fixing seam from the soldering material introduced in the second process step. Rather, two mutually distinguishable microstructures or phases abut one another at the melting line, namely the comparatively porous phase of the fixing seam 11, which forms the lower layer 11 in the finished seam, and the significantly less porous phase of the cover layer 12, for the most part, of the formed in the second process step soldering material and a smaller part of the remelted soldering material of the fixing seam 11 is formed. After solidification, it is also possible to speak of two layers 11 and 12 in order to conceptually distinguish the phases separated from one another by the melting line 11a from the successively applied layers 11 and 12. The fixing seam 11 is progressively produced in the first process step along the joint at a significantly greater speed than the cover layer 12, so that the fixing seam 11 has a considerable porosity after the solidification and before the application of the cover layer 12. However, the comparatively large porosity is drastically reduced at least in the near-surface depth region of the Fixiemaht up to the melting line 1 Ia. The material defects of the fixing seam 11 are cured there by the application of the cover layer 12.

FIG. 3 shows a component composite formed from two components 1 and 2 and a fixing seam 11, which, with the exception of the fixing seam 11, corresponds to the embodiment of FIG.

FIG. 4 shows the arrangement of FIG. 3 after conversion of the fixing seam 11 into a finished connecting seam or finished seam 1 1, 13. The finished seam 11, 13 was likewise produced in two process steps, but in a second method variant. In the second process variant solder material is entered only in the first process step. It is thus entered in a single process step in the generation of geometriebildenden fixing seam 11 at the same time also the entire solder material, which is distributed in the first process variant distributed over two process steps. Disregarding the quality requirements to be met by the material properties of the finished seam 11, 13, the fixing seam 11 is also formed in the second method variant with a production speed measured in the longitudinal direction of the joint which is higher than with conventional energy beam. Soldering of the same kind, in the embodiment Laserstrahllötverfahren is. The fixation seam

11 is remelted in the second process step and thereby compacted from the surface to a melting line 13a. In the layer 13 between the free surface and the melting line 13a, the finished seam 11, 13 has a similar advantageous material structure as the cover layer or cover layer 12 of the first embodiment. Below the melting line 13a, the porosity corresponds to that of the fixing seam 11. The difference between the phases 11 and

12 on the one hand, and 11 and 13 on the other hand, in particular with regard to the porosity, can be detected in the micrograph in the method of the invention with the naked eye or at least under the microscope.

Upon cooling of the fixing seam 11, the grain growth begins at the two surface areas of the components 1 and 2 which are in contact with the molten soldering material, i. H. the melt, are in contact. Grain growth begins at the respective interfaces and continues into the melt. The direction of progress initially points into the melt from the respective boundary surface and, with increasing progress, tilts more and more towards the free surface, as is indicated schematically in FIGS. 1 and 3. Depending on the rate of progress of the order, more or less large pores are contained in the phase of the fixing seam 11 thus obtained. When applying the cover seam 12, the fixing seam 11 is melted at its free surface. The structural defects, in particular pores, are cured, at least in the melted depth range. During the cooling, which is slower due to the lower application speed of the cover layer 12 than the cooling of the fixing seam 11, the grain growth is correspondingly slowed down. The already existing in the Fixiernaht 11 soldering material absorbs heat. The grain growth thus takes place from the melting line 1 Ia or 13a, over the entire seam seen from the respective melt surface, and the two lateral interfaces of the components 1 and 2 in the direction of the free surface instead. FIGS. 2 and 4 qualitatively show the microstructure in the cover layers 12 and 13 in accordance with the grain growth.

Figure 5 shows a schematic representation of a tool head 10. The tool head 10 can be attached to a freely movable in space actuator. In particular, one end of a robot arm can form the actuator. The tool head 10 comprises a wire guide 5 for a solder wire 3, an energy emitter 7 for generating an energy beam E and a contact wire. feeler 8 for a tactile guidance of the tool head 10 in the longitudinal direction of the joint formed by the components 1 and 2. The wire guide 5 of the embodiment is formed by two rollers between which the solder wire 3 is conveyed through to an outlet 6, of which in FIG. 5 only the geometric location is indicated by the reference numeral 6. The solder wire 3 is conveyed to the tool head 10 from a arranged outside the tool head 10 wire storage by means of a preferably also outside the tool head 10 arranged conveyor. The wire store is preferably arranged stationary in a workstation of the actuator. The conveyor may be located elsewhere on the actuator or in the workstation. In the soldering of the solder wire 3 is unwound by means of the conveyor of the example formed as a roll wire storage, the tool head 10 fed and promoted in the wire longitudinal direction through the outlet 6 into the joint. The energy emitter 7 directs the energy beam E in the direction of the joint, more precisely on the location at which the passing through the outlet 6 free end of the solder wire 3 is to be melted. The tool head 10 is moved along the joint during soldering in the process direction at a constant speed Vl. In this case, the solder wire 3 is continuously melted and demanded via the wire guide 5. The contact sensor 8 is arranged in front of the outlet 6 and the focus of the laser emitter 7. The contact sensor 8 may be formed as a conventional guide finger, which scans the course of the groove in the bottom of the joint and the tool head 10, in particular the energy emitter 7, the course of the joint leads. The equipped with a conventional contact sensor 8 tool head 10 is particularly suitable for the production of the fixing seam 11 of the two variants of the method.

FIG. 6 shows in a cross section a modified contact sensor 9, as it is particularly suitable for producing the cover layer 12 of the first method variant and the remelting of the second method variant. The tool head for producing the cover layer 12 may correspond to the tool head 10 with the exception of the modified contact sensor 9. If only the remelting step of the second variant of the method is carried out with the modified tool head, the wire guide 5 or 5, 6 can be dispensed with.

The modified contact probe 9 is shaped for a two-point guidance. It has contact points 9a and 9b on two outer sides facing away from each other. In management contact contacted the contact sensor 9 with its contact point 9a formed by the component 1, in Figure 6 left joint edge and the contact point 9b formed by the component 2, in Figure 6 right joint edge. The prerequisite for the always two-sided guide contact is that the joint edges are facing each other in the contact area, ie seen in tangential extension between them include an angle of less than 180 °. This requirement is already given in the embodiments due to the increment formed by the component 1. Similar conditions are always present at corner joints or simply overlapping joints of components. In the case illustrated in FIG. 6, it is assumed that the cover layer 12 of the first method variant is produced. Accordingly, FIG. 6 shows the state after production of the fixing seam 11. The contact sensor 9 is so wide in cross section that the distance B, which the contact points 9a and 9b have from each other, is greater than the width of the surface of the fixing seam 11 measured in the same cross section In this way, it is ensured that the contact sensor 9 always has a clear distance from the fixing seam 11 in the guide contact with the joint edges. Preferably, the distance or the width B is also greater than the free surface of the cover layer 12 to be produced. If the contact sensor 9 is part of a tool head provided for the remelting of the second variant of the method, the distance B is greater than the free surface of the variant according to this variant generated Fixiernaht 11.

FIG. 7 shows, from a vehicle production line, a section in which groups of components are connected to one another in each case to form a solid component assembly, in the exemplary embodiment to form a body shell. The individual component groups include a vehicle floor, side panels 1 and roof panels 2, which are conveyed in groups on pallets in a conveyor line 14 through the individual workstations of the production line and processed there. FIG. 7 shows a geometry station F1 and a joining station F2 downstream of the station F1 in the conveying direction. The geometry station F1 has a tensioning device with columns 15 arranged on both sides of the conveying line 14, which can each be detachably connected to each other in pairs via a cross member. The clamping device 15 has clamping elements for clamping the components 1 and 2. In the geometry station Fl, the components of the respective group are clamped relative to each other in the joining position, in which they are then permanently connected firmly together. With regard to the production line 14 and the clamping of the components, reference is made by way of example to EP 1 029 774 Bl. After making the permanent solid connection, the clamping device 15 is released and the then firmly joined composite component further and the joining station F2 fed. For clamping and permanently fixed connection, a certain cycle time is available in the geometry station F1, for example 60 seconds. Within this time, the previously only loosely stapled components 1 and 2 and the other components of the respective component group must be clamped relative to each other stiff in the joining position. If the transport to and from the station F1 and the clamping take 35 seconds, for example, 25 seconds are still available for the joining process.

In addition to the conveyor line 14, robots 17 are arranged in the geometry station F1, to the robot arms of which a tool head 10 is attached. The geometry station F1 preferably has at least two robots 17 equipped with one tool head 10, one on the left and one on the right of the conveyor line 14. Further robots 17 equipped with tool heads 10 can be arranged in the geometry station F1. In the remaining time after clamping in the geometry station F1 remaining time, in the example 25 seconds, the components 1 and 2 are permanently connected by means of the tool heads 10 by laser beam soldering permanently. The robot 17 moves the tool head 10 programmatically along the joint formed by the components 1 and 2. During the shutdown of the joint, soldering material is continuously melted off at the free end of the soldering wire 3 (FIG. 5) and deposited in the joint. The feed rate Vl measured along the joint is so great that the fixing seam 11 can be produced over the entire length of the joint within the available remaining time. After the fixation seam 11 has been produced, the tensioning device 15 is loosened and the component assembly, which is now permanently firmly attached, is further conveyed.

In the downstream joining station F2, the Fertiglötstation, a component composite is soldered, which has passed through the geometry station Fl in a previous clock cycle. In the joining station F2, at least one further robot 17 is arranged on each side of the conveyor line 14. The further robots 17 are each equipped with a tool head 20, which differs from the tool head 10 of the geometry station F1 only with respect to the contact probe. The tool head 20 is equipped with the modified contact sensor 9. In principle, the tool head 10 can also be equipped with the contact sensor 9 in order to design all the tool heads required for the laser beam soldering the same. In the joining station F2, for the second process step of the brazing, if there are no other processes that can collide with the second process step, the full cycle time, in the assumed example case 60 seconds, minus the transport time, is available. The tool heads 20 are coupled to the tool heads 10, at least the tool heads 10 and 20 arranged on the same side of the conveyor line 14 are coupled together. The coupling takes place on both sides of the conveyor line 14 each via a common energy beam generator 21, in the exemplary embodiment laser beam generator. The two energy beam generators 21 are connected via energy transmission devices 18 and 22, in the exemplary embodiment optical waveguide, to the at least one tool head 10 and the at least one tool head 20 of each side. The energy generated by the energy beam generators 21 is transmitted via the energy transmission devices 18 and 22 to the energy radiators 7 of the tool heads 10 and 20. In order to save energy in the energy source tools 21, they are connected in alternation with either the at least one associated tool head 10 and the at least one associated tool head 20. The change between the tool heads 10 and 20 is designed so that in the currently running clock cycle, optionally plus a buffer time per page at least one tool head 20 performs the second process step, while the components 1 and 2 of a subsequent component group in the geometry station Fl are tensioned , After performing the second process step is switched and the at least one tool head 10 is supplied with energy to fix the components 1 and 2 of a subsequent group of components geometriebildend to each other.

Claims

claims

1. A method for soldering or welding of components in a mass production, preferably for joining vehicle body parts, in which a) along a joint formed by the components (1, 2) by melting a connecting material (3) supplied as a filler material or is formed by a base material of the components (1, 2), one of the components (1, 2) connecting fixing seam (11) generates b) and on the fixing seam (11) by melting a volume-forming layer (12) compound material (3) applied or the fixing seam (11) produced by means of the connecting material supplied as a filler material is remelted.

A method according to the preceding claim, wherein wire-shaped bonding material (3) is used and a free end of the bonding material (3) is moved along the joint while being melted down.

3. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the bonding material (3) by means of an energy beam (E), preferably laser beam, melted, melted or remelted.

4. The method according to the preceding claim, wherein the energy beam (E) by means of a contact sensor (9) is guided along the joint and the contact sensor (9) moves away at mutually facing joint edges.

5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the Fixiernaht (11) and the volume-forming layer (12) or remelted Fixiernaht (13) each with a generating speed (Vl, V2) in the longitudinal direction of the joint are generated progressively and the production rate (Vl ) of the fixing seam (11) is larger, preferably at least a factor of 1.5 greater than the production speed (V2) of the volume-forming layer (12) or remelted fixing seam (13).

6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the fixing seam (11) progressing along the joint progressively at a speed (VI) of more than 3 m / min and the volume-forming layer (12) or remelted fixing seam (13) along the joint be generated at a speed (V2) of preferably at most 3 m / min.

7. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein in the generation of the volume-forming layer (12) per unit length of the joint mass more compound material (3), preferably at least 1.5 times as much compound material (3) is applied as / as in the Generation of the fixing seam (11).

8. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the components (1, 2) in a production line by means of a clamping device (15) clamped relative to each other in a joining position and geometriebildend in the tensioned state by means of the fixing seam (11), after production of the Fixiernaht (11) the clamping device (15) dissolved and applied after dissolving the volume-forming layer (12) or the fixing seam (11) is remelted.

9. component assembly comprising a first component (1), a second component (2) and a component (1, 2) connecting soldering or welding seam (11, 12, 11, 13), wherein the soldering weld (11, 12; 11, 13) comprises a plurality of layers (11, 12, 11, 13) of melting material including an additional soldering or welding material, wherein the melting material in at least two of the layers (11, 12, 11, 13), preferably in exactly two layers each solidified in another phase.

10. A composite component according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the at least two layers (11, 12; 11, 13) of different phase in cross section at a fusion line (I Ia, 13a) adjoin one another.

11. A composite component according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that the soldering or welding seam (11, 12, 11, 13) at least in a cover layer (12, 13), which has a free surface of the soldering or welding seam (11, 11, 13). 12, 11, 13) forms, al- If necessary closed pores and the pores each have a volume which is smaller than the volume of a ball of 0.3 mm or preferably 0.2 mm in diameter.

12. component verbünd according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components (1, 2) sheet metal parts, preferably body panels of a vehicle or for a vehicle, are.

13. A composite component according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the soldering or welding material (3) is a Cu-based alloy, an Al-based alloy or an Fe-based alloy.

14. A production line for joining components, comprising: a) a conveyor line (14) for the components (1, 2), b) a in the conveyor line (14) arranged geometry station (Fl) with a clamping device (15), by means of a Group of components (1, 2) are clamped relative to each other in a joining position and with a movable in space first actuator (17) with a first tool head (10), c) of the energy beam soldering or welding located in the joining position components (1, 2) a first energy emitter (7) for melting a feedable soldering or welding material or only a base material of the components to be joined together (1, 2), d) and one on the conveyor line (14) in the conveying direction behind the geometry station (Fl) arranged, movable in space second actuator (17) with a second tool head (20) for energy beam soldering or welding a second energy emitter (7) for melting the same or another zuführb e) wherein at least one of the tool heads (10, 20) has a wire guide (5, 6) via which a wire of the soldering or welding material in the longitudinal direction of the wire (3) through an outlet (6) of the tool head (10, 20), and the energy emitter (7) of the at least one of the tool heads (10, 20) is directed towards a tip of the wire (3).

15. Production line according to the preceding claim, characterized in that both tool heads (10, 20) each have a wire guide (5, 6), by means of the respective soldering or welding wire (3) in the longitudinal direction of the wire (3) through an outlet (6) of the respective tool head (10, 20) is conveyed, and that the energy emitter (7) are directed towards a tip of the wire (3) of the respective tool head (10, 20).

16. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the energy emitter (7) is a laser emitter.

17. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, comprising an energy beam generator (21), a first energy transmission device (18) which connects the energy beam generator (21) to the first energy radiator (7), and a second energy transmission device (22) which generates the energy beam generator ( 21) with the second energy emitter (7) connects, wherein the energy beam generator (21) either via the respective energy transfer device (18, 22) with the first energy emitter (7) or the second energy emitter (7) is connectable.

18. Production line according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a controller, by means of which the movements of the actuators (17) controllable and the tool heads (10, 20) are alternately activated.

19, production line according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the control activates the second tool head (20) and by means of the second actuator (17) along the previously produced Fixiernaht (11) moves and meanwhile the first tool head (10) in a deactivated state holds.

20. Tool head for soldering or welding components (1, 2) along a joint formed by the components (1, 2), the tool head (10, 20) comprising: a) an energy radiator (7) for melting a soldering or welding material (3) b) and a contact sensor (9), by means of which the tool head (10, 20) in a guide contact the course of the joint is feasible following c) and the one first contact point (9a) for the guide contact with a left joint edge and a second contact point (9b) for the guide contact with a right joint edge, d) wherein the transverse width of the joint between the contact points (9a, 9b) measured width (B) of Contact sensor (9) is greater than the width also measured in the transverse direction of the joint already formed or only to be formed, the joint bottom covering solder or weld seam (11).

21. Tool head according to the preceding claim, further comprising a wire guide (5, 6) via which a wire (3) made of soldering or welding material in the longitudinal direction of the wire (3) through an outlet (6) of the tool head (10) can be conveyed in which the energy emitter (7) is directed towards melting a tip or soldering material towards a tip of the emergent wire (3) and wherein the width (B) of the contact probe (9) measured between the contact points (9a, 9b) is greater, preferably by at least a factor of 1.5 is greater than the thickness of the wire (3) also measured in the transverse direction of the joint.

22. Tool head according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the energy emitter (7) is a laser emitter.

23. Tool head according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the tool head (10; 20) has a connection for the coupling of laser waves of a separate from the tool head (10; 20) laser beam generator (21).