JP2001162386A - Method of hybrid laser welding and its equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method of hybrid laser welding and its equipment with which the speeding-up and a cost reduction of a welding process are realized. SOLUTION: A welding process is executed for thick-thickness welding zones 40a to 40c where the plate thickness of a work W is large by jointly using a laser welding equipment 16 and TIG welding equipments 14a to 14c. On the other hand, the laser welding equipment 16 solely executes the welding process for thin-thickness welding zones 46a to 46d where the plate thickness of the work W is small. In the welding process for the thick-thickness welding zones 40a to 40c, the welding process is applied by irradiating the welding zones with a laser beam L radiated from the laser beam welding equipment 16 after a heating process is previously applied with the TIG welding equipments 14a to 14c.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a hybrid laser welding method and apparatus, and more particularly, to a hybrid laser welding method configured to perform a welding operation on a workpiece by using a laser welding apparatus and an auxiliary heating apparatus together. And equipment.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 10-272578 discloses a welding method for irradiating a laser beam to a portion to be welded when performing TIG welding.

[0003] In this welding method, a pulse laser is irradiated prior to a target position of arc welding to heat a welded portion of a work, and then an arc is guided and concentrated on the welded portion to perform a welding process. I have to.

[0004]

However, in the above-described welding method, a laser beam is applied to a portion to be welded of a work to heat the portion to be welded, and then a TIG welding device is started to perform a welding process. There is a need. For this reason, it has been difficult to further speed up the welding process.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned inconvenience, and an object of the present invention is to provide a hybrid laser welding method and apparatus capable of performing a welding process at an extremely high speed and realizing a low welding cost. The purpose is to provide.

[0006]

In a hybrid laser welding method according to the present invention, at least a part of a portion to be welded of a workpiece to be subjected to a welding process is preliminarily heated by an auxiliary heating device. A laser beam is irradiated from a laser welding apparatus to perform a welding process (the invention according to claim 1). Therefore, it is possible to realize a high-speed welding process.

[0007] Further, the welded portion includes a single welded portion having a predetermined output that can be independently welded by the laser welding device, and a non-welded portion that cannot be welded alone by the laser welding device. Having a single welded portion, for the single welded portion, the laser welding device performs laser welding independently, for the non-single welded portion,
After the heating process by the auxiliary heating device, the laser welding device performs a welding process (the invention according to claim 2). Therefore, it is possible to further increase the speed of the welding process and reduce the welding cost.

A hybrid laser welding apparatus according to the present invention includes an auxiliary heating device and a laser welding device. At least a part of a portion to be welded of a workpiece to be subjected to a welding process is controlled by the auxiliary heating device. After the heat treatment is performed in advance, the laser welding device irradiates a laser beam to perform the welding process (the invention according to claim 3). Therefore, it is possible to realize a high-speed welding process.

[0009] Further, the welded portion includes a single welded portion having a predetermined output that can be welded by the laser welding device alone, and a non-welded portion that cannot be welded by the laser welding device alone. Having a single welded portion, for the single welded portion, the laser welding device performs laser welding independently, for the non-single welded portion,
After the heating process by the auxiliary heating device, the laser welding device performs a welding process (the invention according to claim 4). Therefore, it is possible to further increase the speed of the welding process and reduce the welding cost.

In this case, the auxiliary heating device may be a TIG welding device for performing an auxiliary welding process on the portion to be welded (the invention according to claim 5), or a plasma arc welding device. (The invention according to claim 6).

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A preferred embodiment of a hybrid laser welding method according to the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the configuration of a hybrid laser welding apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

The hybrid laser welding apparatus 10 includes a master controller 12 for controlling the entire hybrid laser welding apparatus 10, a TIG (Tungsten-Inert Gas) welding apparatus, a plasma arc welding apparatus, and the like (in the example of FIG.
A plurality of (three in the example of FIG. 1) welding devices 14a to 14c and a laser welding device 16 are provided.

The TIG welding device 14a includes a power supply device 22.
Are connected, and a predetermined power supply P
1 is supplied. Also, the TIG welding devices 14b, 1
A power supply device 26 is connected to 4 c via a switching device 24. Then, a predetermined power supply P2 is selectively supplied from the power supply device 26 to the TIG welding devices 14b and 14c.

Each of the TIG welding devices 14a to 14c has a torch 3 supported at the tip of a robot arm 32.
4 is provided. The tip of the torch 34 has an electrode 3
6 is mounted. The torch 34 displaces the robot arm 32 to move the work W (FIG. 1).
In the example, the desired welded portion 40a of the car door 50) is
The tip (electrode 36) of the torch 34 is conveyed to a position where the tip of the torch 34 is opposed to -40c.

The laser welding apparatus 16 has a scan head 42 which can move forward and backward along a guide mechanism (not shown). The scan head 42 is rotatable in a three-dimensional direction by a rotation mechanism (not shown). In this case, the irradiation direction of the laser beam L can be adjusted to a desired direction by moving the scan head 42 forward and backward and rotating it.

The scan head 42 has an optical system including a reflection mirror (not shown), a parabolic mirror, an elliptical mirror, a scanning mirror, and the like. A laser beam L from a laser oscillator 44 is introduced into the scan head 42 via a shift mirror, a reflection mirror, and the like (not shown). Then, from the scan head 42, the work W
Desired portions to be welded 40a to 40c and portions to be welded 46a,
The laser beam L is irradiated toward 6d and the like.

FIG. 2 shows an automobile door 5 as a workpiece W.
0 shows the structure. The door 50 includes a door skin 52,
It is composed of a skin upper stiffener 54, a skin beam 56, a door panel 58, a hinge stiffener 60, a sash comp (window frame) 62, a dummy member 64, and the like.

FIGS. 3 and 4 show the welded portions 40a to 40c of the door 50 when the skin beam 56, the door panel 58, the hinge stiffener 60 and the sash comp 62 are subjected to the welding process.
The position and structure of 46a-46d are shown.

In FIG. 3, a welded portion 4 indicated by a mark "●"
Nos. 0a to 40c are portions requiring relatively high energy for welding. On the other hand, the welded portions 46a indicated by marks "x"
46d is a portion that can perform welding with relatively low energy.

More specifically, as shown in FIG.
The to-be-welded portion 40a is a skin beam 5 as three plate members.
6, the portion where the door panel 58 and the hinge stiffener 60 are overlapped, and the welded portion 40b is
This is a portion where the door panel 58, the hinge stiffener 60, and the sash comp 62 as three plate members are overlapped. For this reason, these welded portions 40a and 40
In b, the thickness dimension of the work W is large, and
A relatively high energy is required for welding.

Further, as shown in FIG.
Is a portion where the door panel 58 and the sash comp 62 as two plate members are overlapped. However, since the thickness of the door panel 58 and the sash comp 62 constituting the welded portion 40c is large, the work W
Has a large thickness dimension and requires relatively high energy for welding.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG.
Is a portion where the door panel 58 and the sash comp 62 as two plate members are overlapped, and
The thicknesses of the door panel 58 and the sash comp 62 constituting the welded portion 46c are smaller than the thickness of the welded portion 40c (see FIG. 3). Therefore, the welded portion 46
In (c), the thickness dimension of the work W is reduced, and welding can be performed with relatively low energy.

Similar to the welded portion 46c, the work W is also applied to the welded portions 46a, 46b and 46d shown in FIG.
Is small in thickness, and welding can be performed with relatively low energy.

Hereinafter, the welded portions 40a to 40c are referred to as large-thickness welded portions 40a to 40c, and the welded portions 46a to 46d are referred to as small-thickness welded portions 46a to 46d.

As shown in FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the laser welding device 16 is used for the thick welding portions 40a to 40c.
The welding process is performed using the TIG welding devices 14a to 14c together. On the other hand, the laser welding device 16 independently performs the welding process on the small-thickness welds 46a to 46d.

In this case, as the laser welding device 16,
It is possible to employ one having a sufficient output for performing the welding process for the small-thickness welded portions 46a to 46d. Therefore,
The hybrid laser welding device 10 can be configured at a lower cost than when a laser welding device capable of performing welding processing on the large-thickness welded portions 40a to 40c alone is employed.

Similarly, the output of the TIG welding devices 14a to 14c is sufficient if the thick welding portions 40a to 40c can be supplementarily welded (heated).
Inexpensive welding devices 14a to 14c can be used.

Next, the operation of the hybrid laser welding apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the master controller 1
When the control signal Sa is supplied from the power supply device 2 to the power supply device 22, the power supply device 22 is activated accordingly, and the power supply device 2
The supply of the power supply P1 to the TIG welding device 14a from 2 is started.

When the control signal Sb is supplied from the master controller 12 to the power supply 26, the power supply 26 is started. Further, when a control signal Sc indicating the switching direction is supplied from the master controller 12 to the switching device 24, the switching device 24 is switched to the side connected to the TIG welding device 14b. Then, the supply of the power P2 from the power supply device 26 to the TIG welding device 14b is started.

Next, the TIG welding devices 14a and 14b
Moves the robot arm 32 in accordance with the control signals Sd and Se from the master controller 12 and causes the torch 3
4 are directed to the large-thickness welded portions 40a and 40b, which are the desired welded portions of the work W, respectively.

Subsequently, the laser welding device 16 moves the scan head 42 forward and backward according to the control signal Sg from the master controller 12. Then, by the rotating operation of the scan head 42 described later, the welded portions of the workpiece W (the large-thickness welded portions 40a and 40b and the small-thickness welded portions 46a to 46a-
The scan head 42 is transported to a position where the laser beam L can be irradiated at 46c).

Further, when a control signal Sf is supplied from the master controller 12 to the laser oscillator 44,
Accordingly, the laser oscillator 44 is activated, and the laser beam L is introduced from the laser oscillator 44 to the scan head 42 of the laser welding device 16.

Next, in step S11 (see FIG. 5), the TIG welding devices 14a and 14b control the control signals Sd and S sequentially supplied from the master controller 12.
According to e, an arc is generated toward the thick welds 40a and 40b. That is, large-thickness welds 40a and 40b are heated by TIG welding devices 14a and 14b.

In the following step S12, the laser welding device 16 controls the control signal S from the master controller 12.
According to g, the scan head 42 is rotated. Then, the direction in which the laser beam L should be output from the scan head 42 is adjusted to the direction toward the large-thickness welded portion 40a,
The laser beam L is applied to the large thickness welded portion 40a.

Further, in step S13, the laser welding device 16 rotates the scan head 42 in accordance with the control signal Sg from the master controller 12, and irradiates the laser beam L to the next thick welded portion 40b to be welded. I do.

As described above, by sequentially irradiating the laser beam L to the large-thickness welded portions 40a and 40b preheated (assisted by the welding process) by the TIG welding devices 14a and 14b. Also, the welding operation can be reliably performed on the large-thickness welded portions 40a and 40b having a large plate thickness.

Next, in step S14, the laser welding apparatus 16 further rotates the scan head 42 in accordance with the control signal Sg from the master controller 12, and moves the scan head 42 to the next small welded portions 46a to 46c to be welded. Then, the laser beam L is sequentially irradiated. By the irradiation of the laser beam L, these small-thickness welds 46a to 46a
c is welded. That is, the small thickness welds 46a to 46c
Are welded only by the laser welding device 16.

Thereafter, when a control signal Sc instructing the switching direction is supplied from the master controller 12 to the switching device 24, the switching device 24
It is switched to the side connected to the welding device 14c. Then, from the power supply device 26 to the TIG welding device 14c,
The supply of the power P2 is started. At this time, based on the control signal Sa from the master controller 12, the power supply 2
2 may be stopped.

Further, the TIG welding device 14c displaces the robot arm 32 in accordance with the control signal Sh from the master controller 12, and directs the tip of the torch 34 toward the thick welding portion 40c of the work W.

In the following step S15, the laser welding apparatus 16 controls the control signal S from the master controller 12.
g, the scan head 42 reaches a position corresponding to the next to-be-welded portion (large-thickness welded portion 40c, small-thickness welded portion 46d).
To move forward and backward.

Next, in step S16, TIG
The welding device 14c generates an arc toward the thick welding portion 40c according to the control signal Sh from the master controller 12, and heats the thick welding portion 40c.

Then, in step S17, the laser welding apparatus 16 rotates the scan head 42 in accordance with the control signal Sg from the master controller 12, and irradiates the laser beam L to the large-thickness welded portion 40c. By the irradiation of the laser beam L, the TIG welding device 14c
The large-thickness welded portion 40c that has been heated in advance is welded.

Subsequently, in step S18, the laser welding apparatus 16 further rotates the scan head 42 in accordance with the control signal Sg from the master controller 12, and performs laser irradiation on the next small welded portion 46d to be welded. Irradiate the beam L. Then, by the irradiation of the laser beam L, the small-thickness welded portion 46d is welded. That is, the small thickness welded portion 46d is welded only by the laser welding device 16.

As described above, in the hybrid laser welding device 10 according to the present embodiment, the laser welding device 16 and the TIG welding device 14a are used for the large-thickness welded portions 40a to 40c where the thickness of the work W is relatively large. ~ 14c
Is used in combination to perform the welding process. Specifically, by irradiating the laser beam L from the laser welding device 16 to the thick welding portions 40a to 40c preheated by the TIG welding devices 14a to 14c,
To 40c are subjected to a welding process.

In this case, the TIG welding devices 14a and 14a
4b a plurality of large welds 40 pre-heated
Since a and 40b are sequentially irradiated with the laser beam L from the laser welding device 16, the welding time can be shortened.

The laser welding device 16 is used for the small-thickness welded portions 46a to 46d where the thickness of the work W is relatively small.
Since the laser welding process is performed alone, the welding time can be further reduced.

Furthermore, in this case, the small-thickness welds 46a to 46a-4
Since there is no need to provide a TIG welding device for welding 6d, it is possible to reduce the configuration cost of the hybrid laser welding device 10, that is, to reduce the cost required for the welding processing of the work W.

[0050]

According to the present invention, a laser welding process is performed after a heating process is performed on a portion to be welded of a work in advance, so that a high-speed welding process can be realized.

In addition, since the laser welding device alone performs the welding process on the portion to be welded, where the laser welding device can perform welding alone, the auxiliary welding device is not used. Further higher speed processing and lower welding costs can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic block diagram illustrating a configuration of a hybrid laser welding apparatus according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing a structure of an automobile door as a work.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a position and a structure of a portion to be welded in an automobile door as a workpiece.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line IV-IV in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 shows the hybrid laser welding apparatus of FIG.
It is a flowchart which shows the welding process with respect to a workpiece.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 ... Hybrid laser welding device 12 ... Master controller 14a-14c ... TIG welding device 16 ... Laser welding device 22, 26 ... Power supply device 24 ... Switching device 32 ... Robot arm 34 ... Torch 36 ... Electrode 40a-40c ... Welded part ( 42: scan head 44: laser oscillator 46a-46d: welded part (small welded part) 50: door

Claims (6)

[Claims] An object of the present invention is to perform a welding process by irradiating a laser beam from a laser welding device after a heating process is performed on at least a part of a workpiece to be subjected to a welding process by an auxiliary heating device in advance. A hybrid laser welding method characterized by performing the method. 2. The hybrid laser welding method according to claim 1, wherein said welded portion is a single welded portion capable of independently performing welding by said laser welding apparatus having a predetermined output, and said laser welding. The apparatus has a non-single welded part that cannot perform welding by itself, and the laser welding apparatus independently performs laser welding on the single welded part, and the non-single welded part is not used. , A laser welding device performs a welding process after the heating process by the auxiliary heating device. 3. An auxiliary heating device and a laser welding device, wherein after at least a part of a portion to be welded of a workpiece to be subjected to a welding process is heated by the auxiliary heating device in advance, A hybrid laser welding apparatus wherein a laser beam is emitted from the laser welding apparatus to perform a welding process. 4. The hybrid laser welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said welded portion is a single welded portion capable of independently performing welding by said laser welding device having a predetermined output, and said laser welding. The apparatus has a non-single welded part that cannot perform welding by itself, and the laser welding apparatus independently performs laser welding on the single welded part, and the non-single welded part is not used. , The laser welding device performs a welding process after the heating process by the auxiliary heating device. 5. The hybrid laser welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein said auxiliary heating device is a TIG welding device for performing an auxiliary welding process on said portion to be welded. Welding equipment. 6. The hybrid laser welding apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the auxiliary heating device is a plasma arc welding device for performing an auxiliary welding process on the portion to be welded. Laser welding equipment.