JP2008093733A - Method for assembling structure with exterior and interior formed from plurality of double skin elements like railway vehicle, and structure obtained thereby - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a means for manufacturing a roughly tubular structure having double skin elements that are combined by welding using a stand. <P>SOLUTION: This is the assembling method of the tubular structure having an exterior and an interior composed of double skin elements (20, 30) in an adjacently paired state cooperating along a longitudinal region. Each element is provided with inner skins (21, 31) and outer skins (22, 32). In this method, the elements are abutted on each other along a line (29) connecting the inner skins, while maintaining a condition accessible to the joining line from the outside of the structure having an opening part (40) along the joining line. The inner skins are combined with each other along the joining line by welding using an external robot (the robot head (8) can access the joining line from the opening part and moves in parallel to the line connecting the inner skins). The opening part is closed with a cover plate (50) which is welded to each element along the joining line by a robot that is arranged at the outside and moves in parallel to the joining line (52, 53). <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a method for assembling a double skin element for building a structure such as the body of a railway vehicle.

  Railcar bodies are often provided with double skin structural elements that are joined together by welding in the joining region. These joining areas comprise at least one weld line for the inner skin and at least one weld line for the outer skin. Therefore, in order to form such a weld line, it must be possible to perform welding on one side of the structural element and on the other side of the structural element.

  When the structure is a substantially cylindrical structure like a vehicle body element of a railway vehicle, it must be possible to perform welding on the inner wall of the cylindrical structure. Under such circumstances, it is difficult to perform such welding using a welding facility such as a welding robot moving on a welding stand in a cylindrical structure. In fact, in order to be able to perform such welding, it is necessary to install a welding stand within the tubular structure, which is generally not possible. For this reason, only external welding can be performed using a welding stand. Internal welding can only be done by hand, which is extremely inconvenient, which is a kind of welding method, especially friction stir welding of double skin elements made of light alloys (which is thinner) The combination of elements and the formation of a lighter structure) is impossible.

  The friction stir welding process involves the use of a cylindrical tool that rotates and is pressed against the joint area between two elements to be welded together. The friction of this tool on the elements to be welded together heats them in the joining area, allowing the welding tool to penetrate the joining area and move along it, Now the material is agitated and the material is melted behind the tool, thus realizing the welding of the two elements.

This technique, which requires that a means for moving the welding head while applying a large force to the structure to be welded, is available due to these facts. Is even more difficult.
US Patent Application Publication No. 2003/042293 (US 2003/042293 A1) US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/117078 (US 2002/117078 A1) European Patent Application No. 0 797 043 (EP 0 797 043 A2) US Patent Application Publication No. 2002/092889 (US 2002/092889 A1)

  An object of the present invention is to provide a structure having double skin elements that are combined by welding using a welding stand, particularly a substantially cylindrical structure such as an element of a railway vehicle body. It is to overcome the above drawbacks by providing means that can be manufactured.

For this purpose, the invention relates to a method for assembling a structure comprising an interior and an exterior, consisting of a plurality of double-skin elements in adjacent pair functioning cooperatively along a longitudinal joining region. Each element has an inner skin (inner face plate) facing the inside of the structure and an outer skin (outer face plate) facing the outside of the structure, and the method includes:
Through an opening extending along the joining line, two adjacent elements are brought into contact with each other along the line connecting the inner skins while maintaining free access to the joining line from outside the structure. Steps,
Assembling the two inner skins along the joining line by welding using a welding robot arranged outside the structure, wherein the welding head of the robot extends along the joining line of the inner skin. Steps that are accessible to the joining line via existing openings and move parallel to the line connecting the inner skins;
Closing the opening with an external cover plate welded to each adjacent element along the external joint line using a welding robot disposed outside the structure and moving parallel to the external joint line; It is characterized by comprising.

  Preferably, the edge of the inner skin along the line connecting the inner skins has a matching concavo-convex shape that fits to assist in the mutual positioning of the elements.

  Preferably, the assembly is performed using friction stir welding.

  Preferably, the inner skins are combined by double shoulder friction stir welding.

  Preferably, the structure has a substantially cylindrical shape and constitutes, for example, a vehicle body of a railway vehicle.

  Two adjacent double skin elements combined by welding from the outside are, for example, a double skin element constituting a side wall and a section constituting a chassis of a railway vehicle body, The double skin section that forms an angle with the double skin section constituting the chassis, and the outer cover plate is partially welded to the outer skin of the double skin element that constitutes the side wall, and constitutes the chassis It is partially welded to the ribs.

  The present invention also relates to a vehicle body for a railway vehicle, the vehicle body comprising at least one double skin element constituting a side wall combined with a double skin section constituting a chassis comprising side ribs. The double skin elements constituting the side walls and the double skin sections constituting the chassis are at an angle to each other, the double skin elements and the double skin sections being welded along the line connecting the inner skins, and Combined together by welding of the outer cover plate, which is welded partially to the outer skin of the double skin element constituting the side wall and partially to the side ribs of the double skin section constituting the chassis .

  Preferably, the double skin elements and sections are shaped such that when there is no external cover plate, the line connecting the inner skins is accessible from the outside of the vehicle body and the joint between the inner skins is The inner skin is arranged so that it can be friction stir welded from the outside of the vehicle body.

  Preferably, the welding is performed by friction stir welding.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings. However, this description does not limit the present invention.

  The body of a railway vehicle (indicated generally by 1 in FIG. 1) is a substantially cylindrical structure, which has two side walls 2, 2 ′, a lower chassis 3 and a roof 4. However, they are combined along a joining region extending in the longitudinal direction (front-rear direction) with respect to the vehicle body of the railway vehicle. In particular, the side wall 2 and the chassis 3 are combined along the longitudinal joining region 5 arranged at the bottom of the side wall 2 and along the side edge of the chassis 3.

  The side walls 2 and 2 'together with the chassis 3 consist of elements comprising two skins connected by double skin panels or joint ribs. Such double skin elements are known per se and comprise, for example, sections obtained by extrusion of light alloys.

  The joining between the side wall 2 and the chassis 3 along the longitudinal joining region 5 was obtained using a welding robot 7 comprising a welding head 8 supported by an arm 7 ', as will be described below. This is done by forming a weld joint 6 comprising one or more weld beads. The robot 7 is provided so as to move on a guide rail disposed outside the cylindrical structure constituting the railway vehicle body, and moves along the guide rail 9.

  The assembly of the double skin element that constitutes the side wall 2 of the railway vehicle body and the double skin element 3 that is a section constituting the chassis of the railway vehicle body will be described. These light alloy elements are assembled by welding using a friction stir welding process known per se.

  The side (generally indicated by 2 in FIG. 2) comprises a double skin element 20, for example a section obtained by extrusion of a light alloy. This element 20 comprises an inner skin 21 facing the inside of the car body of the railway vehicle and an outer skin 22 facing the outside of the car body of the railway car. These skins (inner skin 21 and outer skin 22) are joined to each other by ribs 23 forming struts.

  The chassis (generally indicated at 3) consists of a double skin element which is a section 30 comprising an inner skin 31 and an outer skin 32 forming the floor of a railway vehicle. The two skins (the inner skin 31 and the outer skin 32) are joined to each other by a rib 33. Section 30 is limited by overlapping side ribs 34 and 35 depending on the thickness of section 30.

  The double skin element 20 constituting the side wall 2 of the railcar body and the inner skin 31 of the section constituting the chassis 3 are respectively the inner skin edges 24 and 36 of the element 20 and the section 30 along the inner joint line 29. , But the edges 24 and 36 are against the double skin element and the double skin section so that the inner skins 21, 31 abut at their ends and form an extension of each other. It protrudes.

  Edges 24 and 36 of element 20 and section 30, respectively, have matching concave and convex shapes 25 and 37 that fit together to help relative positioning of dual skin element 20 and dual skin section 30, respectively. It has become a shape.

  The outer skin 22 of the double skin element 20 is interrupted at the bottom by an edge 26 which is shaped to form a groove 27 extending in the longitudinal direction with respect to the railcar body.

  The edge 26 is parallel to the line 29 joining the edges 24 and 36 of the inner skins 21 and 31 of the double skin member 20 and the double skin section 30. The edge 26 of the outer skin 22 of the double skin element 20 is formed with the double skin element 20 forming the side wall 2 of the railway vehicle body extending in a generally vertical direction and the rail vehicle extending in a generally horizontal direction. It arrange | positions so that the free space 40 may be formed between the double skin sections 31 which comprise the chassis 3. FIG.

  The double skin element 20 and the double skin section 30 are shaped so that the open space 40 is large enough to allow the welding head 8 to pass through in the area where they contact. Has been.

  In order to combine the dual skin element 20 and the dual skin section 30, they are placed together so that the inner skins fit snugly along their edges 24 and 36 with the free space 40 formed. Is done. Therefore, the joining line 29 faces the free space 40 and is accessible from the outside of the vehicle body of the railway vehicle via the free space 40, whereby the vehicle body of the railway vehicle can be welded from the outside. . If they are arranged in this way, welding is carried out using a welding robot whose head 8 penetrates through the opening 40 within the range of the joining line 29.

  The welding head 8 supported by the robot 7 and moving in the front-rear direction along the outer surface of the railway vehicle body is a friction stir welding head having a double shoulder, which is known per se, and the two shoulders 81 and 82 are The inner skins 21 and 31 of the structure are clamped together in the area where they contact. As the welding head 8 moves, the two skins are friction stir welded. Since the welding head is of the double shoulder type, the resulting joint is of excellent quality. In particular, the welding line is remarkably smooth. Therefore, a joint having very good mechanical properties is obtained. Furthermore, the double shoulder process does not apply force to the combined elements, which means that small thickness elements can be welded together without the use of a support tool.

  Once the inner skins 21 and 31 of the structural elements are combined by welding, the opening 40 is closed by the cover plate 50, but its upper edge 51 is the double skin element constituting the side wall 2. It fits into a groove 27 in the bottom edge 26 of the 20 outer skins 22 and abuts against the side ribs 34 and 35 of the double skin section 30 constituting the chassis 3.

  Cover plate 50 is combined with double skin elements 20 and 30 along the longitudinal bond line. A joint line 52 corresponds to the joint between the outer skin 22 of the element 20 and the closure plate 50. Two other joining lines 53 correspond to the contacts between the cover plate 50 and the two side ribs 34 and 35 of the double skin element 30.

  These joint lines between the structural elements 20 and 30 and the closing plate 50 are accessible from outside the vehicle body of the railway vehicle. Again, these joints are similarly welded using a friction stir welding process using a welding robot already used to weld the inner skin.

  In particular, the upper joint 52 between the outer skin 22 of the double skin element 20 constituting the side wall and the upper edge 51 of the closure plate 50 is such that a high-quality weld between these two elements is achieved. The double shoulder welding head 8 ′ is used.

  The joint 53 between the plate 50 and the tips of the ribs 34 and 35 (which may be relatively thick) is a single shoulder friction stir welding head 8 '' (this is It is formed using single-shoulder friction stir welding using (known per se).

  In this example, the cover plate 50 is welded to the tips of the ribs 34 and 35 by single shoulder welding, but if the ribs are properly shaped, the weld can also be double shoulder friction stirrer. It can be performed by welding, which would be beneficial for the overall mechanical strength.

  This welding, which is particularly suitable for assembling two structural elements with a large angle, can be used to combine all the panels that form the railcar body, for example the side walls and the roof.

  While leaving the access area for the external welding head, the inner skin is welded first, followed by the outer skin, and then the open space is closed by a plate placed outside the rail car body. The welding method which consists of doing this has the advantage that it can be manufactured using a fixed welding stand in which the elements of the railcar body are placed in close proximity to it, so that welding is easy.

1 is a schematic perspective view of a vehicle body of a railway vehicle in a state where it is being assembled by a welding robot. It is sectional drawing of the junction part of the side wall element of the vehicle body of a railway vehicle, and the inner skin of a chassis element. It is sectional drawing of the junction part shown in FIG. 2 in the state to which the outer surface obstruction | occlusion plate was added.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Rail vehicle body 2,2 'Side wall 3 Lower chassis 4 Roof 5 Longitudinal joining area 6 Welding joint 7 Welding robot 7' Arm 8 Welding head 9 Guide rail 20 Double skin element 21 Inner skin 22 Outer skin 23 Rib 24,26 Edge 27 Groove 29 Inner joint line 30 Double skin section 31 Inner skin 32 Outer skin 33 Rib 34,35 Side rib 36 Edge 40 Free space (opening)
50 Cover plate 51 Upper edge 52,53 Join line (joint)
81,82 shoulder

Claims (9)

Method for assembling a structure (1) comprising an interior and an exterior, consisting of a plurality of double skin elements (20, 30) in adjacent pairs joined along a longitudinal joining region (5) Each element (20, 30) has an inner skin (21, 31) facing the inside of the structure and an outer skin (22, 32) facing the outside of the structure. ,
The method
The line (29) connecting the inner skins (21, 31) is maintained through the opening (40) extending along the joint line while maintaining the state in which the joint line can be freely accessed from the outside of the structure. Abutting two adjacent elements (20, 30) along,
Assembling the two inner skins (21, 31) together along the joining line by welding using a welding robot (7) arranged outside the structure, the welding head (8 ) Is accessible to the joint line via the opening (40) extending along the joint line (29) of the inner skin and moves parallel to the line connecting the inner skin. Steps that are things,
External cover welded to each adjacent element (20, 30) along the external joint line using a welding robot disposed outside the structure and moving parallel to the external joint line (52, 53) Closing the opening (40) with a plate (50);
Comprising
The method according to claim 1, wherein the structure (1) is substantially cylindrical.   The edge portions (24, 36) of the inner skin (21, 31) are formed with a convex portion (25) shape and a concave portion along the line (29) connecting the inner skin (21, 31). (37) The method according to claim 1, wherein the method has a shape.   The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the assembly is performed by friction stir welding.   4. The method according to claim 3, characterized in that at least the inner skin (21, 31) is assembled using double shoulder friction stir welding.   The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the structure (1) is the body of a railway vehicle.   Two adjacent double skin elements (20, 30) combined by welding from the outside consist of a double skin element (20) constituting the side wall (2) and a section (30 constituting the chassis of the body of the railway vehicle). The double skin element constituting the side wall and the double skin element constituting the chassis are at an angle to each other, and the outer cover plate (50) is the double skin constituting the side wall. Partially welded to the outer skin (22) of the element (20) and partially welded to the ribs (34, 35) of the double skin section (30) constituting the chassis. 6. The method of claim 5, wherein: Comprising at least one double skin element (20) forming a side wall (2) combined with a double skin section (30) comprising a chassis (3) comprising side ribs (34, 35). The railway car body (1)
The double skin element (20) constituting the side wall and the double skin section (30) constituting the chassis form an angle with each other, the double skin element (20) and the double skin section (30) Is partially and to the outer skin (22) of the double skin element (20) constituting the side wall by joining along a line (29) connecting the inner skins (21, 31). The railcar is characterized by being combined by welding of an outer cover plate (50) partially welded to the side ribs (34, 35) of the double skin section (30) constituting Car body (1).   The double skin element (20) and the section (30) are accessible from the outside of the rail vehicle body to the line (29) connecting the inner skin when the outer closure plate (50) is not present. 8. The joint portion between the inner skins is arranged so that the inner skin can be welded by friction stir welding from the outside of the vehicle body of the vehicle. The vehicle body of the railway vehicle described in 1.   9. The vehicle body according to claim 7, wherein the welding is performed by friction stir welding.

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