JPH10156557A - Friction welding equipment - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To enable a beltlike work to be friction-welded to aluminum and its alloy plate. SOLUTION: The equipment is provided, in the upward position of a work supporting table 11 for supporting a first work W1, with a ram 27 vertically movably which is capable of supporting the first work W1 in a state joined with the lower part of a second work W2 and which is also capable of fixing with pressure the first work W1 on the work supporting table 11. Then, in the machining head 49, which is provided movably back and forth in the direction of the joined part between the first and the second work W1, W2 in the downward position of the ram 27, a welding tool 61 is rotatably installed which is equipped with a probe for generating frictional heat at the joined part; also, in the lower part of the ram 27, a work clamp 33 is provided which can freely clamp the second work W2.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a friction welding apparatus for performing friction welding of a plate-like work made of a non-ferrous metal such as aluminum and its alloys, copper and its alloys, and more particularly, to a plate-like work. The present invention relates to a friction welding apparatus capable of easily manufacturing a product having a shape in which a plurality of plate members having appropriate heights are provided at appropriate intervals on one side surface.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a prior example relating to the present invention, there is, for example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 7-505090.

[0003]

In the above prior art, the first and second workpieces to be welded are brought into horizontal contact with each other, and the probe is rotated while entering the joint surface between the first and second workpieces. In this configuration, frictional heat is generated between the workpiece and the workpiece, and the frictional heat softens the welding surface of the workpiece to perform welding. In the above-mentioned prior example, the first and second works are horizontally butt-welded, and for example, it is difficult to perform welding in a state where the first and second works are joined in a T-shape.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and the invention according to claim 1 is provided at a position above a work support table for supporting a first work. A ram capable of supporting the lower portion of the second work to be welded to the first work in a joined state and capable of pressing and fixing the first work to the work support table is provided so as to be vertically movable, and a lower position of the ram is provided. A welding head provided with a probe for generating frictional heat at the joint between the first and second works, on a processing head provided so as to be reciprocable in a direction along the joint between the first and second works. The tool is provided rotatably.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a work clamp capable of holding the second work is provided below the ram.

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a friction welding apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment comprises left and right side columns 3L, 3R.
Are connected by a beam member 5, and the lower portions of the side columns 3L, 3R are connected to the front and rear base plates 7F, 7F.
A frame 9 having a structure connected by 7R is provided.

A work support table 1 for supporting a plate-like first work W1 is provided on the front and rear base plates 7F and 7R.
1 is provided. More specifically, the front and rear base plates 7F and 7R are provided with guide members 13 at appropriate intervals in the left-right direction, and each guide member 13 supports an elevating member 15 so as to be vertically movable. And each elevating member 15
Is provided with a support bar 17 extending in the front-rear direction. Further, in order to move the elevating member 15 up and down, a suitable actuator such as a fluid pressure cylinder, a motor or the like is provided as an elevating operation device 19 on the front and rear base plates 7F and 7R.

The support bar 17 supports the first work W1 horizontally, and an appropriate number of support bars 17 at appropriate positions have positioning members for positioning the work W1, as shown in FIG. 23 is provided so as to be able to protrude and retract from the upper surface of the support bar 17. In this example, the positioning member 23 is pivotally attached to the support bar 17 via a pin 25 so as to be able to swing up and down.
Although one part protrudes from the upper surface of the support bar 17, it is provided so as to be immersed from the upper surface of the support bar 17 by the weight of the work W1 when the work W1 is placed.

By the way, as a structure for vertically moving a plurality of support bars 17 as the work supporting table 11, FIG. There are support bars 1
7 can be simultaneously moved up and down via an appropriate interlocking mechanism such as a link mechanism.

[0010] Between the left and right side columns 3L, 3R,
In other words, at a position above the support table 11, the first work W1 can be supported in a state where the lower portion of the second work W2 is joined to the first work W1, and the first work W1 is immovable on the support table 11. A ram 27 which can be pressed is provided so as to be vertically movable.

The left and right sides of the ram 27 are vertically supported and supported by an appropriate guide mechanism 29 such as a roller or a slide guide mechanism provided on the left and right side columns 3L and 3R. And the ram 27
In order to perform the vertical movement of the beam member 5, a ram elevating / lowering operation device 31 including, for example, a motor and an appropriate actuator such as a ball screw mechanism or a fluid pressure cylinder is provided at a plurality of positions of the beam member 5.

In order to hold the second work W2,
A work clamp 33 is provided below the ram 27. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, a horizontal clamp support member 35 is integrally provided below the ram 27, and one side of the lower surface of the clamp support member 35 is formed of a plurality of bolts and the like. A fixed clamp member 39 is attached via a fixing member 37 so that the position can be adjusted in the front-rear direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 3).

On the other side of the lower surface of the clamp support member 35, a movable clamp member 41 capable of holding and fixing the second work W2 between the clamp support member 39 and the fixed work clamp member 39 is provided via a fixture 43. It is movably supported. Further, clamp jaws 45 for pressing and fixing the movable side clamp member 41 to the fixed side clamp member 39 side are supported at a plurality of positions of the clamp support member 35, and for clamping the clamp jaw 45. A fastener 47 such as a tightening screw is provided.

With the above structure, the second work W2 disposed between the fixed-side clamp member 39 and the movable-side clamp member 41 can be clamped and fixed by tightening the fastener 47. At this time, the center of the thickness of the ram 27 and the center of the thickness of the work W2 are substantially adjusted by adjusting the position of the fixed side clamp member 39 in advance in the left-right direction in FIG. The workpiece W2 can be clamped and fixed in a state where the workpieces W2 and P4 are aligned.

That is, even when the thickness of the second work W2 changes variously, the center of the thickness of the work W2 can always be set at a substantially constant position.

When the lower surface of the second work W2 held by the work clamp 33 of the ram 27 is joined to the first work W1 horizontally supported by the work support table 11, 1. Second work W1, W2
A welding processing head 49 for performing friction welding of the joint is provided.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, in this example, a guide rail 5 extending in the left-right direction (in FIG. 2, in the direction perpendicular to the paper) is provided on one base plate 7F.
The guide rail 51 is provided with a slider 5.
3 is movably supported in the left-right direction. A ball screw 57 extending in the left-right direction is screwed to the nut member 55 provided on the slider 53. Therefore, by controlling the rotation of the ball screw 57 by a servo motor (not shown), the position of the slider 53 in the left-right direction can be controlled.

The slider 53 has the welding head 49 mounted thereon. The welding head 49 supports a spindle 59 driven by a motor M so as to be rotatable and vertically movable. 59
A welding tool 61 is detachably mounted on the upper end of the welding tool.

The welding tool 61 is, as shown in FIG.
In this embodiment, a large-diameter shank portion 63 is provided which can be attached to and detached from the spindle 59, and a small-diameter probe 65 is protruded from the center of the distal end surface of the shank portion 63. The probe 65 has a length that can penetrate the first work W1 and reach the second work W2, and has a diameter smaller than the plate thickness of the second work W2.

Although not shown in detail, the welding head 49 is provided so as to be slightly inclined in the moving direction with respect to the slider 53. That is, the welding processing head 4
When the tip 9 moves in the left-right direction along the guide rail 51, the tip of the probe 65 of the welding tool 61 is provided to be tiltable so as to precede in the movement direction.

In the above configuration, the lifting device 19 is operated to operate the support bar 17 on the support table 11.
Is moved down, and the ram lifting / lowering operating device 31 is operated to activate the ram 2.
7, the plate-like first work W1
Is placed on the support bar 17, and one end of the work W <b> 1 abuts on a positioning member 23 provided on an appropriate support bar 17 for positioning.

A second work W2 in the form of a strip is clamped and fixed by a work clamp 33 provided below the ram 27. At this time, the second work W2 is clamped and fixed in a state where the lower surface of the second work W2 and the lower surfaces of the fixed and movable clamp members 39 and 41 are aligned.

Thereafter, the lifting operation device 19 is operated to raise the support table 11, and the ram lifting operation device 3 is moved.
1 is operated to lower the ram 27 so that the first work W
The upper surface of the first work W1 and the lower surface of the second work W2 are joined. At this time, the force of the ram lifting / lowering operating device 31 for lowering the ram 27 is larger than the force of the lifting / lowering operating device 19 for raising the entire support table 11. The height position of the joining surface of W1 and W2 is defined by the descending end of the ram 27, and is always constant for the same material.

As described above, when the lower surface of the second work W2 is joined to the upper surface of the first work W1 and the first work W1 is pressed and fixed to the support table 11 by the ram 27, welding is performed. Motor M provided on head 49
The tip of the probe 65 in the welding tool 61 provided on the spindle 59 is rotated by the first
When the first work W1 is pressed against the lower surface of the work W1, the first work W1 is pressed.
Friction heat is generated by friction between the first work W1 and the probe 65, and the frictional heat softens a part of the first work W1.

When a part of the work W1 is softened as described above, the spindle 59 is raised and the probe 65 is immersed in the softened portion of the work W1, and the softened portion due to frictional heat reaches the second work W2, and the probe 65 Of the welding tool 61 is immersed so as to reach the second work W2.
The upper surface of the shank portion 63 is pressed against the lower surface of the first work W1.

In the above description, the probe 65 is immersed from the lower surface of the first work W1, but the welding head 49 is moved in the left-right direction to move the first and second works W1, W2. By rotating and abutting the probe 65 on the side surface, a softened portion is formed by frictional heat in a part of the first and second works W1 and W2 in the same manner as described above, and the probe 65 is immersed in the softened portion. Things.

As described above, the first and the second are caused by the frictional heat.
When the joint between the workpieces W1 and W2 is softened and the probe 65 is immersed in the softened portion, the ball screw 57 is rotated by the servo motor, and the welding head 4
9, the softened portion is gradually moved left and right, and the softened portions of the works W1 and W2 are agitated by the rotation of the probe 65 and are moved rearward in the traveling direction of the probe 65. And solidifies,
The first and second works W1 and W2 can be subjected to friction welding.

As described above, when the welding head 49 is moved in the left-right direction, the shank 6 of the welding tool 61 is moved.
3 is pressed against the lower surface of the first work W1, so that the lower surface of the first work W1 protrudes toward the front side in the traveling direction of the welding tool 61 (generally, the upper surface of the first work W1 is generated with respect to the upper surface). Since the upward bulge is referred to as a bulge, the bulge generated on the lower surface is referred to as a bulge), and the movement resistance tends to increase.

However, in this embodiment, since the welding head 49 is provided so as to be slightly inclined in the moving direction, when the swelling tends to occur as described above, the upper end surface of the shank portion 63 of the welding tool 61. Can be inclined so that the front side in the traveling direction of the vehicle becomes lower, and the occurrence of the swelling can be suppressed.

As described above, the first and second works W1,
After the friction welding of W2 is performed, the fixing of the second work W2 by the work clamp 33 is released and the ram 27 is raised, and then the first work W1 is brought into contact with the next adjacent positioning member 23 to be positioned. At the same time, the next new work W2 is clamped and fixed to the work clamp 33, and the above-described operation is repeated to thereby obtain the first work W2.
The second work W2 can be friction-welded at appropriate intervals on the upper surface of the first work W2.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described example, but can be embodied in other modes by making appropriate changes. For example, as shown in FIG. 4, as the work clamp 33, an intermediate portion of a clamp lever 71 is pivotally attached to brackets 67 provided at a plurality of positions of the clamp support member 35 via pins 69. Then, the lower end of the clamp lever 71 and the movable clamp member 41 movably supported by the clamp support member 35 are appropriately connected, and a tube 73 capable of pressing the upper end of each of the clamp levers 71 is provided. It is housed in a U-shaped tube holder 75 attached to the clamp support member 35.

According to the above configuration, when the working fluid is supplied to the tube 73 and the tube 73 is inflated, the upper ends of the plurality of clamp levers 71 are pressed at the same time. 39 can be moved in parallel to the fixed side and movable side clamp members 39 and 41.
The work can be easily clamped and fixed between them.

FIG. 5 shows a work clamp 33 according to another embodiment.
It shows. In this embodiment, the clamp support member 35
The two clamp members 39 and 41 movably supported by the clamp support member 35 are screwed to the right screw portion 77R and the left screw portion 77L of the screw rod 77 rotatably supported by the screw rod 77.

In the above configuration, when the handle 79 provided on the screw rod 77 is rotated, the two clamp members 39 and 41 are rotated.
Move in the directions approaching and moving away from each other to clamp and fix the work, so that even when the thickness of the work changes, the center of the work thickness can always be maintained at a fixed position.

As will be understood, the present invention can be implemented in various modes by making various changes.

[0036]

As will be understood from the above description, the invention according to the first aspect is characterized in that the first work to be welded to the first work is positioned above the work support table for supporting the first work. A ram capable of supporting the lower part of the second work in a joined state and capable of pressing and fixing the first work to the work support table is provided so as to be vertically movable, and the first and second works are located below the ram. A processing tool provided reciprocally in a direction along a joining portion of the above, a welding tool having a probe for generating frictional heat at the joining portion of the first and second workpieces is rotatably provided. Therefore, the second work joined to the upper surface of the first work in a T-shape can be friction-welded from a position below the first work.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a work clamp capable of holding the second work is provided below the ram. Thus, the second work can be accurately and reliably held in a joined state, and the positional relationship between the first and second works during welding can be accurately held.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory perspective view showing a friction welding apparatus according to a first example of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory side sectional view showing a friction welding apparatus according to a first example of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a detailed explanatory view of a main part showing a friction welding apparatus according to a first example of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram showing a second example of the work clamp.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing a third example of a work clamp.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Friction welding device 11 Work support table 17 Support bar 19 Elevating device 23 Positioning stopper 27 Ram 31 Ram elevating device 33 Work clamp 35 Clamp support member 39 Fixed clamp member 41 Movable clamp member 49 Welding head 53 Slider 59 Spindle 61 welding tool 65 probe

Claims (2)

[Claims] A second work to be welded to the first work at a position above a work support table for supporting the first work;
Can be supported in a state where the lower part of the workpiece is joined and the first
A ram capable of pressing and fixing the work to the work support table is provided movably up and down, and a processing head provided at a position below the ram so as to be able to reciprocate in a direction along a joint between the first and second works. And a welding tool having a probe for generating frictional heat at a joint between the first and second workpieces is provided rotatably. 2. A friction welding apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a work clamp capable of holding the second work is provided below the ram.