The present invention relates to a method for the butt-welding of at least two metal sheets.
WO 2008/138973 A1 discloses a method for producing tailored blanks from metal sheets to be butt-joined by welding, wherein at least two combined laser cutting and welding heads, which are borne by at least two independent arms each assigned to independent units of the feed apparatus, are displaced simultaneously along the edges, which are to be produced for the butt joint, of the metal sheets held by a workpiece carrier and trim the edges, and after the metal sheets have been brought together to form the butt joint and the metal sheets have been held by the workpiece carrier, the two combined laser cutting and welding heads are displaced simultaneously along the produced edges, forming the butt joint, of the metal sheets held by the workpiece carrier and produce the weld seam in various, successive portions.
It is an object of the present invention to develop a method for the butt-welding of at least two metal sheets, the method ensuring a high quality of the welded connections generated and making it possible to produce tailored blanks with little technical outlay and thus in an efficient manner.
The method according to the present invention for the butt-welding of at least two metal sheets, namely a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet, from which, in particular, a tailored blank is produced, provides
By maintaining the preload, which both metal sheets have during the laser cutting due to a fixing by means of a fixing apparatus, for the laser welding, the edges to be welded of the two metal sheets retain their geometry in an exact manner, with the result that the edges to be welded fit together in an optimal manner. Correspondingly, the method according to the present invention avoids a situation in which deformation of the metal sheets and thus of the edges occurs after the laser cutting due to a change in the stress state of the metal sheets during the positioning of the metal sheets for the laser welding.
Provision is also made for the second, the third and the fourth method step to be carried out in such a way that, prior to the fifth method step, a groove is formed between the first edge to be welded and the second edge to be welded. This makes it possible to produce a weld seam, generated by the laser welding, in a surface-flush manner, such that undesired protrusion of the weld seam is avoided.
Provision is furthermore made for the groove to be in the form of a V groove or in the form of a Y groove or in the form of an HV groove or in the form of an HY groove. In this way, the selection of the shape of the groove can be adapted to the respective combinations of material and thickness of the metal sheets.
It is also provided that, during the second method step, the first edge to be welded is prepared by means of laser cutting in such a way that, after the laser cutting, an angle >90° is enclosed between the first edge and a top side of the first metal sheet, the top side adjoining the first edge, and that, during the third method step, the second edge to be welded is prepared by means of laser cutting in such a way that, after the laser cutting, an angle > or =90° is enclosed between the second edge and a top side of the second metal sheet, the top side adjoining the second edge. This ensures that a groove with a V-shaped cross section is formed between the metal sheets after the cut edges have been pushed together, the groove serving as a receiving space for the melt volume and thus preventing formation of a protruding weld seam.
It is furthermore provided that, after the fourth method step, the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet are oriented in such a way that a first cut surface generated at the first edge lies in a first plane and a second cut surface generated at the second edge lies in a second plane, wherein the first plane and the second plane intersect when a top side of the first metal sheet and a top side of the second metal sheet lie in a third plane or in a third plane and a fourth plane, which are oriented parallel to one another. In this way, a parallel orientation of the planes in which the edges lie is prevented and a receiving space for the melt volume is provided.
Provision is also made for the second and the third method step to be carried out by means of laser beam cutting or by means of remote laser beam cutting (RLC) and for the fifth method step to be carried out by means of laser beam welding or by means of remote laser beam welding (RLW). In this way, a single remote laser is sufficient for cutting the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet and for welding the two metal sheets to one another. In this way, smaller movement travels are sufficient, since the remote laser can reposition the focal point as required.
Provision is furthermore made for the second and the third and the fifth method step to be carried out using the same laser or using the same remote laser. In this way, the technical outlay for an apparatus for producing tailored blanks is lower than other apparatuses, since only one laser is required.
Provision is also made for a spacing between the remote laser and the edge or edges to be welded of the metal sheets when the second, third and fifth method steps are being carried out to in each case be at least 200 mm and preferably at least 300 mm. In this way, metal sheets with spatially curved portions can also be cut and welded in a more effective manner, since the aforementioned spacing makes it possible to avoid collisions more easily.
Provision is also made for the first metal sheet, in the region of its first edge to be welded, and/or the second metal sheet, in the region of its second edge to be welded, to be treated by laser ablation by means of the remote laser prior to the fifth method step and, in particular, prior to the second and third method step, respectively. This makes it possible to clean the metal sheets without any additional technical outlay, and thus the result of the welding process can be improved since no undesired substances pass into the melt bath.
Furthermore, provision is also made for the metal sheets to be configured in terms of their number and shape in such a way that a tailored blank closed in a ring-shaped manner is produced by the method, wherein the tailored blank closed in a ring-shaped manner is produced, in particular, from at least six metal sheets. In order to produce tailored blanks with more than two weld seams, the method according to the present invention is either implemented multiple times or the individual method steps are effected in parallel with one another, the apparatus for producing tailored blanks is then correspondingly equipped with a multiplicity of remote lasers and a multiplicity of clamping devices.
It is also provided that, in the fourth method step, the second metal sheet is positioned in relation to the first metal sheet either in such a way that, to produce a first variant of the tailored blank, a top side of the first metal sheet and a top side of the second metal sheet are brought into a first common plane and the groove is in this case formed in the direction of the top side of the second metal sheet, or in such a way that, to produce a second variant of the tailored blank, a bottom side of the first metal sheet and a bottom side of the second metal sheet are brought into a second common plane and the groove is in this case formed in the direction of the top side of the second metal sheet. In this way, it is possible, solely by way of a different positioning of the weld seam or a different orientation of the metal sheets, to produce “left” and “right” tailored blanks without a further apparatus for producing tailored blanks being required for this.
Provision is furthermore made for a free volume of the groove to be predetermined in such a way that the free volume is filled by a weld seam, which is generated in the fifth method step, as far as an interface,
In this way, tailored blanks which meet the requirements in an optimal manner and which, in particular, also do not require any postprocessing in the region of their weld seam can be produced without additional manufacturing steps.
Provision is also made for a fill volume of the weld seam in the fifth method step to be increased by continuous feeding of a filler wire during the laser welding until the free volume of the groove is reached by the fill volume. In this way, it is possible for tailored blanks with greater free volumes of the groove to also be produced in such a way that the free volume is filled completely up to an upper limit and thus optimal cohesion of the metal sheets is ensured.
Provision is furthermore made for a plurality of metal sheets to be connected to form a ring, wherein, for this purpose, these metal sheets are connected by a number of weld seams which corresponds to a number of the metal sheets. This makes it possible to produce ring-shaped tailored blanks in an efficient manner.
Provision is also made for the first edge to be welded and the second edge to be welded to each have a linear profile, such that a linearly running weld seam is formed by the welding. This makes it possible to produce areal tailored blanks in a simple manner.
Provision is furthermore made for the first edge to be welded and the second edge to be welded to each have a two-dimensional, curved profile, such that a weld seam which runs in a two-dimensional, curved manner is formed by the welding. This makes it possible to produce areal tailored blanks with a two-dimensional profile of the weld seam in a simple manner.
Finally, provision is made for the first edge to be welded and the second edge to be welded to each have a three-dimensionally curved profile, such that a weld seam which runs in a three-dimensionally curved manner is formed by the welding. This makes it possible to produce complex components with a three-dimensional profile of the weld seam in a simple manner. These are also referred to as spatial tailored blanks in the context of the present invention.
In the context of the present invention, a tailored blank is understood to mean an article which has been formed from two metal sheets by laser welding, the metal sheets differing with respect to their material thicknesses and/or with respect to their material and/or with respect to their shape and with respect to their coating.
In the context of the present invention, a metal sheet is understood to mean a metal-sheet-shaped workpiece composed of a weldable material.
In the context of the present invention, butt-welding is understood to mean welding two metal sheets in the region of edges which abut against one another.
In the context of the present invention, an edge to be welded of a metal sheet is understood to mean an edge surface running between a top side and a bottom side of the metal sheet and adjoining a top side of the metal sheet.
In the context of the present invention, a remote laser is understood to mean a laser comprising a scanner system which comprises a combination of rotating facet mirrors or tiltable deflection mirrors which can reflect the laser beam at different locations by way of an adjustability of the angles at which the mirrors are oriented.
Further details of the present invention will be described in the drawing by means of schematically illustrated exemplary embodiments.
The apparatus 1, which is shown in each of
In a first method step, the first metal sheet A is fixed in the first clamping device 3 and the second metal sheet B is fixed in the second clamping device 4 by virtue of the respective clamping jaws 3a, 3b and 4a, 4b being brought together. For this, reference is made to
As can be seen from
As can further be seen from
Provision may also be made for the third step to be carried out prior to the second step.
In the illustration of
In a fourth method step, which is effected between the states shown in
In a fifth method step, the two metal sheets A, B are then joined along the abutting region 11, formed by the two edges 9, 10, by laser welding by means of the remote laser 7. To this end, the laser beam 8 is guided along the abutting region 11 through the groove N. In the illustration of
It is important that, in the fourth method step, the first metal sheet A and the second metal sheet B are positioned relative to one another, in each case while maintaining preloads brought about by the fixing performed in the first method step by means of the clamping devices, by moving at least one of the clamping devices in such a way that the edge to be welded 9 of the first metal sheet A and the edge to be welded 10 of the second metal sheet B lie opposite one another so as to form a joint 13, which forms the groove N.
The second, the third and the fourth method step are carried out in such a way that, prior to the fifth method step, the groove N is formed between the first edge to be welded 9 and the second edge to be welded 10. To this end, both the first metal sheet A and the second metal sheet B are cut by means of the laser beam 8 in such a way that both the first edge 9 and the second edge 10 are produced in the form of an oblique edge.
Both in the first method variant and in the second method variant, the one remote laser 7 is used to carry out both the two laser cuts and the welding.
As an alternative, provision is also made for the clamping devices to be in the form of magnetically operating clamping apparatuses or in the form of pneumatically operating clamping apparatuses.
It holds true for all four groove variants N1 to N4 shown in
A2 or A3 or A4, respectively, the top side adjoining the first edge 9.1 or 9.2 or 9.3 or 9.4, respectively,
Correspondingly, it holds true that, after the fourth method step, the first metal sheet A1, A2, A3, A4 and the second metal sheet B1, B2, B3, B4 are oriented in such a way that a first cut surface 17.1, 17.2, 17.3, 17.4 generated at the first edge 9.1, 9.2, 9.3, 9.4 lies in a first plane E1, E2, E3, E4 and a second cut surface 18.1, 18.2, 18.3, 18.4 generated at the second edge 10.1, 10.2, 10.3, 10.4 lies in a second plane F1, F2, F3, F4, wherein the first plane and the second plane E1, F1, respectively, or E2, F2, respectively, or E3, F3, respectively, or E4, F4, respectively, intersect and thus are not parallel to one another when a top side 15.1, 15.2, 15.3, 15.4 of the first metal sheet A1, A2, A3, A4 and a top side 16.1, 16.2, 16.3, 16.4 of the second metal sheet B1, B2, B3, B4 both lie in a third plane G1, G2, G3 or, as illustrated in
In the variants shown in
In the variant shown in
As mentioned in relation to
A spacing d7 (see
In all of the described method variants, provision is optionally also made for the first metal sheet A, in the region of its first edge to be welded 9, and/or the second metal sheet B, in the region of its second edge to be welded 10, to be treated, and thus, in particular, to be cleaned, by laser ablation by means of the remote laser 7 prior to the fifth method step and, in particular, prior to the second and third method step, respectively.
In the case of the metal sheets A, B shown
In the case of the metal sheets A5, B5 shown
In the case of the metal sheets A6, B6 shown in
According to an embodiment variant of the method that is not illustrated, provision is also made for the metal sheets to be configured in terms of their number and shape in such a way that a tailored blank closed in a ring-shaped manner is produced by the method, wherein the tailored blank closed in a ring-shaped manner is produced, in particular, from at least six metal sheets. The apparatus on which this method is carried out then comprises a corresponding number of clamping devices and, where appropriate, a number of laser devices which corresponds to the number of metal sheets. As an alternative, a laser device may also be provided which performs the laser cutting and laser welding of all the metal sheets and which is displaced correspondingly for this purpose, provision also being able to be made that, as an alternative or in addition, the clamping devices are displaced in order to bring the laser device and the metal sheets into position relative to one another. In such a method, to produce a component or tailored blank, a plurality of weld seams are then generated on the component or tailored blank by the same laser device. Such a method reduces the construction outlay for an apparatus for producing such components or tailored blanks considerably.
In
To this end, it is provided in the method described in relation to
In order to position the metal sheets A7, B7 and A8, B8, respectively, relative to one another, at least one of the clamping devices (not illustrated) in which the metal sheets are clamped during all of the laser processing steps is additionally displaced in the above-mentioned third spatial direction z or z′.
In this case, laser cutting of the first metal sheet A7 and of the second metal sheet B7 so as to form edges 9.7 and 10.7 is effected in such a way that a Y seam is formed as weld seam 12.7 between the metal sheets A7, A8 after the laser welding.
In this case, laser cutting of the first metal sheet A8 and of the second metal sheet B8 so as to form edges 9.8 and 10.8 is effected in such a way that a V seam is formed in each case as weld seam 12.8 between the metal sheets A8, B8 after the laser welding.
In principle, it is provided for all embodiment variants of tailored blanks that—as, for example, shown in
If provision is made of laser welding with filler wire, this is taken into account in the predetermination of the free volume of the groove, and the free volume of the groove is correspondingly dimensioned to be greater. Correspondingly, a fill volume of the weld seam in the fifth method step is increased by continuous feeding of a filler wire during the laser welding until the free volume of the groove is reached by the fill volume.
In principle, provision is made in all of the described method variants for the first clamping device 3 and/or the second clamping device 4 to be oriented relative to one another on the basis of coordinates detected in relation to a first laser cut on the first metal sheet A, A1 to A8 and in relation to a second laser cut on the second metal sheet B, B1 to B8.
The apparatus 101 shown in schematic plan view in
In the illustration of
One and the same remote laser 107 is used to carry out both the laser cutting and the laser welding on all of the metal sheets A9, B9, C9 and D9. It goes without saying that this method can also be used to connect more than four metal sheets to form a ring. The apparatus is then equipped with a sufficient number of clamping devices. In the case of larger metal sheets, provision may also be made for the metal sheets to be clamped by means of at least two clamping devices, as is shown in
Furthermore, provision is in principle also made in the described embodiments, as an alternative, for a conventional laser to be used instead of the remote laser.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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10 2020 106 530.2 | Mar 2020 | DE | national |
This application is a continuation of International Application No. PCT/EP2021/056006 filed Mar. 10, 2021, which designated the United States, and claims the benefit under 35 USC § 119(a)-(d) of German Application No. 10 2020 106 530.2 filed Mar. 10, 2020, the entireties of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | PCT/EP2021/056006 | Mar 2021 | US |
Child | 17930102 | US |