Claims
- 1. A welding method for joining a workpiece comprising first and second elements in abutting relation along facing surfaces, said method comprising the steps of:
heating the first and second elements to plasticize or melt the elements at least at the facing surfaces so as to form an interface therebetween of material in a plasticized or melted state; allowing the interface material, if previously in a melted state, to cool from the melted state to a plasticized state; and mixing the interface material while in the plasticized state.
- 2. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating step comprises:
heating the first element to a welding temperature for the first element; and heating the second element to a welding temperature for the second element different from the welding temperature for the first element.
- 3. The method of claim 2 wherein a first heat source is used to provide heating of the first element and a second heat source is used to provide heating of said second element.
- 4. The method of claim 3 wherein said first and second heat sources comprise separate lasers.
- 5. The method of claim 1, wherein said mixing step comprising mixing the interface sufficiently to recrystallize dendritic matrix structures formed in the interface material during said heating step.
- 6. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of applying pressure along the interface material when in the plasticized state.
- 7. The method of claim 1, wherein said heating step is performed in an inert environment.
- 8. The method of claim 1, wherein said mixing step is performed in an inert environment.
- 9. The method of claim 1, wherein said mixing step comprises grinding and extruding the interface material.
- 10. An apparatus for forming a weld joint in a workpiece between first and second elements in abutting relation along facing surfaces, said apparatus comprising:
a heating device for plasticizing or melting the first and second elements at least at facing surfaces thereof so as to form an interface therebetween of interface material in a plasticized or melted state; and a mixing tool for mixing the interface material when in a plasticized state.
- 11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein said heating device comprises first and second separate heat sources.
- 12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said mixing tool comprises a grinding and extruding device.
- 13. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said heating device applies heat to the first element at a first element welding temperature and applies heat to the second element at a second element welding temperature different than the first welding temperature.
- 14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein said heating device comprises a first heat source for applying heat to said first element and a second, separate heat source for applying heat to said second element.
- 15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein said first and second heat sources each comprise a laser.
- 16. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising forging plates for applying a force to the interface material while in the plasticized state.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a housing for maintaining an inert environment for the first and second elements when melted by said heating device.
- 18. An apparatus of claim 10, further comprising forming means for exerting force on said elements to control forming thereof.
- 19. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein the temperature of said forming means is controlled to provide heating or cooling of said elements.
- 20. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein said forming means comprises at least one forging plate.
- 21. An apparatus of claim 20, further comprising control means for sensing the force exerted by said at least one forging plate and for controlling feeding of said first and second elements based thereon.
- 22. An apparatus of claim 21, wherein said control means controls one of feed rate and travel speed to control feeding of said elements.
- 23. An apparatus of claim 18, wherein said forming means comprises a plurality of rollers.
- 24. An apparatus of claim 23, further comprising control means for controlling the force exerted by said rollers and for controlling feeding of said first and second elements based thereon.
- 25. An apparatus of claim 24, wherein said control means controls one of feed rate and travel speed to control feeding of said elements.
- 26. An apparatus of claim 10, further comprising control means for sensing energy input to said heating device and for controlling one of feed rate and travel speed of said elements based thereon.
- 27. An apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a pre-weld tack welding means located upstream of said mixing tool for tack welding the two elements together prior to mixing by said mixing tool.
- 28. An apparatus of claim 10, wherein said mixing tool is retractable so as to enable complete withdrawal thereof from the first and second elements.
- 29. An apparatus of claim 10, further comprising containment forging plates for containing the first and second elements during mixing by said mixing tool.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application is a division of application Ser. No. 09/994,506 filed on Nov. 27, 2001.
ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention was made by employees of the United States Government and may be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmental purposes without the payment of any royalties.
Divisions (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09994506 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10385168 |
Feb 2003 |
US |