US 11,938,558 B2
Double-action friction-stir joining system and method utilizing a cleaning mechanism
Masahiro Miyake, Kobe (JP); Kengo Maeda, Kobe (JP); Masato Fukushima, Akashi (JP); and Yohei Ishido, Kobe (JP)
Assigned to KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Kobe (JP)
Appl. No. 17/270,751
Filed by KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Kobe (JP)
PCT Filed Aug. 23, 2019, PCT No. PCT/JP2019/033071
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Feb. 23, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/040299, PCT Pub. Date Feb. 27, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 2018-156332 (JP), filed on Aug. 23, 2018; application No. 2019-036970 (JP), filed on Feb. 28, 2019; and application No. 2019-072856 (JP), filed on Apr. 5, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2021/0316391 A1, Oct. 14, 2021
Int. Cl. B23K 20/12 (2006.01); B23K 20/26 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 20/125 (2013.01) [B23K 20/123 (2013.01); B23K 20/1255 (2013.01); B23K 20/126 (2013.01); B23K 20/26 (2013.01)] 22 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A double-action friction stir joining system, comprising:
a double-action friction stir joining device;
a cleaning mechanism having a dressing member;
a robot; and
a control device,
wherein the double-action friction stir joining device includes:
a pin member formed in a cylindrical shape and configured to be rotatable on an axis and reciprocatable in a direction along the axis;
a shoulder member formed in a cylindrical shape, into which the pin member is inserted, and configured to be rotatable on the axis and reciprocatable in a direction along the axis;
a first rotary driver configured to rotate the pin member and the shoulder member on the axis, respectively; and
a tool driver configured to reciprocate the pin member and the shoulder member along the axis, respectively,
wherein the control device is adapted to:
(A) operate the tool driver so that the pin member is thrusted into the shoulder member;
(B) operate the first rotary driver so that the shoulder member rotates; and
(C) operate the robot so that the robot holds the double-action friction stir joining device and the dressing member contacts an inner circumferential surface of the shoulder member, and
wherein the control device operates the tool driver in (A) during a cleaning process so that:
(A1) a tip-end face of the pin member is moved to a first position set in advance; and
(A2) the tip-end face of the pin member is moved to a second position set in advance, after (A1), at a larger speed than in (A1).