US 12,447,551 B2
Method for controlling friction stir welding device, and friction stir welding device
Masahiro Miyake, Kobe (JP); Takuya Fukuda, Kobe (JP); Tadahiro Edagawa, Kobe (JP); Norichika Kita, Kobe (JP); and Makoto Tsujinaka, Kobe (JP)
Assigned to KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Kobe (JP)
Appl. No. 18/275,700
Filed by KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA, Kobe (JP)
PCT Filed Feb. 7, 2022, PCT No. PCT/JP2022/004756
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Aug. 3, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/168981, PCT Pub. Date Aug. 11, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 2021-018427 (JP), filed on Feb. 8, 2021.
Prior Publication US 2024/0116129 A1, Apr. 11, 2024
Int. Cl. B23K 20/00 (2006.01); B23K 20/12 (2006.01)
CPC B23K 20/123 (2013.01) [B23K 20/1245 (2013.01)] 6 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for controlling a friction stir welding device that includes a pin member that rotates around an axis and moves forward and backward along the axis, and a shoulder member that is on an outer peripheral side of the pin member, and rotates around the axis and moves forward and backward along the axis, and that welds a workpiece by press-fitting the pin member and the shoulder member into the workpiece while rotating the pin member and the shoulder member, the method comprising:
a first step of storing, in a storage unit, as a first shoulder position, a position of the shoulder member in the axial direction in a state where a distal end of the shoulder member is in contact with a predetermined contact surface;
a second step of storing, in the storage unit, as a first pin position, an initial position of the pin member in the axial direction;
a third step of causing the pin member to advance toward the contact surface and storing, in the storage unit, as a second pin position, a position of the pin member in the axial direction when a distal end of the pin member contacts the contact surface;
a fourth step of storing, in the storage unit, as a second shoulder position, a position in the axial direction of the shoulder member retreated as the pin member contacts the contact surface;
a fifth step of determining that a first condition is satisfied in which a pin movement amount, which is a distance between the first pin position and the second pin position, is included in a predetermined first range, and that a second condition is satisfied in which a shoulder displacement amount, which is a distance between the first shoulder position and the second shoulder position, is included in a predetermined second range;
a sixth step of causing the pin member to retreat from the contact surface by a predetermined return amount responsive to the first condition and the second condition being satisfied, and performing origin point alignment of the pin member and the shoulder member with reference to positions of the pin member and the shoulder member in the axial direction after the retreat;
a seventh step of determining that the first condition is not satisfied; and
an eighth step of causing the pin member to retreat to a restart position farther from the contact surface than the first pin position responsive to the first condition not being satisfied,
wherein after the eighth step, with the position of the pin member retreated to the restart position as a new first pin position, procedures of the second step and subsequent steps are re-executed.