Abstract: Face plates 11 and 12 of a hollow shape member 10 are abutted against face plates 21 and 22 of a hollow shape member 20. Grooves 18 formed to said face plates 11 and 12 at the abutted region receive projections 28 formed to said face plates 21 and 22. A connecting plate 14 orthogonal to said face plates 11 and 12 is provided to the hollow shape member 10. There is no connecting plate orthogonal to face plates 21 and 22 disposed on the end of the hollow shape member 20. Friction stir welding heat causes the face plate 21 (22) to move toward the thickness direction of hollow shape members 10 and 20, but such movement is suppressed by the groove 18 and projection 28. Thereby, the abutted region is welded flatly. Since the hollow shape member 20 requires no connecting plate corresponding to plate 14, the welded members are light in weight.

Abstract: The invention provides a shape member manufacturing apparatus and a shape member manufacturing method which aims at cutting and grinding a joint projection 8B formed when a plurality of shape members are joined together by welding or friction stir welding, in a short time with high accuracy. A plurality of mounts 11 having a side structure 8 placed thereon are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the side structure. A joint projection 8B of a welded portion or a friction stir welded joint is formed on the surface of the side structure 8 in its longitudinal direction. A carrier 100 travels in the longitudinal direction of the side structure 8. Columns 105 are installed in a girder 103 of the carrier, and a milling cutter device 80 and a grinding device 90 are installed in lower portions of the columns 105. A milling surface of a milling cutter 81 of the milling cutter device 80 has a circular-arc shape with a radius R.

Abstract: The invention provides a shape member manufacturing apparatus and a shape member manufacturing method which aims at cutting and grinding a joint projection 8B formed when a plurality of shape members are joined together by welding or friction stir welding, in a short time with high accuracy. A plurality of mounts 11 having a side structure 8 placed thereon are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the side structure. A joint projection 8B of a welded portion or a friction stir welded joint is formed on the surface of the side structure 8 in its longitudinal direction. A carrier 100 travels in the longitudinal direction of the side structure 8. Columns 105 are installed in a girder 103 of the carrier, and a milling cutter device 80 and a grinding device 90 are installed in lower portions of the columns 105. A milling surface of a milling cutter 81 of the milling cutter device 80 has a circular-arc shape with a radius R.

Abstract: The end of a hollow member 10 is abutted against the end of a hollow member 20. The end of a face plate 21 is supported on a protrusion 15. A small-diameter portion 52 of a rotary tool 50 is inserted into the abutted area, and the tool 50 is moved along the abutted region while being rotated in a clockwise direction as observed from the large-diameter potion 51. Thus, the pressure of mobilized metal is greater on the right side of the axial center of the rotary tool. The thickness of the member from the tip of the inserted small-diameter portion 51 to the hollow areas 10b and 10a is thicker at the right side where the pressure is higher, thus preventing metal from flowing out into the hollow region 10a.

Abstract: The invention provides a shape member manufacturing apparatus and a shape member manufacturing method which aims at cutting and grinding a joint projection 8B formed when a plurality of shape members are joined together by welding or friction stir welding, in a short time with high accuracy. A plurality of mounts 11 having a side structure 8 placed thereon are arranged in the longitudinal direction of the side structure. A joint projection 8B of a welded portion or a friction stir welded joint is formed on the surface of the side structure 8 in its longitudinal direction. A carrier 100 travels in the longitudinal direction of the side structure 8. Columns 105 are installed in a girder 103 of the carrier, and a milling cutter device 80 and a grinding device 90 are installed in lower portions of the columns 105. A milling surface of a milling cutter 81 of the milling cutter device 80 has a circular-arc shape with a radius R.

Abstract: A cutting tool 60 cuts along the butted portion between two members 10, 20. A filling material 30 is inserted to the gap 40 formed by said cutting, and a roller 70 presses protrusions 12 and 22 to crimp said protrusions 12 and 22 so as to fix said filling material to position. Next, friction stir welding is performed to the protrusions 12, 22 and the filling material 30 using a rotary tool 80. In another example, instead of cutting, the filling material can be welded and filled to the gap. In yet another example, cutting can be performed so as to approximate the two members before performing the friction stir welding step.

Abstract: The invention provides a method and apparatus for efficiently manufacturing a body structure block by welding long extruded hollow shape members. A plurality of support beds 10 are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the long works W. Each support bed 10 is composed of six supporting units 30 capable of being moved along the width direction of the body structure block, and clamp units 40 and 50 disposed at left and right ends thereof. The supporting units 30 support the butted portions (joints) of seven works W. Both ends of the work W are clamped by the clamp units 40 and 50. The support units 30 and the clamp units 40 and 50 are equipped with expansion devices 34, through which the heights for supporting the works W mounted thereon are adjusted. Adjacent supporting units are coupled via a coupling unit 60, and the inclination angle of each supporting unit 30 can be controlled by the expansion of the coupling unit 60.

Abstract: Two extruded shape members to be subjected to friction stir welding have joining ends butted against each other to form a joining surface of the joint portion. A first extruded shape member has a protrusion projecting from an upper surface of a flat panel portion toward a direction from which a friction stir welding tool is to be inserted. A side surface of the protrusion is connected to the upper surface of the flat panel portion via a small arc R2 and a large arc R3. A second extruded shape member is formed substantially in the same manner. The friction stir welding tool has a small diameter portion formed to the end thereof, and carries out friction stir welding with the center of the small diameter portion positioned to correspond to the joining surface. A joint portion of the welded members has a flat upper surface, and on both sides thereof are formed weld flashes B1. The weld flashes B1 are cut and removed to finish the joint portion.

Abstract: Two members 10 and 20 are welded together by cutting a groove 41 having a determined cross-sectional shape using a cutting tool 60 along the abutted portion between the two members 10 and 20, inserting a filler member 30 substantially having the same cross-sectional shape to the groove so as to substantially eliminate the gap at the abutted portion, temporarily welding together the projections 12, 22 and the filler member 30, and thereafter, friction stir welding the members 10, 20 and the filler member 30 together completely using a rotary tool 81.

Abstract: A cutting tool 60 cuts along the butted portion between two members 10, 20. A filling material 30 is inserted to the gap 40 formed by said cutting, and a roller 70 presses protrusions 12 and 22 to crimp said protrusions 12 and 22 so as to fix said filling material to position. Next, friction stir welding is performed to the protrusions 12, 22 and the filling material 30 using a rotary tool 80. In another example, instead of cutting, the filling material can be welded and filled to the gap. In yet another example, cutting can be performed so as to approximate the two members before performing the friction stir welding step.

Abstract: A cutter 20 cuts the butted portion between two members 11 and 12 so as to form a groove 13 to the butted portion. 23 is an optical sensor for guiding the cutter 20 to a center of the butted portion of the two members. 21 is a cover that covers the periphery around the cutter. Chips enter the cover 21 and are accumulated therein. 31 is a filling material to be inserted to the groove 13. 33 is a pressure roller preventing the filling material from popping out of the groove 13 during friction stir welding. 41 is a friction stir welding tool for welding the members 11, 12 and the filling material 13. 51 is an air blowout nozzle for blowing air via the proximity of the cutter 20 toward the groove. 52 is another air blowout nozzle disposed at the rear of the cover for blowing air toward the groove 13.

Abstract: Grooves 18 formed to face plates 11 and 12 of a hollow shape member 10 at an abutted region with hollow shape member 20 receive projections 28 formed to face plates 21 and 22 of member 20. A connecting plate 14 orthogonal to the face plates 11 and 12 is provided to the hollow shape member 10. There is no connecting plate orthogonal to face plates 21 and 22 disposed on the end of the hollow shape member 20. Friction stir welding heat causes the face plate 21(22) to wove toward the thickness direction of hollow shape members 10 and 20, but such movement is suppressed by the groove 18 and projection 28. Thereby, the abutted region is welded flatly.

Abstract: On a main shaft 30 of a numeric control type machine tool, a rotary tool 50 is installed. The main shaft 30 is not inclined in the machine tool. A first member 70 and a second member 76 to be subjected to friction stir welding are fixed on a table 20. Relative to an axial center of the rotary tool 50, a non-linear welding portion of the first member 70 and the second member 76 is inclined by inclining the table 20. Then, by rotating the table 20 and relatively moving the portion to be welded into contact with the rotary tool 50, welding of the first member to the second member is carried out according to friction stir welding. The above-stated inclination is the inclination required for the friction stir welding. In this way, welding along a path of ring shape or circular shape (including a circular arc) using friction stir welding can be carried out easily.

Abstract: A rotary tool (200) having on the end surface of a large-diameter portion (210) facing a small-diameter portion (220) grooves (213) formed in arc-like shapes, and performing friction stir weld by inserting the end surface of the large-diameter portion (210) and the small-diameter portion to members and rotating the tool (200). By the rotation, the metal of the members moves along the grooves (213) to the center axis direction of the rotary tool (200). The arc-shaped grooves (213)are formed to curve toward the direction of rotation. Since the metal material of the members is moved toward the center, a good weld is realized even when only one of the members to be welded has a projection, or when a large gap is formed therebetween.

Abstract: A rim member 120 forming an entrance 110 and a plate 11 (21) are friction stir welded by moving a rotary tool 200 along the rim member 120. The rotary tool 120 is tilted along the direction of movement. Welding is started at right block 120R, and when the tool reaches corner portion P5 between the right block 120R and a center block 120C, the tool 200 is pulled out of the rim member 120 and plate 11 (21). Next, the tool is tilted toward the direction of movement along center block 120C. Thereafter, the tool is lowered and inserted to position, and friction stir welding is restarted. According to the invention, the direction of the rotary tool is not changed while the tool is inserted to the rim member 120. This prevents generation of excessive friction heat, and thereby realizes a good weld.

Abstract: Plural extrusion members 100, each having plural ribs 105 formed on one surface of a face plate 101, are mounted on a frame 40 with the surface not having the ribs 105 facing downward, and with the end regions of the adjacent members 100, 100 being butted to each other. Then, the end regions of said members 100 are welded using friction stir welding from the upper direction with a rotary body 20, and then a hairline finish is applied to said surface not having the ribs, which constitutes the exterior surface of the vehicle body. In this way, there is substantially no need to cut off the joint bead, which improves the appearance of the vehicle body and reduces the manufacturing cost.

Abstract: On a main shaft 30 of a numeric control type machine tool, a rotary tool 50 is installed. The main shaft 30 is not inclined in the machine tool. A first member 70 and a second member 76 to be subjected to friction stir welding are fixed on a table 20. Relative to an axial center of the rotary tool 50, a non-linear welding portion of the first member 70 and the second member 76 is inclined by inclining the table 20. Then, by rotating the table 20 and relatively moving the portion to be welded into contact with the rotary tool 50, welding of the first member to the second member is carried out according to friction stir welding. The above-stated inclination is the inclination required for the friction stir welding. In this way, welding along a path of ring shape or circular shape (including a circular arc) using friction stir welding can be carried out easily.

Abstract: A cutting tool 60 cuts along the butted portion between two members 10, 20. A filling material 30 is inserted to the gap 40 formed by said cutting, and a roller 70 presses protrusions 12 and 22 to crimp said protrusions 12 and 22 so as to fix said filling material to position. Next, friction stir welding is performed to the protrusions 12, 22 and the filling material 30 using a rotary tool 80. In another example, instead of cutting, the filling material can be welded and filled to the gap. In yet another example, cutting can be performed so as to approximate the two members before performing the friction stir welding step.

Abstract: Face plates 11 and 12 of a hollow shape member 10 are abutted against face plates 21 and 22 of a hollow shape member 20. Grooves 18 formed to said face plates 11 and 12 at the abutted region receive projections 28 formed to said face plates 21 and 22. A connecting plate 14 orthogonal to said face plates 11 and 12 is provided to the hollow shape member 10. There is no connecting plate orthogonal to face plates 21 and 22 disposed on the end of the hollow shape member 20. Friction stir welding heat causes the face plate 21 (22) to move toward the thickness direction of hollow shape members 10 and 20, but such movement is suppressed by the groove 18 and projection 28. Thereby, the abutted region is welded flatly. Since the hollow shape member 20 requires no connecting plate corresponding to plate 14, the welded members are light in weight.

Abstract: A cutting tool 60 cuts along the butted portion between two members 10, 20. A filling material 30 is inserted to the gap 40 formed by said cutting, and a roller 70 presses protrusions 12 and 22 to crimp said protrusions 12 and 22 so as to fix said filling material to position. Next, friction stir welding is performed to the protrusions 12, 22 and the filling material 30 using a rotary tool 80. In another example, instead of cutting, the filling material can be welded and filled to the gap. In yet another example, cutting can be performed so as to approximate the two members before performing the friction stir welding step.