Friction stir welding tool cleaning method and apparatus

• US 20070284419A1
• Filed: 06/13/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Matlack, Michael P., Burton, Kurt A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,641,739 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 228/112.100
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/1225 Particular aspects of welding with a non-consumable tool
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 20/26 Auxiliary equipment

Abstract

The invention is directed to a friction stir welding tool cleaning method and apparatus for fixed and retractable pin tools. The method and apparatus use a heating component, a temperature indicator component, a controller component, and a rotatable tool cleaner component for cleaning fixed pin tools. An additional bore cleaner component is used for cleaning retractable pin tools. Heat is applied to a friction stir welding tool having a surface with weld process residue material until the process residue material is sufficiently plasticized, and then the tool cleaner component is applied to the heated tool to remove the plasticized residue on the pin and shoulder surfaces of the tool, and for retractable pin tools, the bore cleaner component is applied to the heated tool to remove the plasticized residue in the tool bore.

Claims

1. An apparatus for cleaning a friction stir welding tool having a weld process residue material on a surface of the tool, the apparatus comprising:

a heating component for heating the friction stir welding tool to an effective temperature, such that the weld process residue material is heated and transformed from a solid process residue material to a plasticized process residue material;

a temperature indicator component for indicating the effective temperature of the friction stir welding tool;

a tool cleaner component adapted for removing the plasticized process residue material from the friction stir welding tool, wherein when the effective temperature is reached, the tool cleaner contacts and removes the plasticized process residue material from the tool; and

,

a controller component for distributing power to the heating component, to the temperature indicator component, and to the tool cleaner component.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a bore cleaner component adapted for cleaning an inner portion of a shoulder portion of the friction stir welding tool when the friction stir welding tool has a retractable pin tool component, wherein when the effective temperature is reached, the bore cleaner contacts and removes the plasticized process residue material from the inner portion of the shoulder portion.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the bore cleaner component comprises a steel wire brush.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the heating component is an induction heater having an induction coil.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the tool cleaner component comprises a plurality of rotatable steel wire wheels having steel wire elements extending from the steel wire wheels.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the process residue material is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, bronze, zinc and plastic.

7. An apparatus for cleaning a friction stir welding tool having a weld process residue material on a surface of the tool, where the friction stir welding tool has a retractable pin tool component, the apparatus comprising:

a heating component for heating the friction stir welding tool to an effective temperature, such that the weld process residue material is heated and transformed from a solid process residue material to a plasticized process residue material;

a temperature indicator component for indicating the effective temperature of the friction stir welding tool;

a tool cleaner component adapted for removing the plasticized residue material from the friction stir welding tool, wherein when the effective temperature is reached, the tool cleaner contacts and removes the plasticized process residue material from the tool;

a controller component for distributing power to the heating component, to the temperature indicator component, and to the tool cleaner component; and

,

a bore cleaner component adapted for cleaning an inner portion of a shoulder portion of the friction stir welding tool, wherein when the effective temperature is reached, the bore cleaner contacts and removes the plasticized process residue material from the inner portion of the shoulder portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the heating component is an induction heater having an induction coil.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the tool cleaner component comprises a plurality of rotatable steel wire wheels having steel wire elements extending from the steel wire wheels.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the bore cleaner component comprises a steel wire brush.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the process residue is selected from the group consisting of aluminum, copper, bronze, zinc and plastic.

12. A method for cleaning a friction stir welding tool having a weld process residue material on a surface of the tool, comprising the steps of:

activating a friction stir welding machine so that the friction stir welding tool having the process residue material moves in a first rotational direction;

heating for an effective period of time the friction stir welding tool having the weld process residue material until the tool reaches an effective temperature, such that the process residue material is heated and transformed from a solid process residue material to a plasticized process residue material;

contacting the friction stir welding tool with a tool cleaner component when the effective temperature is attained, rotating the tool cleaner component in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, and removing with the tool cleaner component the plasticized process residue material from the surface of the tool for an effective period of time until all or substantially all of the residue material is removed from the surface of the tool; and

,

cooling the friction stir welding tool to ambient temperature.

13. The method of claim 12 further comprising the step, before the cooling step, of contacting an inner portion of a shoulder portion of the friction stir welding tool with a bore cleaner component when the friction stir welding tool has a retractable pin tool component and when the tool reaches an effective temperature, and removing with the bore cleaner component the plasticized process residue material from the inner portion of the shoulder portion for an effective period of time until all or substantially all of the residue material is removed from the inner portion.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the bore cleaner component comprises a steel wire brush.

15. The method of claim 12 wherein the effective temperature is the temperature at which the process residue material effectively transforms from a solid phase to a plasticized phase.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the tool cleaner component comprises a plurality of rotatable steel wire wheels having steel wire elements extending from the steel wire wheels.

17. A method for cleaning a friction stir welding tool having a weld process residue material on a surface of the tool, where the friction stir welding tool has a retractable pin tool component, the method comprising the steps of:

activating a friction stir welding machine so that the friction stir welding tool having the process residue material moves in a first rotational direction;

heating for an effective period of time the friction stir welding tool having the weld process residue material until the tool reaches an effective temperature, such that the process residue material is heated and transformed from a solid process residue material to a plasticized process residue material;

contacting the friction stir welding tool with a tool cleaner component when the effective temperature is attained, rotating the tool cleaner component in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction, and removing with the tool cleaner component the plasticized process residue material from the surface of the tool for an effective period of time until all or substantially all of the residue material is removed from the surface of the tool;

contacting an inner portion of a shoulder portion of the friction stir welding tool with a bore cleaner component when the tool reaches an effective temperature, and removing with the bore cleaner component the plasticized process residue material from the inner portion of the shoulder portion for an effective period of time until all or substantially all of the residue material is removed from the inner portion; and

,

cooling the friction stir welding tool to ambient temperature.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the effective temperature is the temperature at which the process residue material effectively transforms from a solid phase to a plasticized phase.

19. The method of claim 17 wherein the bore cleaner component comprises a steel wire brush.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the tool cleaner component comprises a plurality of rotatable steel wire wheels having steel wire elements extending from the steel wire wheels.