Flux-cored wire for welding different materials, method for laser welding of different materials, and method for MIG welding of different materials

• US 9,186,754 B2
• Filed: 07/26/2010
• Issued: 11/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Klaus Schmidt
• Original Assignee: Kobe Steel Limited
• Inventors: Matsumoto, Tsuyoshi, Sasabe, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Heinrich, Samuel M
• Application Number:
  US13/388,177
• Publication Number:
  US 20120125900A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,940 Days
• Field of Search: 753/02, 219/137.R, 219/121.64, 219/74, 219/137.PS, 219/137.WM, 219/145.22, 219/121.84, 148/23, 228/262.44
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 2103/20 Ferrous alloys and aluminium or alloys thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/206 Laser sealing
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 26/211 with interposition of special material to facilitate connection of the parts
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/0266 flux-cored
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/286 Al as the principal constituent
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/36 Selection of non-metallic compositions, e.g. coatings, fluxes B23K35/34 takes precedence; Selection of soldering or welding materials, conjoint with selection of non-metallic compositions, both selections being of interest selection of soldering or welding materials proper B23K35/24
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/3605 Fluorides
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 35/368 Selection of non-metallic compositions of core materials either alone or conjoint with selection of soldering or welding materials
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/173 and of a consumable electrode
• CPC Class Codes: B23K 9/232 of different metals
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/02 with silicon as the next major constituent

Abstract

A flux-cored wire for laser welding or MIG welding different materials, wherein the different materials are aluminum or an aluminum alloy material and a galvanized steel material. The flux-cored wire contains a cylindrical aluminum alloy sheath containing: aluminum, 0.8-1.9 mass % Si, at most 0.1 mass % Mn, 0.1 mass % Mg, and 0.1 mass % Fe; and a flux filled in a space within the sheath and containing 20-60 mass % cesium fluoride, wherein the percentage filling of the flux is 5-20 mass % with respect to the total mass of the flux-core wire.

Claims

1. A flux-cored wire, comprising:

a cylindrical aluminum alloy sheath comprising aluminum and, by mass % based on a total mass of the sheath,

Si;

0.8 to 1.9%,

Mn;

0 to 0.1%,

Mg;

0 to 0.1%,

Fe;

0 to 0.1%; and

a flux inside the sheath comprising cesium fluoride in an amount of 20 to 60% by mass,

wherein a percentage of the flux inside the sheath is 5 to 20% by mass, based on a total mass of the wire.

2. The flux-cored wire of claim 1, wherein an amount of Si in the sheath is 0.8 to 1.4% by mass.

3. A method for laser welding different materials, the method comprising:

contacting aluminum or an aluminum alloy material and a galvanized steel material, to form a joint portion; and

irradiating the joint portion with laser light while feeding the flux-cored wire of claim 1 to the joint portion, to bond the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are disposed to overlap each other with the aluminum or aluminum alloy material being on a laser light side, and the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are lap-welded.

5. The method of claim 3, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material abut, and

the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are butt-welded with a feeding position of the flux-cored wire and an irradiation position of the laser light shifted closer to an aluminum or aluminum alloy material side than to an abutment portion.

6. A method for MIG welding different materials, the method comprising:

contacting aluminum or an aluminum alloy material and a galvanized steel material, to form a joint portion; and

forming an arc between the joint portion and the flux-cored wire of claim 1 and bonding the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material while feeding an inert gas to a vicinity around the arc.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are disposed to overlap each other with the aluminum or aluminum alloy material being on a side of the flux-cored wire, and the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are lap-welded.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material abut, and

the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are butt-welded with a feeding position of the flux-cored wire shifted closer to an aluminum or aluminum alloy material side than to an abutment portion.

9. The flux-core wire of claim 1, wherein the wire is suitable for welding aluminum or an aluminum alloy material and a galvanized steel material.

10. A method for laser welding different materials, the method comprising:

contacting aluminum or an aluminum alloy material and a galvanized steel material, to form a joint portion; and

irradiating the joint portion with laser light while feeding the flux-cored wire of claim 2 to the joint portion, to bond the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are disposed to overlap each other with the aluminum or aluminum alloy material being on a laser light side, and the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are lap-welded.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material abut, and

the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are butt-welded with a feeding position of the flux-cored wire and an irradiation position of the laser light shifted closer to an aluminum or aluminum alloy material side than to an abutment portion.

13. A method for MIG welding different materials, the method comprising:

contacting aluminum or an aluminum alloy material and a galvanized steel material, to form a joint portion; and

forming an arc between the joint portion and the flux-cored wire of claim 2 and bonding the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material while feeding an inert gas to a vicinity around the arc.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are disposed to overlap each other with the aluminum or aluminum alloy material being on a side of the flux-cored wire, and the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are lap-welded.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material abut, and

the aluminum or aluminum alloy material and the galvanized steel material are butt-welded with a feeding position of the flux-cored wire shifted closer to an aluminum or aluminum alloy material side than to an abutment portion.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein a content of Mn in the sheath is in a range of 0.01 to 0.1 mass %, a content of Mg in the sheath is 0.01 to 0.1 mass %, and a content of Fe in the sheath is 0.07 to 0.1 mass %, based on a total mass of the sheath.

18. The flux-cored wire of claim 1, wherein the flux inside the sheath comprises cesium fluoride in an amount of 20 to 30% by mass.

20. The flux-cored wire of claim 1, wherein the flux inside the sheath comprises cesium fluoride in an amount of 20 to 60% by mass and potassium aluminum fluoride in an amount of 70 to 30% by mass.

17. A flux-cored wire, consisting essentially of:

a cylindrical aluminum alloy sheath comprising aluminum and, by mass % based on a total mass of the sheath,

Si;

0.8 to 1.9%,

Mn;

0 to 0.1%,

Mg;

0 to 0.1%,

Fe;

0 to 0.1%; and

a flux inside the sheath comprising cesium fluoride in an amount of 20 to 60% by mass, with the remainder of the flux inside the sheath comprising at least one fluoride selected from the group consisting of aluminum fluoride, potassium fluoride, potassium aluminum fluoride, and lanthanum fluoride; and

,

wherein a percentage of the flux inside the sheath is 5 to 20% by mass, based on a total mass of the wire.

19. The flux-cored wire of claim 17, wherein the flux inside the sheath comprises cesium fluoride in an amount of 20 to 30% by mass.