ABB Dr Srinivas Nidamarthi talks about the car Assembly joint technology
http://www.factoryautmation.comHundred years, vehicle assembly of parts joint process mainly car Assembly joint technology ABB depends car Assembly joint technology ABB on traditional mechanical means such as welding, bolt and nut fastening, the agglutination, suture techniques is limited to interior assembly, etc. A few links. All kinds of new materials such as thermoplastic materials in the modern automobile industry gradually popularization, chassis parts and metal bonding technology is evolving.
"In the beginning, the new <a href="/searchfanan.html?search=type&select=7">type of bonding technology of alternative, there is a big limitation in application, in the short term can not replace the traditional process, such as spot welding, the position, because the next 10 years, that is until around 2020, automobile design is basic finalize the design." ABB robot car robot systems division technology manager Srinivas Nidamarthi Dr Predicts. The division for aerospace and automobile enterprise contains riveting, welding, pressure welding, piping, glue and a series of "turnkey" assembly line homework link.
He pointed out that the modern white body assembly involving 15 ~ 20 kinds of joint technology, three automation technology is one of the most common welding (30% ~ 60%), welding and glue.
Other secondary techniques include riveting (mainly aluminum alloy body), pressure welding and flange, etc. Nidamarthi thinks, piping is a kind of traditional process, but in today's auto assembly link is still indispensable.
"Cool aesthetics"
"Door USES the edge processing, such as the leakage area, more aesthetic feeling, also can improve security." Nidamarthi said, "the tail door, trunk lid, wheel cover these places also need to roll a margin." Piping and similar pressure, belongs to the cold forming process. Piping need to metal edge or flange with strong bending, the whole process contains three to four working procedure. Pressure welding technology with the characteristics of the plastic deformation of sheet metal, by stamping with component joint. The two technologies are mechanical lock, as long as does not involve the use of brittle material, can realize the multilayer joint. The process is relatively simple, low noise, low energy consumption, unlike welding need high voltage support.
Piping technology also has its limitations: one is a flat piece of material can not play the best effect; Second, material need flanged edge, lead to weight gain. But on the whole, or not do more harm than good. "Metal edge is hard to spot welding, which has given rise to a batch of nearly no such as laser welding, brazing flange joint technology." ABB is one of the new technology providers.
"We will pressure welding, riveting, and piping to, known as the cold pressure application technology." Nidarmarthi continue, said that "all have their own advantages and disadvantages of different technology. Whether choose a technology, depending on the material composition and vehicle constraints. Cold pressure technology need to use heavy punching machine, therefore, pressure and piping ideal object is a ductile material. As for brittle materials, such as the Chevrolet Corvette using magnesium alloy, is not suitable for these two kinds of technology, and choose other joint technology should be targeted." For the model, the Nidamarthi tend to bonding process, the technology is more clean, do not need to apply a pressure, and can finish in one time. However, pressure and piping also has its advantages.
"When a surface coating adhesive, another surface will not automatically in place at the same time." He explained, "and pressure piping can automatically complete accuracy, don't have to worry about the registration problem." Most of the automation process has certain dislocation rate, adhesive is not exceptional also, using the visual system and high precision computing technology (such as robot control glue guns) can overcome this. Dow chemical, according to a related study with only 0.5 kg glue up 23 kg for vehicle weight reduction.
On the one hand, laser welding and other advanced technology, high investment and operating costs to a group of potential customers; On the other hand, these technology and gain favor because of its flexible advantage. In addition to emerging glue gun adhesive technology, controlled by the robot welding machine and crimping/piping equipment can also be free shift in body assembly workshop, so that the joint link to maximize cost effectiveness.
Showing their skills
In the face of growing new materials, oems must make decisions, is the implementation of adaptive renovation of existing joint technology, or apply directly to match the new process. New welding technology, strong adaptability/piping pressure technology, as well as to the connection of different metal wonderfully flexible fastening technology, will be a place in the field of joint. At the same time, with the rising demand of light car body, joint strength standard improve, bonding technology is likely to continue to expand the market share, but the curing time is long, investment cost disadvantage and will slow down the speed of its spread.