Patent ID: 11858060
Assignee: KAWASAKI JUKOGYO KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Field: Machine tools (Mechanical engineering)
Classification: CPC B | IPC B

Claim 5:
6. A method of operating a friction stir spot welder adapted to weld workpieces through softening induced by friction heat, the workpieces including first and second workpieces stacked in the presence of a sealant applied to a region of contact between the first and second workpieces, wherein the friction stir spot welder includes: a pin in the form of a solid circular cylinder; a shoulder in the form of a hollow circular cylinder, the shoulder having an interior in which the pin is inserted; a rotary actuator that rotates the pin and the shoulder about an axis coinciding with a central axis of the pin; a clamp in the form of a hollow circular cylinder, the clamp having an interior in which the pin and the shoulder are inserted; and an advancement/withdrawal actuator that advances and withdraws the pin, the shoulder, and the clamp along the axis, the method comprising:
(B) driving the rotary actuator and the advancement/withdrawal actuator to cause the pin to press the workpieces for a first predetermined time while rotating;
(C) after performing the pressing (B), driving the rotary actuator and the advancement/withdrawal actuator to cause the pin and the shoulder to press the workpieces for a second predetermined time while rotating; and
(D) after performing the pressing (C), driving the rotary actuator and the advancement/withdrawal actuator to cause the pin and/or the shoulder to plunge into a weld region of the workpieces while rotating and stir the weld region to weld the workpieces together.