Patent ID: 6199744
Filing Date: 2001-03-13
Classification: B23K

Abstract:
A friction welding process for mounting a blade on a blade carrier of a flow machine, wherein said blade carrier has a circumference and a carrier welding surface provided on said circumference and extending longitudinally oriented at a blade angle .beta. relative to a line extending parallel to a rotation axis of said blade carrier on said circumference, and wherein said blade has a blade welding surface, said process comprising the steps of:a) placing said blade so that said blade welding surface contacts said carrier welding surface;b) orienting said blade on said carrier welding surface so that a longitudinal dimension of a cross-section of said blade extends at said blade angle .beta.;c) moving said blade and said blade carrier in an oscillatory motion relative to each other while contacting and pressing said blade against said blade carrier with a compressive force normal to said blade welding surface so as to frictionally generate a welding temperature sufficient to weld said blade to said blade carrier, wherein respective edge portions of said blade welding surface and said carrier welding surface are intermittently moved out of contact with each other and exposed due to said oscillatory motion; andd) flowing a shielding gas flow concurrently with said step of moving said blade and said blade carrier, while directing said shielding gas flow to flow in a flow direction that corresponds to said blade angle .beta. directly along said intermittently exposed respective edge portions of said welding surfaces and directly along a circumference of said blade carrier to provide a shielded welding area that encompasses said carrier welding surface to which said blade is being welded.