Abstract:
A method wherein a welded structure is produced by supplying an assist gas (12) to the surface of a weld pool (13) and using a laser weld (11) to butt weld two steel plates (51 52) for which the generation of through holes at a weld portion (53) can be prevented. The method is characterized in that at least one steel plate (52) of the two steel plates (51 52) has a plate thickness of 0.6 mm or less the assist gas (12) is a mixed gas (12) that contains 10 50 vol% of O gas and when the O concentration of the mixed gas (12) is C (vol%) the flow rate L (L/min) of the mixed gas (12) satisfies 30 (L/min) C (vol%) x 1 (L/min/vol%) = L (L/min) < 40 (L/min).
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Notices, Deadlines & Correspondence
c/o NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION 6 1 Marunouchi 2 chome Chiyoda ku Tokyo
1008071
2. FUJIMOTO Hiroki
c/o NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION 6 1 Marunouchi 2 chome Chiyoda ku Tokyo
1008071
3. YASUYAMA Masanori
c/o NIPPON STEEL & SUMITOMO METAL CORPORATION 6 1 Marunouchi 2 chome Chiyoda ku Tokyo
1008071
Specification
The present invention relates to a method of
production of a welded structure, more particularly
relates for example to a method of production of a wel.ded
10 structure such as a tailored blank material which uses
butt laser welding of steel sheets.
Background Art
[0002l In the field of steel sheet for automobile use,
to lighten the weight for improving fuel efficiency and
15 to improve the impact resistance, application of tailored
blanking has been spreading. "Tailored blanking" means
the process of press-forming a sheet member comprised of
a plurality of metal sheets differing in material,
thickness, tensile strength, etc. joined by butt welding
2 0 (below, "tailored blank material") into a desired shape.
For the butt welding when producing the tailored blank
material, laser welding is generally used.
[00031 PLTs 1 to 3 disclose methods of butt welding
using laser welding so as to produce a tailored blank
25 material.
Citation List
Patent Literature
[0004] PLT 1. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2005-
21968A
30 PLT 2. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2006-187811A
PLT 3. Japanese Patent Publication No. 2007-237216A
Summary of Invention
Technical Problem
[0005] In the past, as the thickness of the metal
35 sheets used for producing a tailored blank material, 0.7
mrn or so was the lower limit. In PLTs 1 to 3 as well, the
thicknesses of the steel sheets disclosed in detail in
the examples were as thin as 0.7 rnm.
[0006] To further lighten the weight of automobiles,
reducing the thickness of the metal sheets used when
producing a tailored blank material has been studied. Due
5 to this, application of thinner steel sheets which have
not been used for the production of tailored blank
materials and for which welding techniques have not been
studied has become desired.
[0007] The inventors engaged in studies for
10 application of thin steel sheets to tailored blank
materials. As a result, they clarified that if using
steel sheets of a thickness of 0.6 mm or less on an
actual production line for butting welding by laser
welding, even if the gap between steel sheets is a small
15 0.1 mm or less (including case of no gap), the problem
arises of a through hole being formed at the melt part.
However, PLTs 1 to 3 relating to tailored blank materials
using mainly thickness 0.7 mm or more steel sheets do not
report the problem of a through hole. That is, means for
2 0 dealing with this have not yet been studied.
100081 The present invention was made to solve the
above problems and has as its object the provision of a
method of production of a welded structure enabling
prevention of the formation of a through hole at a melt
2 5 part even when butt welding a plurality of steel sheets
including thickness 0.6 mm or less steel sheets.
Solution to Problem
[0009] The inventors etc. engaged in intensive studies
on the factors influencing the formation of a through
30 hole at a melt part. As a result, they obtained the
following findings:
[OOlO] A through hole is formed at a melt part due to
a disturbance of the flow in the melt pool at the time of
welding. The stability of flow of a melt pool is greatly
35 influenced by the type of the assist gas.
[ 0011 1 When performing laser welding, the lower limit
of laser output not resulting in insufficient heat input
is made the lower limit output, the upper limit of the
laser output where the energy becomes excessive and a
through hole is formed is made the upper limit output,
and the range between the lower limit output and upper
5 limit output is made the suitable output range. When
using assist gas comprised of the generally used Ar gas,
suitable butt welding cannot be performed no matter what
the laser output.
[0012] When not using any assist gas at all, butt
10 welding is possible. However, sometimes the flow in the
melt pool is disturbed, so a through hole sometimes
forms. Stable control in actual operation is difficult.
[0013] When using an assist gas comprised of a mixed
gas containing a suitable flow rate of O2 gas, the
15 formation of a through hole can be suppressed. The
mechanism behind the suppression of formation of a
through hole by 02 gas is not clear, but can be guessed to
be due to the following factors.
[0014] When supplying a mixed gas containing 02 gas to
2 0 a melt part, compared with when blowing Ar gas, the
tension at the back surface of the molten metal falls.
For this reason, a fine, sharp shape of a keyhole is
stably formed. Due to this, a flow with little
disturbance is obtained and as a result, it is
2 5 considered, formation of a through hole can be stably
suppressed.
COO151 On the other hand, when using an assist gas
comprised of Ar gas, it is considered that the tension at
the back surface of the molten metal is large, a thick,
30 rounded shape of keyhole is formed, and the keyhole
extends backward in the welding direction, then breaks
and remains as a through hole.
[0016] The present invention was made based on the
above findings and has as its gist the following method
35 of production of a welded structure.
COO171 (1) A method of production of a welded
structure by butt welding two steel sheets by laser
welding while supplying assist gas to a melt pool surface
characterized in that a thickness of at least one steel
sheet of the two steel sheets is 0.6 mm or less, the
assist gas is a mixed gas containing 10 to 50 vol% of O2
gas, and, when an 0 2 concentration in the assist gas is C
(vol%), a flow rate L of assist gas (liter/min) is 30-
C10.
[00181 (2) The method of production of a welded
structure according to (11, wherein when a welding speed
is V (m/min), an average thickness of two steel sheets is
"t" (rnrn), and a spot area of the laser is A (mm2), an
output of the laser is 1.42xVxtxA (kW) to 1.83xVxtxA (kW).
[0019] (3) The method of production of a welded
structure according to (1) or (2), wherein a front
surface melt width of a melt part of the two steel sheets
is made 2.3 times or less a thickness of a thinner steel
sheet among the two steel sheets and a back surface melt
width is made 0.5 to 1.2 times the melt width of the
front surface.
[0020] (4) The method of production of a welded
structure according to any one of (1) to (3), wherein an
0 2 concentration in the assist gas is 15 to 30 ~01%.
[0021] (5) The method of production of a welded
structure according to any one of (1) to (4), wherein the
assist gas is air.
100221 (6) The method of production of a welded
structure according to any one of (1) to (5), wherein the
assist gas is supplied to the melt pool surface so as to
flow in a direction opposite to a weld advancing
direction.
[00231 (7) The method of production of a welded
structure according to (6), wherein the assist gas is
supplied so as to intersect the melt pool surface.
[0024] (8) The method of production of a welded
structure according to (61, wherein the assist gas is
supplied so as to intersect the steel sheet in front of
the melt pool in the weld advancing direction.
100251 (9) The method of production of a welded
structure according to any one of (1) to (8), wherein the
welded structure is a tailored blank material.
Advantageous Effects of Invention
100261 According to the present invention, even when
butt welding a plurality of steel sheets including a
thickness 0.6 mrn or less steel sheet, it becomes possible
to prevent the formation of a through hole at the melt
part. Therefore, the welding method according to the
present invention can be suitably used for production of
a welded structure, in particular a tailored blank
material.
Brief Description of Drawings
[0027] FIG. 1 is a view showing one example of a
welding method according to the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a view showing another example of a welding
method according to the present invention.
FIG. 3 is a view showing another example of a welding
method according to the present invention.
FIG. 4 is a view showing another example of a welding
method according to the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a view showing a front surface melt width and a
back surface melt width of a welded structure.
Description of Embodiments
[0028] The method of production of a welded structure
of the present invention is one which supplies an apsist
gas to a melt pool surface while butting welding two
steel sheets by laser welding. Below, the requirements of
the present invention will be explained in detail.
[0029] (A) Supply of Assist Gas
In the method of production of a welded structure of the
present invention, as the assist gas, a mixed gas
containing 02 gas is supplied to the melt pool surface. To
stabilize the flow of the melt pool and prevent the
formation of a through hole at the melt part, it is
necessary to make the content of the 0 2 gas in the mixed
gas 10 to 50 ~01%.
[0030] If the content of O2 gas is high, the oxidation
reaction becomes excessive and oxides discharged as slag
become greater. As a result, the weld metal is liable to
become recessed in shape. Therefore, the content of the O2
5 gas in the mixed gas is preferably 30 vol% or less.
[00311 If the content of the 02 gas is too low, a
through hole will easily form. Furthermore, to stably
broaden the melt width at the back surface side after
welding, the content of the 02 gas in the mixed gas is
10 preferably 15 vol% or more.
100321 The gas ingredients other than O2 js not
particularly limited. Ar, He, or other inertgas or N2
gas, CO* gas, compressed air, etc. may be suitably used.
100331 Further, as the assist gas, air containing 02
15 gas in 21 vol% or so may be used. If using an assist gas
comprised of air, the manufacturing cost can be kept low.
100341 The supplying means of the assist gas is not
particularly limited. For example, a usual nozzle having
an ejection opening able to eject mixed gas in a
2 0 predetermined direction may be used. The type of the
nozzle is also not particularly limited. For example, a
flat nozzle having a rectangular shaped ejection opening
or a round pipe nozzle using a circular cross-section
pipe etc. may be mentioned.
2 5 [0035] To prevent a through hole from forminy in the
melt part, it is preferable to supply the assist gag so
that the weld metal is pushed to flow backward in the
weld advancing direction. That is, at the melt pool
surface, the assist gas ejected from the supplying means
30 is preferably supplied so as to flow in a direction
opposite to the weld advancing direction.
COO361 To achieve the above object, the assist gas is
preferably supplied by directly blowing it toward the
melt pool surface. That is, the ejection position and
35 direction of the assist gas are preferably adjusted so
that the centerline of the assist gas ejected from the
supplying means intersects the melt pool surface.
[0037] To remove foreign matter etc. present at the
abutted part of the steel sheets at the front of the melt
pool in the weld advancing direction, the ejection
position, direction and strength of the mixed gas may be
5 adjusted so that the mixed gas blown on the steel sheets
at the front of.the melt pool in the weld advancing
direction and reflected at the steel sheet back surface
is supplied to the melt pool surface. That is, the
supplying means may be placed so that the centerline of
10 the assist gas ejected from the supplying means
intersects the steel sheets in front of the melt pool in
the weld advancing direction.
[00381 FIGS. 1 to 4 are views for explaining one
example of a welding method according to the present
15 invention. When using the laser 11 fired from the welding
head 1 to weld the steel sheets 2, the supplying means 3
is used to supply the mixed gas 12. In FIG. 1, the
supplying means 3 set in front of the welding head 12 in
the weld advancing direction A directly blows assist gas
2 0 12 comprised of mixed gas to the melt pool 13.
[0039] In FIG. 2, in the same way as FIG. 1, a
supplying means 3 is set in front of the welding head 1,
but it is also possible to blow assist gas 12 toward the
steel sheets 2 in front of the melt pool. The position of
2 5 the supplying means 3 is adjusted so that the assist gas
12 reflected at the back surface of the steel sheet 2 is
supplied to the back surface of the melt pool 13.
[0040] As shown in FIG. 3, it is possible to place the
supplying means 3 in front of the welding head 1, blow
3 0 the assist gas 12 toward the front, then adjust the
ejection position and ejection strength of the supplying
means 3 so that the assist gas 12 reflected at the back
surface of the steel sheets 2 is supplied to the back
surface of the melt pool 13. By strongly blowing the
3 5 mixed gas 12 toward the front of the weld advancing
direction A from the melt pool 13, it becomes possible to
remove the rust preventive oil, slag, spatter, etc.
deposited at the abutted parts 14.
[0041] As shown in FIG. 4, it is also possible to
place the supplying means 3 behind the welding head 1,
blow the mixed gas 12 toward the front, then adjust the
5 ejection position and ejection strength of the supplying
means 3 so that the mixed gas 12 reflected at the back
surface of the steel sheets 2 is supplied to the back
surface of the melt pool 13.
100421 The flow rate L (liter/min) of the assist gas
10 is made to satisfy LtlO and 30-C10 and 30-C