公开(公告)号：US20180229328A1

公开(公告)日：2018-08-16

申请号：US15953546

申请日：2018-04-16

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Michael J. Karagoulis

IPC: B23K11/11 ,  B23K11/18 ,  B23K11/25

CPC classification number: B23K11/115 ,  B23K11/185 ,  B23K11/257

Abstract: Aluminum-base alloy workpieces have surfaces with films of aluminum oxide which inhibit good contact with weld faces of resistance spot weld electrodes and the faying surfaces of, for example, sheet workpieces stacked for welding. Sometimes, the surfaces of the sheets also are coated with an adhesive or a sealer which further complicates welding. But in accordance with this invention, weld faces of opposing, round, copper welding electrodes are pressed against opposite outside surfaces of the sheets at a spot weld site and weld current is applied to the electrodes in accordance with a three-stage weld schedule to better form each weld. The weld schedule comprises a Conditioning stage (stage 1), a weld nugget Shaping stage (stage 2), and a weld nugget Sizing stage (stage 3).

公开(公告)号：US09999938B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-19

申请号：US14464476

申请日：2014-08-20

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Blair E. Carlson ,  Yelena Myasnikova ,  Michael J. Karagoulis

IPC: B23K11/10 ,  B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/11 ,  B23K103/20

CPC classification number: B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/115 ,  B23K2103/20

Abstract: A workpiece stack-up that includes at least a steel workpiece and an aluminum-based workpiece can be resistance spot welded by employing a multi-stage spot welding method in which the passage of electrical current is controlled to perform multiple stages of weld joint development. The multiple stages include: (1) a molten weld pool growth stage in which a molten weld pool is initiated and grown within the aluminum-based workpiece; (2) a molten weld pool solidification stage in which the molten weld pool is allowed to cool and solidify into a weld nugget that forms all or part of a weld joint; (3) a weld nugget re-melting stage in which at least a portion of the weld nugget is re-melted; and (4) a re-melted weld nugget solidification stage in which the re-melted portion of the weld nugget is allowed to cool and solidify.

公开(公告)号：US09987705B2

公开(公告)日：2018-06-05

申请号：US14268422

申请日：2014-05-02

Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Blair E. Carlson ,  Mahmoud H. Abd Elhamid

IPC: B23K11/10 ,  B23K11/34 ,  B23K11/11 ,  B23K103/20

CPC classification number: B23K11/34 ,  B23K11/115 ,  B23K2103/20

Abstract: Resistance spot welding of a steel workpiece to an aluminum or an aluminum alloy workpiece can be facilitated by replacing the refractory aluminum oxide-based layer(s) on at least the faying surface of the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece with a protective coating that is more conducive to the spot welding process. The protective coating may be a metallic coating or a metal oxide conversion coating. In a preferred embodiment, the protective coating is a coating of zinc, tin, or an oxide of titanium, zirconium, chromium, or silicon.

公开(公告)号：US20180071856A1

公开(公告)日：2018-03-15

申请号：US15813887

申请日：2017-11-15

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： Michael J. Karagoulis ,  David R. Sigler

IPC: B23K11/24 ,  B23K11/11

CPC classification number: B23K11/241 ,  B23K11/115

Abstract: A programmable polarity module that permits rapid on-demand control of the polarities assigned to the welding electrodes retained on a welding gun is disclosed. The programmable polarity module is electrically connectable to the welding gun and a direct current power supply unit to provide direct current to the welding electrodes for exchange during spot welding. A first interchangeable polarity output lug and a second interchangeable polarity output lug of the programmable polarity module permit the polarities of the welding electrodes to be switched without having to electrically disconnect the module from the welding gun.

公开(公告)号：US09908199B2

公开(公告)日：2018-03-06

申请号：US14174339

申请日：2014-02-06

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： Michael J. Karagoulis ,  David R. Sigler

IPC: B23K11/24 ,  B23K11/11

CPC classification number: B23K11/241 ,  B23K11/115

Abstract: A programmable polarity module that permits rapid on-demand control of the polarities assigned to the welding electrodes retained on a welding gun is disclosed. The programmable polarity module is electrically connectable to the welding gun and a direct current power supply unit to provide direct current to the welding electrodes for exchange during spot welding. A first interchangeable polarity output lug and a second interchangeable polarity output lug of the programmable polarity module permit the polarities of the welding electrodes to be switched without having to electrically disconnect the module from the welding gun.

公开(公告)号：US09839971B2

公开(公告)日：2017-12-12

申请号：US14488799

申请日：2014-09-17

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： James G. Schroth ,  David R. Sigler ,  Thomas A. Perry

IPC: B23K37/02 ,  B23K31/02 ,  B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/11 ,  B23K11/34 ,  B23K103/20

CPC classification number: B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/115 ,  B23K11/34 ,  B23K2103/20

Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding a steel workpiece to an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece involves providing a workpiece stack-up that includes a steel workpiece and an aluminum workpiece and preheating the welding electrode that is meant to contact the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece. The method further involves pressing the preheated welding electrode and another welding electrode against opposite sides of the workpiece stack-up, with the preheated welding electrode abutting the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece, and passing an electrical current between the two welding electrodes at a weld site to initiate and grow a molten weld pool within the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece.

公开(公告)号：US20170297135A1

公开(公告)日：2017-10-19

申请号：US15097821

申请日：2016-04-13

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Blair E. Carlson ,  James G. Schroth ,  David S. Yang ,  Anil K. Sachdev

IPC: B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/30 ,  B23K11/11

Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding a steel workpiece and an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece, and a welding electrode used therein. In one step of the method a workpiece stack-up is provided. The workpiece stack-up includes a steel workpiece and an aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece. Another step of the method involves contacting the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece with a weld face of the welding electrode. The welding electrode has a body and an insert. The insert is composed of a material having an electrical resistivity that is greater than an electrical resistivity of the material of the body. The weld face has a first section defined by a surface of the insert and has a second section defined by a surface of the body. Both the first and second sections make surface-to-surface contact with the aluminum or aluminum alloy workpiece amid resistance spot welding.

公开(公告)号：US20170297134A1

公开(公告)日：2017-10-19

申请号：US15491484

申请日：2017-04-19

Applicant: GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Thomas A. Perry ,  James G. Schroth

IPC: B23K11/11 ,  B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/34 ,  B23K35/00

CPC classification number: B23K11/115 ,  B23K11/20 ,  B23K11/34 ,  B23K35/002 ,  B23K2103/20

Abstract: A method of resistance spot welding a workpiece stack-up that that includes an aluminum workpiece and an adjacent overlapping steel workpiece involves assembling the workpiece stack-up so that an intermediate metallurgical additive is positioned between the faying surfaces of the aluminum and steel workpieces. The intermediate metallurgical additive includes at least one of carbon, silicon, nickel, manganese, chromium, cobalt, or copper, and has the capability to counteract the growth and formation of Fe—Al intermetallic compounds within a molten metal weld pool created within the aluminum workpiece during resistance spot welding of the workpiece stack-up. In certain aspects of the disclosed method, the intermediate metallurgical additive may be one or more metallurgical additive deposits that are deposited onto the faying surface of the aluminum workpiece or the faying surface of the steel workpiece by an oscillating wire arc welding process.

公开(公告)号：US20170225262A1

公开(公告)日：2017-08-10

申请号：US15418768

申请日：2017-01-29

Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Blair E. Carlson ,  Michael J. Karagoulis

IPC: B23K11/30 ,  B23B5/16

Abstract: A cutting tool that can simultaneously cut and restore asymmetric weld face geometries of two welding electrodes that are subject to different degradation mechanisms is disclosed along with a method of using such a cutting tool during resistance spot welding of workpiece stack-ups that include dissimilar metal workpieces. The cutting tool includes a first cutting socket and a second cutting socket. The first cutting socket is defined by one or more first shearing surfaces and the second cutting is defined by one or more second shearing surfaces. The first shearing surface(s) and the second shearing surface(s) are profiled to cut and restore a first weld face geometry and a second weld face geometry, respectively, that are different from each other upon receipt of electrode weld faces within the cutting sockets and rotation of the cutting tool.

公开(公告)号：US09676065B2

公开(公告)日：2017-06-13

申请号：US13621299

申请日：2012-09-17

Applicant: GM Global Technology Operations LLC

Inventor： David R. Sigler ,  Michael J. Karagoulis

IPC: B23K11/11 ,  B23K35/22 ,  B23K11/30 ,  B23K35/30 ,  B23K103/04 ,  B23K103/10

CPC classification number: B23K35/222 ,  B23K11/115 ,  B23K11/3063 ,  B23K35/302 ,  B23K2103/04 ,  B23K2103/10

Abstract: A method for welding a plurality of aluminum to aluminum welds and a plurality of steel to steel welds using the same welder includes providing a resistance spot welder with a pair of weld electrodes having an electrode face radius of curvature in the range between 20 mm and 40 mm. The series of aluminum to aluminum welds is first made, and then, after completing the aluminum to aluminum welds, the series of steel to steel welds are made. After completing the steel to steel welds the weld electrodes are cleaned by an abrasive to remove any buildup or contamination of aluminum on the electrodes. In the event the electrodes have mushroomed, then dressing of the electrodes is provided and then the abrasive cleaning is performed to restore the surface texture.