DE10349725A1 - Ultrasonic welding equipment for joining metals or plastics has a welding module with integral data storage unit for storing module related parameters which are read by the process control unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A welding module(10) incorporating a sonic horn(14), opposing electrode(20) and a converter(18) is linked to a control unit(24), monitor(32) and data input keyboard. The welding module has an integrated data storage unit(30) for storage of data used for controling and/or monitoring the welding module during welding processes. Data from the storage unit is read by the process control unit. The welding module(10) is connected to the control unit(24) either by a cable(22) or a wireless system. During connection of the welding module to the control unit for a welding operation data relating to the storage module(30) is automatically transmitted from the latter to the control unit. Data stored in the data storage unit and relating to the welding module includes amplitude of the sonic horn(14) and/or the force produced by the sonic horn head and/or the geometry of the compaction chamber formed by the sonic horn and opposing electrode(20) and/or sonic horn characteristics and/or number of welds to be produced. The data storage unit is mounted inside a housing(12) enclosing the sonic horn and opposing electrode and in particular on the sonic horn and/or converter(18) and/or a booster(16) connecting sonic horn and converter. An insertable control circuit board may also carry the data storage unit. A counter determines the number of welds produced and transmits this figure to the data storage unit. An independent claim is included for a process for operating the ultrasonic welding equipment in which the data for a welding operation is input into a data storage unit in the welding module(10) and during operation of the welding unit the data is called up by the control and used for controling and/or monitoring the welding operation.

Description

The The invention relates to an ultrasonic welding arrangement comprising at least one welding module, a controller for the welding module and an operating and visualization device, wherein the welding module at least one sonotrode with this associated counter electrode and comprises a converter. Also, the invention relates to a Method for operating an ultrasonic welding arrangement comprising a welding module, a controller for the welding module and an operating and visualization device, wherein the welding module at least one sonotrode with sonotrode head and associated with this Preferably, multi-part counter electrode and a converter comprises.

At the Joining of Materials with ultrasound become the energy required for welding in the form of mechanical Vibrations in the weld metal introduced, wherein the welding tool, i.e. Sonotrode coupled to the joining part facing it and this emotional. At the same time, the parts to be joined are transmitted by the sonotrode Force pressed on each other. The interaction of the static and dynamic forces causes welding without the use of additional materials. This process becomes industrial used both in joining plastics and metals. In plastic welding extends in the longitudinal direction the sonotrode extending ultrasonic vibration perpendicular to the joining surface and the metal welding parallel to this.

In order to automate ultrasonic welding processes, it is for example according to DE 43 21 874 A1 known to measure the joining force during the welding process to monitor the energy input into the joint between the parts to be welded.

After EP 0 567 426 B1 the oscillation amplitude of a plastic parts welding sonotrode is reduced after a predetermined time interval, in order then to work during the remaining time of welding at a reduced oscillation amplitude. A related control signal for reducing the amplitude can be triggered directly or indirectly as a function of the power transmitted to the workpieces to be welded, as described, for example, in WO 98/49009. US 5,855,706 . US 5,658,408 or US 5,435,863 can be seen.

To check connections made by ultrasonic wire bonding, see the DE 101 10 048 A1 an on-line monitoring on the basis of predetermined or stored master values, which allow conclusions on the strength.

Typical ultrasonic welding arrangements include a control unit, one comprising a welding head replaceable sonotrode and other components such as generator, converter and possibly boosters. The welding head has the function, the actual welding perform. By means of the control unit becomes the welding process controlled and monitored.

For the controller and monitoring needed Parameters are dependent from the welding module used. This means that when welding process characteristic data such as amplitude of the sonotrode, Calibration data relating to a compression space in which, for example Conductor welded or a distance measurement or also the number of completed welds to consider a sonotrode are. This is usually the welding head specific Data in the control unit stored. Become a sonotrode or other tool parts like Replaced slide, anvil and in particular converter or booster, so must the data in the control unit changed or re-stored so that the welding parameters are adjusted accordingly become.

Of the The present invention is based on the problem, an ultrasonic welding of the educate the aforementioned type so that a normalized System results in the characteristic parameters automatically taken into account become.

Device wise solved the problem essentially by the fact that in the welding module at least a memory is integrated, stored in the swiss module specific data are for controlling and / or monitoring of the welding module can be read during its operation in the controller. It is also possible, that in the welding module only one identifier e.g. Module number is stored, which is the assigned module-specific data in the parent Computer, which is preferably also networked, activated. It will be in particular then automatically transfer the data from the memory to the controller, if this with the welding module on corresponding Lines is connected. These are in particular a control line and a compressed air line to the welding unit and in particular the compaction space limiting elements, i.e. Sonotrodes head and counterelectrode to the extent required to be able to adjust.

When Module-specific data are, in particular, the amplitude of the sonotrode head and / or by the sonotrode head producible pressure / force and / or geometric data the compression space and / or characteristics of the sonotrode and / or Number of welds made by the sonotrode. A wireless transmission the data from the memory to the controller is transmitted via e.g. IR or radio as well possible.

Of the Memory is preferably arranged in a housing receiving the welding module. It but it is also possible the memory (s) in or on the sonotrode and / or the converter and / or a booster connecting the sonotrode to the converter to arrange. In particular, several memories are used when individual components of the module each individually a memory assigned.

In Development of the invention is provided that in the welding module a counter for of the Sonotrode performed welds integrated, which is connected to the memory for transferring the counted welds is, the counter being or the read number of welds can be reset.

To Another proposal of the invention provides that the Memory in the in the welding module arranged control or a control module such as integrated-board is.

Independently of this there is a possibility that the data of the memory can be overwritten are.

According to the invention is in a welding module, includes the converter, sonotrode, compression chamber and mechanical actuator, a memory integrated to weld module specific data to hand over a control through which an optimization of the welding process takes place. By doing Memory itself is the module-specific data stored, such as data the distance measurement with respect to the compression space, if necessary to consider an offset. Other data can mentioned above the amplitude of the vibrator, i. refer to the sonotrode, so that the characteristic data of converter and sonotrode are considered. Also pressure or force relation can as welding module specific Data taken into account be in the lead the welds to consider any mechanical imperfections to take into account. Other welding module specific Data can on the setting of a node width when welding refer to electrical conductors in a compression space. Further a piece counter can be provided which is a totalizer or a resettable counter is.

According to the invention a standardized system in which the module-specific Data automatically taken into account become.

by virtue of the teaching of the invention and the use of a memory, also referred to as an ID chip can be leads the interchangeability of a welding module or parts of this not to an impairment the welding process, because the characteristic data is automatically transferred to the controller and thus in the implementation be considered by welding operations. In the memory all module-specific data is stored, the during installation over System balance can be configured.

It can several welding systems be networked with PPS systems, thereby increasing the efficiency of ultrasonic welding becomes.

One Method for operating an ultrasonic arrangement of the beginning mentioned type is characterized in that welding module specific data in one in the welding module integrated memory are stored and when operating the ultrasonic welding arrangement the welding module specific Data is read from the controller and used to control and / or monitor the welding process are processed. When connecting the controller with the welding module the memory is read out automatically.

When welding module-specific Data are the memory in particular amplitude of the sonotrode, Pressure or force introduction via the sonotrode, setting a node width or piece counter, so the Number of welds made with the sonotrode taken into account.

Consequently is an individual setting of a control no longer necessary because the module-specific data is automatically transferred to the controller become. The data can possibly also overwritten be, especially if a recalibration of the welding module or the sonotrode takes place.

Further Details, advantages and features of the invention do not arise only from the claims, the characteristics to be taken from these - alone and / or in combination - but also to be taken from the following description of one of the drawing preferred embodiment.

In the single figure, an ultrasonic welding arrangement is shown, with the electrical conductors to be welded into a node. As a result, however, the teaching of the invention is not limited, since this can also relate to arrangements, for example, for welding plastics.

The ultrasonic welding arrangement comprises a welding module 10 that is a case 12 with arranged in this sonotrode 14 , Booster 16 and converter 18 includes. The sonotrode 14 has a compression space bounding sonotrode head, which is a multipart counter electrode 20 is assigned, in order to adjust the compression space in two mutually perpendicular directions, in particular in height and width can. In that regard, a construction is chosen, as this of the EP 0 143 936 B1 or the DE 35 08 122 C2 to which reference is expressly made.

The welding module 10 or in this integrated components are called a hose bundle called bundle package 22 with a controller 24 connected to control and monitor the welding process. The wires 22 include electrical lines and a compressed air line to the sonotrode 14 or the counter electrode 20 to operate the adjustment of the compression chamber. Other drives for adjusting the elements are also possible.

Furthermore, in the usual way, a keyboard 30 and a visualization arrangement in the form of a monitor 32 intended.

In the case 12 is a slot 26 removably arranged, from which the hose package 22 goes out to the connection to the interior of the welding module 10 to enable. The inset 26 is with a connection 28 in the welding module 10 is connectable. By the arrow 30 is symbolized that the inset 26 detachable with the welding module 10 connected is.

Of those in the welding module 10 integrated connection 28 then lead on the one hand to drive the sonotrode 14 or counter electrode 20 for its mechanical adjustment and electrical lines to the converter 18 and at least one in the housing 12 integrated memory 30 , in which module-specific data are stored. Will the plug 26 with the connection 28 connected, so automatically the memory 30 read out and the data to the controller 24 to hand over. It can be individual elements of the module 10 also individually assigned to a memory.

Independent of this the memory (s) may be an E / EPROM, flash, battery backed up SRAM, magnetic memory, microcontroller integrated memory or Transponder act, to name just a few examples.

As welding module specific data are exemplary characteristic values of the sonotrode 14 , Number of the sonotrode 14 performed welds, from the sonotrode 14 or counter electrode 20 Generable static forces to call data of the distance measurement of the compression space. When connecting the welding module 10 to the controller 24 Accordingly, the corresponding data are taken into account via a system balance for controlling or monitoring the welds, so that a standardized system results with the result that reproducible same welding results can be achieved without complex calibration measures or adjustments are required. Become, for example, elements of the welding module 10 whose data is from the memory 30 are exchanged, so the corresponding data are changed with the consequence that these are automatically sent to the controller 24 be handed over.

According to the invention, welding module-specific data are automatically sent to the controller 24 delivered, so that an adjustment of the welding parameters can be automatically adapted to the module-specific data. It is not necessary that the data on the line 22 be transmitted. A wireless transmission - eg IR or radio - is also possible.

Are memory in the embodiment 30 and control 24 arranged separately, so there is also the possibility. the controller in the welding module 10 to inte- grate and install the memory itself in the controller or to use in a control board.

The inventive teaching is also independent of it, whether a welding of metals or plastics. Also, the mechanical drive from the for the welding necessary tools for the realization of the invention irrelevant, the same if mechanical Adjustment are preferred to call.

Claims (15)

Ultrasonic welding arrangement comprising at least one welding module ( 10 ), a controller ( 24 ) for the welding module as well as an operating and visualization device ( 30 . 32 ), wherein the welding module at least one sonotrode ( 14 ) with this associated counter electrode ( 20 ) and a converter ( 18 ), characterized in that in the welding module ( 10 ) at least one memory ( 30 ), in which welding module-specific data are stored, which are used to control and / or monitor the welding module during its operation in the controller ( 24 ) are readable. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the welding module ( 10 ) with the controller ( 24 ) via, for example, at least one electrical connection ( 22 ) or is connected wirelessly and that when connecting the welding module to the controller, the welding module-specific data from the memory ( 30 ) are automatically transferred to the controller. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the welding module-specific data amplitude of the sonotrode ( 14 ) or its head and / or the sonotrode head producible pressure / force and / or geometric data of one of the sonotrode and the counter electrode ( 20 ) are limited compression space and / or characteristics of the sonotrode and / or number of performed by the sonotrode welds. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the welding module ( 10 ) at least the sonotrode ( 14 ) and the counterelectrode ( 20 ) receiving housing ( 12 ), in which the memory ( 30 ) is integrated. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory or memories ( 30 ) in or on the sonotrode ( 14 ) and / or the converter ( 18 ) and / or the sonotrode with the booster connecting booster ( 16 ) is arranged. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the welding module ( 10 ) a counter for the sonotrode ( 14 ) performed welding performed with the memory ( 30 ) connected is. Ultrasonic welding arrangement after at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the counter is resettable. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the memory ( 30 ) in the welding module ( 10 ) arranged control or a control module such as a control board is integrated. Ultrasonic welding arrangement according to at least one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the data of the memory ( 30 ) are overwritable. Method for operating an ultrasonic welding arrangement comprising a welding module, a Control for the welding module and an operating and visualization device, wherein the welding module at least one sonotrode with this associated counter electrode and a converter, characterized in that welding module specific Data in at least one memory integrated in the welding module are stored and that when operating the ultrasonic welding arrangement the welding module specific data read by the controller and for controlling and / or monitoring of the welding module are processed. Method according to claim 10, characterized in that that when connecting the controller to the welding module, the memory is automatically read out becomes. Method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized that in memory as sweat module specific Data amplitude of the sonotrode or its head and / or the sonotrode head producible pressure / force and / or geometric data of the compression space and / or characteristics of the sonotrode and / or number of performed by the sonotrode welds and / or Data of a path measurement of one of the sonotrode or counter electrode limited compression space are stored. Method according to at least one of claims 10 - 12, characterized characterized in that number of welds of the sonotrode automatically counted and stored in the memory. Method according to at least one of claims 10 to 13, characterized characterized in that the read in the memory number of welds is erasable. Method according to at least one of claims 10 - 14, characterized characterized in that the memory in the control arranged in the welding module is integrated.