Hang Li

US Patent:

20130306216, Nov 21, 2013

Filed:

May 18, 2012

Appl. No.:

13/474891

Inventors:

Wayne W. Cai - Troy MI, US
Jeffrey A. Abell - Rochester Hills MI, US
Xiaochun Li - Madison WI, US
Hang Li - Madison WI, US
Hongseok Choi - Madison WI, US
Jingzhou Zhao - Madison WI, US

Assignee:

Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation - Madison WI
GM GLOBAL TECHNOLOGY OPERATIONS LLC - Detroit MI

International Classification:

B32B 37/06
B23K 20/10
B32B 41/00

US Classification:

156 64, 156360, 228 11, 228102

Abstract:

A vibration welding system includes an anvil, a welding horn, a thin film sensor, and a process controller. The anvil and horn include working surfaces that contact a work piece during the welding process. The sensor measures a control value at the working surface. The measured control value is transmitted to the controller, which controls the system in part using the measured control value. The thin film sensor may include a plurality of thermopiles and thermocouples which collectively measure temperature and heat flux at the working surface. A method includes providing a welder device with a slot adjacent to a working surface of the welder device, inserting the thin film sensor into the slot, and using the sensor to measure a control value at the working surface. A process controller then controls the vibration welding system in part using the measured control value.