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EP 1 567 291 B1 |
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EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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Mention of the grant of the patent: |
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30.06.2010 Bulletin 2010/26 |
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Date of filing: 25.11.2003 |
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International Patent Classification (IPC):
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International application number: |
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PCT/SE2003/001822 |
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International publication number: |
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WO 2004/048013 (10.06.2004 Gazette 2004/24) |
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METHOD OF TYING TWO OR MORE COMPONENTS TOGETHER
VERFAHREN ZUM ZUSAMMENBINDEN VON ZWEI ODER MEHR KOMPONENTEN
PROCEDE DE LIAISON D'AU MOINS DEUX COMPOSANTS
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Designated Contracting States: |
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AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR |
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Priority: |
26.11.2002 SE 0203510 26.11.2002 US 428916 P
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Date of publication of application: |
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31.08.2005 Bulletin 2005/35 |
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Proprietor: Volvo Aero Corporation |
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46181 Trollhättan (SE) |
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Inventors: |
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- LUNDSTROM, Dennis
SE-412 76 Goteborg (SE)
- LINDQVIST, Joachim
SE-412 75 Goteborg (SE)
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Representative: Fröhling, Werner Otto |
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Volvo Technology Corporation
Corporate Patents 06820, M1.7 405 08 Göteborg 405 08 Göteborg (SE) |
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References cited: :
US-A- 2 909 651 US-A- 3 797 096
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US-A- 3 524 042
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European
patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to
the European patent
granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall
not be deemed to
have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent
Convention).
|
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a method of tying two or more components together
according to the preamble of claim 1.
[0002] Such a method can be used for the manufacture of a number of products, but it will
hereafter be described by way of example in no way restrictive of the invention how
the method can be applied in order to tie a number of components together, so that
these form a cohesive and self-supporting construction with a view to joining the
components together, for example by soldering, at a subsequent stage of manufacture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0003] In the aircraft industry, for example, there is a need to join various components,
such as plates, together by soldering or some other method of joining, for the manufacture
of various constructions. In order to facilitate the soldering of a number of plates
these must be fixed in relation to one another during the soldering phase. A fixture
or a so-called soldering jig can be used for this purpose. If the construction comprises
a large number of components, however, or if it has a complex geometry, this will
place great demands on the design of the soldering jig. In addition to the fact that
the complexity of the soldering jig leads to high production costs, it will also be
difficult to handle at the soldering stage.
[0004] One way of dispensing with the use of a soldering jig is instead to preassemble the
plates into a self-supporting construction prior to soldering. Such preassembly can
be achieved by welding or riveting the components together. When using brittle materials,
however, such as intermetallic alloys, for example TiAl, NiAl and FeAl, conventional
welding and riveting can have an adverse effect on the material and on the characteristics
of the finished product, due to the occurrence of cracking.
[0005] For TIG and EB welding of intermetallic alloys a complicated preheating and/or postheating
of parts of the construction or the entire construction are required in order to avoid
cracking and/or expansion in the weld seam or in the parent material as a result of
large temperature gradients. Both the process and the equipment needed to carry out
such heat treatments are expensive.
[0006] Conventional hot-riveting can also lead to large temperature gradients in the construction,
resulting in cracking. Furthermore, riveting with rivets made of conventional material,
such as IN600 or the like, can lead to thermal fatigue cracking due to large differences
in the coefficient of thermal expansion between the material in the rivet and the
material in the components made from intermetallic compounds that are to be riveted
together. At higher temperatures, differences in the thermal expansion of the materials
will have an effect on the force with which the rivet holds the components together.
If the rivet has a higher coefficient of thermal expansion than the components held
together by the rivet, at higher temperature the force with which the components are
held together will be reduced. In addition, alloys of different composition in rivet
and plates lead to the formation of undesirable brittle phases in the material closest
to the rivet hole during subsequent soldering of the components, for example.
[0007] US 2,909,651 discloses a method using heat and pressure for the forming of metal elements, particularly
the heading of titanium rivets. The method utilizes squeeze pressure and requires
heating of the metal to working temperature in conjunction therewith.
OBJECT OF THE INVENTION AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0008] The object of the present invention is to provide a method of the type defined in
the introductory part, in which method at least one of the aforementioned disadvantages
of such hitherto known methods is substantially mitigated, that is to say to provide
a method of tying components together by means of a fastener, by which method even
particularly brittle materials can be tied together without unduly adverse effects
on the material in the form of cracking or the formation of undesirable brittle phases
in the material.
[0009] According to the invention this object is achieved by a method according to claim
1. In this method the fastener is essentially heated only during the deformation phase
of the fastener. This minimizes the heat transfer from the fastener to the components
that are to be tied together. Heat only has to be supplied to the fastener and only
to the extent needed to deform the fastener to the required degree under the relevant
load. This in turn means that the components can be kept at a relatively low temperature
without large temperature gradients and that the characteristics of the material of
the components can remain largely unaffected during tying. In this way it is also
possible to make efficient use of the quantity of energy used for tying purposes.
[0010] A major advantage of the method according to the invention is that it is possible
to use non-preheated components and non-preheated fasteners. Prior to tying, the components
and the fastener may be at ambient temperature, such as normal room temperature, or
a temperature close to this. This makes it possible to dispense with costly processes
and devices for the heat treatment of components prior to and/or after tying, whilst
tying can be carried out without significant adverse effects on the components.
[0011] Further, the fastener is first pressure-loaded and the fastener then heated whilst
maintaining the pressure loading. In this way the initiation of the fastener deformation
sequence can be controlled with the supply of heat to the fastener, the heat being
suitably obtained by passing an electrical current through the fastener. The use of
electrical current for transferring heat to the fastener has the advantage that it
is relatively easy to control, that is to say the current strength and the time for
which the current must flow through the fastener can be adjusted to the relevant material
and dimensional parameters in order to produce the required heat transfer.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the method according to the invention the fastener is
pressure-loaded by means of a tool and after deformation of the fastener the mechanical
contact between the pressure loading tool and the fastener is maintained to allow
cooling of the fastener through the transfer of heat from the fastener to the pressure
loading tool. The excess heat present in the deformed fastener can thereby largely
be absorbed by the pressure loading tool, which can be cooled in order to promote.such
heat transfer, and the undesirable transfer of heat to the components being tied by
the fastener can in this way be further reduced.
[0013] A suitable tool for carrying out the tying is a combined pressure loading and heating
tool having two electrodes, between which the fastener is placed and by means of which
electrodes a pressure can be applied to the fastener whilst heat can be delivered
to the fastener by an electrical current flowing between the electrodes during the
fastener deformation phase. Heat can furthermore be dissipated from the fastener following
the deformation phase in that the electrodes have a lower temperature than the fastener.
[0014] Other advantages of the method according to the invention are set forth in the detailed
description below and in other dependent claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0015] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below by way of example,
with reference to drawings attached.
[0016] In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a schematic cross-section illustrating how a fastener for tying two components
together is pressure-loaded by means of two electrodes,
Fig. 2 is a schematic cross-section corresponding to that in Fig. 1 illustrating how
a voltage is applied over the fastener for deforming the fastener,
Fig. 3 is a schematic cross-section corresponding to that in Fig. 1 illustrating how
the voltage has been removed after deformation of the fastener whilst maintaining
the contact between the fastener and the electrodes, and
Fig. 4 is a schematic side view of three different examples of fasteners for use in
the method according to the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0017] The method according to the invention will now be described in more detail with reference
to figures 1 to 4:
[0018] Two or more components 1, 2 which are to be tied are provided with a through hole
and the components 1, 2 are placed so that these holes overlap one another in order
to receive a fastener 3 in the holes. The fastener 3 has longitudinal extent exceeding
the total thickness of the components 1, 2, so that a part 4 of the fastener protrudes
outside the holes and the components and is thus exposed for deformation, that is
for compressing towards the nearest component 1 with simultaneous expansion of the
cross-section of this part 4 of the fastener 3. The fastener 3 placed in the holes
is pressure-loaded mechanically and heated in order to deform the fastener 3, thereby
tying the components 1, 2 together.
[0019] In the method according to invention the fastener 3 is heated essentially only during
the fastener deformation phase in order to minimize the heat transfer from the fastener
3 to the components 1, 2 to be tied. The expression "essentially only during the fastener
deformation phase" is intended to signify that heat is not supplied before or after
the deformation of the fastener in order to produce the tie. The fastener 3 is therefore
not preheated when placing this in the holes in the components and no preheating in
the conventional sense occurs prior to the deformation phase, nor do the components
1, 2 need to be preheated. As will be apparent from the following description, however,
a certain heat transfer to the fastener 3 may occur prior to deformation, owing to
the fact that the deformation does not occur instantaneously when heat is supplied
to the fastener, but a certain delay probably occurs between the supplying of heat
and the deformation. Similarly a certain heat supply may be present just after deformation,
due to a possible hysteresis in the system. The aim, however, is to minimize heat
transfer to the fastener 3 and hence to the components 1, 2 after deformation of the
fastener has been carried out.
[0020] Fig. 1 shows how a rivet 3 for tying two plates 1, 2 together is loaded. A load F
which is sufficient to deform the rivet 3 in the hot state is applied to the fastener
3 by moving two electrodes 5, 6 in a combined pressure loading and heating tool 7
in a straight line relative to one another and towards one another with the rivet
3 arranged between the electrodes. One of the electrodes 5 can be suitably fixed and
accommodate a headed end 8 of the rivet 3, for example, whilst the other electrode
6 is designed for rectilinear movement towards (and away from) the other end 9 of
the rivet and the first electrode 5. Alternatively, both electrodes 5, 6 may be designed
for rectilinear movement.
[0021] Fig. 2 shows how in a subsequent stage, by means of a voltage source 15, an electrical
voltage is applied over the electrodes 5, 6 and thereby over the rivet 3. This involves
passing a current through the pressure-loaded rivet 3 so that the rivet is heated,
with the result that the rivet 3 is deformed due to the pressure loading and the increased
temperature of the rivet, following which the current is immediately withdrawn and
the heat supply to the rivet 3 ceases. Due to the fact that a certain delay can occur
between the current and generation of heat in the rivet 3, the current supply may
in certain cases have to be cut off before complete deformation has occurred, in order
to avoid an undue amount of heat being transferred to the rivet 3. The current strength
and the duration of the current are naturally adjusted to the different conditions
prevailing during the actual riveting operation, such as the dimensions and material
of the rivet 3, which in turn depend on the material and dimensions of the plates
1, 2. The duration of the current often ranges from fractions of a second up to about
one second. With regard to the voltage source 15, it is possible to use both an alternating
current voltage source and a direct current voltage source in order to generate the
required current.
[0022] Thereafter, as shown in Fig. 3, the load on the rivet 3 can be maintained, or at
least the mechanical contact between the electrodes 5, 6 and rivet 3 can be maintained
even if the load F is reduced or removed, in order to cool the rivet 3 by means of
the electrodes 5, 6, that is to say in order that any excess heat in the rivet 3 will
be transferred to the electrodes rather than to the plates 1, 2. It is advantageous,
however, in order to prevent cracking, that the load be maintained during the cooling
process. Such cooling of the rivet 3 is typically completed in one to a few seconds.
In order to facilitate the transfer of heat from the rivet 3 to the pressure loading
tool 7 after deformation of the rivet 3, the pressure loading tool 7 can be cooled
by means of conventional equipment. The method, or at least the heating of the fastener
3, is suitably performed in an atmosphere containing an inert gas, in order to minimize
oxidation of the fastener 3 and/or the components 1, 2, which in practice to some
extent probably also involves placing the components 1, 2 to be tied in such an atmosphere.
[0023] After deformation, that is to say upsetting of the rivet 3, the electrodes 5, 6 and
the components 1, 2 can be moved in relation to one another in order, where required,
to permit riveting in another position of the components 1, 2 using a further rivet.
[0024] If, due to particularly unfavorable geometry and/or unfavorable dimensions, there
should still be a risk of cracking or of other undesirable effect on the material,
the risk can be further reduced by using a protective component 10, in the form of
a rivet washer 10, for example. As illustrated schematically in Fig. 1, the rivet
washer 10 may be arranged round the rivet 3 at the deformation end 9 of the rivet
up against one of the components 1. In this way, in subsequent deformation of the
rivet 3 direct contact between the hot deformed material of the rivet and the plate
1 will be prevented, which means that the greatest temperature gradient will be between
the rivet 3 and the rivet washer 10 rather than between the rivet 3 and the plate
1.
[0025] The fastener 3 illustrated in Fig. 1, 2 and 3 may be designed in a number of different
ways without departing from the scope of the invention. Although the fastener 3 in
the example described above has an elongate section 11 with circular cross-section
and a head 12 at one end 8, other embodiments of the fastener are possible. For example,
the head 12 might be eliminated even though this in turn requires more advanced riveting
equipment in order to control the deformation of the rivet. Should the rivet 3 be
provided with a head, this may be designed both for flush riveting and raised riveting.
Three examples of different rivets 3a, 3b, 3c having different types of heads 12,
12b, 12c are illustrated in Fig. 4, of which one rivet 3b is designed for flush riveting.
[0026] Other conventional equipment can naturally also be used together with the method
according to the invention. For example, equipment for pressing the plates together
during the riveting operation may be used if so required.
[0027] The piercing of holes in the components 1, 2, required for tying them together can
be performed by conventional methods such as drilling, spark erosion or water cutting.
The shape and size of the holes and the shape and size of the rivet are matched to
one another so that the desired riveted connection can be achieved by deformation
of the rivet when this is placed in the holes. Holes and rivets of circular cross-section
with substantially the same diameter are preferably used, but it is also possible
to use rivets of different cross-section. Piercing can be performed simultaneously
for the components to be tied, or separately for each component. In order to facilitate
joining of the components in a subsequent treatment of the components, a layer of
material, such as a soldering foil (not shown) can be arranged between the components
before or after piercing the holes. The soldering foil is then used for soldering
the components together. By soldering the components together it is possible to obtain
a permanent product having a considerably higher load transmission capacity compared
to the temporary product simply riveted together.
[0028] It should also be added that multiple rivets can be riveted essentially simultaneously
through the use of more than one pressure loading tool or one pressure loading tool
that can be applied to a number of rivets at a time, for example one tool having more
than one pair of electrodes.
[0029] The method according to the invention is particularly well-suited to tying brittle
materials together, such as intermetallic alloys, and rivets of a material from the
group of intermetallic alloys are preferably used for this purpose. Examples of alloys
in the intermetallic alloys category are TiAl, NiAl and FeAl. Experiments aimed at
manufacturing products suitable for use in the aircraft industry using the method
according to the invention have successfully been carried out. For example, the method
has been applied to plates made of TiAl with a thickness of 1 mm. Rivets made of TiAl
are used for tying the plates together and a soldering foil Ticuni 70 with a thickness
of 50 µm for soldering the plates together after riveting.
[0030] It should be emphasized that the invention is not limited to embodiments of the invention
described herein but only by the following claims. Given familiarity with the idea
of the invention, a number of modifications within the scope of the invention will
probably be obvious to a person skilled in the art.
1. A method of tying two or more components (1, 2) together by means of a fastener (3),
in which each component (1, 2) is provided with a hole and the components are placed
so that the holes overlap one another in order to receive the fastener (3) in the
holes, the fastener (3) placed in the holes being mechanically pressure-loaded and
heated in order to deform the fastener, thereby tying the components (1, 2) together,
characterized in that the fastener (3) is first pressure-loaded and then heated whilst maintaining the
pressure loading, said fastener (3) being heated essentially only during the fastener
deformation phase in order to minimize the heat transfer from the fastener to the
components (1, 2) being tied, and in that tying is carried out with both the fastener (3) and the components (1, 2) made of
the same or similar alloys included in the intermetallic alloys group of materials.
2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the fastener (3) is pressure-loaded by means of a tool (7) and that the mechanical
contact between the pressure loading tool (7) and the fastener (3) is maintained after
deformation of the fastener, in order to cool the fastener by transferring heat from
the fastener (3) to the pressure loading tool (7).
3. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the pressure loading tool (7) is cooled in order to facilitate heat transfer from
the fastener (3) to the pressure loading tool after deformation of the fastener.
4. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a protective component (10) is arranged at the deformation end (9) of the fastener
(3) in order, during deformation of the fastener (3), to prevent direct contact between
the hot-deformed material of the fastener and the component (1) which is arranged
nearest to the deformation end (9) of the fastener (3).
5. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components (1, 2) are tied together in a non-preheated state.
6. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastener (3) is applied in the holes in a non-preheated state.
7. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastener (3) is pressure-loaded and heated using a combined pressure loading
and heating tool (7).
8. The method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the fastener (3) is pressure-loaded between two electrodes (5, 6) of the combined
pressure loading and heating tool (7).
9. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastener (3) is heated by passing an electrical current through the fastener
(3).
10. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fastener (3) is heated in an atmosphere containing an inert gas in order to minimize
oxidation of the fastener (3) and/or the components (1, 2).
11. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that prior to deformation of the fastener (3), a layer of material, such as a soldering
foil, is arranged between the components (1, 2) in order to join the components together
by means of the layer of material in a subsequent process.
12. The method as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the components (1, 2) are at least temporarily tied together to form a self-supporting
construction with the components substantially fixed to one another, before being
joined to form an intended load-transmitting construction element at a subsequent
stage of manufacture.
13. The method as claimed in claim 12, characterized in that the components (1, 2) are joined by soldering.
1. Verfahren zum miteinander Verbinden von zwei oder mehreren Komponenten (1, 2) mittels
eines Befestigungselements (3), bei dem jede Komponente (1, 2) mit einem Loch versehen
wird und die Komponenten so angeordnet werden, dass die Löcher einander überlappen,
um das Befestigungselement (3) in den Löchern aufzunehmen, wobei das in den Löchern
angeordnete Befestigungselement (3) mechanisch druckbelastet und erwärmt wird, um
das Befestigungselement zu verformen, wodurch die Komponenten (1, 2) miteinander verbunden
werden, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) zuerst druckbelastet und dann erwärmt wird, während die
Druckbelastung aufrecht erhalten wird, wobei das Befestigungselement (3) im Wesentlichen
nur während der Befestigungselement-Verformphase erwärmt wird, um die Wärmeübertragung
von dem Befestigungselement auf die verbundenen Komponenten (1, 2) zu minimieren,
und dass die Verbindung sowohl mit einem Befestigungselement (3) als auch mit Komponenten
(1, 2) durchgeführt wird, die aus den gleichen oder ähnlichen Legierungen hergestellt
sind, die in der intermetallischen Legierungsgruppe von Materialien enthalten sind.
2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) mittels eines Werkzeugs (7) druckbelastet wird und dass
der mechanische Kontakt zwischen dem Druckbelastungswerkzeug (7) und dem Befestigungselement
(3) nach der Verformung des Befestigungselements aufrecht erhalten wird, um das Befestigungselement
durch Übertragung von Wärme von dem Befestigungselement (3) auf das Druckbelastungswerkzeug
(7) zu kühlen.
3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Druckbelastungswerkzeug (7) gekühlt wird, um eine Wärmeübertragung von dem Befestigungselement
(3) auf das Druckbelastungswerkzeug nach Verformung des Befestigungselements zu erleichtern.
4. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass eine Schutzkomponente (10) an dem Verformungsende (9) des Befestigungselements (3)
angeordnet wird, um während der Verformung des Befestigungselements (3) einen direkten
Kontakt zwischen dem heißverformten Material des Befestigungselements und der Komponente
zu verhindern, die dem Verformungsende (9) des Befestigungselements (3) am nächsten
liegt.
5. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Komponenten (1, 2) in einem nicht vorerwärmten Zustand miteinander verbunden
werden.
6. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) in den Löchern in einem nicht vorerwärmten Zustand angebracht
wird.
7. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) unter Verwendung eines kombinierten Druckbelastungs-
und Erwärmungswerkzeugs (7) druckbelastet und erwärmt wird.
8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) zwischen zwei Elektroden (5, 6) des kombinierten Druckbelastungs-
und Erwärmungswerkzeugs (7) druckbelastet wird.
9. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) durch Durchleitung eines elektrischen Stroms durch das
Befestigungselement (3) erwärmt wird.
10. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Befestigungselement (3) in einer Atmosphäre erwärmt wird, die ein inertes Gas
enthält, um eine Oxidation des Befestigungselements (3) und/oder der Komponenten (1,
2) zu minimieren.
11. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass vor der Verformung des Befestigungselements (3) eine Materialschicht, wie z.B. eine
Lötfolie, zwischen den Komponenten (1, 2) angeordnet wird, um die Komponenten mittels
der Materialschicht in einem darauffolgenden Prozess zusammen zu fügen.
12. Verfahren nach einem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Komponenten (1, 2) wenigstens zeitweise miteinander verbunden werden, um eine
selbsttragende Konstruktion zu bilden, bei der die Komponenten im Wesentlichen miteinander
befestigt sind, bevor sie zusammen gefügt werden, um ein bestimmtes lastübertragendes
Konstruktionselement bei einer folgenden Herstellungsstufe zu bilden.
13. Verfahren nach Anspruch 12, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Komponenten (1, 2) durch Löten zusammen gefügt werden.
1. Procédé de liaison de deux composants ou plus (1, 2) ensemble au moyen d'une fixation
(3), dans lequel chaque composant (1, 2) est muni d'un trou, et les composants sont
placés de sorte que les trous se chevauchent l'un l'autre pour recevoir la fixation
(3) dans les trous, la fixation (3) placée dans les trous étant chargée par pression
mécaniquement et chauffée pour déformer la fixation, en liant ainsi les composants
(1, 2) ensemble, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est premièrement chargée par pression et ensuite chauffée tout en
maintenant la charge par pression, ladite fixation (3) étant chauffée essentiellement
uniquement pendant la phase de déformation de fixation pour minimiser le transfert
de chaleur depuis la fixation vers les composants (1, 2) liés, et en ce qu'une liaison est effectuée avec la fixation (3) et les composants (1, 2) constitués
des mêmes alliages ou d'alliages similaires inclus dans le groupe de matériaux d'alliages
intermétalliques.
2. Procédé selon la revendication 1, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est chargée par pression au moyen d'un outil (7), et en ce que le contact mécanique entre l'outil de chargement par pression (7) et la fixation
(3) est maintenu après déformation de la fixation, pour refroidir la fixation en transférant
de la chaleur depuis la fixation (3) vers l'outil de chargement par pression (7).
3. Procédé selon la revendication 2, caractérisé en ce que l'outil de chargement par pression (7) est refroidi pour faciliter un transfert de
chaleur depuis la fixation (3) vers l'outil de chargement par pression après déformation
de la fixation.
4. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'un composant de protection (10) est agencé au niveau de l'extrémité de déformation
(9) de la fixation (3) pour, pendant une déformation de la fixation (3), empêcher
un contact direct entre le matériau déformé à chaud de la fixation et le composant
(1) qui est agencé le plus proche de l'extrémité de déformation (9) et la fixation
(3).
5. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les composants (1, 2) sont liés ensemble dans un état non préchauffé.
6. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est appliquée dans les trous dans un état non préchauffé.
7. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est chargée par pression et chauffée en utilisant un outil de chargement
par pression et de chauffage combiné (7).
8. Procédé selon la revendication 7, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est chargée par pression entre deux électrodes (5, 6) de l'outil
de chargement par pression et de chauffage combiné (7).
9. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est chauffée en faisant passer un courant électrique à travers la
fixation (3).
10. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que la fixation (3) est chauffée dans une atmosphère contenant un gaz inerte pour minimiser
une oxydation de la fixation (3) et/ou des composants (1, 2).
11. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce qu'avant une déformation de la fixation (3), une couche de matériau, comme une feuille
de matériau de soudage, est agencée entre les composants (1, 2) pour relier les composants
ensemble au moyen de la couche de matériau dans un processus consécutif.
12. Procédé selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, caractérisé en ce que les composants (1, 2) sont au moins temporairement liés ensemble pour former une
construction autoportante avec les composants sensiblement fixés l'un à l'autre, avant
d'être reliés pour former un élément de construction de transmission de charge prévu
à un stade de fabrication ultérieur.
13. Procédé selon la revendication 12, caractérisé en ce que les composants (1 ,2) sont reliés par soudage.


REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only.
It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has
been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and
the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description