Distance measuring device, friction stir welding apparatus, and friction stir welding method
The abutment portion touches with a shoulder surface of a joining tool for friction stir welding. The tip portion is freely movable in a first direction connecting a surface of the workpiece and the shoulder surface in a state of contacting the surface of the workpiece. The detector is configured to detect a position of the tip portion in the first direction. The output unit is configured to output a data of the position of the tip portion in the first direction detected by the detector. The controller is configured to calculate a position of the tip portion to the abutment portion from the data of the position output from the output unit, and to calculate a distance between the shoulder surface of the joining tool and the surface of the workpiece.
1. A distance measuring device, comprising:
a measuring tool including an abutment portion, a tip portion, a detector, and an output unit, the abutment portion touching with a shoulder surface of a joining tool for friction stir welding, the tip portion being freely movable in a first direction connecting a surface of the workpiece and the shoulder surface in a state of contacting the surface of the workpiece, the detector configured to detect a position of the tip portion in the first direction, the output unit configured to output a data of the position of the tip portion in the first direction detected by the detector; and
a controller configured to calculate a position of the tip portion to the abutment portion from the data of the position output from the output unit, and to calculate a distance between the shoulder surface of the joining tool and the surface of the workpiece.
2. The device according to claim 1 , wherein the tip portion is a rotating body.
3. The device according to claim 2 , wherein the tip portion is a ball.
4. The device according to claim 1 , wherein
the controller includes circuitry configured to:
calculate a motion trajectory of the joining tool from the data of the position output from the output unit, from a coordinate of the measuring tool in a second direction, and from a coordinate of the measuring tool in a third direction, the second direction and the third direction crossing the first direction, and
control the joining tool based on the motion trajectory.
5. A friction stir welding apparatus, comprising:
a joining tool for friction stir welding; and
a distance measuring device,
the distance measuring device including
a distance measuring tool including an abutment portion, an tip portion, a detector, and an output unit, the abutment portion touching with a shoulder surface of the joining tool, the tip portion being freely movable in a first direction connecting a surface of the workpiece and the shoulder surface in a state of contacting the surface of the workpiece, the detector configured to detect a position of the tip portion in the first direction, the output unit configured to output a data of the position of the tip portion in the first direction detected by the detector, and
a controller configured to calculate a position of the tip portion to the abutment portion from the data of the position output from the output unit, and to calculate a distance between the shoulder surface of the joining tool and the surface of the workpiece.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5 , wherein the tip portion is a rotating body.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein the tip portion is a ball.
8. The device according to claim 5 , wherein
the controller includes circuitry configured to:
calculate a motion trajectory of the joining tool from the data of the position output from the output unit, from a coordinate of the measuring tool in a second direction, and from a coordinate of the measuring tool in a third direction, the second direction and the third direction crossing the first direction, and
control the joining tool based on the motion trajectory.