VERFAHREN ZUM VERSCHWEISSEN DER SCHAUFELN EINES DREHMOMENTWANDLERS MIT DEM GEHAEUSE UNTER VERWENDUNG EINES LASERSTRAHLS.

摘要

A method for welding torque converter blades to an impeller housing by laser beam welding includes forming the blades with a tab fitted within a recess formed in the impeller housing such that the blade tab stands clear of the adjacent surfaces of the housing by the width of an air gap. A laser beam is directed onto an adjacent surface of the housing a short distance from an edge of the housing adjacent a blade tab to be welded to the housing. A laser beam, whose axis is inclined with respect to the recess, strikes a surface of the housing adjacent the tab. The welding gun is energized with electrical power and the welding beam is moved parallel to the blade tab at a predetermined speed consistent with the power. The blade tab is welded to the housing without the use of filler material and the housing is rotated with respect to its longitudinal axis to bring successive blade tabs into position for welding. The torque converter of claim 14 wherein inclining the welding beam toward the second member in the method of claim 9 further comprises moving the welding beam with respect to the first and second members while maintaining the position of the welding beam relative to the edge and its inclination.