Friction stir welding method

Abstract

On a main shaft 30 of a numeric control type machine tool, a rotary tool 50 is installed. The main shaft 30 is not inclined in the machine tool. A first member 70 and a second member 76 to be subjected to friction stir welding are fixed on a table 20. Relative to an axial center of the rotary tool 50, a non-linear welding portion of the first member 70 and the second member 76 is inclined by inclining the table 20. Then, by rotating the table 20 and relatively moving the portion to be welded into contact with the rotary tool 50, welding of the first member to the second member is carried out according to friction stir welding. The above-stated inclination is the inclination required for the friction stir welding. In this way, welding along a path of ring shape or circular shape (including a circular arc) using friction stir welding can be carried out easily.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A machine tool, comprising: 
 a table adapted to have a face thereof rotate, said face being adapted to fix a pair of members vertically or horizontally; and    a main shaft opposed to said face and having an axis center along to a horizontal direction or a vertical direction, and further adapted to rotate under a state in which a friction stir welding use rotary tool is installed to a tip end thereof,    wherein, a side of small diameter portion of an axis center of said rotary tool is positioned in a rear portion from a side of a large diameter portion of said rotary tool, said small diameter portion being closer to said table than said large diameter portion, and the end of the main shaft installs the friction stir welding use rotary tool such that said axis center of said rotary tool is adapted to incline relative to said pair of members.    
     
     
         2 . A machine toolaccording to  claim 1 , wherein the tip end of said main shaft is adapted to move along said axis center of said main shaft.  
     
     
         3 . A machine tool according to  claim 1 , wherein said main shaft is adapted to move in a radial direction of said main shaft during the rotation of the table.  
     
     
         4 . A machine took according to  claim 1 , wherein said table is adapted to move in a radial direction of an axis center thereof during the rotation of said table.  
     
     
         5 . A machine tool, comprising: 
 a table adapted to have a face thereof rotate, said face being adapted to fix a pair of members; and    a main shaft having an axis center which is inclined to a horizontal face or a vertical face of said table and being adapted to rotate under a state in which a friction stir welding use rotary tool is installed to a tip end thereof,    wherein as to an inclination of said main shaft, a side of a small diameter portion of an axis center to said rotary tool is positioned in a rear portion from a large diameter portion of said rotary tool, said small diameter portion being closer to said table than said large diameter portion, and an axis center of said rotary tool is adapted to incline.    
     
     
         6 . A machine tool according to  claim 5 , wherein a tip end of said main shaft is adapted to move along said axis center of said main shaft.  
     
     
         7 . A machine tool according to  claim 5 , wherein said main shaft is adapted to move in a radial direction of said main shaft during rotation of the table.  
     
     
         8 . A machine tool according to  claim 5 , wherein said table is adapted to move in a radial direction of said axis center of the main shaft during the rotation of said table.