Sonobond Ultrasonics, Inc, of West Chester, PA has been awarded a $441,000 grant from the National Institute of Standards and Technology''s Advanced Technology Program. The project, sponsored by Ford Motor Company, is part of an estimated $8,910,000 three-year program to develop ultrasonic metal welding technology for the mass production of aluminum automobile bodies to reduce weight and improve vehicle fuel economy.
Weight reduction is critical to the achievement of improved fuel economy and emissions. Yet increased aluminum use in high-volume, automotive body construction is met with many manufacturing challenges, among which joining is foremost. Most current joining methods -- whether resistance welding, friction stir welding, or mechanical riveting -- entail cost, weight, performance, or environmental penalties and so are limited in their application.
Ultrasonic metal welding is ideally suited to address the challenges facing the high-volume manufacture of fuel-efficient, low-emissions vehicles. The proposed research program is aimed at maximizing this promising technology and extending its use to join a variety of alloys and thicknesses -- characterized by numerous surface conditions -- and in a number of joint configurations.
Robust operation in variable welding conditions is essential. Preliminary welding trials conducted by Ford Motor Company and Sonobond Ultrasonics have demonstrated the feasibility of welding up to 1 mm thick automotive grade aluminum in a lap joint configuration. Program targets have been identified to extend the technology to include various joint configurations, robust equipment operation in variable welding conditions, and advanced process controls.
Ford Motor Company will head the project and intends to implement the technology in vehicle production. Other project participants are American Technology, Inc, and Edison Welding Institute.
The Advanced Technology Program (ATP) provides cost-shared funding to industry-led teams, which can include nonprofits and universities, to help advance challenging, high risk Research and Development projects that have the potential to spark important, broad-based economic or social benefits for the United States.