DE102023201009A1 - Method for producing a component composite - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing a component composite (10), in which a component composite (100) consisting of a first component (11) provided with a structure (16) at least in the region of at least one joining surface (14) with a second component (12) made of plastic, wherein the plastic of the second component (12) forms a positive connection with the structure (16) of the first component (11), wherein the first component (11) of the existing component composite (100) is connected to a new second component (12a) made of plastic.

Description

Technical area

The invention relates to a method for producing a component assembly in which an existing component assembly consisting of a metallic first component having a structure in the region of which a second part made of plastic is arranged can be reused using the original first component and a new second component.

State of the art

From the EP 2 307 187 B1 The applicant is aware of a method for producing a component assembly from two components, in which a first component, which is made of metal at least in part, has a structure in the region of a joining surface. In the component assembly known from the document mentioned, the structure is in the form of a microstructure overlaid by a nanostructure. The first component is joined to a second component made of plastic to form the component assembly by bringing liquefied plastic from the second component into contact with the joining surface, whereby the liquefied plastic penetrates into the structure and forms a positive connection with the first component.

Disclosure of the invention

The method according to the invention for producing a component composite with the features of claim 1 has the advantage that the first component of the component composite consisting of metal can be reused in the sense of recycling by joining it with a new second component and assembling it to form a new component composite.

The invention is based on the idea of separating the second component of the previous or original component assembly, which is made of plastic, from the metallic first component in such a way that the structure is at least partially retained in the area of the joining surface, with most of the plastic being removed from the structure of the first component during the separation process. The contact or joining surface with its structure is thus available for forming the new component assembly, with any plastic material still present in the structure of the previous first component being liquefied when joining with the new second component and mixing with the plastic of the new second component, thereby forming a material bond.

Against the background of the above explanations, it is therefore provided in a method according to the invention for producing a component assembly with the features of claim 1 that a component assembly consisting of a first component provided with a structure at least in the region of at least one joining surface and a second component made of plastic, wherein the plastic of the second component forms a positive connection with the structure of the first component, and wherein the first component of the existing component assembly is connected to a new second component made of plastic, wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: First, the two components of the previous, existing component assembly are separated. The existing first component is then heated in the region of the at least one joining surface to a temperature that is above the melting point of the material of the second, new component. Finally, the existing first component is connected to the new second component by pressing the two components together in the region of the at least one joining surface, wherein the material of the new second component is locally melted in the region of the at least one joining surface and penetrates into the structure of the first component and/or mixes with residual material of the original second component.

Advantageous further developments of the method according to the invention for producing a component composite are set out in the subclaims.

When separating the second, original component from the joining surface of the first component, it is essential that as much material as possible is removed from the structure of the first component. In order to make this possible without purely mechanical and/or chemical process steps, it is preferably provided that the separation of the two components takes place by heating the at least one joining surface of the first component to a temperature above the melting temperature of the material of the second component and mechanically separating the two components. In other words, this means that the plastic of the original second component is thermally removed from the joining surface. For this purpose, the at least one joining surface can be heated either locally or globally. This heating can take place by means of an oven process, by IR or laser radiation, by mechanical friction, by induction or by other conventional methods.

However, it is preferred that only the existing first component is heated to heat the existing first component. In other words, this means that by means of a local Heating only the first component in the region of the at least one joining surface avoids, for example, plastic material of the second component which is spaced apart from the joining surface being heated too much, which would make the subsequent mechanical separation of the second component from the first component more difficult.

The method is preferably used for structuring which has a microstructure superimposed by a nanostructure on the first component. This is because such structuring can form a media-tight and solid component bond even without additional auxiliary materials (adhesion promoters) and, in connection with the method according to the invention, does not require any treatment of the at least one joining surface even when rejoining with a second component.

It is further preferred if the first component consists of steel or a steel alloy or of aluminium or an aluminium alloy.

With regard to any residual material from the original second component that may still be adhering to the structuring of the first component, it is also advantageous if the plastic of the previous second component and the new second component are made of the same material, in particular a thermoplastic.

It is also particularly preferred if the material of the first component is only heated in the area of the at least one joining zone. This enables the required energy expenditure to be minimized.

With regard to the last proposal, it is intended that a laser beam source or an infrared source will be used as the heat source.

The invention further relates to a component assembly which consists of a first component provided with a structure at least in the region of at least one joining surface, with a second component made of plastic and with residual material from an original second component in the region of the joining surface. The component assembly is preferably produced by the method described above. In particular, the residual material is a plastic. Preferably, the plastic of the second component has mixed with the plastic of the residual material. It can be proven using common analytical methods that plastics from two different joining processes are present in the joining surface. In addition, characteristic shapes arise when the plastic of the new second component and the plastic of the residual material of the original second component are joined again, and these can be shown using sections and microscopy.

Further advantages, features and details of the invention will become apparent from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the drawings.

Short description of the drawings

• 1 until 3 show in simplified longitudinal sections different, chronologically successive steps for forming a new component assembly from an existing component assembly and
• 4 a flow chart to explain the method according to the invention.

Embodiments of the invention

Identical elements or elements with the same function are provided with the same reference numbers in the figures.

In the 1 a component assembly 100 is shown, which consists of a first component 11 and a second component 12. The first component 11 consists of steel or a steel alloy or of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, and has at least one joining surface 14 on the side facing the second component 12, via which the first component 11 is connected to the second component 12. The second component 12 consists of plastic, in particular of a thermoplastic.

In the illustrated embodiment, the first component 11 is plate-shaped in the illustrated drawing section, while the second component 12 is designed in the manner of a cover or similar element, so that the component assembly 100 encloses an interior space 15 between the two components 11, 12, in which, for example, (electronic) components or similar (not shown) are arranged. It is of course within the scope of the invention to adapt the shape of the two components 11, 12 to the respective application purpose.

In the area of the at least one joining surface 14, the first component 11 has a structuring 16 which consists of a microstructure superimposed by a nanostructure. While the structural elements of the nanostructure thus have structure sizes between 1 nm or 999 nm, the structural elements of the microstructure have a size between 1 µm and 999 µm.

Regarding the production of such a structuring 16, particular reference is made to the EP 2 307 187 B1 of the applicant, which in this respect is intended to be a part of this application. However, it is pointed out that the structuring 16 is not intended to be limited to a microstructure superimposed by a nanostructure.

For example, for repair purposes, if a defective component is to be replaced in the interior 15 of the component assembly 100, or in order to be able to use the first component 11 again, for example in the case of a damaged component 12, it is provided to use the first component 11 of the already existing component assembly 100 again, while instead of the (original) second component 12, a new second component 12a or another second component 12a is to be used, the shape of which may differ from the shape of the original second component 12.

With regard to the formation of such a 3 shown new component assembly 10, the method is described as follows, with additional reference to the 4 is taken.

First, according to the representation of the 1 and 2 the original second component 12 is separated from the original first component 11 in a first process step 101. This is done by thermally demolding the original second component 12 from the first component 11. For this purpose, it is provided, for example, that the at least one joining surface 14 of the first component 11 is locally heated by a radiation source, for example a laser beam device, an infrared device or the like, so that a temperature is achieved in the area of the at least one joining surface 14 that is higher than the melting temperature of the material of the original second component 12.

Subsequently, the second component 12 is separated mechanically from the first component 11 in a second process step 102, which is achieved by the force F running perpendicular to the plane of the at least one joining surface 14 in the 1 should be made clear.

In the 2 the state of the first component 11 is shown after the original second component 12 has been separated from the first component 11.

In this case, it can be seen in particular that plastic material 18 of the original second component 12 may have remained in the region of the at least one joining surface 14, which could not be separated from the at least one joining surface 14 or from the structuring 16. This plastic material 18 is thus still arranged in a form-fitting connection with the at least one joining surface 14 or the structuring 16.

To form the new component assembly 10, the original first component 11 is then heated again in a third process step 103, at least in the area of the at least one joining surface 14, or the residual heat of the component 11 is utilized. In principle, a wide variety of heat sources can be used to heat the first component 11, either the heat sources already used to demold the original second component 12 from the first component 11, or heat sources that heat the first component 11 not only in the area of the at least one joining surface 14, but as a whole.

It is essential that the at least one joining surface 14 on the first component 11 is heated to a temperature that corresponds at least to the melting temperature of the material of the new second component 12a. As soon as this has taken place, the original first component 11 and the new second component 12a are joined in the area of the at least one joining surface 14 in accordance with the representation of the 3 pressed against each other in a fourth process step 104. This is illustrated by the joining force P, which now runs in the opposite direction to the force F. When the two components 11, 12a are pressed together, the material of the new second component 12a is melted locally and enters the structure 16 in the areas where no old plastic material 18 of the original second component 12 is present, where it forms a positive connection. In the areas where old plastic material 18 is present, the old plastic material 18 mixes with the material of the new second component 12a, thus forming a solid, material-locking connection there.

The method described so far for producing a new component assembly 10 from an original component assembly 100 can be modified or altered in many different ways without deviating from the inventive concept.

QUOTES INCLUDED IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of documents listed by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA accepts no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• EP 2307187 B1 [0002, 0020]

Claims (10)

Method for producing a component assembly (10) which consists of a first component (11) provided with a structure (16) at least in the region of at least one joining surface (14) and a second component (12) made of plastic, wherein the plastic of the second component (12) forms a positive connection with the structure (16) of the first component (11), wherein the first component (11) of the existing component assembly (100) is connected to a new second component (12a) made of plastic, and wherein the method comprises at least the following steps: - Separating the two components (11, 12) of the existing component assembly (100) in the region of the at least one joining surface (14) - Heating the existing first component (11) in the region of the at least one joining surface (14) to a temperature which is above the melting point of the material of the second, new component (12a) - Connecting the existing first component (11) to the new second component (12a) by pressing the two components (11, 12a) in the region of the at least one joining surface (14), wherein the material of the new second component (12a) is locally melted in the region of the at least one joining surface (14) and penetrates into the structuring (16) of the first component (11) and/or mixes with residual material of the original second component (12). Procedure according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the separation of the two components (11, 12) of the original component assembly (100) is carried out by heating the at least one joining surface (14) of the first component (11) to a temperature above the melting temperature of the material of the second component (12) and mechanically separating the two components (11, 12). Procedure according to Claim 1 or 2 , characterized in that for heating the existing first component (11) only the existing first component (11) is heated. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 3 , characterized in that a microstructure superimposed by a nanostructure is used as structuring (16) on the first component (11). Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 4 , characterized in that the first component (11) consists of or comprises steel or a steel alloy or aluminium or an aluminium alloy. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 5 , characterized in that the plastic of the second component (12) and the new second component (12a) consists of the same material, in particular of a thermoplastic. Procedure according to one of the Claims 1 until 6 , characterized in that the material of the first component (11) for joining with the new second component (12a) is heated only from the side on which the at least one joining zone (14) on the first component (11) is located. Procedure according to Claim 7 , characterized in that a laser beam source or an infrared source is used as the heat source for heating the at least one joining zone (14) on the first component (11). Component composite (10) which consists of a first component (11) provided with a structure (16) at least in the region of at least one joining surface (14), with a second component (12) made of plastic and with residual material of an original second component (12) in the region of the joining surface (14). Component assembly (10) according to Claim 9 , produced by a process according to any of the Claims 1 until 8th .

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