Abstract: A system for heat-treating a coil of metal can include a furnace, an unwinding system, and a quenching system. The furnace may receive the coil of metal and elevate a temperature of the metal to be within a pre-heated temperature range, such as a homogenizing temperature range or an annealing temperature range. The unwinding system may unwind at least a portion of the coil in a heated state in which the metal is within the pre-heated temperature range or before the metal has cooled past a threshold amount below the pre-heated temperature range. The quenching system may receive the unwound portion of the coil from the unwinding device and reduce a temperature of the unwound portion to a within a quenched temperature range within a predetermined amount of time.

Abstract: A metal joiner system includes a power source and a metal joiner. The metal joiner includes a cleaning header, a cutting header, a joining header, and a joint finisher, each of which are communicatively coupled to the power source. The cutting header and cleaning header are configured to direct a first laser beam to prepare a joining region, and the joining header is configured to direct a second laser beam to form a joint in the joining region. A method of joining a metal substrates includes forming a joining region in abutting metal substrates, directing the first laser beam onto the joining region in a joint preparation stage, and directing the second laser beam onto the joining region to form a weld. A product of a metal joiner, a weld, has a portion of weld metal removed at the weld start and the weld crater regions.

Abstract: Disclosed are welds formed from improved resistance spot welding, as well as methods of improved resistance spot welding. Resistance spot welding includes positioning a magnet carrier having a plurality of electromagnets on at least one electrode of two electrodes. The method includes positioning a first metal sheet and a second metal sheet between the two electrodes where at least one of the first metal sheet or the second metal sheet includes an aluminum alloy. The method includes positioning the forming a weld nugget by applying a magnetic field from the plurality of electromagnets through the weld while applying a current through the electrodes to stir a portion of the first metal sheet and the second metal sheet forming a weld nugget and adjusting the magnetic field to control at least one characteristic of the weld nugget. Forming the weld nugget joins the first metal sheet with the second metal sheet.