Abstract: An ultrasonic flaw detector for a composite material constituted by a plurality of materials which are different in physical properties from one another includes: a section specifier configured to specify first and second sections of an RF signal of a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave with which the composite material is irradiated, a material reflected wave being possibly generated in the first section, an interface reflected wave being possibly generated in the second section; a material flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not a value of the RF signal exceeds a positive first threshold in the first section; and an interface flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not the value of the RF signal falls below a negative second threshold in the second section.

Abstract: An ultrasonic flaw detector for a composite material constituted by a plurality of materials which are different in physical properties from one another includes: a section specifier configured to specify first and second sections of an RF signal of a reflected wave of an ultrasonic wave with which the composite material is irradiated, a material reflected wave being possibly generated in the first section, an interface reflected wave being possibly generated in the second section; a material flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not a value of the RF signal exceeds a positive first threshold in the first section; and an interface flaw determiner configured to determine whether or not the value of the RF signal falls below a negative second threshold in the second section.

Abstract: A method of producing plate springs for a railcar bogie, the plate springs each extending in a car longitudinal direction and elastically supporting a cross beam while being supported by an axle box in the railcar bogie, the axle box accommodating a bearing for an axle, the method includes: a molding step of molding a mother plate made of fiber-reinforced resin, the mother plate including a layer made of continuous fibers oriented in a first direction when viewed from a normal direction of a main surface of the mother plate; a cut position determining step of determining positions of a plurality of parallel cut lines for cutting the mother plate along the first direction; and a cutting step of cutting the mother plate along the plurality of cut lines to take out the plate springs made of the fiber-reinforced resin.

Abstract: A method of producing plate springs for a railcar bogie, the plate springs each extending in a car longitudinal direction and elastically supporting a cross beam while being supported by an axle box in the railcar bogie, the axle box accommodating a bearing for an axle, the method includes: a molding step of molding a mother plate made of fiber-reinforced resin, the mother plate including a layer made of continuous fibers oriented in a first direction when viewed from a normal direction of a main surface of the mother plate; a cut position determining step of determining positions of a plurality of parallel cut lines for cutting the mother plate along the first direction; and a cutting step of cutting the mother plate along the plurality of cut lines to take out the plate springs made of the fiber-reinforced resin.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for inspecting a joined region and joining strength of a joined object formed by a spot friction stir joining process. In this method, an ultrasonic wave is introduced into the joined object from a backing face 25 opposed to a joining tool plunging face 24 and the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joined object 20 is taken in. In this case, the joining region 21 and the joining strength is estimated by observing a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave in the vicinity of a position, along a reference direction Z, corresponding to an interface 27 of two joining members, without using the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joining tool plunging face, thereby inspecting the joined object based on the estimation result.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for inspecting a joined region and joining strength of a joined object formed by a spot friction stir joining process. In this method, an ultrasonic wave is introduced into the joined object from a backing face 25 opposed to a joining tool plunging face 24 and the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joined object 20 is taken in. In this case, the joining region 21 and the joining strength is estimated by observing a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave in the vicinity of a position, along a reference direction Z, corresponding to an interface 27 of two joining members, without using the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joining tool plunging face, thereby inspecting the joined object based on the estimation result.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for inspecting a joined region and joining strength of a joined object formed by a spot friction stir joining process. In this method, an ultrasonic wave is introduced into the joined object from a backing face 25 opposed to a joining tool plunging face 24 and the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joined object 20 is taken in. In this case, the joining region 21 and the joining strength is estimated by observing a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave in the vicinity of a position, along a reference direction Z, corresponding to an interface 27 of two joining members, without using the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joining tool plunging face, thereby inspecting the joined object based on the estimation result.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for inspecting a joined region and joining strength of a joined object formed by a spot friction stir joining process. In this method, an ultrasonic wave is introduced into the joined object from a backing face 25 opposed to a joining tool plunging face 24 and the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joined object 20 is taken in. In this case, the joining region 21 and the joining strength is estimated by observing a reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave in the vicinity of a position, along a reference direction Z, corresponding to an interface 27 of two joining members, without using the reflected wave of the ultrasonic wave reflected from the joining tool plunging face, thereby inspecting the joined object based on the estimation result.

Abstract: A laser beam projector to be employed in an automatic welding machine, such as a robot, includes an optical head that projects a laser beam and a holding and turning mechanism that holds and turns the optical head. The spot of the laser beam can be accurately located on the portion to be welded by turning the optical head by the holding and turning mechanism.

Abstract: A weld portion detector (20) and a laser beam projector (10) disposed a predetermined distance behind the weld portion detector (20) are moved together. The weld portion detector (20) detects a weld line and the laser beam projector (10) projects on the weld line detected by the weld portion detector (20) for laser welding. Pieces of data on weld positions sequentially detected by the weld portion detector (20) are stored sequentially in combination with times when the pieces of data on the weld positions are obtained and moving speeds of the weld portion detector (20) in a memory. A time when the weld portion detector (20) passed a point at which the laser beam projector (10) has just arrived is calculated on the basis of the times and the moving speeds stored in the memory. The laser beam projector (10) projects a laser beam on a weld position detected at the thus calculated time.

Abstract: A laser-welding head is capable of applying a fixed pressure to parts to be welded of workpieces regardless of the undulation of the surfaces of the parts to be welded. The laser-welding head includes a pressing device (12) having a roller (16) which rolls along parts of workpieces near a weld line (40) to press together the same parts of the workpieces, a pressing unit (6) for applying a predetermined pressure to the pressing device (12) to press the pressing device (12) toward the parts of the workpieces near the weld line (40), and a laser beam projecting unit (17) mounted on the pressing unit (6) for movement together with the pressing device (12). The pressing unit (6) is provided with a pneumatic cylinder actuator for applying the predetermined pressure to the pressing device (12).

Abstract: A weld portion detector (20) and a laser beam projector (10) disposed a predetermined distance behind the weld portion detector (20) are moved together. The weld portion detector (20) detects a weld line and the laser beam projector (10) projects on the weld line detected by the weld portion detector (20) for laser welding. Pieces of data on weld positions sequentially detected by the weld portion detector (20) are stored sequentially in combination with times when the pieces of data on the weld positions are obtained and moving speeds of the weld portion detector (20) in a memory. A time when the weld portion detector (20) passed a point at which the laser beam projector (10) has just arrived is calculated on the basis of the times and the moving speeds stored in the memory. The laser beam projector (10) projects a laser beam on a weld position detected at the thus calculated time.

Abstract: A laser beam projector to be employed in an automatic welding machine, such as a robot, includes an optical head of projecting a laser beam and a holding and turning mechanism of holding and turning the optical head. The spot of the laser beam can be accurately located on the portion to be welded by turning the optical head by the holding and turning mechanism.

Abstract: A laser-welding head is capable of applying a fixed pressure to parts to be welded of workpieces regardless of the undulation of the surfaces of the parts to be welded. The laser-welding head includes a pressing device (12) having a roller (16) which rolls along parts of workpieces near a weld line (40) to press together the same parts of the workpieces, a pressing unit (6) for applying a predetermined pressure to the pressing device (12) to press the pressing device (12) toward the parts of the workpieces near the weld line (40), and a laser beam projecting unit (17) mounted on the pressing unit (6) for movement together with the pressing device (12). The pressing unit (6) is provided with a pneumatic cylinder actuator for applying the predetermined pressure to the pressing device (12).

Abstract: A disc selecting and controlling method for selectively controlling at least one automatic disc changer adapted to selectively take out plural disc-shaped recording media to record and/or reproduce the recording media on at least one disc drive, and at least one disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus adapted to record and/or reproduce at least one disc-shaped recording medium, from a host computer by a disc controller. The disc drive device or the disc-shaped recording and/or reproducing device is switchingly selected by a hardware technique by a selection signal transmitted over a selection signal line of the disc controller, and the automatic disc changer performing a switching selection by a software technique by a command from the disc controller deems the disc-shaped recording media to be a virtual disc drive or disc recording and/or reproducing apparatus.