Abstract: The present invention relates to a shear blade assembly for a shearing system. The shear blade assembly includes an upper shear blade and a lower shear blade. The top surface of the lower shear blade is inclined downwardly at an angle of between 0.2 and 0.5 degrees to the horizontal. The bottom surface of the upper shear blade is raked relative to the horizontal, longitudinally of the blades.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a shearing system. The shearing system includes a die assembly having linear bearings and guide rails for guiding movement of the upper die shoe. Gas springs return the die shoe to the open position.

Abstract: A system for bringing the joint edges of first and second sheet metal components into butting relationship. The components are clamped in opposing clamping assemblies with one of the assemblies being movable toward and away from the other. A fluid motor is mounted on one clamping assembly and a piston extending therefrom is connected to the other clamping assembly through a pair of expandable bladders. By sequentially introducing high and low pressure air to first one bladder and then the other, the movable clamping assembly is caused to move one component toward the other while accommodating any initial misalignment between the edges.

Abstract: A system and method for laser welding. The joint edges of two adjacent sheet metal components are brought into butting relationship on a weld line. A welding head is moved along the weld line while directing a laser welding beam downwardly from its optics to the weld line where it creates a weld joint. In its path downwardly to a focal point at the weld line the beam passes through a stream of air directed transversely of the beam, a shield plate below the stream of air and above the weld line, and a nitrogen filled zone below the shield and above the weld joint.

Abstract: A system for clamping a sheet metal component in preparation for welding or the like. A clamping assembly includes a horizontally elongated lower clamping platen and a horizontally elongated upper clamping platen positioned over said lower platen. The upper platen includes an elongated carrier and a series of clamping pads, separately mounted on the carrier for movement toward and away from the carrier. A pair of coil springs between each pad and the carrier bias the pad away from the carrier. The pads are mounted for progressively further movement away from the carrier as they are displaced further from the centerline of the carrier.

Abstract: A system for gauging the relative positions of two opposing joint edges on sheet metal components prior to welding. The system comprises a gauging assembly including two pairs of gauging pins which are movable between a retracted position and a gauging position. Each pair of pins defines a separate edge contact line. When each joint edge has contacted both pins in a respective pair, electrical circuitry indicates as much and the components are clamped in this relationship.

Abstract: The present invention relates to shearing apparatus, and method of operating the same. The apparatus may include a plurality of spring clamping members positioned longitudinally along a first die shoe, the clamping members positioned in raised stepped sequence from a centerline perpendicular to longitudinal sides of the die shoe to sequentially contact with the sheet material. The shearing apparatus may include a die assembly having linear bearings and guide rails for guiding movement of the die shoe, and gas springs which return the die shoe to the open position. The shearing apparatus provides straight cuts with a maximum cut-edge tolerance of 0.0015 inch. The shearing apparatus may include a second die shoe having an angled blade to allow a higher shear to break ratio.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for welding a joint edge of a first sheet metal component to a joint edge of a second sheet metal component to form a weld joint. The system includes a gauging sub-system which positions each joint edge at a desired distance from a weld line. A sub-system then clamps the sheet metal components in this relationship. A joint edge butting sub-system then moves the clamped components toward each other until the edges are in butting relationship. A laser welding sub-system then moves a welding head along the butted edges to form the weld joint. The laser beam, which forms the weld joint, passes through an air shield in the welding mechanism so that weld splatter from the welding zone is carried off by an air stream and does not reach the welding head optics. The invention also relates to a method of laser welding.