Abstract: A welding arrangement comprises first and second parts to be welded with an edge portion of the first part and an edge portion of the second part juxtaposed to form a weld zone. An electrically-conductive sheet(s) with a higher melting temperature than a melting temperature of the first and second parts are placed over the weld zone and a force application device is used to apply a lateral compressive force to the weld zone. First and second electrodes are placed in contact with the electrically conductive sheet(s) which are resistively heated and in turn conductively heat the weld zone.

Abstract: A plastic pallet assembly is formed from plastic lumber by melting sections of runners and cross members and contacting them to join said runners and said cross members to form a pallet. A machine having an assembly table, cross members for supporting and moving pallet runners in a vertical direction, a support table for a pallet cross member, hot plates moveable in a vertical direction and in a horizontal direction for insertion between the runners and the cross member, and a force bar moveable in a vertical direction for applying a force to the runners, hot plates and cross member.

Abstract: A method of operating on a workpiece comprises causing relative movement between the workpiece and a power beam in a traverse direction so as to expose a series of locations on the workpiece to the power beam. At each location the power beam is caused to move relative to the workpiece in a predetermined manner having a component transverse to the traverse direction, and workpiece material is melted and displaced by the power beam so as to form a cavity or hole.

Abstract: A charged particle emitting assembly comprises an emitter member (5) for emitting charged particles of one polarity. A tubular shield electrode (6) circumferentially surrounds the emitter member and is held in use at the same polarity as the charged particles. A tubular accelerating electrode (7) is positioned substantially coaxially with the shield electrode (6) and is held in use at the opposite polarity to the shield electrode. The arrangement is such that charged particles from the emitter member (5) initially spread laterally outwardly and then are focused into a beam which passes through the tubular accelerating electrode (7).

Abstract: A welding arrangement (10) consists of first and second parts to be welded (4a, 4b) with a portion of the first part and a portion of the second part juxtaposed to form a weld zone (8a, 8b). An electrically-conductive sheet (2) with a higher melting temperature than a melting temperature of the first part (4a) and a melting temperature of the second part (4b) is placed over the weld zone (8a, 8b). A first electrode (12) is placed in contact with the electrically conductive sheet material (2) and a second electrode (14) is positioned and aligned with the first electrode (12) to heat conducively the weld zone (8a, 8b) with an electrical current. For the butt weld configuration (10), a second electrically conductive sheet (6) is placed between the second electrode (14) and the weld zone (8a, 8b).

Abstract: A press welding process which can be used in such industries as car-making, production of hot-water boilers, industrial and civil construction, in construction of pipelines using small and medium diameter pipes, for welding parts with a solid and developed cross-section, as well as for joining parts to form a T-joint. A magnetically impelled arc butt welding is achieved, that, during heating, the controlled continuous displacement of the parts being welded is performed where the gap between the parts edges is kept constant. The value of the welding arc voltage is used as the parameter for the gap size adjustment, and the moment of achievement of the required temperature on the edges of parts being welded, is determined by the length of the relative displacement of the parts, and when the assigned values of displacement have been reached, the speed of the arc movement along the edges of the parts being welded, is programmed.

Abstract: An electrolytic reduction cell for production of a metal includes an outer steel shell, a layer of insulating material adjacent the outer steel shell and a carbonaceous layer overlaying the insulating material and protecting the insulating material from an electrolytic bath to be contained in the cell. The carbonaceous layer includes at least one carbonaceous cathode block having an upper surface and a lower surface, with a plurality of electrical contact plugs being mounted in electrical contact with the lower surface of the cathode block. A collector plate is in electrical contact with the electrical contact plugs. The electrical contact plugs are distributed over the lower surface of the cathode block such that in operation of the cell, a substantially isopotential surface is achieved at the top surface of the cathode block.

Abstract: A device for electron beam processing of materials in space designed for the performance of the technical operations of welding, cutting, heating, filler welding, tube welding, brazing, coating deposition by the method of thermal evaporation of materials under vacuum by an operator in a spacesuit during EVA. The device includes a range of replaceable electron beam handtools, control and power supply modules, connection cables and a module for monitoring the condition of the device which is placed inside the space vehicle.

Abstract: A joining method directs polychromate, non-coherent electromagnetic radiation (14) through a radiation transmitting material (16) to an absorbing material (18) that absorbs the radiation with the generation of heat. The heat is used to heat a bond line (20) formed from the transmitting material (16) and a substrate (18) sufficiently to bond the transmitting material (16) and substrate (18). A radiation filter (22) of the same material as the transmitting material is used to reduce effectively unwanted absorption (and heat) in the transmitting material (16). Radiation focusing, masking, transmitting plastic cooling, bond line component drying, double pass welding, and additional bond line pressure are used to improve the bond of the resulting manufacture. A moving double radiation source units improves welding speed at least 5-6 times that of a moving single radiation source unit.

Abstract: A plastic joining method directs polychromate, non-coherent electromagnetic radiation through a transmitting plastic to an absorbing material that absorbs the radiation with the generation of heat. The heat is used to heat a bond line formed from the transmitting plastic and a substrate sufficiently to bond the transmitting plastic and substrate. A radiation filter of the same material as the transmitting plastic is used to reduce effectively unwanted absorption (and heat) in the transmitting plastic. Radiation focusing, masking, transmitting plastic cooling, bond line component drying, double pass welding, and additional bond line pressure are used to improve the bond of the resulting manufacture.

Abstract: The invention relates to the production of protective coatings for parts of gas turbines and internal combustion engines which are to be subjected to thermal loading. A coating formed in accordance with the invention has a chemical composition and structure gradient across its thickness and an outer ceramic layer. The coating is obtained by electron beam heating of a mixture of metals (alloys) and oxides which have different vapor pressures at the evaporation temperature, the mixture and an underlying ceramic ingot being serially evaporated and subsequently condensed on the part to be coated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of friction welding for joining of members and more particularly to so-called friction stir welding based on a relative rubbing movement between a probe of harder material and members to be joined. The present invention also is directed to an improved tool to be applied in the friction welding process.

Abstract: An easy to apply flux for increasing the penetration of gas tungsten arc welding of stainless steel substantially independent of flux thickness and variations in composition from heat to heat of stainless steel includes a flux consisting of reagent or laboratory grade TiO or TiO.sub.2 (about 50%), Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 (about 40%), and SiO.sub.2 (about 10%) in a liquid carrier, preferably of methyl ethyl ketone. The flux is easy to apply, increases penetration of the weld, decreases bead width, and increases weld cross sectional area.

Abstract: An astronaut's work station for performing experiments or other work in space is designed for use under the conditions of open space on board space vehicles by an astronaut in a spacesuit, using a system of hardware, for instance electron beam, which it accommodates, as well as samples of materials to be worked on, located in a replaceable samples module. The work station is fastened on the outer surface of a long-term orbital space station of the MIR type, or in the cargo bay of a cargo reusable space vehicle of the Shuttle type. The work station comprises a frame containing a base with a foot rail, a hand rail with a holder, a seat with latches for locking-in the replaceable samples module, and an astronaut's sliding foot restraint which moves over the foot rail.

Abstract: Conventional infrared, spot reflector lamps are modified by removing portions of the reflector to form reflector edges and then placing the reflector edges next to each other to form an array of lamps with a wide variety of configurations. The combined lamps are particularly effective when the filaments of each lamp are oriented in the same direction as that of a desired heating line. Maximum energy flux density is achieved by positioning the lamps at a distance of about twice the focal length of the uncut, spot-focused lamps. By removing segments from the reflectors to form edges that define planes that are parallel to or intersect with each other, various shaped reflectors are formed that are used to assemble arrays that provide uniform heating lines of various shapes.

Abstract: Apparatus for generating a stream of charged particles, for example for use in an electron beam welding device. The apparatus includes a charged particle source (5) such as a filament and a target (6). The charged particle source (5) is connected in series with a resonant electrical circuit and the target is connected in parallel with the circuit. The source and target (5,6) are relatively juxtaposed such that under working conditions, when the circuit is in resonance, electric current passing through the source (5) causes emission of first charged particles and the potential difference between the source (5) and the target (6) accelerates the first charged particles towards the target.

Abstract: An arc welding device apparatus for controlling an arc welder through use of a neural network in real-time. The invention can also record output from an arc welding apparatus, indicating whether penetration has occurred during the welding process, and can also activate an alarm when penetration occurs during the arc welding process.

Abstract: A process for obtaining long, continuous, thermoplastic welds on large structures. A series of tabs are used in pairs and especially in alternating, overlapping pairs to obtain resistance heating of a strip material placed in the bond line. The resistance of the tabs is less than that of the strip material. Conducting braid-tubes afford continuous welding when the bond line is curved. Alternatively, an electromagnetic field is used to take advantage of the induction heating. A wide susceptor is used to weld a current conducting substrate while avoiding bulk heating of the substrate. The unexpected property of current-conducting braid-tube susceptors, in which induction heating takes place at the center rather than at the edges of a flattened braid-tube susceptor, is used to obtain long continuous curved welds.

Abstract: A method of forming a plug-like member comprises placing a consumable member (4) in a bore (1) of a workpiece (2). The consumable member (4) is rotated relative to the workpiece (2) while they are urged together so as to generate frictional heat and the formation of plasticised material (5). The plasticised material (5) is allowed to solidify so as to form a plug-like member having an outer surface conforming to the inner surface of at least part of the bore (1). The plug-like member is either left in situ or, following formation of the complete plug-like member, removed from the workpiece.

Abstract: A method of operating on a workpiece comprises offering a probe of material harder than the workpiece material to a continuous surface of the workpiece causing relative cyclic movement between the probe and the workpiece while urging the probe and workpiece together whereby frictional heat is generated as the probe enters the workpiece so as to create a plasticized region in the workpiece material around the probe, stopping the relative cyclic movement, and allowing the plasticized material to solidify around the probe. This technique, which we refer to as "friction plunge welding" provides a very simple method of joining a probe to a workpiece. The method can be used for repairing cracks and the like within a workpiece or for joining members, such as studs or bushes, to a workpiece.