Abstract: A self-adhesive purge dam for retaining purge gas around a weld zone includes a base configured to substantially obstruct an air passage leading to the weld zone and an adhesive skirt extending from the base and configured to engage portions of the air passage. An adhesive on the adhesive skirt allows the skirt to be adhered to the air passage. An optional removable backing covers the adhesive prior to installation. The adhesive skirt is deployable from a stowed position wherein the adhesive is generally disposed in an interior portion of the purge dam to an installation position wherein the adhesive can be pressed against a surface to which the purge dam is to be adhered. The purge dam can be installed by inserting it in the air passage with the adhesive skirt in the stowed position, removing the removable backing prior to or after insertion in the air passage, exposing the adhesive, and deploying the skirt to the installation position for adhesion.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for welding electric conductors using ultrasound, whereby the conductors (32) are introduced into a compression chamber (30) that is bounded by at least two boundary elements and are welded after the compression chamber is closed, whereby ultrasound is applied via a sonotrode (16) and the conductors to be welded are pressurized, preferably via a counter electrode. In order to be able to check the quality of the welding site using simple measures, it is proposed that after welding (32) the conductors, the compression chamber (30) is decompressed and then an ultrasound pulse is applied to the welded conductors with simultaneous application of pressure to these, and subsequently the spacing difference between the sonotrode (16) and the counter electrode (18) is measured.

Abstract: A process is disclosed that creates a high shear rate in a workpiece using a head including a ring-shaped rotatable shoulder, a first pin and a second pin, both pins extending downwardly relative to the shoulder. The process includes coupling the workpiece to a table and rotating the first pin and the second pin in the same direction, wherein the first pin has a diameter, wherein a gap between the first pin and the second pin is less than the diameter. The head is plowed through the workpiece with the shoulder bearing downwardly against the workpiece and the first and second pin disposed in the first and second workpieces. The first pin rotates in a direction opposite the direction of the second pin in the gap to create a high shear rate of the workpiece within the gap.

Abstract: A method of hole defect repair includes removing one or more defects at or near a desired hole shape in a substrate by removing a non-concentric portion of the substrate proximate the desired hole shape, and welding a filler material to the substrate after removing the non-concentric portion of the substrate.

Abstract: An apparatus, system, and method are disclosed for positioning a printed circuit board component. A clamping member applies a clamping force to a levering member linked to a positioning member. The levering member biases the positioning member toward a printed circuit board in response to the clamping force. The positioning member positions the printed circuit board and a component disposed on the printed circuit board in response to the positioning member bias. In one embodiment, the positioning member positions the component to contact a thermal device.

Abstract: A weld process cuitable for repairing precipitation-strengthened superalloys, and particularly gamma prime-strengthened nickel-based superalloys. The process entails forming a weldment in a cavity present in a surface of an article formed of a precipitation-strengthened superalloy. The cavity has a root region and a cap region between the root region and the surface of the article. A solid body formed of a superalloy composition is placed in the root region of the cavity so as to occupy a first portion but not a second portion of the root region. A first filler material formed of a solid solution-strengthened superalloy is then weld-deposited in the second portion of the root region. Subsequently, a second filler material formed of a precipitation-strengthened superalloy is weld-deposited in the cap region of the cavity.

Abstract: A method in forming high-temperature alloy solder standoff in a solder bumping process, such as in injection molded solder molds. The standoffs are formed in an injection molded solder mold, by means of pre-depositing a layer of a metal at select sites, such as some of the cavities which are formed in the surface of the mold, and thereafter, filling the mold cavities with solder, utilizing standard techniques as known in the technology. The particular metal, which is deposited in at least some of the mold cavities, will alloy with the solder during or after transfer, and will result in the formation of a higher temperature alloy solder at select locations in the mold cavities.

Abstract: A method and system are provided for a trackless autonomous crawling all-position arc welding robot with wheels and permanent magnet caterpillar belts. A sensor detects a welding seam position and transmits the position to a tracking controller. The tracking controller sends instructions to a welding torch which may be moved in generally horizontal and vertical directions based upon the instructions. Additionally, a crawler drive controller receives the welding seam position and sends a control signal to an AC servomotor drive that positions the crawler based on the control signal.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing chain link fabric including a welding assembly and/or a compressing assembly. The welding assembly is configured to weld together wire-end portions of the chain link fabric. The welding assembly includes a guiding assembly having a finger and a cam, which are configured to restrict the movement of the wire-end portions while the welding assembly welds them together. The finger and the cam are configured to move relative to the wire-end portions both before and after the wire-end portions are welded together. The compressing assembly is configured to compress the wire-end portions after they are welded together. The compressing assembly includes a stabilizing assembly having a stabilizing die, which is configured to interface with the chain link fabric and to restrict the movement of the welded wire-end portions while the compressing assembly compresses the welded wire-end portions.

Abstract: A sonotrode (33) for machining workpieces and a method for the operation of the sontotode. The sonotrode enables workpieces to be cut (1) and welded (5) simultaneously in a single work process. This results in substantially higher quality machined workpieces in comparison with the prior art. Cutting and welding occur in parallel in a single process.

Abstract: A method of stress relief for stainless steel combustion turbine components includes vibrating the components during welding at a subharmonic frequency. The proper frequency is selected to be below a harmonic frequency, and to produce an amplitude in the range of ¼ to ½ the amplitude produced by a harmonic frequency. The component to be repaired is vibrated during and after welding at this frequency.

Abstract: A portable wire feeder for providing welding wire and welding current to a welding operation includes an input electrically connected to a power source. An output is electrically connected to the input to receive welding current delivered to the input from the power source and to provide the welding current and welding wire to the welding operation through a guide hose. A motorized wire feeding system includes a motor and a feed roll driven by the motor to direct the wire from a wire supply to the output for provision of the welding wire to the welding operation through the guide hose. Power for the motorized wire feeding system is drawn from the welding current passed from the input to the output. A grounding assembly nonattachably contacts a work piece of the welding operation to electrically ground the power drawn from the welding current directly to the work piece.