Abstract: Methods are disclosed for assembling PV modules using connectors that have strain relief elements. Strings can be inspected individually and dimensional information can be obtained to layup the strings into a PV module in a specific manner. Portions of the strings can be soldered using elevators to lift connectors into place, and then applying heat to both sides of the connector.

Abstract: A device for dispensing and distributing flux-free solder on a substrate comprises an elongated tool, a tool mount, an ultrasonic generator, a wire guide tube, and optionally a heat sink and a housing. The tool can be fixed to the tool mount and has a longitudinal borehole which opens into an opening on the tip of the tool. The wire guide tube extends along a central longitudinal axis through the ultrasonic generator and the tool mount, protrudes into the longitudinal borehole of the tool and reaches up to a position above the tip of the tool. The wire guide tube does not touch the tool. The ultrasonic generator is fixed to the tool mount. Advantageously, a cooling chamber which can actively be cooled is formed between an inner wall of the housing and the ultrasonic generator.

Abstract: An aluminum copper clad material has excellent bonding strength and includes an aluminum layer and a copper layer that are bonded without a nickel layer interposed therebetween. The aluminum layer and the copper layer are diffusion-bonded via an Al—Cu intermetallic compound layer. The copper layer satisfies Dcs?0.5×Dcc, where Dcc represents the average crystal grain size of crystal grains in a central portion in the thickness direction of the copper layer, and Dcs represents the average crystal grain size of an interface adjacent portion C2 in the copper layer that is about 0.5 ?m apart from the interface between the copper layer and the intermetallic compound layer. The intermetallic compound layer has an average thickness of about 0.5 ?m to about 10 ?m.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an aluminum product includes a spraying step, in which a workpiece heated at a brazing step is cooled by spraying of a process liquid on the workpiece, as a boehmite treatment step after the brazing step. After the brazing step, the workpiece has been heated for brazing. A surface of the workpiece can be changed into boehmite having corrosion resistance by the spraying of the process liquid on the heated workpiece so as to contact a water molecule. Moreover, the process liquid sprayed can be dried by the heat of the workpiece. Accordingly, the brazing step, a surface treatment step and a drying step can be performed in a consecutive line.

Abstract: To produce pretinned strips of connectors for PV cells, a metal foil (30) is guided through a roll gap (46) of a rolling mill in which at least one work roll (48) has a surface with a corrugated structure with the result that a corrugated structure which has crests or peaks and troughs is embossed into at least one side of the metal foil (30), soldering tin in the form of solder preforms (54) is applied to the side of the metal foil (30) with the embossed corrugated structure, wherein the soldering flux necessary for pretinning has been applied in advance to the solder preforms or the metal foil, the solder preforms (54) are connected to the metal foil (30) or applied to it and melted on and the pretinned metal foil (30) with the embossed corrugated structure is separated into parallel ribbons. The solder preforms (54) are sufficiently thick for the corrugated structure to be at least full after the solder preforms (54) have been melted on.

Abstract: A welding clamp uses opposing metal pieces to clamp two pieces of sheet metal together with a defined gap between panels for the purpose of welding, in this case, butt welding. The clamp has an integral copper backing plate to provide weld backing support and thermal dissipation to the metal for improved butt weld results. The integral copper backing plate adds stiffness to the adjoined panels while providing a solid non-weldable backing support to the panels being joined, reducing or eliminating weld blow-through.

Abstract: A manufacturing machine and a method for producing a cartridge for an electronic cigarette comprising a supporting base, a pair of power electrodes fitted to the supporting base, and a heating member folded into a ‘U’ around the power electrodes are disclosed: a conveyor comprising a pocket for feeding the supporting base fitted with the power electrodes along a conveying path; a connecting unit which connects the heating member to the power electrodes while the supporting base, fitted with the power electrodes, is housed inside the pocket on the conveyor; a welding device located along the conveyor to weld a pair of terminals of a heat resistor of the heating member to the corresponding power electrodes; and a folding device, which cooperates with the connecting unit and folds the heating member into a ‘U’ before the heating member is connected to the power electrodes.

Abstract: A hybrid diffusion-brazing process and hybrid diffusion-brazed article are disclosed. The hybrid diffusion-brazing process includes providing a component having a temperature-tolerant region and a temperature-sensitive region, brazing a braze material to the temperature-tolerant region during a localized brazing cycle, then heating the component in a furnace during a diffusion cycle. The brazing and the heating diffusion-braze the braze material to the component, and the localized brazing cycle is performed independent of the diffusion cycle in the hybrid diffusion-brazing process. The hybrid diffusion-brazed article includes a component, and a braze material diffusion-brazed to the component with a filler material. The filler material has a melting temperature that is above a tolerance temperature of the component.

Abstract: A welding assembly for welding a plurality of workpieces includes a positioner assembly including a base assembly and a workpiece holding assembly that is mounted to the base assembly. The workpiece holding assembly includes a beam having a longitudinal axis and a plurality of holding elements that are each mounted to the beam and adapted for holding and positioning a workpiece for welding. The beam is rotatable about a primary axis that is substantially horizontal. The plurality of holding elements are each rotatable about an auxiliary axis that is transverse to the longitudinal axis of the beam.

Abstract: An interconnection technology may use molded solder to define solder balls. A mask layer may be patterned to form cavities and solder paste deposited in the cavities. Upon heating, solder balls are formed. The cavity is defined by spaced walls to keep the solder ball from bridging during a bonding process. In some embodiments, the solder bumps connected to the solder balls may have facing surfaces which are larger than the facing surfaces of the solder ball.

Abstract: A soldering device and method of soldering are disclosed. The device may include at least one soldering pallet assembly. The pallet assembly may be subjected to a first atmosphere configured within the soldering pallet assembly and a second atmosphere configured external to the pallet assembly, the second atmosphere is an ambient atmosphere. At least one solder element may be positioned within the first atmosphere, and the solder element may be configured to attach an electrical component to an integrated circuit chip that is positioned within the pallet assembly.

Abstract: A dual ultrasonic welder unit may be coupled to and carried by a mounting bracket including a base member extending in a an end of a robot arm and may include a first welder including a welding horn adjustable in a Z-axis direction by a first motor mounted within a mounting bar assembly of the first welder. The mounting bar assembly may be coupled to the base member and include a support for adjusting the location of the first welder in an X-axis direction by a second motor mounted to an extension member coupled to the base member and including a threaded member coupled to a follower member coupled to the mounting bar assembly. The dual ultrasonic welder may include a second ultrasonic welder fixedly coupled to the base member.

Abstract: A tool and a method of reflow are provided. In various embodiments, the tool includes a chamber unit, a wafer lifting system, a heater, and an exhausting unit. The wafer lifting system is disposed in the chamber unit. The heater is coupled to the chamber unit, and configured to heat the wafer. The exhausting unit coupled to the chamber unit, and configured to exhaust gas in the chamber unit. The wafer lifting system is configured to receive and move the wafer in the chamber unit, and to provide a vertical distance between the heater and the wafer in the chamber unit.

Abstract: A first layer (11) and a second layer (12) are layered with an intermediate layer (21) therebetween. A clad material (1) is manufactured by heating and bonding the layered body at a temperature, at which the ratio of the mass of a liquid phase generated from the intermediate layer (21) is 5% or more and 35% or less, and by rolling the body. The clad material may comprise the clad material (1) which is a two-layer material formed of the first layer (11) and the second layer (12) as described above, as well as a third layer, a fourth layer, a fifth layer, and the like.

Abstract: A welding fixture and method allow for both coarse and fine adjustments of headstocks and tailstocks for securing a tank or other cylindrical-like object within a welding fixture. Coarse adjustment is provided by adjusting the headstock and/or tailstock linearly along a rail system. Find adjustment is provided by linearly adjusting a movable table on which the headstock and/or tailstock rest. The headstock and tailstock may also have compression clamping members for securing the tank to the headstock and tailstock. Pipe stands are also provided for supporting the tank before, during, and after the welding process.

Abstract: Provided is a silver powder which has an appropriate viscosity range at the time of paste production, can be easily kneaded, and prevents the occurrence of flakes. The silver powder to be used has a specific surface area ratio SAB/SAS of 0.5 to 0.9, wherein SAB is a specific surface area measured by the BET method, and SAS is a specific surface area calculated from a mean primary-particle diameter DS measured with a scanning electron microscope. Furthermore, the silver powder preferably has a degree of aggregation of 1.5 to 5.0, the degree being obtained in such a manner that a volume median diameter D50 measured by laser diffraction scattering is divided by the foregoing Ds.

Abstract: A method of joining a metal-ceramic substrate having metallization on at least one side to a metal body by using metal alloy is disclosed. The metal body has a thickness of less than 1.0 mm and the metal alloy contains aluminum and has a liquidus temperature of greater than 450° C. The resulting metal-ceramic module provides a strong bond between the metal body and the ceramic substrate. The resulting module is useful as a circuit carrier in electronic appliances, with the metal body preferably functioning as a cooling body.

Abstract: A friction stir welding device (1) includes a workpiece disposition unit (2) at which workpieces (W) is disposed, a main body section (3) disposed at a surface (W4) of the workpieces (W) disposed at the workpiece disposition unit (2), a tool holding unit (4) formed in the main body section (3) to enable advance and retreat in a direction facing the workpieces (Z), which is a direction approaching and separating from the workpieces (W) disposed at the workpiece disposition unit (2), and configured to hold a tool (100), and a support medium (5) formed to satisfy a predetermined relative positional relationship in the direction facing the workpieces (Z) with respect to a first shoulder surface of the tool (100) attached to the tool holding unit (4) and configured to support the tool holding unit (4) on the surface (W4) of the workpieces (W) disposed at the workpieces disposition unit (2).

Abstract: In a method of manufacturing a vehicle body a side structure and a center structure are positioned in place using a fixture or the like, and fixed by welding with maintained accuracy of mounting positions; annular parts along the width of the cabin of the vehicle and other parts are temporarily mounted to be retained without being welded; additional welding is performed on the center structure and the side structure, and the annular parts along the width of the cabin of the vehicle and other parts are positioned in place using a fixture or the like, and are fixed by welding with maintained accuracy of mounting positions; additional welding is performed on the parts; and a roof complex is mounted and fixed by welding with maintained accuracy of mounting positions.

Abstract: A method of soldering a shape memory alloy (SMA) element to a component includes positioning a tinned end of the SMA element with respect to a surface of the component, and then directly soldering the tinned end to the surface using solder material having a low liquidus temperature of 500° F. or less when an oxide layer is not present on the SMA element. The end may be soldered using lead-based solder material at a higher temperature when an oxide layer is present. The end may be tinned with flux material containing phosphoric acid or tin fluoride prior to soldering the SMA element. The SMA element may be submersed in an acid bath to remove the oxide layer. The solder material may contain tin and silver, antimony, or zinc, or other materials sufficient for achieving the low liquidus temperature. Heat penetrating the SMA element is controlled to protect shape memory abilities.