Abstract: It is provided a steering-wheel assembly for a motor-vehicle steering wheel, comprising a gripping region for gripping and actuating a steering wheel, and at least one electrical element arranged on the gripping region. The at least one electrical element is formed by an electrical layer which contains an electrically non-conducting material as well as electrically conductive nanowire received therein.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a diode-pumped solid-state laser oscillator configured to output a pulsed laser beam, a modulator configured to modify an energy and a temporal profile of the pulsed laser beam, and an amplifier configured to amplify an energy of the pulse laser beam. A modified and amplified beam to laser peen a target part may have an energy of about 5 J to about 10 J, an average power (defined as energy (J)×frequency (Hz)) of from about 25 W to about 200 W, with a flattop beam uniformity of less than about 0.2. The diode-pumped solid-state oscillator may be configured to output a beam having both a single longitudinal mode and a single transverse mode, and to produce and output beams at a frequency of about 20 Hz.

Abstract: Laser processing of hard dielectric materials may include cutting a part from a hard dielectric material using a continuous wave laser operating in a quasi-continuous wave (QCW) mode to emit consecutive laser light pulses in a wavelength range of about 1060 nm to 1070 nm. Cutting using a QCW laser may be performed with a lower duty cycle (e.g., between about 1% and 15%) and in an inert gas atmosphere such as nitrogen, argon or helium. Laser processing of hard dielectric materials may further include post-cut processing the cut edges of the part cut from the dielectric material, for example, by beveling and/or polishing the edges to reduce edge defects. The post-cut processing may be performed using a laser beam with different laser parameters than the beam used for cutting, for example, by using a shorter wavelength (e.g., 193 nm excimer laser) and/or a shorter pulse width (e.g., picosecond laser).

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a laser processed product including a laser processed part is performed by using a laser oscillation section, a beam splitting section and an imaging section. The manufacturing method includes: forming an irradiation mark including an irradiation pattern in a reference irradiation surface by using the laser oscillation section and the beam splitting section, the irradiation pattern including a plurality of irradiation spots; obtaining an image of the irradiation mark via the imaging section; determining a representative position based on positions of the plurality of irradiation spots in the image; determining a deviation amount of deviation of the representative position from a target position; and forming the laser processed part with a irradiation position corrected based on the deviation amount.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of welding includes welding at least one fill bead to fill at least one gap on a substrate with arc scanning by an arc welder. The gap is defined by at least one weld bead on the substrate. The weld beads are non-overlapping. A welded article includes a substrate including a crack-prone superalloy and at least one weld bead and at least one fill bead welded on the substrate. The fill bead, the weld bead, and a heat-affected zone of the substrate are micro-crack-free and macro-crack-free. In some embodiments, a method of welding includes welding weld beads on a substrate and welding fill beads on the substrate with an arc welder while arc scanning. The fill beads fill the gaps between neighboring pairs of weld beads. The fill beads are welded in a non-sequential order.

Abstract: A welding and processing condition setting system includes an input device, a display device, a control device, and a database. The input device receives a retrieving operation of at least processing condition information input by an operator. The control device is configured to extract a processing condition parameter of the processing condition information from at least one of master condition data and user condition data according to the retrieving operation, extract a welding condition parameter of welding condition information corresponding to the extracted processing condition parameter from at least one of the master condition data and the user condition data, and calculate an evaluation item which is a result obtained by evaluating at least one of a welding amount and a working efficiency in the extracted welding condition parameters. The display device displays at least one parameter of the welding condition parameters, and the evaluation item.

Abstract: An X-ray standard reference object for calibrating a scanning electron beam in an additive manufacturing apparatus by measuring X-ray signals generated by scanning the electron beam onto the reference object, the reference object comprises: a lower and an upper plate being essentially in parallel and attached spaced apart from each other, the upper plate comprises a plurality of holes, wherein a predetermined hollow pattern is provided inside the holes.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for laser welding sheet metal plates having an anti-corrosion surface layer pre-coat. The plates are arranged one relative to the other in an edge-butting relationship. Using a laser beam having a first beam spot-size, a laser weld joint is formed along the adjacent edges of the sheet metal plates. Subsequent to forming the laser weld joint, a localized anti-corrosion surface layer is formed at least on the laser weld joint. In particular, a laser beam having a second beam spot-size larger than the first beam spot-size is scanned along the laser weld joint. During the scanning, a flow of a powdered anti-corrosion surface layer material is directed toward a portion of the laser weld joint that is being irradiated by the laser beam. The powdered material is melted by the laser beam and forms a layer adhering to the laser weld joint.

Abstract: Systems and methods for additive manufacturing, and, in particular, such methods and apparatus as employ pulsed lasers or other heating arrangements to create metal droplets from donor metal micro wires, which droplets, when solidified in the aggregate, form 3D structures. A supply of metal micro wire is arranged so as to be fed towards a nozzle area by a piezo translator. Near the nozzle, an end portion of the metal micro wire is heated (e.g., by a laser pulse or an electric heater element), thereby causing the end portion of the metal micro wire near the nozzle area to form a droplet of metal. A receiving substrate is positioned to receive the droplet of metal jetted from the nozzle area.

Abstract: A laser machining head includes a protection window disposed inclined with respect to an optical axis of a laser beam, an inflow port disposed downstream of the protection window and configured to allow a gas to flow in, and a flow dividing projection configured to divide the gas into a first laminar flow flowing along parallel to a surface of the protection window and a second laminar flow flowing toward a workpiece. The flow dividing projection is disposed in a position opposing to the inflow port with the optical axis of the laser beam as the center.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing reinforced structural components are described. The methods include providing a previously formed steel structural component having a thickness of 0.7 mm to 5 mm. In a reinforcement zone of the structural component, locally depositing a material on the structural component to create a local reinforcement with a minimum thickness of 0.2 mm, wherein locally depositing a material on the structural component includes supplying a metal powder to the reinforcement zone, and substantially simultaneously applying laser heat to melt the metal powder and create the reinforcement by drawing specific geometric shapes on the structural component with the metal powder and the laser heating. The disclosure further relates to a reinforced component obtained using such methods.

Abstract: A heat chamber apparatus comprises a base assembly, a lid assembly operably installed on the base assembly, and a rack assembly and heater assembly incorporated in the base and/or lid assemblies, the base and lid assemblies being optionally telescopically engaged for selectively adjusting the interior space of the heat chamber, and the rack assembly separating the interior space into first and second sub-chambers and being optionally pivotable for selectively accessing the sub-chambers.

Abstract: A metal powder additive manufacturing system and method are disclosed that use increased trace amounts of oxygen to improve physical attributes of an object. The system may include: a processing chamber; a metal powder bed within the processing chamber; a melting element configured to sequentially melt layers of metal powder on the metal powder bed to generate an object; and a control system configured to control a flow of a gas mixture within the processing chamber from a source of inert gas and a source of an oxygen containing material, the gas mixture including the inert gas and oxygen from the oxygen containing material. The method may result in an object having a surface porosity of no greater than approximately 0.1%, and an effective density of greater than approximately 99.9%.

Abstract: A method of additively manufacturing an article includes forming a first portion of the article by three-dimensional printing of a plurality of first layers from a first powder material cut having a first average particle size corresponding to a first feature resolution. The first layers have a first average layer thickness. The method also includes forming a second portion of the article by three-dimensional printing of a plurality of second layers from a second powder material cut having a second average particle size corresponding to a second feature resolution less than the first feature resolution. The second portion includes at least one feature. The second layers have a second average layer thickness less than the first average layer thickness. A three-dimensional printing system and an article formed from a powder material by three-dimensional printing are also disclosed.

Abstract: A laser welding head with movable mirrors may be used to perform welding operations, for example, with wobble patterns and/or seam finding/tracking and following. The movable mirrors provide a wobbling movement of one or more beams within a relatively small field of view, for example, defined by a scan angle of 1-2°. The movable mirrors may be galvanometer mirrors that are controllable by a control system including a galvo controller. The laser welding head may also include a diffractive optical element to shape the beam or beams being moved. The control system may also be used to control the fiber laser, for example, in response to the position of the beams relative to the workpiece and/or a sensed condition in the welding head such as a thermal condition proximate one of the mirrors.

Abstract: The present invention consists in a method of welding a nickel strength lug with a bronze connecting pin and a brass contact ring in an accelerometer sensor, the strength lug being interleaved between the connecting pin and the contact ring, the welding being effected electrically with the strength lug pressed simultaneously against the connecting pin and the contact ring. Before welding, the strength lug undergoes deformation of its external surface at least on each of two portions of the surface respectively facing the connecting pin and the contact ring, the surface deformation creating on each of the portions asperities intended to come into local contact with the connecting pin and the contact ring, respectively.

Abstract: A beam structure includes a lower cover plate, an upper cover plate and two side web plates jointed between the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate; wherein the two side web plates are arranged perpendicularly to the upper cover plate and the lower cover plate, respectively, to form a hollow box-shaped structure; rib plates protruding outwardly with a plurality of plug heads are welded within the box-shaped structure; the plug heads are respectively plugged in the upper cover plate, the two side web plates and the lower cover plate, and each plugging joint is fixed by laser-MAG hybrid welding from outside of the box-shaped structure. The method includes: assembling two side web plates, rib plates and a lower cover plate on an upper cover plate to form a box-shaped structure; and welding each of joints from outside of the box-shaped structure by laser-MAG hybrid welding.

Abstract: Hybrid manual and automated welding systems and methods are described. A hand-held welding tool is manually positioned to engage a workpiece. The hand-held welding tool includes a motion device that is configured to automatically move a contact tip or a welding heat source during a welding operation after a manual triggering. A welding arc is automatically and repeatedly turned off and on to make a string of overlapping and equally spaced spot welds while the contact tip or the welding heat source moves from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: Methods and systems for controlling gas atmospheres in three-dimensional laser printing and weld overlay consolidation operations using metallic powders are provided. In one or more embodiments, such systems and methods comprise a printing chamber or laser weld overlay system, a gas supply system, a feed powder system, and one or more sensors employed to control the printing or welding operation. The methods and systems of the invention employ one or more inert gases having a purity greater than or equal to 99.

Abstract: Various embodiments may be generally directed to a welding system that monitors an output of the welding system to determine if an output arc should be extinguished or maintained. The welding system can compare an arc voltage output to a voltage threshold and a temporal threshold. When the arc voltage output exceeds the voltage threshold in an uninterrupted manner for the duration of the temporal threshold, an output weld current can be stopped. In turn, the output arc can be broken or extinguished. After a predetermined amount of time, the power source can be re-engaged to prepare for re-ignition of another arc. By tracking the amount of time the arc voltage output exceeds the predetermined threshold, a probability of unwanted arc outs can be reduced or minimized while still providing quick and reliable arc breaking when desired.