Abstract: A process is provided for laser drilling relatively large and deep holes in superalloy components by percussion laser drilling a central hole through the component to a diameter less than the predetermined diameter, then trepanning laser drilling around the central hole to expand the diameter of the hole to the predetermined diameter. The steps are repeated to deepen the hole.

Abstract: A method for adapting fuzzy reasoning to a change of a working environment of resistance welding without requiring a changing or updating of membership functions, thereby assuring optimal control and satisfactory weld quality. In an embodiment of the present invention, a welding current I and a change of resistance .DELTA.R across welding electrodes are measured during a welding operation. The number of welding operations N involving the welding electrodes is incremented. After the present welding operation, these values of .DELTA.R, I and N are offset by adding offsetting values .delta. .DELTA.R, .delta.I and .delta.N. Degrees of membership of respective antecedent membership functions are computed for the offset values (.DELTA.R+.delta. .DELTA.R), (I+.delta.I) and (N+.delta.N). Degree of membership of conclusion membership function of each control rule is computed from degrees of membership of its antecedent membership functions.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for welding a bracket to a tube are disclosed. A bracket having a semi-cylindrical portion with an inner surface and a radially inward projection extending from the inner surface is positioned adjacent to a tube with the semi-cylindrical portion of the bracket coaxially nested about the tube and with the radially inward projection engaging the tube at a faying surface. A resistance welding apparatus having a controller, an actuator, and a power supply is then provided. The power supply is coupled to the bracket and the tube through respective electrodes. A transducer cooperates with the electrodes to provide an output indicative of the position of the electrodes. A controller cooperates with the transducer and the power supply wherein the controller regulates the power output of the power supply as a function of the displacement between the electrodes to ensure that the bracket is properly welded to the tube.

Abstract: In opposition to a lower electrode (31) fixed to a frame (3), an upper electrode (29) is carried by an upper pressing base (23), which is engaged with a vertical guide rail (25) and joined by a resilient slide mechanism to a piston rod (35L) of a hydraulic cylinder (35) connected to a hydraulic circuit operable for an increased distance (L3) between electrode shanks (15, 7) and fastened at a head end thereof to a lower pressing base (33), which is engaged with the guide rail and joined to a piston rod (37L) of an air cylinder (37) fastened at a head end thereof to the frame and connected to a pneumatic circuit operable for supplying a balancing pressure to have the piston rod (37L) thereof contracted to stand with a total load and for relieving the pressure when a mechanical valve (85) is operated with a pedal arm (49) stepped down for starting a welding, while the pneumatic circuit is changed over by a limit switch (57) to force down the lower pressing base.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for resistance welding and then hot forging first and second workpieces together is disclosed. The first workpiece is provided with a deformable rivet. The second workpiece is provided with an aperture sized to receive the deformable rivet. The first and second workpieces are placed together with the deformable rivet of the first workpiece extending through the aperture in the second workpiece. A resistance heating power supply having a pair of power output terminals is provided. One of the terminals is connected in electrical communication with the first workpiece and the other one of the terminals is connected to a hot forging electrode. The hot forging electrode is movable relative to the deformable rivet. The hot forging electrode is affixed to an actuator. The actuator shifts the hot forging electrode into and out of engagement with the deformable rivet. A transducer provides an output indicative of the position of the hot forging electrode to determine rivet deformation.

Abstract: A method of making a solder connection between a slider pad and a suspension pad is provided by forming a solder bump on the solder pad at the slider level, affixing the slider to the suspension so that solder can be reflowed between the slider pad and the suspension pad and then employing a laser beam to reflow at least the solder bump to form a solder connection between the slider pad and the suspension pad. Various embodiments of the method are employed for forming the solder connection. Geometric features are also optionally incorporated in the suspension pad region of the integrated suspension that can be employed to bias the suspension pads against the solder bumps in the pre-reflow state.

Abstract: A heated roller assembly (10) is disclosed having a rotatable roller (12). The roller (12) has a generally cylindrical section (20) with an outer diameter D and includes an inner insulative layer (36) thereover, a conductive layer (38) over the inner insulative layer (36), and an outer insulative layer (40) over the conductive layer (38). The roller assembly (10) also has an inwardly projecting conical portion (22) adjacent the cylindrical section (20) of the roller (12) with the inner insulative layer (36), conductive layer (38) and outer insulative layer (40) respectively thereover. A portion (A) of the conductive layer (38) on the conical portion (22) of the roller (12) is exposed. An external contact body (14) has at least one electrically conductive outer surface (46) that projects towards and contacts the conductive layer (38) of the conical portion (22) while piercing an imaginary plane P1 formed by an extending outer diameter (D) of the cylindrical section (20).

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.

Abstract: A laser machine tool includes a laser beam generator (3) and a machining head (5), and the laser beam (2) passes between the laser beam generator (3) and the machining head (5) in a beam passage (25) that is at least partially closed. The beam passage (4) is filled with air with a limited CO.sub.2 content. In this way, the laser beam (2) in the beam passage is protected at low cost from the influence of gases that reduce its power, especially when the path of the beam is very long.

Abstract: The spacer grid (20) is placed and held during welding in an arrangement such that its two opposite faces perpendicular to the edges (33) of the cells (34) are entirely accessible. At least four edge segments (33) of the grid (20) are welded simultaneously using two assemblies with at least two laser beam welding devices (25a, 25b, 25d) arranged on either side of the opposite faces of the spacer grid (20). Each of the welding devices directs a welding laser beam onto an edge (33) of the grid, via the exterior of the cells (34). After a welding operation, a relative displacement between the spacer grid (20) and the welding devices (25a, 25b, 25d) is produced so as to direct the welding laser beams (30a, 30b) of the welding device to at least four new edge segments (33) of the grid (20).

Abstract: A method of cutting away the unnecessary portions of a masking sheet bonded to a silicon wafer during the IC manufacturing process. The method uses a laser cutting device which includes an optical fiber containing silver halide and a CCD camera to control the position of the laser focal point.

Abstract: A process for adjusting a magneto-resistive sensor having a pair of current contacts and a pair of voltage contacts to compensate an offset error, without additional components. The magneto-resistive sensor (10) is charged with a homogeneous, definitely oriented magnetic field, a defined control current (I) is applied between its current contacts (22, 24) and at least one of the voltage contacts (30, 32) is trimmed, for example, by a laser beam (38), during the measurement of a pseudo-Hall voltage across the voltage contacts.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for welding thin sheets (34) and (35) at the periphery of aligned holes therein by melting the sheets together by a rotating electrode (23) in a protective gas atmosphere. The sheets (34) and (35) are pressed together by copper rings (32) and (33) which also function as heat transfer members to conduct the heat away from the welding seam and thus prevent distortion thereat. The electrode (23) is adjusted to the proper vertical position by a guide (9) in a jig (7), and it is locked to the position determined by the sheets (34) and (35) by a clamp (31).

Abstract: An arrangement is provided for welding together current carrying members of an electrical distribution device which are made of similar conductive material. The arrangement includes an electron beam gun capable of generating an electron beam sufficient to penetrate and heat the material, thereby providing mixing of the material to form a joint which is constructed substantially of a portion of each of the current carrying members.

Abstract: An improved apparatus for forming profiled edge lamination (PEL) dies rapidly and accurately is disclosed.

Abstract: The process comprises separating the connecting element (3) from one of the pipes (4) which connects it to the circuit so as to open up an opening (6) of the connecting element and thereby gain access to the interior of the connecting element while leaving the latter in position in the circuit of the alternator, descaling at least a part of the interior surface of the connecting element by removal of an oxidized layer covering the interior surface (18) by use of a laser beam (16) introduced in the interior chamber (19) of the connecting element (3), cleaning the interior chamber (19) of the connecting element by suction of particles of matter resulting from the action of the laser beam (16), depositing a layer of brazing material on the surface (18) of the interior chamber (19) of the connecting element whose tightness must be restored, and melting the brazing material by means of the laser beam (16).

Abstract: A method of treating a material by generating an ultraviolet wavelength laser beam having femtosecond pulses; splitting the ultraviolet wavelength laser beam into a plurality of separate laser beams having femtosecond pulses; directing the separate laser beams onto a target point within a sample such that the femtosecond pulses of the separate beams overlap to create an intensity sufficient to treat the sample. Apparatus for treating a material that includes an ultraviolet laser for generating an ultraviolet wavelength laser beam having femtosecond pulse and directing that ultraviolet wavelength laser beam onto a beam splitter; a beam splitter for splitting the ultraviolet wave length laser beam into a plurality of separate laser beams having femtosecond pulses; directing the separate laser beams onto a target point within a sample such that the femtosecond pulses of the separate beams overlap to create an intensity sufficient to treat the sample.

Abstract: A laser drilling process capable of producing a plurality of holes in a pharmaceutical dosage form, at high speed, is presented. The process utilizes a high power CO.sub.2 laser steered by an acousto-optic deflector together with various mirrors and optical components to achieve the correct beam path geometry, in order to produce an unlimited number of holes through the surface or coating of a dosage form, at rates up to 100,000 units or more per hour.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process of butt-welding together sheet metal plates, in particular those having different sheet metal thicknesses, by means of an edge preparation that mills the edges of the sheet metal plates while they are clamped in a sheet metal stack. For this purpose, an appropriate apparatus is provided having supporting and clamping mechanisms.

Abstract: A work command section receives a command based on a work program from a program analysis section and outputs a work command for operating a laser oscillator and a laser beam machine, and receives a preliminary work command from a preliminary work command section and generates a work command for preliminary work in conjunction with the preliminary work command section and outputs the command following a piercing work command.