Abstract: An apparatus and process for depositing an overlay weld on a boiler tube panel comprising a plurality of tubes with adjacent tubes joined together with membranes therebetween, and then straightening the panel in response to bowing that occurs as a result of depositing the overlay weld. The apparatus generally comprises an overlay welding apparatus that deposits an overlay weld on a surface of a boiler tube panel, and a straightening apparatus for straightening the panel following deposition of the overlay weld. The straightening process entails placing the boiler tube panel between two members, and the pressing a portion of the panel therebetween.

Abstract: A method of modifying a surface of a casting involves providing a casting mould; placing a perforated mask with the mould to define a masked area of the mould; spray-coating the masked area of the mould with a coating material selected for forming a surface layer on the casting; introducing a liquid casting material to the mould; and, solidifying the liquid casting material to form a surface modified casting. The present method reduces the tendency for the coating material to spall from the mould and permits the formation of thicker coating layers on the mould. Thicker and better quality surface layers may be formed on castings.

Abstract: A wire bonding method including the steps of forming a bump by performing ball bonding of a ball by wire on a second conductor, raising a capillary to a height that is equal to or lower than the height of a ball portion that rises into a through-hole of the capillary during formation of the bump, moving the capillary in a direction that is opposite from the first conductor, lowering the capillary so as to form an inclined wedge on the bump, cutting the wire, performing the primary bonding on the first conductor, and making a loop with the wire with respect to the bump from the first conductor, thus performing the secondary bonding on the inclined wedge on the bump.

Abstract: A metal-matrix material in the form of a carbide powder together with a sodium fluoride flux is deposited as a charge within a crucible for induction heating thereof to a flux melting temperature to thereby initiate pretreatment. The molten flux is spread over and covers powder particles of the metal-matrix carbide throughout, in response to stirring by rotation of an agitator during said flux melt heating within the crucible. The charge may be covered within the crucible by an air-purging blanket of argon gas during said heating. The powder fluxed charge is then cooled within the crucible before removal therefrom and sealingly packaged within aluminum soda cans or foil wrappings for future use storage. Such packaged charges are transferred from storage and introduced into a casting mold for enhanced centrifugal cast molding of metallurgical products, such as a metallic ring having an outer carbide bronze surface.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing heat-resistant casting molds from molding sand containing binder, particularly for producing an inner contour of casting molds for prototypes, large volumes and deep grooves often being produced especially in the machining of molds for rapid production of prototypes from casting materials. To increase efficiency, in a first step blocks of molding material are produced whose dimensions correspond to a mold cavity depth typically of 300 mm to 400 mm. The inner contour of the mold is then produced oversized with spacing close to the contour of the inner wall of the mold cavity by means of a roughing tool (4) that has an effective cutting diameter of 12 mm to 35 mm. The mold cavity is then machined by fast milling away of the oversize material following the contour, with a finishing cutter (3) that has a diameter-to-length ratio between 1:10 and 1:30.

Abstract: A molten metal feed apparatus of a die casting machine preventing shortening of the lifetime of a sleeve due to local heating of the sleeve, provided with a ladle having a receptacle for holding the molten metal and a conveyor system for conveying the ladle to a predetermined feed position of the sleeve of the die casting machine and tilting the ladle to pour the scooped up molten metal into the sleeve, wherein the position of a front end of a pouring spout of the ladle with respect to the sleeve is changed in accordance with a change in posture of the ladle while pouring the molten metal into the sleeve.

Abstract: Mating faces of a microchannel plate (MCP) (50) and a multi-layer ceramic body (80) unit are deposited with a thin film having protuberances (84) using a suitable metal selected for optimum diffusion at a desired temperatures and pressure. The metallized MCP (50) and multi-layer ceramic body (80) unit are then aligned and placed in a bonding fixture (F) that provides the necessary force applied to the components to initiate a diffusion bond at a desired elevated temperature. The bonding fixture (F) is then placed in a vacuum heat chamber (V) to accelerate the diffusion bonding process between the MCP (50) and the multi-layer ceramic body unit (80).

Abstract: A highly reliable bonding process is provided. The wire bonding method includes: (a) bonding a tip portion of a wire to a first electrode by pressing an open end section of a first hole of a first tool against the tip portion of the wire that is passed through the first hole and protrudes outside the first hole, and (b) bonding a part of a section of the wire that is lead out from the first electrode to a second electrode. The first tool is passed through a second hole of a second tool. The width of an open end section of the second hole is formed greater than the width of the open end section of the first hole. The step (b) is conducted by pressing the open end section of the second hole against the part of the wire.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for producing lamella packets (e.g. 70) such as those used for adjustable steering columns in automobiles. According to the invention, at least one of the lamellae (e.g. 71) is provided with a collar (71.1) and is joined to another lamella (e.g. 72) so that the collar (71.1) of the first lamella (71) is supported against the other lamella (72) whereby defining the width (B) of a space between the lamellae (71, 72). Both lamellae (71, 72) are welded at at least one location of the collar (71.1). The welding is preferably carried out by resistance welding. In order to obtain defined ratios, the edge of the lamella collar (71.1) is preferably provided with projecting points (Z). The method is, among other things, advantageous in that the same material quality can be used for all lamellae (1–74).

Abstract: A die casting machine obtain to obtain a suitable reduced pressure and reliably prevent the entry of molten metal into a valve when reducing the pressure in a cavity and injecting and filling it with a molten metal for casting, provided with the valve for opening and closing an exhaust path, a position detector for detecting an open/closed state of the exhaust path by the valve, an injection apparatus, a position detector for detecting the position of the injection plunger, and a control apparatus for controlling the injection. The control apparatus outputs a control instruction for making it close the exhaust path to the valve when the detected position of the injection plunger reaches a valve closing position set before the speed switching position and stops the drive of the injection plunger when not detecting completion of closure of the exhaust path when the injection plunger reaches the speed switching position.

Abstract: Wire bonding being performed by, following the formation of a neck portion on a wire at a first bonding point, raising the capillary from the neck portion while paying out a first specified length of wire, causing the capillary to move toward a second bonding point so that a first kink is formed on the wire, then lowering the capillary so that a second specified length of wire is taken into the capillary, and moving the capillary in the opposite direction from the second bonding point so as to form a second kink, and then raising the capillary, while paying out the wire, until the first kink is positioned at the lower end of the capillary, and finally, with the wire being is held in this state, moving the capillary to the second bonding point, thus completing a wire loop between the first and second bonding points.

Abstract: This invention relates to a mold rollover apparatus including a wheel member defining an axis and selectively rotatable about the axis and at least one carrier member carried by the wheel member and adapted to carry at least one mold member having a cast part disposed therein. The at least one carrier member is selectively rotatable at least from a first position, wherein the cast part is generally retained in the at least one mold member, to a second position, wherein the cast part is generally free to fall or drop from the at least one mold member. According to the present invention, the at least one carrier member is selectively rotatable about the axis at least from the first position to the second position independent of the rotation of the wheel member about the axis.

Abstract: A reel wire type of welding device for spot welding includes a first guiding portion rotatably mounted in a front end of the welding device such that the wire is supported and guided in a working area in which the wire contacts a target object. At least one second guiding portion is mounted in a rear of the roller such that the wire is supportedly guided in a zigzag manner as the wire is pressed in both upward and downward directions.

Abstract: A slab handling apparatus comprising a foundation structure, a plurality of longitudinally spaced buffer members positioned on the foundation structure, and a plurality of longitudinally spaced roller assemblies connected to the respective buffer members with a lost motion connection. The lost motion connections allow relative movement between the buffer members and the roller assemblies between a slab loading position in which the buffer members are supported on the foundation structure with upper edges thereof above the roller assemblies, whereby to allow the loading of a slab onto the upper edges without damage to the roller assemblies, and a slab slitting position in which the roller assemblies are above the upper edges of the buffer members, whereby to allow the roller assemblies to rollably support the slab to facilitate selective longitudinal adjustment of the slab to accommodate the slab slitting operation.

Abstract: An apparatus is described for starting and stopping a horizontal casting machine, e.g. a caster for continuous casting of metal ingots. The caster comprises a feed trough for carrying molten metal, at least one casting mould and a connecting trough separately connecting each casting mould to the feed trough. A shutoff gate is associated with each connecting trough and movable between an open position and a closed position. Each connecting trough includes a drop-down portion located between the shutoff gate and the casting mould, this drop-down portion being adapted to swing downwardly and thereby rapidly drain molten metal from the connecting trough and an entrance of the mould. The apparatus may also include an elongated starter block, adapted to be inserted into the casting mould and having a threaded recess formed therein for receiving molten metal. An O-ring is fitted to the starter block to seal the block against the casting mould.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a three-dimensional object includes the steps of forming a mixture that contains a binder and a least one of aluminum or a first aluminum-base alloy into a green composite, removing the binder from said green composite, forming a porous preform structure, reacting the aluminum or first aluminum base alloy with nitrogen to form a rigid skeleton and infiltrating the porous structure with molten aluminum or second aluminum base alloy to form the three-dimensional object with near theoretical density. The green composite may be formed by an additive process such as computer aided rapid prototyping, for example selective laser sintering. The method facilitates the rapid manufacture of aluminum components by an inexpensive technique that provides high dimensional stability and high density.

Abstract: A bearing arrangement for a centrifugation injection mold, comprising an upper mold portion (10) and a lower mold portion (20), which are respectively and rotatively mounted to an upper bearing (30) and to a lower bearing (40), the latter comprising: a first flat ring (41) affixed to a machine structure (E) and presenting a radial gap that is internal in relation to the lower mold portion (20); an annular cage (42) bearing spheres (44) seated on the first flat ring (41), said annular cage (42) presenting radial gaps that are external and internal in relation to the machine structure (E) and to the lower mold portion (20), respectively; and a second flat ring (45) inferiorly seated on the spheres (44) of the annular cage (42) and maintaining radial gaps that are external and internal in relation to the machine structure (E) and to the lower mold portion (20), respectively, axially bearing the latter.

Abstract: A process for the injection of an electric motor rotor, said rotor comprising: a lamination stack (10) having a central axial bore (11) and a plurality of axial channels (12); and a cage (30) of aluminum, which is formed by an upper end ring (31) and a lower end ring (32), which are interconnected by a plurality of bars (33) molten in the axial channels (12).

Abstract: In a method for vertical continuous casting of a steel band, a strand (11) of a parallelogram-like cross section is cast at first in a revolving chill-mold (2) and is thereafter transferred from said initial cross section with completely solidified longitudinal edges (10) and liquid core into a band (1) with plane-parallel cross section, this occurring in such a way that an already solidified shell (9) of the strand (11) which becomes increasingly thicker by cooling is increasingly compressed in the casting direction in a forming device (4) without upsetting deformation of the completely solidified longitudinal edges (10). In order to provide advantageous conditions it is proposed that after the compression into a band (1) the strand (11) with a still liquid core (16) is guided during the complete solidification of the core merely in a forming gap with a constant width corresponding to the thickness of the completely solidified longitudinal edges (10) and is calibrated in this process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a mold divider for fitting in a conventional slab mold (1) having laterally adjustable narrow-side parts for selective casting of several strands with changeable strand widths. The mold divider consists of a housing (3) fixedly securable relative to the mold (1), between the broad-side plates (2) and having bilaterally adjustable, in a broad-side direction of the mold (1), adjusting organs (4), with supporting plates (5) provided at their ends and with the narrow-side heat-exchanger plates (6) arranged thereon.