Abstract: A can end including a central panel with an expandable bubble disposed thereon is provided. The use of an expandable bubble allows for an expandable rivet button and thereafter an expandable rivet that has an enhanced overlap of a tab body. Such an expandable rivet allows for the use of a metal sheet with a thinner base thickness.

Abstract: Upholstery tufting apparatus comprises an insertion needle (5) with an aperture (4) to receive a tuft for insertion into an article to be upholstered. The tuft is presented to the needle aperture (4) along a tuft feed axis (3). The apparatus has a plurality of tuft strings (2a, 2b, 2c), a first string (2a) with tufts of a first length and a second string (2b) with tufts of different second length. The apparatus has one or more tuft feed units, and an actuator operatively connected to said tuft feed unit(s). The first and second tuft strings (2a, 2b) are associated with the tuft feed unit(s). A selected one of the tuft feed unit(s) is actuatable by the actuator to align one of the first and second strings (2a, 2b) with the tuft feed axis (3) according to the length of tuft required to be inserted into an article to be upholstered. A method for tufting an upholstered article employing said apparatus is also described.

Abstract: In described examples, a cushioning unit assembler includes first, second, third, and fourth rows of welding heads, a transport, and a feed module. The welding heads have a welding position and a retracted position. A main axis of the welding heads is oriented in a first dimension while in the welding position. The transport is disposed above the rows of welding heads. The transport has a main axis oriented in a second dimension perpendicular to the first dimension. The feed module includes a pocketed spring intake and a pocketed spring outflow. The transport is mechanically coupled to enable the feed module to move in the second dimension along a scope of movement. An exit aperture of the outflow vertically aligns with welding heads of the first row that are in the welding position, and vertically aligns with welding heads of the second row that are in the welding position.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a hearing device is disclosed. The hearing device comprises a speaker, a first chamber, and a sound channel arranged between the first chamber and the surroundings of the hearing device or a second chamber. An element of a thermoplastic material being in a solid state is arranged in the sound channel. A laser light is applied to the element to thereby activate the element to change from the solid state to a liquid state. The element then changes from the solid state to the liquid state filling out a cross-section of the sound channel and thereby sealing the sound channel. Finally, cooling of the element is allowed leading to a change of the element from the liquid state to solid state while filling out the cross-section of the sound channel.

Abstract: In a method for producing an outer panel having a character line, a punch includes a projecting portion for forming a bent surface of the character line at a punch top portion, and a punch shoulder R portion. A contact pressure applied to a blank by at least one of the projecting portion and the punch shoulder R portion is higher than a contact pressure applied to the blank by a remaining portion of the punch which excludes the projecting portion and the punch shoulder R portion. A static friction coefficient of a first portion of the punch which includes at least one of the projecting portion and the punch shoulder R portion with respect to the blank is larger than a static friction coefficient of a second portion of the punch which excludes the first portion with respect to the blank.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for advancing a fuselage section of an aircraft. One embodiment is a system that includes a series of plates configured to be sequentially affixed along a length of the fuselage section, and a track configured to form a frictional fit with the plates. The track includes drive units configured to form nips retaining the series of plates, and that are configured to advance the fuselage section along the track in a process direction, and indexing elements that are configured to engage with indexing elements at the plates during pauses between operation of the drive units. The system also includes tools configured to perform work on the fuselage section while the indexing elements of the track are engaged.

Abstract: A panel may be configured with panel mounts by forming a panel connector accepting slot in the panel and then locating connector mounts in the slot. In another embodiment, a panel may be configured with panel connector mounts by milling a panel to leave areas of panel material which form the mounts and milling the panel behind to connector mounts to define areas for accepting portions of the panel connector. Panels having the defined connector mounts may be connected by one or more panel connectors which engage the connector mounts.

Abstract: A set of panels includes first and second panels, and a mechanical locking device for locking by vertical relative displacement of the panels. A locking strip extends from a first edge of the first panel in a direction parallel to first and second panel surfaces of the first panel. The locking strip includes a locking element configured to cooperate with a locking groove at a second edge of the second panel for locking in a direction parallel to the first panel surface. Opposite edges respectively include cooperating tongue and tongue groove for vertical locking. The locking strip includes a flexing groove extending from the second locking strip surface into the locking strip, to increase a flexibility of the locking strip during the assembly.

Abstract: A novel dent-puller assisting apparatus, system, and method are disclosed herein. The invention provides a stable anchor point for the attachment of a variety of mechanisms to be used in the process of straightening or repair of car body panels. The invention is designed to require a minimum number of parts and connections, be easy to install and operate, and have sufficient flexibility to accomplish the required ends.

Abstract: A method of controlling sensing level in a liquid ejector is disclosed. The method includes filling a reservoir in communication with a liquid ejector with a printing material to a first level set point, receiving a drop out signal from a laser-based level sensor that reads from a surface of a melt pool in the reservoir, pausing an operation of the liquid ejector, adjusting the printing material level set point to a second level set point of printing material in reservoir that is higher than the first level set point, increasing a quantity of printing material in the reservoir to fill the reservoir to the second level set point, and resuming the operation of the liquid ejector.

Abstract: A method for analyzing an overcutting defect of a machining process comprises steps as following. A machining code is executed to generate a cutting face, wherein the cutting face comprises a plurality of machining paths. A specified machining path is defined from the plurality of machining paths and a specified node is set on the specified machining path. A sectional plane passing through the specified node is calculated. A plurality of intersection points between the sectional plane and the other machining paths which are different from the specified machining path are obtained. A first adjacent intersection point a second adjacent intersection point are specified from the intersection points. A connection line located between the first adjacent intersection point and the second adjacent intersection point is obtained. A distance between the specified node and connection line is calculate and the distance is defined as an overcutting amount of the specified node.

Abstract: A method of machining a carrier housing for an axle assembly comprises obtaining a carrier housing including circumferentially spaced apart tabs and positioning a datum setting tool in engagement with the carrier housing. The carrier housing is clamped to a fixture to position the carrier housing at a first orientation relative to a coordinate system within a work cell. The datum setting tool is disengaged from the carrier housing. Portions of the carrier housing along a first side are machined to define features including a carrier mounting flange and a cylindrical bearing bore extending perpendicular to the carrier mounting flange while the carrier housing remains clamped at the first orientation. Different portions of the carrier housing, on a second opposite side of the carrier housing, are machined to define additional geometrical feature while the initial clamped orientation continues to be maintained.

Abstract: A powder production method includes providing at least one elongated member including a ductile material; providing a rotating or vibrating cutter configured to repeatedly cut an end of the at least one elongated member to produce particles; and advancing the at least one elongated member or the cutter towards the other of the at least one elongated member or the cutter to cut the particles from the at least one elongated member to produce a powder comprising a plurality of the particles. The particles produced by the method can have a diameter ranging from about 10 ?m to about 200 ?m.

Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method of manufacturing a vehicle body structure component. The method includes extruding a tube to include at least one reinforced region extending along a length of the tube. The tube has a first thickness in the at least one reinforced region and a second thickness in other regions of the tube. The first thickness is greater than the second thickness. The method further includes cutting a blank from the tube such that the blank includes at least a portion of the at least one reinforced region and forming the blank into a desired shape of the component.

Abstract: This disclosure addresses mattresses. The mattress includes a core made up of multiple zones. Each of the zones includes a plurality of core elements, the core elements being formed from at least one wire coil spring at least partially contained in a fabric pouch. The core elements are typically joined in linear chains. The zones vary in support firmness according to the selection of a user. The core elements include wire coil springs formed from wires of at least two different sizes, and of at least two different heights.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the ultrasonic welding of two plastic components using a sonotrode, wherein the energy for the welding is introduced into the plastic components via at least one or more pins of the sonotrode, wherein the two plastic components are welded to one another step by step, wherein the respectively subsequent step of the welding is carried out in a region which has already been loaded and relieved of tension as a result of the preceding step of the welding.

Abstract: A vehicle assembly includes a first component having a stand-off that provides a cavity. The stand-off protrudes from an insertion side of the first component. The stand-off includes at least one side wall that extends from a floor of the cavity to at least one outer surface of the stand-off. The assembly further includes a second component that contacts the first component at an interface. The cavity is configured to receive a mechanical fastener that joins the first component to the second component. A distance between the floor of the cavity and the interface is greater in some areas than in other areas such that a cross-sectional thickness at a bottom of the cavity is varied.

Abstract: This press forming method includes a first drawing step for forming a first drawn step portion, a second drawing step for forming a second drawn step portion, and a finishing step for completing a stepped portion. In the first drawing step, a first outside curved portion is formed to the outside of a second outside curved portion with respect to an extension region of a character line, and a first parallel portion is formed to the same depth as the drawn depth of a second parallel portion. In the second drawing step, a second inside curved portion having a greater curvature than a first inside curved portion is formed.

Abstract: An assembly system for an automated internal assembly on a curved assembly surface of an aircraft fuselage includes two assembly rails shaped in accordance with a curvature of the assembly surface such that they follow a longitudinal direction or a peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, so that the assembly rails are fastenable in the aircraft fuselage, along the longitudinal direction or along the peripheral direction of the aircraft fuselage, parallel to one another and parallel to the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage; an assembly slide configured to slide along the assembly rails; and a tool supported by the assembly slide and configured to perform an assembly step; wherein the assembly slide has an assembly axis, along which the tool is movable relative to the assembly slide; and wherein the assembly axis is configured such that it follows the curvature of the assembly surface of the aircraft fuselage.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a staple-less binding unit that includes a first binding unit that has plural recesses and projections and a second binding unit that is arranged to face the first binding unit and has recesses and projections that fit to the recesses and the projections of the first binding unit and in which mediums are bound by being interposed between the first binding unit and the second binding unit in a thickness direction of the mediums includes forming the binding units with a die, adjusting center positions of projecting portions of the binding units formed by the die and removed from the die, and adjusting outer shapes of the projecting portions of which the center positions have been adjusted.