Abstract: A method and apparatus for desoldering electronic components from a substrate. A vacuum is used to enhance the flow of a hot gas under an electronic component to reflow the solder connections attaching the electronic component to a substrate. Water vapor is added to the hot gas to increase the heat capacity of the hot gas. A system for periodically changing the direction of flow of the hot gas and vacuum under the electronic component is used to uniformly heat the solder connections. A method and apparatus for depositing underfill material between an electronic component and the substrate on which the electronic component is mounted. A vacuum is applied to enhance the flow of underfill material into the space between the electronic component and the substrate.

Abstract: An undersize repair region of a gas turbine engine stationary shroud is repaired with a sufficient mass of a repair material. The repair material includes a first fraction of a first powder of a first alloy component, and a second fraction of a second powder of a second alloy component. The first alloy component and the second alloy component have different solidus temperatures. The repair material is placed in the repair region. The repair material and the repair region are heated to melt the repair material but not the repair region, and thereafter the repair material and the repair region are cooled to solidify the repair material.

Abstract: A back-up tooling apparatus for supporting the inner side of a hollow cylindrical workpiece during a circumferential friction stir weld includes a plurality of arcuate shoes configured to mate end-to-end to form a substantially continuous ring, and an expandable support for supporting the shoes and operable to retract and expand the shoes inward and outward. The expandable support includes at least one rotatable feed screw and central support members mounted on the feed screw or screws and pivotally connected to the shoes by support arms. The central support members are moved axially toward or away from each other for expanding or retracting the shoes. The shoes in one embodiment overlap in the circumferential direction, and a seal material is disposed between mating end faces of adjacent shoes. A restraining device is provided for clamping about the workpiece to reduce thermal expansion thereof. Cable-and-winch and geared drive devices are provided for rotatably driving the workpiece from its outer surface.

Abstract: A Wire Bonder contains a bondhead which comprises a slide, a rotary beam rotatable on a vertical axis and a rocker mounted on the rotary beam. The slide is movable back and forth in a predetermined horizontal direction and moves the rotary beam with it. The slide preferably bears on a horizontally arranged glide plate by means of an air bearing charged with vacuum. The rotary beam also preferably bears on the glide plate by means of a further air bearing charged with vacuum. A drive arranged on the slide is preferably foreseen for the rotating movement of the rotary beam.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for forming slotted wire screens is provided. According to one embodiment, the method involves the steps of (1) providing support ring material; (2) positioning a wire on the support ring material; (3) joining the wire and the support ring material; and (4) bending the support ring material to form a ring of a radius. The steps of joining and bending are performed at substantially the same time. According to another embodiment, the apparatus includes a device for pushing support ring material; a device for providing the support ring material with an adhesive, such as a brazing compound; a device for positioning a wire on the support ring material; a heating zone for heating the support ring material and the wire; and a device for bending the support ring material.

Abstract: Friction Pull Plug Welding (FPPW) is a solid state repair process for defects up to one inch in length, only requiring single sided tooling (OSL) for usage on flight hardware. Experimental data has shown that the mass of plug heat sink remaining above the top of the plate surface after a weld is completed (the plug heat sink) affects the bonding at the plug top. A minimized heat sink ensures complete bonding of the plug to the plate at the plug top. However, with a minimal heat sink three major problems can arise, the entire plug could be pulled through the plate hole, the central portion of the plug could be separated along grain boundaries, or the plug top hat can be separated from the body. The Chamfered Heat Sink Pull Plug Design allows for complete bonding along the ISL interface through an outside diameter minimal mass heat sink, while maintaining enough central mass in the plug to prevent plug pull through, central separation, and plug top hat separation.

Abstract: A method for forming a barrier to flow of brazing alloy on the surface or into internal cavities of a component to be treated by brazing. A quantity of stopoff slurry comprising alumina and a polyethylene oxide binder is applied to a surface of the component or into internal cavities of the component. The slurry is dried to set the binder and form a hardened stopoff material on the surface or in the internal cavities to form a barrier to flow of brazing material.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for desoldering electronic components from a substrate. A vacuum is used, to enhance the flow of a hot gas under an electronic component to reflow the solder connections attaching the electronic component to a substrate. Water vapor is added to the hot gas to increase the heat capacity of the hot gas. A system for periodically changing the direction of flow of the hot gas and vacuum under the electronic component is used to uniformly heat the solder connections. A method and apparatus for depositing underfill material between an electronic component and the substrate on which the electronic component is mounted. A vacuum is applied to enhance the flow of underfill material into the space between the electronic component and the substrate.

Abstract: An improved method for constructing a container having at least three panels, all of which intersect at a common point and each adjacent pair of which intersect along a line, includes welding each adjacent pair of panels to join them together by placing a weld along the intersecting line between such panels to a weld-terminating point spaced from the common intersecting point of the panels. A patch component its provided to cover the common intersecting point and each weld-terminating point, and to intersect with each panel along a line. The patch component is then welded to each of the panels by placing a weld along the line of intersection with each panel.

Abstract: A method for the fabrication of large metal matrix composite structures comprising the continuous brazing of aluminum matrix braze-clad tape using an infrared laser to melt the braze clad on the tape while applying pressure to the tape and simultaneously contacting it with previously applied tape layers on a rotating mandrel. The apparatus utilized to accomplish this fabrication process may include a variety of pre and post-contact heaters and preferably includes instruments for the continuous monitoring and control of the process.

Abstract: A sealed battery has a generator element enclosed within an external casing. An opening in the external casing is covered by a closure cap in which an injection hole for injecting electrolyte is provided. The injection hole is sealed using a sealing plug which is composed of a support member that is fixed on a surface of the closure cap so as to cover the injection hole and a plugging member that is at least partially formed of an elastic material and is supported by the support member so as to plug the injection hole. The plugging member is formed of an elastic material and is pressed into the injection hole by the support member. As a result, an airtight seal can be easily and securely achieved for the injection hole. The support member can be made large to facilitate handling, thereby reducing the likelihood of the sealing plug being improperly supplied during attachment to the injection hole.

Abstract: Concave portions and convex portions are formed on a peripheral surface of a thin metal sheet by applying a pressing force thereto while the metal sheet is being embossed; pores are each formed on an apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions and burrs each projecting outward from a peripheral edge of each of the pores are generated by the pressing force; the metal sheets having the concave portions and convex portions formed thereon are layered on each other; the burr at the apex of each convex portion of a lower-layer metal sheet is interlocked with the burr at the apex of each concave portion of an upper-layer metal sheet adjacent to the lower-layer metal sheet to integrate the metal sheets with each other; and an active substance is charged into spaces between the upper-layer metal sheet and the lower-layer metal sheet through an aperture at the apex of each of the concave portions and convex portions.

Abstract: A solder-removing apparatus includes a heating portion for heating the object having the solder adhered thereto, a measuring portion for measuring the distance from the measuring portion to the object, a solder-drawing portion for drawing the molten solder on the object by suction, an X-Y moving portion for moving the object in an X-direction or a Y-direction, a Z moving portion for moving the object relative to the solder-drawing portion in a Z-direction, and a control portion for controlling the X-Y moving portion and the Z moving portion. During the time when the molten solder on the object is drawn by the solder-drawing portion, the control portion causes the X-Y moving portion to move the object, and also causes the Z moving portion to move the object relative to the solder-drawing portion in accordance with the distance, measured by the measuring portion, so that the distance between the solder-drawing portion and the object can be kept constant.

Abstract: Apparatus and process for safely welding a stud into an overhead workpiece that includes a ferrule having an interrupted perimeter surrounding the stud for contact with the overhead workpiece and a support assembly for connection to a stud gun including a shield surrounding the support assembly and having a continuous perimeter defining a free space by being spaced from the stud and wherein the free space is in communication with the interrupted perimeter of the ferrule. The free space has a width and depth sufficient to receive and contain all molten substances produced during the welding. A fire resistant material is positioned within the free space to hold all these molten substances to thereby safely protect the operator of the stud gun from the gravity induced falling molten substances.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there are disclosed: a process for producing an anode material for lithium secondary battery, comprising graphite particles and a crystalline carbon layer covering the whole surfaces of the graphite particles, wherein the whole surfaces of the graphite particles are covered with a carbon layer in a state that the surfaces of the graphite particles and the carbon 002 plane of the carbon layer are parallel, which process comprises subjecting graphite particles to a treatment for chemical vapor deposition in a fluidized bed type reactor at 900 to 1,200° C., using a mixed gas consisting of an organic substance gas and an inert gas, the molar concentration of the organic substance gas in the mixed gas being 2 to 50%; and an anode material for lithium secondary battery, produced by the above process.

Abstract: Apparatus for use in wave soldering applications can include an adjustable wing device, a front gate and/or a mounted member. Each of these components are easily adjustable, thereby improving the quality of the soldered product and allowing for improved process efficiency and decreased downtime of the wave soldering equipment.

Abstract: The invention relates to a contact tip for a welding or cutting torch which includes at least one internal opening for guiding and engaging at least one welding electrode, wherein the internal opening is produced by deep drilling in a bar-shaped semi-finished product, such as a solid material. The use of drawn semi-finished products can thus be eliminated, thereby widening the range of material selection and reducing the cost of the semi-finished product.

Abstract: A feed unit for moving parts over short distances has a four-bar chain forming a translating solid parallelogram having two parallel rigid opposite legs, one of which constitutes a base leg, connected to one another by elastic elements and a piezoelectric stack translator extending between and flexibly connected to the rigid legs for articulation relative to the rigid legs and oriented at an angle of incidence (&agr;) with respect to a base leg that is less than 90° and greater than 45°.

Abstract: A method for applying a brazing medium to a configuration, which includes a honeycomb body and a jacket pipe, is described. First, the honeycomb body is formed by stacking and/or winding of sheet metal layers. At least some of which are structured sheet metal layers, such that the honeycomb body has channels for conducting a fluid flow. The honeycomb body is introduced into the jacket pipe. At least one end face of the honeycomb body is brought into contact with a roller having an adhesive medium disposed thereon, and the roller is mounted rotatably about a roller axle. The configuration and the roller are moved relative to one another such that the roller deposits the adhesive medium onto the honeycomb body. Subsequently, a brazing medium is introduced at least into the honeycomb body.

Abstract: An apparatus for lining up micro-balls in accordance with the present invention includes: ball carrying pallets having a plurality of pits for holding the micro-balls, respectively, on its surface, a pallet holder for holding the ball carrying pallets, a lining-up container defining a sealed chamber in association with the pallet holder hermetically fitted thereto, a storing tank for storing liquid carrier in which micro-balls are dispersed, and applying/collecting device for communicating the storing tank with the lining-up container via a passage to supply the micro-balls together with the liquid carrier from the storing tank to the sealed chamber and return the surplus micro-balls together with the liquid carrier from the sealed chamber to the storing tank.