Abstract: The invention relates to the hardening of the surface layer of parts of machines, plants and apparatuses and also tools. Objects for which the application is possible and advantageous are components which are subjected to severe fatigue or wear stresses and are composed of hardenable steels and have a complicated shape and whose surface has to be hardened selectively on the functional surfaces or whose functional surface has a multidimensional shape. The process for hardening the surface layer of components having a complicated shape is carried out by means of a plurality of energy input zones.

Abstract: The invention relates to metallic aircraft components which can preferably be used for aircraft structures in the fuselage region. A damage-tolerant design is usual for aircraft components in the fuselage region. It is the object of the invention to provide metallic components in which metal sheets are connected to one another by weld seams which have an improved damage tolerance behavior and fatigue crack propagation behavior. In an aircraft component in accordance with the invention, at least two metal sheets are welded to one another as butt joints. The centerline of the join line of the weld seam is predetermined by the outer edge contour of the metal sheets connected to one another. In this connection, it is formed deviant from a continuously straight line shape such that the total length of the weld seam is increased by changes in direction periodically occurring at the edge contours engaging into one another in a complementary manner.

Abstract: The invention relates to the hardening of the surface layer of parts of machines, plants and apparatuses and also tools. Objects for which the application is possible and advantageous are components which are subjected to severe fatigue or wear stresses and are composed of hardenable steels and have a complicated shape and whose surface has to be hardened selectively on the functional surfaces or whose functional surface has a multidimensional shape. The process for hardening the surface layer of components having a complicated shape is carried out by means of a plurality of energy input zones.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for crack-free welding, repair welding, or buildup welding of metallic materials which are susceptible to hot cracking. Objects in which its application is expedient and advantageous are all components which comprise multiphase solidification alloys having a broad solidification interval or are constructed from alloys which contain alloy elements or contamination elements which form a low-melting-point eutectic material with one or more main alloy elements and which are to be joined using fusion welding methods of high power density.

Abstract: The invention relates to metallic aircraft components which can preferably be used for aircraft structures in the fuselage region. A damage-tolerant design is usual for aircraft components in the fuselage region. It is the object of the invention to provide metallic components in which metal sheets are connected to one another by weld seams which have an improved damage tolerance behavior and fatigue crack propagation behavior. In an aircraft component in accordance with the invention, at least two metal sheets are welded to one another as butt joints. The centerline of the join line of the weld seam is predetermined by the outer edge contour of the metal sheets connected to one another. In this connection, it is formed deviant from a continuously straight line shape such that the total length of the weld seam is increased by changes in direction periodically occurring at the edge contours engaging into one another in a complementary manner.

Abstract: Lightweight structural component including at least one panel and at least one stiffening element oriented one of lengthwise and crosswise. The at least one stiffening element includes two side pieces. Each of the two side pieces is at least partially connected to the panel in a material-locking manner. The two side pieces are connected to the panel at two separate joint zones. A method of producing the lightweight structural component includes milling the at least one panel to form at least one thickened region and joining the two side pieces to the at least one panel at the two separate joint zones. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Lightweight structural component including at least one panel and at least one stiffening element oriented one of lengthwise and crosswise. The at least one stiffening element includes two side pieces. Each of the two side pieces is at least partially connected to the panel in a material-locking manner. The two side pieces are connected to the panel at two separate joint zones. A method of producing the lightweight structural component includes milling the at least one panel to form at least one thickened region and joining the two side pieces to the at least one panel at the two separate joint zones. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: The invention relates to edge layer finishing of functional components, and thereby in particular to a method for producing wear-resistant and fatigue-resistant edge layers in titanium alloys, and components produced therewith. The method according to the invention for producing wear-resistant and fatigue-resistant edge layers in titanium alloys by means of laser gas alloying is essentially characterized in that the laser gas alloying is carried out with a reaction gas that contains or releases interstitially soluble elements in the titanium alloy used, whereby the partial pressure of the reaction gas is selected such that the partial pressure remains below the threshold value above which nitride, carbide, or boride titanium phases are produced.

Abstract: Lightweight structural component including at least one panel and at least one stiffening element oriented one of lengthwise and crosswise. The at least one stiffening element includes two side pieces. Each of the two side pieces is at least partially connected to the panel in a material-locking manner. The two side pieces are connected to the panel at two separate joint zones. A method of producing the lightweight structural component includes milling the at least one panel to form at least one thickened region and joining the two side pieces to the at least one panel at the two separate joint zones. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: Process for the effective production of very wear-resistant layers in the thickness range of 0.2 to approx. 3 mm by way of inductively supported surface layer modification. It can be used particularly advantageously for the protection of components of hardenable steels and cast iron with abrasive, corrosive, high-temperature corrosive or mineral sliding wear loading. With the process according to the invention a local two-stage inductive short-time preheating takes place directly before the surface layer coating. Due to the invention it is possible to coat even hardenable steels or other materials difficult to coat without cracking. Furthermore, even harder coating materials susceptible to cracking which provide better wear-resistances can be used. In addition, process speeds and surface coating performances can be achieved that are higher by a factor of 10 compared with conventional laser build-up welding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for the effective production of very wear-resistant layers in the thickness range of 0.2 to approx. 3 mm by means of inductively supported surface layer finishing. It can be used particularly advantageously for the protection of components of hardenable steels and cast iron with abrasive, corrosive, high-temperature corrosive or mineral sliding wear strain.

Abstract: A process for producing wear-resistant edge layers in precipitation-hardenable materials wherein a component that was conventionally solution annealed and subsequently subjected to a conventional aging heat treatment is subjected to another short-time solution annealing affecting only the edge layer of the component, whereafter another aging heat treatment that evenly includes the interior of the component and its edge layer is carried out.

Abstract: The invention relates to a wear-resistant, highly stressed and low-friction boundary coating construction for titanium or the alloys thereof which can be advantageously used in order to protect human implants. According to the inventive boundary coating construction the boundary coating is comprised of a 200 to 400 nm thick DLC coating (4), a 5 to 50 nm thick intermediate coating (3) and a 0.3 to 2.0 mm thick gas alloyed coating (2), said gas alloyed coating having a hardness between 600 HV0.1 and 1,400 HV0.1. The inventive boundary coating construction is produced by firstly melting the surface of the member which is to be protected. The surface is then gas alloyed and cleaned in an N2/Ar atmosphere. Subsequently, the intermediate coating is first deposited followed by a depositing of the hard amorphous carbon coating by means of the laser-induced, pulsed vacuum arc (laser-arc) method.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing wear-resistant edge layers on precipitation-hardenable materials, in particular precipitation-hardenable or martensite-hardened steels.

Abstract: The invention concerns a wear-resistant camshaft and a method of producing the same. Objects in which the application of the invention is possible and useful are all cast-iron parts which are subject to wear as a result of lubricated friction. The wear-resistant camshaft consists of cast-iron and it has a surface layer consisting of a ledeburitic remelted layer with a high cementite portion, and, lying thereunder, a martensitic hardening zone, whereby according to the invention. a. the remelted layer consists of finely dispersed ledeburitic cementite with thicknesses of ≦1 &mgr;m and a metallic matrix of a phase mixture of martensite and/or bainite, residual austenite, as well as less than 20% finely laminated pearlite with a distance of ≦0.1 &mgr;m between the lamelias, and b. the hardening layer is formed from a phase mixture of martensite and/or bainite, partially dissolved pearlite, and residual austenite.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for beam welding of hardenable steels using a short-time heat treatment. A preferred area of application of the invention is motor vehicle and mechanical engineering. In the method according to the invention, the short-time heat treatment occurs first as the sole preheating in a defined manner, and then the beam welding begins after a defined cooling time, at the latest.

Abstract: Wear-resistant edge layer for titanium and its alloys which can be subjected to high loads and has a low coefficient of friction. The wear-resistant edge layer includes a hard amorphous carbon layer, an intermediate layer, and a laser gas alloyed layer. The wear-resistant edge layer may include a 200 to 400 nm thick hard amorphous carbon layer, a 50 to 200 nm thick intermediate layer, and a 0.3 to 2.0 mm thick laser gas alloyed layer. The laser gas alloyed layer may include precipitated titanium nitride needles and have a hardness between 600 HV0.1 and 1400 HV0.1. Process for producing a wear resistant edge layer on a substrate. The process includes forming a laser gas alloyed layer by melting a surface of a substrate, applying an intermediate layer by Laser-Arc, and depositing a hard amorphous carbon layer on the intermediate layer by Laser-Arc.