Abstract: An apparatus for welding T-frame stiffeners circumferentially to the interior surface of a cylindrical shell at selected axial positions to fabricate reinforced hull sections suitable for boat construction is disclosed. The apparatus is adapted for providing simultaneous two-sided Tee welds of the T-frame to the shell using radiation from a laser source to form quickly the welds which significantly reduces the time and costs of fabricating hull subassemblies.

Abstract: An automated welding facility for the fabrication of shell sections suitable for ship construction utilizing laser welding is disclosed. The facility includes a panel welding station which includes an optical system for providing radiation for automated two-sided welding of plates to form panels utilizing sequential welding of the top and bottom halves of the plates. The panel welding station is adapted for aligning the plates to form a seam therebetween and for providing tack welds along the length of abutting plates while simultaneously providing position coordinates of the seam to a controller adapted for controlling the positioning of laser welding heads for automating finish welding of the plates to form panels. The panel welding station further includes automated means for marking the panels for positioning stiffeners, webs and/or bulkheads thereon.

Abstract: Welding apparatus featuring a right angle beam handling tube for directing a fixed laser beam from an entrance to the tube to a rotatably supported output reflector in a focus head mounted on an outlet of the tube. The tube has upstream and downstream duct sections which are independently extendible and retractable relative to their juncture, the juncture and a laser beam translating mirror mounted therein being movable only in a linear direction coincident with the incoming beam axis along the upstream duct section to ensure beam alignment with the entrance and outlet of the right angle beam handling tube while permitting the distances therebetween to vary to selectively position the focus head relative to a workpiece.