Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding first and second sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. At least one of the sheet metal pieces includes a boron steel or press hardenable steel base material layer and an aluminum-based coating material layer, along with a weld notch where at least a portion of the coating material layer is removed before welding. An additional material can be provided during welding to influence weld joint composition and/or a secondary heat source can be used to heat and flow a protective material in a weld region of the blank assembly. The weld notch has a width that may be related to the width of a heat-affected zone formed during welding.

Abstract: Welded parts and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. A welded part may include first and second metal workpieces having respective first and second edges forming a butt joint. The welded part may further include a first laser weld joining the first and second edges on one side of the first and second metal workpieces, and a second laser weld joining the first and second edges on another opposite side of the first and second metal workpieces. Some example parts may have laser welds that cooperate to extend across an entire depth of the butt joint and form an overlap zone between the first and second laser welds. In some examples, the first and second laser welds may be formed with substantially zero macroporosity.

Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for configuring a network device are disclosed. In one aspect, a network address that is assigned to the network device by a network address server is detected by an equipment configuration device. The network address server differs from the network device. In response to detecting the network address, a set of connection parameters that connect the network device to a controller device is transmitted by the equipment configuration device and to the network device. The set of connection parameters is transmitted outside of communications, transmitted by the network address server, that assigned the network address to the network device.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and apparatus for configuring a network device are disclosed. In one aspect, a network address that is assigned to the network device by a network address server is detected by an equipment configuration device. The network address server differs from the network device. In response to detecting the network address, a set of connection parameters that connect the network device to a controller device is transmitted by the equipment configuration device and to the network device. The set of connection parameters is transmitted outside of communications, transmitted by the network address server, that assigned the network address to the network device.

Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes a capping material in a weld region of the assembly. The capping material can help protect a weld joint joining first and second sheet metal pieces together. At least one of the sheet metal pieces has a coating material layer that is removed prior to forming the weld joint so that the coating material does not contaminate the weld joint. The removed coating material can be collected before the weld joint is formed and reapplied as part of the capping material after the weld joint is formed, effectively changing the coating material from a potential weld contaminant to a weld joint protectant. The capping material may also include additional material from a source other than the coating material layer.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding first and second sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. At least one of the sheet metal pieces includes a boron steel or press hardenable steel base material layer and an aluminum-based coating material layer, along with a weld notch where at least a portion of the coating material layer is removed before welding. An additional material can be provided during welding to influence weld joint composition and/or a secondary heat source can be used to heat and flow a protective material in a weld region of the blank assembly. The weld notch has a width that may be related to the width of a heat-affected zone formed during welding.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.

Abstract: A sheet metal piece includes a base material layer and one or more intermediate and coating material layers, along with a weld notch formed along an edge region of the piece. At least a portion of the coating and intermediate material layers is removed at the weld notch so that certain constituents from such layers do not affect the integrity of a nearby weld joint when it is subsequently formed along the edge region. Various methods of ablation, including laser ablation, can be used to form the weld notch.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly includes a capping material in a weld region of the assembly. The capping material can help protect a weld joint joining first and second sheet metal pieces together. At least one of the sheet metal pieces has a coating material layer that is removed prior to forming the weld joint so that the coating material does not contaminate the weld joint. The removed coating material can be collected before the weld joint is formed and reapplied as part of the capping material after the weld joint is formed, effectively changing the coating material from a potential weld contaminant to a weld joint protectant. The capping material may also include additional material from a source other than the coating material layer.

Abstract: Sheet metal pieces intended to be welded can be made with weld notches located along one or more edges. A weld notch is characterized by the absence of certain material constituents so that they do not unacceptably contaminate nearby welds. The weld notch can be created by first forming an ablation trench along the sheet metal piece, then separating the sheet metal piece along the formed ablation trench into two separate pieces, at least one of which includes a newly formed and weldable edge.

Abstract: A welded blank assembly is formed by welding edge regions of separate sheet metal pieces together at a weld joint. One or more of the sheet metal pieces includes a coating material layer and a weld notch, where at least some of the coating material layer is removed from the edge region(s) prior to welding so that the weld joint is substantially free from constituents of the coating material layer. An additional material may be added to a weld pool during weld joint formation to influence the size, shape and/or composition of the resulting weld joint to help compensate for the presence of the weld notch.

Abstract: A sheet metal piece includes a base material layer and one or more intermediate and coating material layers, along with a weld notch formed along an edge region of the piece. At least a portion of the coating and intermediate material layers is removed at the weld notch so that certain constituents from such layers do not affect the integrity of a nearby weld joint when it is subsequently formed along the edge region. Various methods of ablation, including laser ablation, can be used to form the weld notch.

Abstract: A portable saliva compensation device is provided with a portable carrying case holding a vacuum pump, and a portable power supply for providing power to vacuum pump. A programmable electrical control circuit is connected to the portable power supply and the pump. A saliva collection device is provided having a portion thereof positionable inside user's mouth for collecting excess saliva and conveying it to a hollow tube connecting between the saliva collection device and the vacuum pump. An activation operably coupled to the electrical control circuit to activate the vacuum pump when saliva is to be collected from the user's mouth. This draws the saliva from the collection device through said hollow tube and into a collection reservoir.

Abstract: A portable saliva compensation device is provided with a portable carrying case holding a vacuum pump, and a portable power supply for providing power to vacuum pump. An electrical control circuit is connected to the portable power supply and the pump. A saliva collection device is positioned at or below a user's mouth for collecting excess saliva and conveying it to a hollow tube connecting between the saliva collection device and the vacuum pump. A saliva detection switch in the saliva collection device is coupled to the electrical control circuit to activate the vacuum pump when saliva is detected in the saliva collection device. This draws the saliva from the collection device through said hollow tube and into a collection reservoir.