Abstract: A system and method for performing preventative maintenance upon spot welding guns in an automotive vehicle assembly plant is disclosed. The system includes a data collection system, a data analysis system and a database. The system has the ability to monitor parameters of welding guns to predict when a failure of one or more of the guns is likely to occur so that maintenance can be performed on the guns according to the method.

Abstract: A method of hydroforming a tubular structure of varying diameter along its longitudinal axis, comprising the formation of a tubular blank member by welding together, at their periphery, tubes of different diameters using electromagnetic pulse welding.

Abstract: A spot-welded interconnection and method for welding a first conductive tab and second conductive tab together. Each tab is generally planar and the first tab includes a bendable extension. To form the interconnection, the tabs are placed such that the planes of the tabs are in substantially parallel and touching alignment, and then the extension of the first tab is bent around the second tab such that the bent extension is in substantially parallel and touching alignment with the second tab. The first tab, the second tab, and the bent extension are then spot-welded together at one or more locations where the first tab conductively touches the second tab, and where the second tab conductively touches the bent extension. The completed spot-welded interconnection can conduct a predetermined amount of current therethrough without the use of a copper spoon or other conductive material in the interconnection.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing projection weld connections between plate parts of electrically conductive material such as body parts of automobiles in which a triangular projection is pressed in one of the plate parts, the projection having a rectangular base. Welding takes place under pressure using a pulse of current of about 15,000 to 50,000 amperes for 1 to 10 milliseconds.

Abstract: A robot control system and method for controlling a robot that performs working on a working path between a specified working start point and a working end point. The robot control system includes an interrupt request signal generating section for generating a signal for requesting change of the working path of the robot, an upper controller for generating an interrupt signal including a specified changed value for changing in real time the working path of the robot in accordance with the interrupt request signal generating section, and a robot controller for controlling in real time the operation of the robot in accordance with the interrupt signal from the upper controller. Thus, the motion of the robot that is working can be changed in real time.

Abstract: The invention relates to a resistance welding process for welding metal parts together. To improve the quality of the weld, at least one welding electrode (4) is embodied as a circular cylinder, which is seated so that it rotates around its cylinder axis. In accordance with the invention, the welding electrode (4) in the shape of a circular cylinder is caused to rotate at least during the welding of the metal parts (1, 2), so that by means of creating a sliding friction between the surface area of the welding electrode (4) and the surface of the metal part (2) resting against it the surface of the latter is freed of possible impurities. The process is particularly well suited for welding sand-blasted molybdenum foils and tungsten wires together.

Abstract: A method of forming a printer tip on a metal printer hammer spring by providing a printer tip from a range of materials from the group consisting of sintered tungsten carbide, cemented tungsten carbide, composite ceramics, metallic materials, noble metals, metal carbides, borides, nitrides and alloys and mixtures thereof. The printer tip is pressed against the hammerspring while electrically softening the printer hammerspring through a voltage established by an electrode contacting the printer tip. A plating or coating of the printer tip beforehand can be undertaken with a conductive metallic material disposed on the surface of the printer tip. The printer tip is fused to the hammerspring and a milling of a desired form to the printer tip and hammerspring by an electrode discharge milling process can take place thereafter.

Abstract: A seat frame assembly of a motorcycle has upper and lower pipes made of an aluminum alloy and having a rectangular cross-sectional shape. The upper and lower pipes have front ends constructed as joints, and solid spacers made of an aluminum alloy and having a cross-sectional shape substantially identical to the rectangular cross-sectional shape of the pipes are fitted in the joints. Flat side walls of each of the joints are sandwiched between flat electrodes of a resistance welding machine, and pressed and heated so as to be crimped on the spacer while an electric current is flowing between the flat electrodes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for welding members that are formed at least in part of aluminum. A welding assembly is constructed and arranged to position a welding material in electrically conductive relation between exterior surface portions of first and second weldable members at a location where the first and second weldable members are to be joined. The welding material assembly includes at least one welding material member mounted on a flexible carrier sheet in a predetermined arrangement with each welding material member being constructed of an electrically conductive metallic welding material capable of melting when heated by application of an electrical current. A welding method includes alternatively attaching the welding material members to a weldable member without a carrier sheet, by a welding process.

Abstract: A welding material assembly is constructed and arranged to position a welding material in electrically conductive relation between exterior surface portions of first and second weldable members at a location where the first and second weldable members are to be joined. The welding material assembly includes at least one welding material member mounted on a flexible carrier sheet in a predetermined arrangement with each welding material member being constructed of an electrically conductive metallic welding material capable of melting when heated by application of an electrical current. Each welding material member is mounted on the sheet such that when the sheet is placed between the exterior surfaces of the first and second weldable members to be welded, each welding material member is electrically conductively disposed therebetween.

Abstract: A welding material is constructed and arranged to be positioned in electrically conductive relation between exterior surface portions of first and second weldable members at a location where the first and second weldable members are to be joined. The welding material includes at least one welding material member constructed of an electrically conductive metallic welding material capable of melting when heated by application of an electrical current. Each welding material member is mounted on the exterior surface of the first weldable member and then positioned between the exterior surfaces of the first and second weldable members to be electrically conductively disposed therebetween.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for producing a flame support for a gas burner, which consists in producing disjointed metal fibres (10) in an alloy comprising iron, chromium and aluminium; assembling the fibres together under pressure; bringing the fibre mat to a temperature sufficient to ensure a close bonding between the fibres. The invention is characterised in that it consists in feeding said metal alloy to an overflowing tank (3), to produce the fibres by cooling in contact with a mobile wheel (7); then in arranging in a moulding matrix the resulting disjointed fibres (10) and compressing them to form an agglomerated mat; then in connecting the mat to electrodes and a capacitor, thereby bringing the fibres (10), at their points of contact, to a temperature not less than their melting point, to produce fibres closely welded together, under high voltage.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for hermetically sealing a semiconductor laser element, by which the cleanness of a package can be maintained extremely satisfactorily in a stabilized state, in order to prevent organic substances from being adhered to the end faces of high output semiconductor laser elements due to photochemical actions. The method comprises the first step of introducing oxygen into a chamber of a hermetical-sealing apparatus and irradiating ultraviolet rays onto an unsealed package having a semiconductor laser element mounted, in the chamber, and the second step of purging the chamber with an inert gas and hermetically sealing an unsealed package in the inert gas atmosphere without being exposed to the outer atmosphere.

Abstract: A method for forming an electrical resistance weld between a metal tube and a metal sheet is disclosed. In the method, a plurality of generally circular protrusions having generally triangular cross sections is formed upon the sheet. Thereafter, electrodes are utilized to flex the tube, while an electrical current is generated for electric resistance welding the sheet to the tube.

Abstract: An aluminum alloy sheet for automotive use is provided which comprises a starting aluminum alloy sheet which has an alloy composition containing from 2 to 6% by weight of Mg, 0.15 to 1.0% by weight of Fe and from 0.03 to 2.0% by weight Mn, and a surface layer disposed over one surface of the starting alloy sheet to be pressed against electrodes for use in welding, the surface layer containing a particulate intermetallic compound has a particle diameter of 0.5 &mgr;m or more and a density of 4,000 pieces of particles per one mm2 or more. The product alloy sheet ensure least deformation of an electrode and stable weldability by means of continuous resistance spot welding.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for welding a double layer sheet metal (1, 2) having an intermediate layer (5), in particular, a sheet metal with knobs, with a bonding sheet metal (8) by spot or roll seam welding. Before welding of the bonding sheet metal (8) with the two cover sheet metals (1, 2), spaced apart by the intermediate layer (5) of the double layer sheet metal, is carried out, the area (11) about the welding location (12) is burned free of the intermediate layer (5) by the current which is introduced over a large surface area into the cover sheet metals (1, 2) via the welding electrodes (9, 10) placed thereat and guided via a shunt adjacent to the welding location (12). Only thereafter, the sheet metals are brought into conducting contact with one another by a directed local pressure application, and the welding process is carried out.

Abstract: A method of facing a substrate comprises applying a plurality of facing bodies to a carrier in a pattern corresponding to the desired pattern of the bodies on the faced substrate. The carrier has holes positioned centrally with respect to each body. Each body has, on a contact face to be fixed to the substrate, spaced raised weld elements which serve to locate the contact face parallel to and spaced from the substrate. The carrier is applied to the substrate with the contact faces of the bodies facing the substrate and then each body is electrically welded to the substrate by applying a welding tip to the body through each hole. A gap remains between the contact face and the substrate. Finally, the bodies are brazed to the substrate and brazing material flows between the bodies and the substrate. A facing kit comprises a carrier strip with facing bodies adhered thereto, each having raised weld elements in the form of dimples or lines.

Abstract: Provided herein is a weld point electrode useful for welding weld nuts to various selected substrates.

Abstract: A welding material assembly is constructed and arranged to position a welding material in electrically conductive relation between exterior surface portions of first and second weldable members at a location where the first and second weldable members are to be joined. The welding material assembly includes at least one welding material member mounted on a flexible carrier sheet in a predetermined arrangement, each welding material member being constructed of an electrically conductive metallic welding material capable of melting when heated by application of an electrical current and each carrier sheet being constructed of a material that is electrically nonconductive. Each welding material member is mounted on the sheet such that when the sheet is placed between the exterior surfaces of said first and second weldable members to be welded each said welding material member is electrically conductively disposed therebetween.

Abstract: The electrode holder comprises a body 1 suspended by an articulated link 9, 13, 14 from a sling 6, this articulated link comprising a pivot collar 13 in which the body can rotate around a principal longitudinal, swiveling axis X and a pivot 14 mounted on this collar and by means of which the body 1 can pivot on the end of the sling 6 around a horizontal lateral axis y perpendicular to axis X. The body 1 is integral with an inclinometer giving the value and sense of the angle of pivot of the body around the principal axis X, and of the lateral axis y in relation to a reference vertical. This information is used to identify the welding location and to automatically select the appropriate welding sequence corresponding to this location. This sequence is coded and transferred to a welding control cabinet to be executed.

Abstract: An intelligent welding gun is provided with a fixed side sensor in a fixed side portion. The mechanical impedance of the fixed side portion is kept small, which permits the mechanical impedance to be set in a range where the fixed side sensor can effectively detect at least one of a position of a fixed side welding tip and a pressing force imposed on the fixed side welding tip. The fixed side sensor and a moving side sensor constitute a redundant sensor measurement system. Various kinds of methods conducted using the above welding gun include a method of calibrating a sensor (including calibration of a reference point and a gain), a control method of suppressing a welding expulsion, a re-welding feedback control method, a control method of a welding strength, a control method of reducing a clearance between workpieces, a method of correcting a welding robot track, and a method of managing a positional accuracy change at a welding point.

Abstract: A non-woven wire mesh screen having a first planar array of stainless steel wires disposed in a longitudinal direction and a second planar array of stainless steel wires disposed transverse to the first planar array. The stainless steel wires have a tensile strength greater than 200,000 psi.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of operating a welding machine as well as to a welding machine comprising a frame, a first electrode (33) having a fixed position in the frame and a second electrode (35) which is mounted in the frame so as to be movable with respect to the frame, whereby said second electrode (35) can be moved towards the first electrode (33) for welding together components arranged between said two electrodes (33, 35). During displacement of the second electrode (35) from a starting position towards a welding position, the second electrode (35) is moved more rapidly at the beginning of the displacement than at the point where the second electrode is near the position suitable for welding. To obtain said displacement of the second electrode (35), a cam mechanism (10) has been provided between an operating member (12) and a lever (28), which cam mechanism supports the second electrode (35) and is pivotable with respect to the frame.

Abstract: A welding material in positioned in electrically conductive relation between exterior surface portions of first and second weldable members, such as hydroformed tubes, at a location where the first and second weldable members are to be joined. A welding device comprises first and second electrodes or conductive ends that extend along substantially the entire extent of first sides of the first and second weldable members, respectively. The first and second conductive ends include first and second concave recesses, which nest with the first and second weldable members, respectively. Electrical current is applied across the first and second weldable members by the nesting first and second conductive ends such that the applied current melts the welding material and thereby welds the exterior surface portions to one another. The welding device can be mounted on a robotic mechanism, which can move the welding device between first and second welding positions.

Abstract: A welding machine for weld bonding a valve seating ring in an annular recess of a cylinder head (20) includes an electrode tool (14) on which the ring is located and an overhead support (18, 40, 44, 46) for mounting the cylinder head above the tool. In use the electrode tool is moved upwards into the recess while a welding current is passed across the cylinder head and the electrode tool, so that the ring is weld bonded into the recess, without process spatter entering the cylinder head. There can be two separate electrode tools which operate simultaneously on respective recesses although the weld current may be applied sequentially.

Abstract: Quality localized surface treatment such as remelting a surface portion of a work by electric heating can be achieved easily by supplying electric current between an energization electrode and the work while holding the distal end portion of the energization electrode nearly in close contact with the surface portion. Localized heating can be successfully accomplished by electric heating based on the heat generated from the self resistance of the energization electrode itself and the heat generated from the contact resistance at the interface between the distal end portion of the energization electrode and the surface portion.

Abstract: A method for inspecting the quality of the resistance weld, in which the adhesive force between twisted wires, as materials to be welded in a welding portion, can be predicted on the basis of the inter-tip resistance between electrodes, so that the quality of the weld can be evaluated accurately. The method comprises the steps of: measuring a welding width of the welding portion; calculating a reference welding height of the welding portion from the measured welding width on the basis of a predetermined reference welding sectional area of the welding portion; passing the welding current through the welding portion until the height of the welding portion reaches the calculated reference welding height; and inspecting the state of welding of the twisted wires on the basis of a bottom value of inter-tip resistance of the pair of electrodes in an initial stage of conduction of the welding current.

Abstract: A resistance welding process in which the welding electrodes are moved at least via a wording piston-cylinder unit, wherein before the start of the welding process, the welding electrode is in a ready position in which it gently touches the workpiece or there is a gap in the tenth of a millimeter range between the welding electrode and the workpiece, and during the subsequent welding process pneumatic force is applied to the working piston-cylinder unit, where the maximum possible stroke of the working piston-cylinder from the position of readiness corresponds to 1 to 40 times the travel of collapsing bulges in projection welding or 1 to 120 times the penetration distance of the welding electrode in an originally hard material becoming pasty during the welding process in spot welding, or 1 to 60 times the penetration distance of the welding electrode in an originally soft material becoming pasty during the welding process in spot welding. The invention also relates to a device for implementing the process.

Abstract: A method for making a spacer assembly comprises: forming a plurality of projections along an edge of a portion of sheet metal; roll forming the portion of sheet metal into a tubular configuration; positioning the roll formed portion of sheet metal and a metal base member to which the roll formed portion of sheet metal is to be welded in a discharge welding apparatus having a pair of electrodes so that the projections of the roll formed portion of sheet metal contact a surface of the metal base member; providing a force so that the projections are disposed in forcible engagement with the surface of the metal base member; and supplying an electrical current between the pair of electrodes and through the roll formed portion of sheet metal and the metal base member so that the projections reach a molten metal stage and are subsequently solidified to enable the roll formed portion of sheet metal to be welded to the metal base member.

Abstract: A system and method is disclosed for monitoring and controlling a resistance projection welder for welding a projection weld nut to a workpiece. A displacement sensor measures the displacement of a welding electrode of a weld gun in real time during the welding procedure. A computer is coupled to the displacement sensor and determines whether the projection weld nut is correctly loaded between the workpiece and the welding electrode. The computer instructs a programmable logic controller (PLC) to trigger a weld controller to apply power to the welding electrode if the projection weld nut is correctly loaded onto the workpiece. The computer instructs the PLC to inhibit power if it determines the projection weld nut to be inverted, missing, or misaligned in order to allow for the removal and replacement of the projection weld nut.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for continuously spot-welding galvanized steel sheets overlapped to be bonded by way of a spot welding machine having a pair of electrodes. The galvanized steel sheets clamp a resistance increasing material including a spacer to ensure a gap between the sheets. Bonding surfaces of the galvanized steel sheets partly contact each other when the pair of electrodes pressurize the galvanized steel sheets such that a part of the gap is retained around the spacer between the bonding surfaces. The retained gap has a size in which zinc melted or vapored when a weld current flows between the electrodes can escape through a weld section of the galvanized steel sheets to outside. The method comprises the step of recording an inter-electrode resistance for each spot when the continuous spot welding is executed by the pair of electrodes.