Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing a solar cell module using a laser. In the present invention, a tabbing process for bonding a solar cell and metal electrodes is performed by a local irradiation with a laser, so that the heating area can be localized only to a required zone (bonding area) for the tabbing process, thereby minimizing a direct heating zone which occurs in the process. Therefore, it is possible to reduce the damage such as cracks and breakage due to thermal expansion/contraction of a solar cell which is conventionally configured to have a multi-layered structure made of different materials, to improve the bonding strength and the bonding uniformity, and to reduce the processing time, thereby improving the production efficiency.

Abstract: Provided are strain hardened high strength nickel based alloy welds that yield improved properties and performance in joining high strength metals. The advantageous weldments include two or more segments of ferrous or non-ferrous components, and fusion welds, friction stir welds, electron beam welds, laser beam welds, or a combination thereof bonding adjacent segments of the components together, wherein the welds comprise a strain hardened nickel based alloy weld metal composition including greater than or equal to 10 wt % Mo based on the total weight of the nickel based alloy weld metal composition. Also provided are methods for forming the welds from the nickel based alloy weld compositions. The strain hardened high strength nickel based alloy welds are useful in the oil, gas and petrochemical industry in applications for natural gas transportation and storage, oil and gas well completion and production, and oil and gas refinery and chemical plants.

Abstract: The present invention efficiently processes work pieces by transferring them without bringing them outside. The present invention comprises: a stage 4 for working, which is used when working a work piece D, L by irradiating a focused beam B while observing the work piece D, L in an observation region W of a previously determined range, and possessing a table 10 having plural mount bases 2, 3 on whose upper faces 2a, 3a there can be respectively mounted the work piece D, L; and a rotation slant means 11 rotating respectively the mount base 2, 3 about a Z-axis perpendicular to the upper faces 2a, 3a and slanting the upper faces 2a, 3a to an arbitrary angle, wherein the table 10 is made possible to move so as to dispose respectively the plural mount bases 2, 3 to an inside of the observation region W.

Abstract: A welding system and method includes a main torch including a main electrode configured to form a first arc with a base metal; a first bypass torch including a first bypass electrode configured to form a second arc with the main electrode; and a second bypass torch including a second bypass electrode configured to form a third arc with the main electrode.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for free form fabrication of a three-dimensional work piece comprising (a) feeding raw material in a solid state to a first predetermined location; (b) depositing the raw material onto a substrate as a molten pool deposit under a first processing condition; (c) monitoring the molten pool deposit for a preselected condition; (d) comparing information about the preselected condition of the monitored molten pool deposit with a predetermined desired value for the preselected condition of the monitored molten pool deposit; (e) solidifying the molten pool deposit; (f) automatically altering the first processing condition to a different processing condition based upon information obtained from the comparing step (d); and repeating steps (a) through (f) at one or more second locations for building up layer by layer a three-dimensional work piece.

Abstract: A method for hybrid direct manufacturing is provided. The method involves depositing a foundation of material onto a substrate platform or base plate. The foundation serves as a foundation for a block of material (a monolith) to be welded thereon. Once the foundation is created, the monolith or block of material may be placed against the foundation. The foundation may be created such that its boundary matches with the boundary of the monolith that will be welded on top of the foundation. Next, the monolith is welded to the foundation using a high energy beam such as an electron beam. The method may also involve depositing a layer of material on or adjacent to the monolith.

Abstract: A welding device has a beam source to generate electromagnetic beams for absorption in an object to be welded at a welding location, and at least one sensor situated to detect electromagnetic process beams generated during welding at the welding location. The sensor is to generate a sensor signal as a function of the detected process beams. The welding device also has a processing unit, which is connected to the sensor and the beam source, the processing unit being configured to control at least one parameter of the beam generation of the beam source as a function of the sensor signal. The welding device is to delimit by a window a beam bundle of the emitted process beams in a plane transverse to the beam propagation direction; in the plane, the window has a longitudinal dimension greater than a transversal dimension of the window perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension.

Abstract: A welding machine that includes a machine frame having an opening permitting access to an interchangeable tooling module installed on the machine. The welding machine includes one or more light curtains covering the opening to disable operation of one or more welding stations on the tooling module if the light curtain is breached by an operator, robot, or other object. The welding machine includes a selector arm attached to the machine frame at a location between a first end and a second end of the opening. The selector arm can be moved into and out of position at the opening to selectively define either a single light curtain across the opening or a pair of adjacent light curtains that permit separate operation and access to separate welding stations behind each of the two light curtains.

Abstract: A system and method for providing multi-mode control of an ultrasonic welding system. In one embodiment, the control modes include the energy of the weld, the time of the welding process and the compression displacement of the parts being welded during the welding process. The method includes providing thresholds for each of the modes, and terminating the welding process after the threshold for each mode has been reached, the threshold for more than one mode has been reached or the threshold for one of the modes has been reached. The welding control can be either open-loop or closed-loop, where the open-loop process provides the mode thresholds and once one or more of those thresholds is reached the welding process is terminated. The closed-loop control provides feedback of the weld energy and/or the compression displacement so that the weld power and/or weld pressure can be increased or decreased accordingly.

Abstract: Provided are precipitation hardened high strength nickel based alloy welds that yield improved properties and performance in joining high strength metals. The advantageous weldments include two or more segments of ferrous or non-ferrous components, and fusion welds, friction stir welds, electron beam welds, laser beam welds, or a combination thereof bonding adjacent segments of the components together, wherein the welds comprise a precipitation hardened nickel based alloy weld metal composition including greater than or equal to 1.4 wt % of combined aluminum and titanium based on the total weight of the nickel based alloy weld metal composition. Also provided are methods for forming the welds from the nickel based alloy weld compositions, wherein the precipitation hardening occurs in the as-welded condition. The nickel based welds do not require a separate heat treatment step after welding to produce advantageous strength properties.

Abstract: A system and method is provided where a coated work piece is welded at high speeds with minimal porosity and spatter. The coating on the work piece is removed or ablated by a high energy heat source prior to being welded in a welding operation, such that high welding speeds are attained. The high energy heat source is positioned upstream of the welding operation to vaporize any surface coatings on a work piece.

Abstract: A method of laser welding of two members by their respective edges, on a first surface of a slideway section, wherein at least a first one of said members is welded by application of two parallel laser beams from a second surface of the slideway section, with a distance between the beams approximately corresponding to the thickness of the first member, to obtain a laser transmission welding in a single run.

Abstract: A method for hybrid direct manufacturing is provided. The method involves depositing a foundation of material onto a substrate platform or base plate. The foundation serves as a foundation for a block of material (a monolith) to be welded thereon. Once the foundation is created, the monolith or block of material may be placed against the foundation. The foundation may be created such that its boundary matches with the boundary of the monolith that will be welded on top of the foundation. Next, the monolith is welded to the foundation using a high energy beam such as an electron beam. The method may also involve depositing a layer of material on or adjacent to the monolith.

Abstract: A method for controlling an electron beam process wherein a wire is melted and deposited on a substrate as a molten pool comprises generating the electron beam with a complex raster pattern, and directing the beam onto an outer surface of the wire to thereby control a location of the wire with respect to the molten pool. Directing the beam selectively heats the outer surface of the wire and maintains the position of the wire with respect to the molten pool. An apparatus for controlling an electron beam process includes a beam gun adapted for generating the electron beam, and a controller adapted for providing the electron beam with a complex raster pattern and for directing the electron beam onto an outer surface of the wire to control a location of the wire with respect to the molten pool.

Abstract: A system for welding a tub of a railroad tank car includes a manipulator boom adapted to move with respect to the interior surface of the tank shell. A hybrid laser arc welding head mounted to the manipulator. A supplemental gas metal arc welding head includes dual wires of welding material and is mounted to the manipulator adjacent to the hybrid laser arc welding head. An inductive heating coil is mounted adjacent to the supplemental gas metal arc welding head. The hybrid laser arc welding head welds a seam of the railroad tank car shell with the supplemental gas metal arc welding head following to generally complete filling of a resulting weld joint with welding metal. The supplemental gas metal arc welding head is followed with the inductive heating coil to provide heat to normalize the resulting weld joint.

Abstract: A thermal material-processing method wherein between the working spot of an electron beam and a workpiece a relative motion is brought about. Prior to the actual thermal treatment an effective processing contour is ascertained, in that the working spot of the electron beam executes, in accordance with the stored data of an ideal processing contour, a relative motion in relation to the workpiece, and on this relative motion a scan motion is superimposed which is directed transversely to the ideal processing contour. In this manner, both geometrical and magnetically conditioned deviations of the points of incidence of the electron beam on the workpiece can be compensated.

Abstract: A welding apparatus for welding a work-piece includes an energy source configured to generate a weld in a zone of the work-piece, with the work-piece characterized by a layer. The apparatus also includes a first wheel characterized by a first circumference and a first set of protrusions disposed on the first circumference, and a second wheel characterized by a second circumference and a second set of protrusions disposed on the second circumference. Each of the first and second wheels is configured to rotate relative to the work-piece, and the first and second sets of protrusions are configured to disrupt the layer as the work-piece is traversed between the first and second wheels. The energy source generates the weld in the zone of the work-piece following the disruption of the layer. A method employing the disclosed welding apparatus is also provided.

Abstract: A method for beam welding a multi-sheet work stack includes providing a reduced thickness feature in a first sheet, positioning the first sheet adjacent to a second sheet to define a first welding interface, and positioning a third sheet adjacent to the second sheet to define a second welding interface. A laser or electron beam is directed through the first sheet at the feature to form a fusion weld at one of the welding interfaces. A second beam may be directed onto the other interface to form a second fusion weld. Providing a reduced thickness feature in the first sheet may include forming the feature with the beam and mechanically pre-forming the feature. One of the interfaces may be pre-heated using the beam, and the beam may be split using a beam splitter to form multiple beams. A welded assembly formed via the method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A welding joint comprises a pair of steel materials, and a welding metal that is formed with a high-energy density beam at a butt welding portion between the pair of steel materials, wherein a transformation starting temperature Ms that is calculated by a following formula: Ms(° C.)=371?353C?22Si?24.3Mn?7.7Cu?17.3Ni?17.7Cr?25.8Mo, using a composition of mass % of the welding metal is 250° C. or less.

Abstract: A welding apparatus for an induction motor includes a fixture operable to support a rotor and rotate the rotor about an axis of rotation of the motor, and a welding head supported adjacent the fixture and operable to weld conductor bars located about the surface of the rotor to the first shorting ring when the fixture supports the rotor. A controller controls the fixture to selectively rotate the rotor. The controller moves the welding head, the fixture, or both, so that the welding head is in a welding position, and causes the welding head to weld the conductor bars to the first shorting ring while remaining in the welding position, with the rotor rotating to create a substantially circular weld path along the first shorting ring. In some embodiments, the conductor bars are welded to both shorting rings simultaneously. A method of welding an induction motor is also provided.

Abstract: Conventional welding methods have the disadvantage of producing worse welded joints at the beginning of the process than in the later course of the method. The method in question uses an initializing plate on which the welding process is begun and then once a consistent quality can be achieved for the welded joint continues onto the points for repair.

Abstract: A method of repairing an aperture and adjacent defect in a part which is started by removing one or more defects adjacent an aperture in a base material. The material is removed to create a weld seam that extends past an area of high stress concentration on the aperture. An insert of material containing a profile that corresponds to the profile of the base material removed adjacent the aperture and a combination top and runoff plate that encompasses the insert of material are provided. A backing plate is inserted underneath the combination top and runoff plate and insert such that there remains an air space between the backing plate and the combination plate which prevents the combination plate from becoming fused to the backing plate during a welding process. The insert is welded to the base material, and the backing plate is removed. Excess material is removed from the insert to obtain an aperture containing a profile essentially the same as the profile of the aperture prior to initiating the repair.

Abstract: A sealing system includes two fittings, a compliant member, and a spring. The first fitting has two ends, a first cavity, and a first channel. The first channel extends from the first end to the first cavity, which is formed in the second end radially inwardly from an outer surface of the first fitting. The second fitting is disposed in the first cavity and has two ends, a second cavity, and a second channel. The first end is disposed in the first cavity, the second cavity is formed in the first end of the second fitting, and the second channel extends from the second cavity to the second end. The compliant member is disposed in the second cavity. The spring is disposed in the second cavity against the compliant member.

Abstract: A method for producing a stainless steel three-ply clad sheet for a fuel cell separator comprises heating a source blank and then performing rough rolling, hot rolling and cold rolling thereto, whereby the clad steel sheet for the fuel cell separator or a solid polymer type fuel cell separator thereby is obtained. The source blank for the clad steel sheet is composed of a stainless steel utilizing 0 to 0.3% B as a core component and a stainless steel containing 0.3 to 2.5% B as face component. The source blank is made using face components, a core component, tabs and protectors and performing steps including bonding of the tabs and protectors to the face components, removing portions of the tabs and protectors, piling of the face components to the core component, and further bonding of the face and core components together to form the source blank.

Abstract: A method for joining dissimilar materials of sensor button for measuring torque is illustrated. The dissimilar materials can be welded together by laser welding. The parts can be cleaned and held together firmly by a fixture and welded with established machine parameters. The method of micro-crack free weld joint can give a robust joint for the life time of the automotive which mandate for the function of torque sensor to facilitate the positive strain transfer from the parent material.

Abstract: A weld set-up and weld process are provided that alleviate micro-cracking as between a pair of welded pieces. The weld set-up is provided in which the weld pieces are configured to cause micro-cracking to occur in a portion of the welded pieces that is then removed by post-processing machining techniques. This weld set-up includes a primary weld piece and a secondary weld piece with a flange portion that extends over the primary weld piece. When used in conjunction with electron beam welding, application of the weld beam onto the secondary weld piece causes the formation of a preferential nailhead that is formed exclusively in the first weld piece.

Abstract: A method and system that includes generation of an energy beam. The energy beam may be generated from a focused energy source. Additionally, the energy beam may be directed towards a pre-sintered preform. The pre-sintered preform may be made of a braze material and may seal a hole that may be located in a turbine component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a high energy density beam welding system using molten metal droplet jetting. The present invention includes a beam emitting unit for emitting a high energy density beam onto a welded portion on a target object; and a molten metal droplet jetting unit for generating molten metal droplets to transfer or spray the molten metal droplets onto the welded portion on the target object, which follows a path of the beam emitting unit. Thus, it has advantages of widening a range of applications and enhancing the productivity and the quality in that a welding can be performed at a high junction efficiency even where a gap is wide, a loss in the high density energy beam is small, and heat distortions of the welded portion can be minimized.

Abstract: A method and system are disclosed for beam welding two members made of a metallic material. The method comprising placing a first shim along a weld joint faying surface between the two members of the metallic material, placing a second shim along the weld joint faying surface between the two members of the metallic material and at a distance from the first shim to create a first vent path between the first and the second shim and beam welding the members of the metallic material with the shim to create a porosity free weld.

Abstract: A method of making an electronic label including a chip (1) provided with two contact strips (2, 3) onto which a conducting wire (4) is welded in a single operation. The segment of conducting wire (4) forming the antenna is then cut between the two contact strips (2, 3) of chip (1). The group of chip and antenna thus realized may then be encapsulated between two sheets of a fibrous or plastic material.

Abstract: An energy beam assisted solid-state welding welds a wire material to a substrate. A wire of coating or repairing material is placed in contact with a surface or surfaces of a substrate. A beam is directed into an outer flat surface of the wire, which heats the wire through flat outer surface of the wire with beam energy. Beam energy produces compression stress-waves that drive molecules of the material flat wire into a surface of the substrate, joining the material and the substrate with strong wave shaped interfaces.

Abstract: A laser welding material and laser welding method which can satisfactorily weld resin members of different resin materials that have no or little adhesive property is provided and includes a set of resin materials constituting a first resin member, a second resin member and a third resin member in which the first resin member and the second resin member are different materials and the first resin member does not absorb laser light and which is used for laser-welding the three members by overlapping the third resin member with the first and second resin members and irradiating laser light to the three members from the first resin member side, and a layer welding method.

Abstract: A welding device includes at least one beam-reflecting side element arranged so as to reflect at least a part of a high energy density beam towards a region in which a weld joint is to be generated in a piece of material, wherein the beam-reflecting side element protrudes from a surface of said piece of material.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reusable mandrel and method of using the mandrel in a SFFF process. A thermally conductive feature is located on the surface of the mandrel. The mandrel does not bond to the deposited part so that it may be easily removed without damaging either the mandrel or the deposited part. The present invention further enables the manufacture of components where the deposition surface is produced to precision, net shape geometries.

Abstract: A fuel channel according to example embodiments for a nuclear reactor may have an elongated and hollow body with a multi-layer structure. The multi-layer structure may include a core layer and at least one cladding layer metallurgically-bonded to the core layer. The core layer and the at least one cladding layer may be alloys having different compositions. For instance, the core layer may be significantly more resistant to irradiation growth and/or irradiation creep than the at least one cladding layer, and the at least one cladding layer may have an increased resistance to hydrogen absorption and/or corrosion relative to the core layer. Accordingly, the distortion of the fuel channel may be reduced or prevented, thus reducing or preventing the interference with the movement of the control blade.

Abstract: When laser beam welding one or more work pieces faults may occur, which lead to unacceptable losses in quality. A check process is provided, which reliably recognizes seam faults in a seam which is introduced into one or more workpieces by means of laser beam welding. Characteristic signals are detected from the region of the seam using a sensor and compared with an index value or set value, and only signals are taken into consideration which are detected in a characteristic time interval following the laser beam welding, which begins, at the earliest, following the solidification of the seam.

Abstract: The invention relates to an assembly (1) and a method for producing the latter, with a first and second part (2, 3), the first part (2, 3) of which is cold formed and the parts (2, 3) with parallel surface parts (20, 21) and mounting surfaces running at an angle to the latter are provided for arranging them relative to one another without a gap and are joined together at the joint (16) by a weld (17) produced by beam welding. The surface parts (20, 21) are arranged offset relative to one another by an offset (19). One of the parts (2, 3) comprises a mounting projection (6), which forms the mounting surface of the first part (2). The parts (2, 3) are positioned relative to one another so that the second part (3) forms the joint (16) with the first part (2) in the section of the first part (2) at which the dislocation density of the base material is lower than the dislocation density of the joint in a deformation area (18) on the first part (2) produced by cold forming.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembly of small structures is disclosed. The present invention discloses electron beams created from one or more nanotips in an array operated in a field emission mode that can be controlled to apply heat to very well defined spots. The multiple electron beams may be generated and deflected and applied to electron beam heating and welding applications.

Abstract: An improved nozzle apparatus and method of manufacture are provided in which non-compatible components (such as a metallurgically non-weld-compatible nozzle tip and seal) may be secured/attached. For example, the apparatus and method may comprise securing a seal between a first portion of a nozzle tip and a retention ring. The retention ring may comprise a material that is weld-compatible with the nozzle tip and may be welded to the nozzle tip whereas the seal may be non-compatible with the nozzle tip. As a result, the materials of the nozzle tip and the seal may be chosen substantially without regard to their compatibility.

Abstract: An exhaust gas filter for cleaning an exhaust gas of an internal combustion engine includes at least one strip-shaped filter layer made of a material through which a fluid can at least partly flow. The filter layer has a length in a longitudinal direction and a width in a transverse direction. The filter layer has a metallic reinforcing region at least in a partial region. The metallic reinforcing region has a width and a length. The width of the reinforcing region is less than the width of the filter layer and/or the length of the reinforcing region is less than the length of the filter layer. A method for producing a filter layer for an exhaust gas filter is also provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for processing workpieces by relative displacement of a plurality of simultaneously operating functional elements in relation to the workpieces being worked on is provided. The present apparatus includes a device for the mounting of the functional elements, characterized in that the device has apparatus for keeping the functional elements constantly in their operative position in relation to their workpiece section presently to be processed on the processing path by altering their position during a relative displacement with any desired change of direction. A method for tracing a processing path is also provided. The method includes tracing a processing path by a plurality of functional units arranged in succession one behind another in the path direction and moved along the path. The functional units are aligned on the path independently of each other by positioning means individually assigned to them.

Abstract: A workpiece supply device for an electron beam processing device is provided that can reduce the cycle times for changing a workpiece using a multi-functional workpiece holding device.

Abstract: An apparatus and method may be used for welding a first panel to a second panel, the first panel having an inboard side partially contacting the second panel and an opposite outboard side. The apparatus has a welding beam generator. The apparatus reduces a pressure along the inboard side of the panel relative to an adjacent pressure along the outboard side so as to produce inward deflection of the first panel along a first portion of the first panel not contacting the second panel relative to a second portion. The apparatus has locates, based on said deflection, at least one of said first portion or said second portion.

Abstract: Positive and negative electrode plates, after being dried, are layered alternately upon one another with intervening separators therebetween to constitute electrode plate groups. These electrode plate groups are transferred in succession from one to another of a plurality of preliminary chambers, which are respectively constructed to be able to create vacuum of various levels and arranged so that the vacuum level is gradually increased, and finally introduced into a processing chamber in which the vacuum level is highest, where the welding of collector plates to the electrode plate groups is performed with an electronic beam irradiating device. After that, the electrode plate groups are taken out through a post-processing chamber.

Abstract: Thermally dissimilar glass fibers are fusion spliced by pretreating the cleaved end surface of the high-temperature fiber to provide a smooth surface for making good contact with the low-temperature fiber. The fibers are heated to a temperature that is high enough to soften the low-temperature fiber but not the high-temperature fiber and brought in contact to form the fusion joint.

Abstract: In a welding machine and welding method, for welding cylinder members together about an outside diameter, which prevents the cylinder members from being deformed and corrects the deformation of a portion to be welded, a laser beam, generated by a laser generator, is dispersed in two directions by a spectroscope. The laser beams focus on an outer cylinder member using two optical heads, respectively, in a plane perpendicular to a center axis of outer cylinder member. The optical heads are separated from each other by approximately 90 degrees in the plane. The outer and inner cylinder members are welded to each other in the circular direction using laser beams. Therefore, directions, in which the cylinder members are deformed due to the laser beams, are perpendicular to each other creating uniform radial deformation.

Abstract: A low-cost approach is provided for forming a low splice loss, low back reflection loss and mechanically robust angle-fusion splice between a standard silica fiber and a low-temperature non-silica glass fiber. This is accomplished by angle cleaving the silica fiber, square cleaving the non-silica fiber and then asymmetrically heating the fibers to form an angle fusion splice. A matched angle at the end of the non-silica fiber is generated in situ during the splicing process. The tip of the angle-cleaved silica fiber may be polished flat back to the edge of the core to reduce the range of motion of the non-silica fiber during splicing thereby further reducing splice loss and enhancing the mechanical strength of the joint.

Abstract: A method facilitates manufacturing a combustor for a gas turbine engine. The combustor includes an inner and an outer liner, a dome, and flanges. The method comprises assembling the inner and outer liner such that each includes a series of liner panels, positioning a spatter shield against a downstream side of the inner and outer liners, wherein the spatter shield comprises molybdenum, positioning a mounting flange against the downstream side of the inner and outer liners, such that the spatter shield is positioned at least partially between the mounting flange and the inner and outer liners, and coupling the mounting flange to the inner and outer liners.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for assembly of small structures is disclosed. The present invention discloses electron beams created from one or more nanotips in an array operated in a field emission mode that can be controlled to apply heat to very well defined spots. The multiple electron beams may be generated and deflected and applied to electron beam heating and welding applications.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of welded tubes is provided. The tube bodies are produced in a press or rounding apparatus and are fed to a welding machine, such as a laser or electron beam type welding machine. The tube is formed when the edges of the tube bodies are welded together. The method includes the transfer of the tube bodies from the press or rounding apparatus to the draw-in of the welding machine. One or more transfers modules, each having a separate drive, are used to convey the tube bodies. The one or more transfer modules, which are operated by a common control arrangement, are controlled so that the intermittently formed tube bodies are presented at the draw-in to the welding machine in as nearly continuous a sequence as possible.