Abstract: A system and method for automatically joining a cut blank has a mandrel and clamps to conform the cut blank to the mandrel. The clamps include band clamps and pad clamps that pivot about axes that are obliquely angled with respect to the centerline of the mandrel. The clamp axes on one side of the centerline are a mirror image to the clamp axes on the other side. The cut blank has a line of symmetry and is clamped to the centerline of the mandrel with a locator bar. The clamps are then moved to a clamped position. In the clamped position, one edge of the cut blank meets another edge, and a robotic welder joins the edges.

Abstract: Provided is a submerged arc welding method for a steel plate. In welding the steel plate from an internal surface or an external surface by a submerged arc welding, welding condition is set such that, a cross-sectional area of internal weld metal S1 and a cross-sectional area of external weld metal S2 satisfy the formula (1), the formula (2), and the formula (3), that is, 0.40?(S1+S2)/t2?0.80 . . . (1), S1/t2?0.35 . . . (2), and S2/t2?0.45 . . . (3), wherein t is a plate thickness of the steel plate (mm), S1 is a cross-sectional area of the internal weld metal (mm2) excluding the cross-sectional area of a portion of the internal weld metal overlapping with the external weld metal after external welding, and S2 is a cross-sectional area of the external weld metal (mm2).

Abstract: [Problems] To provide a process for producing a thermal sprayed, metal plated steel tube having a metal layer substantially uniform and favorable over the whole surface in a highly productive manner. [Means for solving] A process for producing a metal tube comprising continuously forming a metal plate composed of a first component into a tubular shape and continuously welding its butted ends to form the metal tube, wherein, after the continuous welding, a metal layer composed of a second component which is different from the first component is formed by thermal spraying directly over the surface of the metal tube, the metal layer having no discontinuities in the circumferential and lengthwise directions. Especially it is preferred that the process comprises a process step of making the thickness distribution of the metal layer more uniform after formation of the thermal sprayed metal layer over the external surface.

Abstract: A method for producing a longitudinally welded hollow profile from a sheet metal blank having defined longitudinal edges, in which the sheet metal blank is initially preformed into an open seam profile with the aid of at least two tool parts allows for the economical production of accurately formed hollow profiles. This is achieved in that to produce the open seam profile, the sheet metal blank, by a change in the relative position of the tools parts, is placed freely around a mandrel positioned between the tool parts and extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet metal blank, the outer shape of which mandrel determines the inner shape of the hollow profile to be produced, and in that the shaping of the open seam profile obtained is then completed in one or more stages in each case by a further change of the relative position of the tool parts.

Abstract: A beam for a measuring machine is constituted by a plurality of extruded beam elements, which are set alongside one another and welded together so that each forms a portion of the cross section of the beam itself; the beam elements and the beam have a hollow section shaped like an equilateral triangle.

Abstract: A method for producing a longitudinally welded hollow profile from a sheet metal blank having defined longitudinal edges, in which the sheet metal blank is initially preformed into an open seam profile with the aid of at least two tool parts allows for the economical production of accurately formed hollow profiles. This is achieved in that to produce the open seam profile, the sheet metal blank, by a change in the relative position of the tools parts, is placed freely around a mandrel positioned between the tool parts and extending in the longitudinal direction of the sheet metal blank, the outer shape of which mandrel determines the inner shape of the hollow profile to be produced, and in that the shaping of the open seam profile obtained is then completed in one or more stages in each case by a further change of the relative position of the tool parts.

Abstract: The present invention provides seam-welded, air hardenable steel tubes, methods of manufacturing seam-welded air hardenable steel tubes, tube mills for practicing such methods and applications for using seam-welded, air hardenable steel tubing of the present invention.

Abstract: In an apparatus and method for manufacturing an automotive beam for use as a beam in structural components of automobiles, the beam is provided with significant improvements in terms of torsional rigidity and yield strength. The beam improves the overall safety of passengers and maintains the simplicity of the manufacturing process. The apparatus (1) for manufacturing roll formed profile beams comprises a plurality of material dispensers (2,6), a first set of rollers (5), a second set of rollers (11), a first welding station (10) mounted between the two sets of rollers (5, 11) and a second welding station (12) at the outlet of the second set of rollers (11). The method of manufacturing roll formed profile beams comprises the steps of roll forming a first profile element followed by roll forming a second profile element enclosing the first profile element and forming a closed profile beam having an internal support structure.

Abstract: A pontoon including a substantially cylindrical member having a length in excess of about 14 feet and having no external circumferential welds intermediate the ends of the member and being substantially linear along its length axis.

Abstract: In a process for producing longitudinally welded tubes, a metal strip, which is continuously pulled from a supply, is gradually formed into a slit tube and the longitudinal slit of said slit tube is welded. The metal strip (2) is pulled through a plurality of drawing dies (8, 9, 10, 11) arranged one behind the other and having a diameter that decreases in production direction, and in each of the drawing dies (8, 9, 10, 11) is increasingly bent in circumferential direction. The slit tube is closed in a last forming step (15) immediately in front of the welding point.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for welding a shaft having an open seam defined between opposed longitudinal edges. The method comprising passing the shaft along its longitudinal axis through an array of pressure rollers which contact the surface of the shaft at a plurality of discrete points and compress the shaft by applying inwardly directed radial forces to the shaft. An electrical resistance welding assembly welds the seam while closed by the pressure rollers.

Abstract: The method for coating the seam of a welded tube of this invention includes applying a mixture of the desired protective metal coating in powdered form and a liquid flux over the internal surface of the welded seam with the welded seam located in a lower portion of the tube, then heating the welded seam to the melting temperature of the protective metal coating, melting the metal coating which flows over the seam forming an adherent metallurgical bond. The preferred apparatus includes a wand which extends between the opposed edges of the open seam tube in the welding apparatus and extends axially through the tube to overlie the welded seam spaced from the welding apparatus. The wand includes three conduits transmitting the powdered protective metal coating, liquid flux and nonoxidizing gas to the applicator which includes a nozzle which atomizes and sprays the liquid flux over the internal surface of the seam and which combines with the powdered protective metal coating to form a paste.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a wheel for a motor vehicle, in which a wheel spider and a rim ring are connected with one another by means of friction welding. At least one of these wheel parts consists of a magnesium alloy. The controlling of the speed of the start of the friction, of the friction and of the compression of the friction welding process, particularly of the deformation capacity, takes place as a function of physical characteristics of the magnesium alloy.

Abstract: To weld a workpiece rounded from plane metal sheet on a seam welding machine, the workpiece is introduced into a preform (7) whose internal shape is approximately the same as the workpiece. Stops (11, 12, 14) are used to fix the workpiece in place in the preform, and the workpiece is then moved together with the preform (7) towards the welding rollers and welded. To this end the preform (7) is arranged on a platform (6) which in its turn is arranged on a movable carriage (3) in the welding machine (1). Welding with the preform makes it possible to weld together any desired sheet metal workpieces, including those which are not uniformly rounded because, for example, they are formed from blanks incorporating recesses.

Abstract: An improved method of coating the welded seam of a metal tube comprising heating the weld area only of the metal tube to a first temperature which is less than the melting temperature of the protective metal coating, applying the protective metal coating over the seam and heating the entire tube preferably with a full body induction coil to a second temperature which is at least equal to the difference between the first temperature and the melting temperature of the metal coating, such that the temperature of the seam area is heated to a temperature equal to or greater than the melting temperature of the metal coating, whereby the metal coating firmly adheres to the welded seam.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of manufacturing stainless steel tubing, pipe and shafts by utilizing air hardenable stainless steel. Such pipe, tubing and shafts have the important characteristics of low weight, shaft flex, torque, bend point and strength and have many uses. The shafts include a plurality of air hardenable metal segments of selected length, thickness and shape that are assembled into a shaft. This assembly is subsequently contacted with a brazing material and then placed into a controlled, non-oxidative atmosphere furnace of a sufficient temperature such that the assembly is simultaneously brazed and hardened. The tubing can include having a brazed lock seam which provides strength. The present invention further provides reinforcing members that are also brazed within the shaft, tubing or pipe while the outer piece is hardened.

Abstract: The method of forming a seamed metal tube having a metal coating of this invention includes applying a metal coating to the upper face of a metal strip prior to welding. The strip is then formed into an open seam tube and welded, preferably in a non-oxidizing atmosphere with the seam preferably located in the lower portion of the tube. Finally, at least a lower portion of said tube is reheated with the seam located in the lower portion of the tube, thereby causing the metal coating to flow downwardly over the seam, coating the seam. In one embodiment, the strip is preformed into an arcuate shape and coated, wherein the metal coating increases in thickness toward the lateral strip edges, such that the coating will flow over the seam following welding. The inside coated seamed tube may also be immersed in a galvanizing or metal coating bath to coat the outside of the tube.

Abstract: In a method for sheathing a plastic tube with a metal sheathing, a metallic band (20) is laid around a plastic tube (14), the metallic band (20) comprising longitudinal edges (32) bent to a common side thereof, which are, when the metallic band (20) is laid around the plastic tube (14), in abutment and extend substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the plastic tube (14) and are welded together. The volume of the bent longitudinal edges (32) and the welding energy are chosen such that the metallic band (20) welded together at its longitudinal edges comprises, in the region of the longitudinal seam (46), an outer surface (50) lying substantially within the outer peripheral surface (48) of the metal sheathing after welding.

Abstract: The method of forming a coated seamed metal tube of this invention is particularly, but not exclusively adapted to existing continuous tube forming mills, wherein the tube is formed from a metal strip and welded with the seam located in an upper portion of the tube. In the process of this invention, at least one surface of the strip is coated with a metal coating prior to forming and welding. The tube is then turned to relocate the welded seam in a lower portion of the tube and the lower portion of the tube is then reheated to melt the metal coating and the metal coating then flows downwardly over and coating the welded seam. In the most preferred continuous or in line process of this invention, the tube is continuously spirally twisted following welding to locate the seam in a lower portion of the tube adjacent a heater and the tube is then heated by the heater to the melting temperature of the metal coating, causing the coating to coat the seam.

Abstract: The method of forming a seamed metal tube having a metal coating of this invention includes galvanizing the strip prior to welding. The strip is then formed into an open seam tube and welded in an inert atmosphere with the seam located in the lower portion of the tube. Finally, the metal coating is caused to flow downwardly over the seam, coating the seam by several means. In one embodiment, the strip is preformed into an arcuate shape and galvanized, wherein the zinc coating increases in thickness toward the lateral strip edges, such that the coating will flow over the seam following welding. The tube may also be reheated following welding, preferably in an enclosure containing an inert atmosphere which includes the weld apparatus. In another embodiment, an inert gas is directed over the inner and outer surfaces of the tube, adjacent the seam, driving the molten metal downwardly over the seam to coat the seam.

Abstract: A die-drawing and/or extrusion device is described for producing uniform and tapered metal and composite tubes from flatstock and for reducing the size of solid stock and formed tubes therefrom, and lamination of compatable materials in one operation. The die comprises opposed die elements having curved helical tracks or grooves which follow a central orifice through which the flatstock, solid stock, tubes, etc., are pulled and/or pushed. Wedge-shaped shaping and alignment elements are positioned in the helical tracks in contact with the dies to align the feedstock with the die orifice, and to prevent the metal sheet or tube, rod, etc., from being drawn in between the tangential surfaces of the dies. The extent of product taper is determined by the pull rate applied to the feedstock in conjunction with the rotational rate of the dies, which can be varied continuously.

Abstract: A method of lap welding an eventual can blank of a metal sheet or the like by passing a lap joint between the upper and lower roller electrodes via upper and lower wire electrodes to be heated and simultaneously applied pressure, thereby forming continuous thermal press bond sections, wherein the width of the contact surface of the upper and lower wire electrodes is set to three times the width of the lap joint, and the thermal press bond sections are formed by thermal press bonding without fusion, the center-to-center distance between adjacent thermal press bond sections being set to be in a range of 0.8.+-.0.2 mm.

Abstract: Disclosed is a coated welded can having a metal-exposed face inclusive of a seam covered with a coating, wherein the coating comprises at least one organic resin coating layer and at least one metal film, and at least the portion of the organic resin coating that adheres to the metal-exposed face is comprised of a copolymer of ethylene with a carbonyl group-containing, ethylenically unsaturated monomer or a blend containing this copolymer.In this coated welded can, the adhesion of the coating, the corrosion resistance of the seam and the appearance characteristics of the seam are highly improved. Furthermore, the coating of this welded can is not damaged by such processing as flanging, beading or double-seaming or when the welded can is subjected to the retort sterilization.

Abstract: A heat absorbing element formed from a single metal strip of substantially uniform thickness, comprising a tube having a wall comprising at least a double thickness of strip seamed along a line extending longitudinally of the tube to seal the tube for flow therethrough of a heat transfer fluid, and a fin along the tube stretching out from the seam line, the fin comprising at least one less thickness of strip than the tube wall. A method of manufacturing such an element is also disclosed.

Abstract: Metal cans are welded by frictional treatment of the materials joined. The treatment is provided by a rapidly rotating smooth hard friction tool e.g. wheel contacting a surface of the metal above the join while the parts joined are held in pressure contact by independent pressure exerting means and/or by the wheel itself. In the formation of can side-seams the wheel and the can are relatively traversed and a longitudinal continuous side-seam is formed which in the case of metal to metal joints is metallurgically homogeneous and may be characterized in that no signs of melting of the base metal are visible at the welded interfaces.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a flat heat-exchanger tube from thin, flexible metal strip material, comprising the steps of bending first and second longitudinal edge portions of the strip into an overlapping position over a central portion of said strip, bending the innermost edge portion in the vicinity of its edge at an angle to the remaining portion of said last mentioned edge portion to form a support flange and pressing said edge portions together under reaction from said central portion, via the support flange pressed thereagainst, while joining said longitudinal edge portion by means of soldering.

Abstract: The method of forming a seamed metal tube having a metal coating of this invention includes galvanizing the strip prior to welding. The strip is then formed into an open seam tube and welded in an inert atmosphere with the seam located in the lower portion of the tube. Finally, the metal coating is caused to flow downwardly over the seam, coating the seam by several means. In one embodiment, the strip is preformed into an arcuate shape and galvanized, wherein the zinc coating in creases in thickness toward the lateral strip edges, such that the coating will flow over the seam following welding. The tube may also be reheated following welding, preferably in an enclosure containing an inert atmosphere which includes the weld apparatus. In an other embodiment, an inert gas is directed over the inner and outer surfaces of the tube, adjacent the seam, driving the molten metal downwardly over the seam to coat the seam.