A torque converter includes a cover having a first surface and an annular plate axially spaced from the cover and having a second surface facing the first surface. A disc of the torque converter is disposed between the cover and the plate and has opposing first and second faces adjacent to the first and second surfaces, respectfully. Each of the faces defines a projection joined to one of the first and second surfaces by at least one capacitive discharge weld.

A torque converter includes a cover having a first surface and an annular plate axially spaced from the cover and having a second surface facing the first surface. A disc of the torque converter is disposed between the cover and the plate and has opposing first and second faces adjacent to the first and second surfaces, respectfully. Each of the faces defines a projection joined to one of the first and second surfaces by at least one capacitive discharge weld.

Hybrid manual and automated welding systems and methods are described. A hand-held welding tool is manually positioned to engage a workpiece. The hand-held welding tool includes a motion device that is configured to automatically move a contact tip or a welding heat source during a welding operation after a manual triggering. A welding arc is automatically and repeatedly turned off and on to make a string of overlapping and equally spaced spot welds while the contact tip or the welding heat source moves from the first position to the second position.

Hybrid manual and automated welding systems and methods are described. A hand-held welding tool is manually positioned to engage a workpiece. The hand-held welding tool includes a motion device that is configured to automatically move a contact tip or a welding heat source during a welding operation after a manual triggering. A welding arc is automatically and repeatedly turned off and on to make a string of overlapping and equally spaced spot welds while the contact tip or the welding heat source moves from the first position to the second position.

A welding system includes a welder configured to create an assembly by forming a weld-joint, a test-device configured to produce test-data indicative of a characteristic of the weld-joint, and a controller-circuit in communication with the welder and the test-device. The controller-circuit is configured to determine whether the welder-process-data violates a quality-metric and determine a number of violating-weld-joints.

A welding system includes a welder configured to create an assembly by forming a weld-joint, a test-device configured to produce test-data indicative of a characteristic of the weld-joint, and a controller-circuit in communication with the welder and the test-device. The controller-circuit is configured to determine whether the welder-process-data violates a quality-metric and determine a number of violating-weld-joints.

In a vehicle to which the present joining structure of vehicle steel plates is applied, a third welded portion is set between a first welded portion and a second welded portion, wherein at the first welded portion, a pillar outer rear flange, an SM outer rear flange, a pillar inner rear flange are joined to one another; and at the second welded portion, the pillar outer rear flange and the pillar inner rear flange are joined to each other. At the third welded portion, the pillar outer rear flange and the SM outer rear flange are joined to each other. Accordingly, a tensile load F acting on the pillar outer rear flange is distributed toward the SM outer rear flange side.

In a vehicle to which the present joining structure of vehicle steel plates is applied, a third welded portion is set between a first welded portion and a second welded portion, wherein at the first welded portion, a pillar outer rear flange, an SM outer rear flange, a pillar inner rear flange are joined to one another; and at the second welded portion, the pillar outer rear flange and the pillar inner rear flange are joined to each other. At the third welded portion, the pillar outer rear flange and the SM outer rear flange are joined to each other. Accordingly, a tensile load F acting on the pillar outer rear flange is distributed toward the SM outer rear flange side.

A multi-material component joined by a high entropy alloy is provided, as well as methods of making a multi-material component by joining materials with high entropy alloys to reduce or eliminate liquid metal embrittlement (LME) cracks.

A multi-material component joined by a high entropy alloy is provided, as well as methods of making a multi-material component by joining materials with high entropy alloys to reduce or eliminate liquid metal embrittlement (LME) cracks.