An assembly to connect together first and second sheet members. The assembly includes a pressure device that applies pressure to the sheet members while the sheet members are in an overlapping arrangement and positioned on a support platform. A sensing system that includes one or more thin film pressure sensors detects the positions of the leading and trailing edges. A connection device connects the members together in an overlapping arrangement.

An assembly to connect together first and second sheet members. The assembly includes a pressure device that applies pressure to the sheet members while the sheet members are in an overlapping arrangement and positioned on a support platform. A sensing system that includes one or more thin film pressure sensors detects the positions of the leading and trailing edges. A connection device connects the members together in an overlapping arrangement.

A method is used to manufacture an end effector of a surgical instrument. The end effector includes first and second opposing jaws. The first jaw includes a body and an elongate cap. The method includes providing the elongate cap and the body of the first jaw of the end effector. The body includes an elongate channel and at least one alignment feature. The method also includes aligning the elongate cap with the elongate channel that extends completely through the body using the at least one alignment feature of the body that is disposed adjacent the elongate channel. The method also includes welding the elongate cap onto the body to at least partially enclose the elongate channel.

A method is used to manufacture an end effector of a surgical instrument. The end effector includes first and second opposing jaws. The first jaw includes a body and an elongate cap. The method includes providing the elongate cap and the body of the first jaw of the end effector. The body includes an elongate channel and at least one alignment feature. The method also includes aligning the elongate cap with the elongate channel that extends completely through the body using the at least one alignment feature of the body that is disposed adjacent the elongate channel. The method also includes welding the elongate cap onto the body to at least partially enclose the elongate channel.

Various methods are provided to produce welded structures resistant to hydrogen induced cracking (HIC), improve wear resistance, reduce manufacturing steps including pre/post weld treatments, and improving corrosion resistance. Exemplary methods include using exothermic reactive powder mixtures on as-welded hot surface(s) during weld cooling which generate rapid exothermic reaction melting and hydrogen removal which results in reduction of hydrogen, creation of a wear/corrosion prevention or reduction layer, and a reduction of residual stresses effect in the weld initially formed in initial welding. Alternative embodiments can also employ post cooling re-heating and application of one or more alternative methods using exothermic reactive powders.

A welding device includes a welding torch having an electrode, an oscillation assembly having an oscillation shaft, and a connection member. The welding torch is affixed to the connection member at a first point and the oscillation shaft is affixed to the connection member at a second point. An extension of the axis of the oscillation shaft intersects with the axis of the welding torch at an intersection point. The distance from the intersection point to the tip of the electrode is less than a distance from the first point on the connection member to the tip of the electrode. During operation, the oscillation in the oscillation shaft is transferred through the connection member to the welding torch and causes pendulum type oscillations in the welding torch with the intersection point serving as the pivot point of the oscillation.

A structural member includes a top sheet portion which has a first edge portion and a second edge portion facing the first edge portion, a wall portion which extends from the second edge portion in a direction intersecting the top sheet portion, and a closed cross-sectional portion which is provided in the first edge portion, in which the first edge portion is curved toward an inside of the top sheet portion in a plan view with respect to the top sheet portion, and when a distance from the first edge portion to the second edge portion of the structural member is referred to as a structural member width, the closed cross-sectional portion forms a closed cross section on a vertical cut plane of the structural member along a direction of the structural member width, the vertical cut plane of the structural member along the direction of the structural member width has an open cross section, and a shape of the vertical cut plane of the structural member including the closed cross-sectional portion is asymmetric with respect to a center of a length of the structural member width.

The present invention discloses a control device and method for formation of a weld seam based on frontal visual sensing of a weld pool. In the present disclosure, structural light is adopted to irradiate the concave surface of the weld pool, and a visual sensor is adopted to acquire corresponding structured light images. The weld pool depression feature is acquired through image processing. The welding current is adjusted in real time to maintain the weld pool depression feature constant, and thus the uniform backside width of the weld seam can be acquired to achieve uniform and consistent penetration of the weld seam. The present disclosure only relies on the structural light information on the topside of the weld pool to achieve the control of formation of the weld seam and can be applied to the filler-wire-free DC gas tungsten arc welding of tight butt joints.

The present invention discloses a control device and method for formation of a weld seam based on frontal visual sensing of a weld pool. In the present disclosure, structural light is adopted to irradiate the concave surface of the weld pool, and a visual sensor is adopted to acquire corresponding structured light images. The weld pool depression feature is acquired through image processing. The welding current is adjusted in real time to maintain the weld pool depression feature constant, and thus the uniform backside width of the weld seam can be acquired to achieve uniform and consistent penetration of the weld seam. The present disclosure only relies on the structural light information on the topside of the weld pool to achieve the control of formation of the weld seam and can be applied to the filler-wire-free DC gas tungsten arc welding of tight butt joints.

An additive manufacturing system includes an additive manufacturing tool configured to supply a plurality of droplets to a part, a temperature control device configured to control a temperature of the part, and a controller configured to control the composition, formation, and application of each droplet to the plurality of droplets to the part independent from control of the temperature of the part via the temperature control device. The plurality of droplets is configured to build up the part. Each droplet of the plurality of droplets includes at least one metallic anchoring material.