A bonding system is used for bonding a cover sheet to a core to form or repair a dual wall structure. The bonding system includes a plurality of bonding probes and controller circuitry. The bonding probes include a three dimensional (3D) contoured tip configured to align with a predetermined area of a 3D contoured cover sheet of a dual wall structure. The controller circuitry comprises processor circuitry and sensor circuitry. The sensor circuitry provides a location of an area of the 3D contoured cover sheet for bonding. The processor circuitry identifies a bonding probe having a contacting area that aligns with the 3D contour of the cover sheet in the location provided by the sensor circuitry.

A modular vehicle assembly system and methods for increased flexibility and adaptability of a high-volume assembly facility which builds several vehicle models. In one example, the invention includes modular assembly equipment (AE) support pallets which are shipped to vendors for installation of selected AE equipment devices that are specific to a predetermined assembly operation and then validation tested prior to shipment to the assembly facility. The validated modular AE pallets and AE devices are then shipped to the assembly facility and quickly installed to support manufacturing, assembly or other operations.

The present invention relates to a device for blocking cooling water of a weld gun, the device preventing water leakage by blocking the cooling water leaking from the weld gun when a tip provided to the weld gun is replaced. The device for blocking the cooling water of the weld gun comprises: a first piston valve (23) connected to a first solenoid valve (17), operated by a signal of a control unit, so as to start operation according to a signal thereof, and receiving the cooling water from a cooling water inlet end; a main supply pipeline (23) of which one side is connected to a cooling water inlet pipe (27) of the weld gun and the other side is connected to an outlet end of the first piston valve (23); a second piston valve (29) operated by a first solenoid valve (15), and provided on a main discharge pipeline (31) so as to cut off the cooling water discharged or allow the same to pass therethrough; a suction means (35) for suctioning the cooling water filled in the pipeline by means of vacuum and holding the same when the weld gun tip is removed such that the pipeline is opened; and a pressure sensor (49) for sensing that the weld gun tip is separated and the pressure of the pipeline instantly drops so as to drive a circuit, thereby sensing an instant change in fluid pressure; and a cleaning means (47) for removing scales and foreign substances accumulated inside the weld gun, using spraying of air pressure.

A resistance spot welding electrode cap contains a groove at the center of the welding contact interface. During welding, because of the groove, the area of contact between the electrode cap and a metal workpiece to be soldered is reduced. In the initial stage, the overall heat generation is concentrated on the outer ring of the weld point and heat dissipation becomes slower, helping a weld nugget to form from the outside to the inside. Due to the presence of the groove, the metal workpiece expands toward the groove at the center of the electrode, thereby increasing the size of the weld nugget and reducing splash and deformation. In comparison with conventional electrode caps, the welding current required to form weld points of the same size is lower, saving on electricity costs, and weld points obtained using the same current have higher strength and stability with fewer welding defects.

A welding assembly including a current generator, a first electrode electrically coupled to the current generator, the first electrode including a first engagement surface, a second electrode electrically coupled to the current generator, the second electrode including a second engagement surface, a width-determining fixture positioned between the first electrode and the second electrode to define a welding volume having a width, and an electrically nonconductive material positioned to electrically insulate at least one of the first electrode and the second electrode from an electrical conductor outside the width.

A welding tip inspection apparatus and method to more accurately inspect dressing quality and a foreign object attachment regarding a front end of a welding tip using a color sensing technique is provided. The welding tip inspection apparatus includes an inspection block on which a front end of a welding tip is mounted, a color sensor that is disposed within the inspection block, that is configured to irradiate light to the front end of the welding tip and that is configured to receive the reflected light from the front end of the welding tip. A controller is configured to analyze a wavelength of each color of the reflected light received by the color sensor.

A laser welding method according to the present disclosure includes a step in which a third material is interposed between a first material and a second material, which are made of the same type of metal so as to be weldable to one another, and at least one of which is provided with a protruding portion, wherein the third material is difficult to weld to the first material and the second material and has a through-hole portion into which the protruding portion is inserted. The method also includes a step in which, when the third material is interposed between the first material and the second material, a region corresponding to the protruding portion is irradiated with a laser beam from the first material side, and the first material and the second material are welded via the through-hole portion. In the step in which the third material is interposed between the first material and the second material, a first gap is provided between the protruding portion and the inner peripheral face of the through-hole portion, and a second gap corresponding to the plate thickness of the first material is provided between the first material and the second material in the region corresponding to the protruding portion.

A laser welding method according to the present disclosure includes a step in which a third material is interposed between a first material and a second material, which are made of the same type of metal so as to be weldable to one another, and at least one of which is provided with a protruding portion, wherein the third material is difficult to weld to the first material and the second material and has a through-hole portion into which the protruding portion is inserted. The method also includes a step in which, when the third material is interposed between the first material and the second material, a region corresponding to the protruding portion is irradiated with a laser beam from the first material side, and the first material and the second material are welded via the through-hole portion. In the step in which the third material is interposed between the first material and the second material, a first gap is provided between the protruding portion and the inner peripheral face of the through-hole portion, and a second gap corresponding to the plate thickness of the first material is provided between the first material and the second material in the region corresponding to the protruding portion.

A welding electrode includes a weld face that has a convex base weld face surface and a plurality of ringed ridges that are radially spaced apart on the base weld face surface and surround a central weld face axis. The plurality of ringed ridges including an innermost ringed ridge and an outermost ringed ridge. The innermost ringed ridge is located closest to the central weld face axis and rises above a central portion of the base weld face surface, and the outermost ringed ridge is located farthest from the central weld face axis and rises above an outer peripheral portion of the base weld face surface. At least one of the plurality of ringed ridges is a discontinuous ringed ridge.

A method of securing a first component part and a second component part together, the method comprising providing an electrically conductive member between a first surface of the first component part and a facing first surface of the second component part and securing the first and second components together by passing a current through the electrically conductive member. The electrically conductive member may comprise a first portion connectable to a source of current and a second portion electrically connected to the first portion and comprising a plurality of sub-conductive members. The electrically conductive member may be distributed across at least 50% of the surface area of the first surface of the first component part.