The present disclosure provides a method for printing at least a portion of a three-dimensional (3D) object adjacent to a support. The method may comprise receiving in computer memory a computational representation of the 3D object. Subsequent to receiving the computational representation of the 3D object, at least one feedstock may be directed through a feeder towards the support. Upon directing the at least one feedstock through the feeder, electrical current may be flowed through the at least one feedstock and into the support. The at least one feedstock may be subjected to Joule heating upon flow of electrical current through the at least one feedstock, which may be sufficient to melt at least a portion of the at least one feedstock. The at least the portion of the at least one feedstock may be deposited adjacent to the support in accordance with the computational representation of the 3D object.

A radially slotted welding electrode is disclosed that may be used in conjunction with a companion second welding electrode to conduct resistance spot welding on a workpiece stack-up assembly that includes a steel workpiece and an overlapping adjacent aluminum workpiece, especially when an intermediate organic material layer is disposed between the workpiece faying surfaces of the steel and aluminum workpieces. The radially slotted welding electrode includes a weld face that has a central upstanding plateau and a convex dome portion that surrounds the central upstanding plateau and which includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced trapezoidal weld face sections that include transverse upstanding arcuate ridges. Together, the central upstanding plateau and the trapezoidal weld face sections of the convex dome portion define an annular channel that surrounds the central plateau and a plurality of radial slots that communicate with and extend outwards from the central channel.

A radially slotted welding electrode is disclosed that may be used in conjunction with a companion second welding electrode to conduct resistance spot welding on a workpiece stack-up assembly that includes a steel workpiece and an overlapping adjacent aluminum workpiece, especially when an intermediate organic material layer is disposed between the workpiece faying surfaces of the steel and aluminum workpieces. The radially slotted welding electrode includes a weld face that has a central upstanding plateau and a convex dome portion that surrounds the central upstanding plateau and which includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced trapezoidal weld face sections that include transverse upstanding arcuate ridges. Together, the central upstanding plateau and the trapezoidal weld face sections of the convex dome portion define an annular channel that surrounds the central plateau and a plurality of radial slots that communicate with and extend outwards from the central channel.

A rotation arm has, at its one end, a pair of first slits configured to guide associated protrusions of the other one of removing members such that the removing members are separated from each other in the center axis direction by pressing both of nails downward with a large-diameter portion of a welding gun to rotate the rotation arm. A body frame has a second guide configured to guide the rotation arm such that when the rotation arm rotates, a central portion of each removing member between the associated protrusions moves along the center axis.

An apparatus for interchanging welding tips of a spot welding gun. The apparatus replaces a welding tip installed in a robot arm and includes welding tip removal componentry combined with the robot arm, welding tip mounting structure combined with one side of the welding tip removal componentry, and a welding tip supply spaced apart from the welding gun at a specific distance and configured to supply a welding tip to the welding tip mounting componentry.

A fill level detection device for electrode cap magazines of welding electrodes includes at least one electrode cap channel disposed in the electrode cap magazine. At least one cap conveyor is disposed in a linearly movable manner, is preferably spring-loaded, is disposed in the electrode cap channel and moves the electrode caps contained in the electrode cap channel toward a removal opening for access by a welding gun. The electrode cap channel has a mechanically connected element which serves as a measuring surface and has an attached and/or fixed side on which a sensor for measuring a distance is disposed. The sensor projects a measuring beam onto the measuring surface to measure the distance between the sensor and the measuring surface, which enables the exact number of electrode caps contained in the electrode cap magazine to be determined by evaluating the distance measured by the sensor.

A method for operating a welding device for resistance welding includes carrying out a verification measurement by moving electrodes of the welding device toward one another and measuring a force in combination with measuring a distance between the electrodes. Electrode wear is ascertained by using the measured distance. The electrodes or component parts of the electrodes are changed or cleaned depending on the ascertained electrode wear.

The present disclosure provides a welding electrode and methods of manufacturing the same. The welding electrode can include a composite body having a tip portion and an end portion. The composite body can include a shell defining a cavity through the end portion, the shell comprising a first metal that includes one or more of the following: a precipitation hardened copper alloy, copper alloy, and carbon steel. The composite body can also include a core within the shell, the core extending through the shell from the tip portion to the cavity, the core comprising a second metal that includes dispersion strengthened copper. The core and the shell have a metallurgical bond formed from co-extrusion.

The present disclosure provides a welding electrode and methods of manufacturing the same. The welding electrode can include a composite body having a tip portion and an end portion. The composite body can include a shell defining a cavity through the end portion, the shell comprising a first metal that includes one or more of the following: a precipitation hardened copper alloy, copper alloy, and carbon steel. The composite body can also include a core within the shell, the core extending through the shell from the tip portion to the cavity, the core comprising a second metal that includes dispersion strengthened copper. The core and the shell have a metallurgical bond formed from co-extrusion.

The present disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a composite material. The method can include compacting a copper alloy powder into a plurality of substantially uniform compressed sub-assemblies such that the copper alloy powder has a density that is greater than 50%. The plurality of compressed sub-assemblies can be layered relative one another within an aperture of a shell, the plurality of compressed sub-assemblies to form a consecutive assembly of compacted copper alloy. The shell may include one of the following: a precipitation hardened copper alloy, copper alloy, and carbon steel. The consecutive assembly can be sealed within the shell to form a billet. The billet can be hot-extruded to form a rod, and the extruded rod can be further drawn to form a composite wire of a desired diameter. The composite wire may be used to create a composite welding electrode.