A vehicle drivetrain assembly, and method for making the assembly, including first and second torque transmitting members, one of which is made of aluminum and the other of which is made of steel, and being joined by an electromagnetic pulse weld progressively applied along a radial direction relative to a central axis of the assembly.

A system for joining articles includes a joining unit; a positioning unit coupled to the joining unit, the positioning unit positioning the joining unit; a vision system obtaining an image of an item to be joined on a workpiece; a controller for processing the image and controlling a position of the joining unit relative to the item to be joined in response to the image; and a temperature probe for monitoring a temperature; wherein the controller adjusts the position of the joining unit in response to the temperature.

A system for joining articles includes a joining unit; a positioning unit coupled to the joining unit, the positioning unit positioning the joining unit; a vision system obtaining an image of an item to be joined on a workpiece; a controller for processing the image and controlling a position of the joining unit relative to the item to be joined in response to the image; and a temperature probe for monitoring a temperature; wherein the controller adjusts the position of the joining unit in response to the temperature.

A method for producing a cavity valve is provided. The method includes providing a valve body which has a cavity in the interior. The valve body has a circular opening having an opening edge surface on a bottom side. A circular valve cover with a cover edge surface is provided. Inductive heating of at least one of the opening edge surface or the cover edge surface takes place and then welding the valve body to the valve cover by friction welding of the opening edge surface to the cover edge surface.

A method for producing a cavity valve is provided. The method includes providing a valve body which has a cavity in the interior. The valve body has a circular opening having an opening edge surface on a bottom side. A circular valve cover with a cover edge surface is provided. Inductive heating of at least one of the opening edge surface or the cover edge surface takes place and then welding the valve body to the valve cover by friction welding of the opening edge surface to the cover edge surface.

A railway rail induction-welding device is provided which includes a device support and a railway rail alignment means for aligning opposing railway rails in three mutually perpendicular directions, the railway rail alignment means being supported by the device support. The railway rail alignment means includes first and second railway-rail clamping elements to horizontally and longitudinally align the opposing railway rails when gripped by the first and second railway-rail clamping elements, with at least one of the first and second railway-rail clamping elements being movably supported by the device support, and a vertical lifting means for moving each railway-rail clamping element vertically to align the opposing railway rails. A railway rail clamping and lifting module, a vehicle a railway rail induction-welding device, and a method of inductively welding opposing railway rails together are also provided.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a component of a composite material comprising a metal matrix and incorporated intermetallic phases, which method comprises providing powders of at least one member of the group which comprises pure chemical elements, alloys, chemical compounds and material composites, the powder corresponding overall to the chemical composition which the composite material to be produced is intended to have, each individual powder being different to the chemical composition of the composite material to be produced, compacting the powders, bonding the powders to one another to form a unit and thermoplastically shaping the unit.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a component of a composite material comprising a metal matrix and incorporated intermetallic phases, which method comprises providing powders of at least one member of the group which comprises pure chemical elements, alloys, chemical compounds and material composites, the powder corresponding overall to the chemical composition which the composite material to be produced is intended to have, each individual powder being different to the chemical composition of the composite material to be produced, compacting the powders, bonding the powders to one another to form a unit and thermoplastically shaping the unit.

Metallization of semiconductor substrates using a laser beam, and the resulting structures, e.g., micro-electronic devices, semiconductor substrates and/or solar cells, solar cell circuit, solar cell strings, and solar cell arrays are described. A solar cell string can include a plurality of solar cells. The plurality of solar cells can include a substrate and a plurality of semiconductor regions disposed in or above the substrate. A plurality of conductive contact structures is electrically connected to the plurality semiconductor regions. Each conductive contact structure includes a locally deposited metal portion disposed in contact with a corresponding one of the semiconductor regions.

In certain embodiments, inductive heating is added to a metal working process, such as a welding process, by an induction heating head. The induction heating head may be adapted specifically for this purpose, and may include one or more coils to direct and place the inductive energy, protective structures, and so forth. Productivity of a welding process may be improved by the application of heat from the induction heating head. The heating is in addition to heat from a welding arc, and may facilitate application of welding wire electrode materials into narrow grooves and gaps, as well as make the processes more amenable to the use of certain compositions of welding wire, shielding gasses, flux materials, and so forth. In addition, distortion and stresses are reduced by the application of the induction heating energy in addition to the welding arc source.