A method of inserting a rivet into a workpiece comprises moving the rivet and workpiece relative to one another, along a longitudinal axis of the rivet, so as to drive the rivet into the workpiece. The rivet is rotated about its longitudinal axis, relative to the workpiece, for at least part of the time during which it is in contact with the workpiece. The speed of said rotation, or the speed of movement along the longitudinal axis of the rivet, is altered at least once before driving of the rivet into the workpiece is complete. One axial end of the rivet has a tip for piercing the workpiece, and the rivet has a substantially cylindrical shank extending longitudinally from the tip. The shank has one or more surface irregularities.

An object is to provide a friction stir welding method and apparatus that provide sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow deficiency generated as a result of insufficient heating of workpieces. In friction stir welding for steel sheets (3,3) as workpieces, a pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) are inserted into a non-welded part from both one surface side and the other surface side of the steel sheets (3,3), the rotary tools move in a welding direction while rotating, and in addition, a preheating process for heating steel sheets (3,3) is performed by heating means (5) provided in front of the rotary tools (1,15). The configuration of the pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) and the surface temperature, area, position, and so forth of a heated region in the preheating process are strictly controlled.

An object is to provide a friction stir welding method and apparatus that provide sufficient strength and good welding workability by advantageously eliminating plastic flow deficiency generated as a result of insufficient heating of workpieces. In friction stir welding for steel sheets (3,3) as workpieces, a pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) are inserted into a non-welded part from both one surface side and the other surface side of the steel sheets (3,3), the rotary tools move in a welding direction while rotating, and in addition, a preheating process for heating steel sheets (3,3) is performed by heating means (5) provided in front of the rotary tools (1,15). The configuration of the pair of facing rotary tools (1,15) and the surface temperature, area, position, and so forth of a heated region in the preheating process are strictly controlled.

A method of bonding a first article to a second article, each article having a respective bond surface. The method comprises interposing a porous interlayer region between the bond surfaces of the first and second articles and subsequently using electrical resistance heating to locally heat the interlayer region under contact pressure to a bonding temperature below the melting temperature of the interlayer and the first and second articles to thereby bond the interlayer to the first and second articles to form a bonded article. The interlayer has a porosity of between approximately 10% and 30%.

A method of bonding a first article to a second article, each article having a respective bond surface. The method comprises interposing a porous interlayer region between the bond surfaces of the first and second articles and subsequently using electrical resistance heating to locally heat the interlayer region under contact pressure to a bonding temperature below the melting temperature of the interlayer and the first and second articles to thereby bond the interlayer to the first and second articles to form a bonded article. The interlayer has a porosity of between approximately 10% and 30%.

A process for electrically connecting contact surfaces of electronic components by capillary wedge bonding a round wire of 8 to 80 μm to the contact surface of a first electronic component, forming a wire loop, and stitch bonding the wire to the contact surface of a second electronic component, wherein the wire comprises a wire core having a silver or silver-based wire core with a double-layered coating comprised of a 1 to 50 nm thick inner layer of nickel or palladium and an adjacent 5 to 200 nm thick outer layer of gold.

A wire bonding apparatus of an aspect includes: a clamp apparatus, having a pair of arms; a stage, moving the clamp apparatus in a horizontal direction; a rod member; a contact detection part, detecting contact between the rod member and the clamp apparatus; and a control apparatus, controlling opening and closing of the pair of arms and an operation of the stage and acquiring position information of the clamp apparatus. The control apparatus obtains an opening amount of the pair of arms based on position information of the clamp apparatus at a time when an outer side surface of a first arm contacts the rod member in a state where the pair of arms are closed and position information of the clamp apparatus at the time when the outer side surface of the first arm contacts the rod member in a state where the pair of arms are open.

A production of voids between substrates is prevented when the substrates are bonded together, and the substrates are bonded together at a high positional precision while suppressing a strain. A method for bonding a first substrate and a second substrate includes a step of performing hydrophilization treatment to cause water or an OH containing substance to adhere to bonding surface of the first substrate and the bonding surface of the second substrate, a step of disposing the first substrate and the second substrate with the respective bonding surfaces facing each other, and bowing the first substrate in such a way that a central portion of the bonding surface protrudes toward the second substrate side relative to an outer circumferential portion of the bonding surface, a step of abutting the bonding surface of the first substrate with the bonding surface of the second substrate at the respective central portions, and a step of abutting the bonding surface of the first substrate with the bonding surface of the second substrate across the entirety of the bonding surfaces, decreasing a distance between the outer circumferential portion of the first substrate and an outer circumferential portion of the second substrate with the respective central portions abutting each other at a pressure that maintains a non-bonded condition.

Methods and process flows for diffusion bonding and forming metallic sheets are disclosed herein. The methods include stacking a first metallic sheet and a second metallic sheet to define a sheet stack. The methods further include creating a pneumatic seal between the first metallic sheet and the second metallic sheet to define a sealed sheet stack that defines a pneumatically isolated region. The methods also include increasing a surface area of the sealed sheet stack to define an expanded sheet stack. The methods further include compressing at least a portion of the expanded sheet stack to form a diffusion bond between a corresponding portion of the first metallic sheet and an opposed portion of the second metallic sheet thereby defining a diffusion bonded sheet stack.

A method of impact welding a flyer to a hollow component is provided. The method includes providing the component made of a first material and including a cavity where a weld site is disposed on a first side of the component. An incompressible material is packed against a second side of the component opposite the first side facing the cavity. A flyer made of a second material is positioned onto the weld site. The flyer is then impact welded to the component. The incompressible material prevents the deformation of the component during the impact welding. A method of impact welding a cover plate to a component is provided as well as a support system for welding repair of hollow components.