An automated welding system includes a support structure, a plurality of welding heads, and a controller. The plurality of welding heads are each removably, mechanically coupleable to the support structure. The controller is configured to control welding operations of the automated welding system based on an identity of a particular welding head of the plurality of welding heads that is mechanically coupled to the support structure and operably coupled to the controller.

A method of making a heat exchanger that includes sealing tubes to header slots and brazing the tubes to the header slots. The method further includes coupling a cover to the header to cover a liquid-side surface of the header and to cover ends of the tubes, and applying flux to an air-side surface of the header and to the tubes. Coupling the cover to the header is performed after sealing the tubes to the header slots and coupling the cover to the header is performed before applying flux to the air-side surface of the header and to the tubes. Applying flux is performed before brazing each of the tubes to the header slots and sealing each of the tubes to the header slot includes sealing a perimeter of each of the tubes to the header slot.

The concepts described herein provide a method, system, and apparatus for joining, via welding, first and second members fabricated from an aluminum alloy including aluminum, zinc, and manganese, such as 7000-series aluminum alloys, and a resultant workpiece. A junction is formed by a first member being disposed contiguously to a second member. A welding machine generates a weld pool at the junction that includes liquified aluminum alloy. An ultrasonic transducer directs ultrasonic energy in proximity to the weld pool. In some embodiments, an electro-magnetic transducer directs electro-magnetic energy in proximity to the weld pool. The first member is fused to the second member at the junction upon solidification of the weld pool.

A device includes a first laser emitter, a second laser emitter, and a separating portion. The first laser emitter is configured to emit, in an outer circumferential portion of a bonded substrate including a first substrate and a second substrate bonded to each other, a first laser beam into the first substrate from a side of the first substrate to form a modified layer. The second laser emitter is configured to emit a second laser beam to a material layer that is arranged between the first substrate and the second substrate and is provided on the second substrate from a side of the second substrate, to cause peeling between the second substrate and the material layer. The separating portion is configured to separate an outer circumferential portion of the first substrate and an outer circumferential portion of the material layer from the outer circumferential portion of the bonded substrate.

A method and associated device for joining a battery cell tab to a plurality of foils associated with a plurality of electrodes of a battery cell are described. This includes arranging the plurality of foils in a stack, and joining, via a first joining device, the plurality of foils, wherein the first joining device defines a joining region. A portion of the battery cell tab is arranged on the plurality of foils, and joined, via a second joining device, to the plurality of foils. The second joining device generates a weld joint that is encompassed within the joining region defined by the first joining device. In doing so, weld quality and strength of internal welds in a battery cell may be improved by reducing the occurrence of porosities and cracks in the foil/tab weld joints.

A composite component includes a reinforcement bonded to a base component by a bond formed by, or reinforced with, a localized coupling in the base component. The bond may be formed by ultrasonic additive manufacturing. The localized coupling may include a compression of the base component, a weld in the base component, or a heat affected zone of the weld. Where the bond is formed by the localized coupling, the localized coupling encompasses the reinforcement. Where the bond is reinforced with the localized coupling, the localized coupling may encompass the reinforcement, or be arranged at an inside radius of a turn in the reinforcement. The reinforcement results in the composite component having enhanced properties such as lower density, increased strength, stiffness, or energy absorption capabilities.

In a vehicle body structure, an end portion of a first vehicle body member having a plate shape is coupled to a second vehicle body member having a plate shape. The first vehicle body member is made of a first metal and the second vehicle body member is made of a second metal. The vehicle body structure includes a third vehicle body member made of the first metal. The third vehicle body member includes an interposed portion having general portions and a convex portion. The convex portion has a weld-joint portion configured to be joined to the end portion of the first vehicle body member by welding. Each of the general portion has a swage-joint portion configured to be swaged and jointed to the second vehicle body member in a circular shape viewed from a thickness direction, and a cutout portion.

In a vehicle body structure, an end portion of a first vehicle body member having a plate shape is coupled to a second vehicle body member having a plate shape. The first vehicle body member is made of a first metal and the second vehicle body member is made of a second metal. The vehicle body structure includes a third vehicle body member made of the first metal. The third vehicle body member includes an interposed portion having general portions and a convex portion. The convex portion has a weld-joint portion configured to be joined to the end portion of the first vehicle body member by welding. Each of the general portion has a swage-joint portion configured to be swaged and jointed to the second vehicle body member in a circular shape viewed from a thickness direction, and a cutout portion.

A system for treating material of a cutting element may include a method, and the method may include providing a piece of material to form a blank for the cutting element, and applying a cladding material to at least a portion of the blank utilizing a laser to bond a cladding powder to the exterior surface of the blank. The application may include selecting and utilizing a power level of the laser and a rate of movement of the spot of the laser across the exterior surface which is effective to form a stratum of martensite in the substrate of the material below the exterior surface and the cladding material bonded to the exterior surface. The method may further include removing a portion of the cladded blank to form a cutting edge with a portion of the stratum of martensite exposed at the cutting edge.

The invention relates to a device (1) for laser cladding, a method (100) for operating such a device, and a component (4′) produced using such a method and/or such a device comprising a laser cladding unit (2) having at least one laser cladding head (3) disposed thereon, one or more material sources (5) for supplying the laser cladding head with a material (M) to be applied, and a laser beam source (6) for supplying the laser cladding head with laser light (L) for carrying out the laser cladding, wherein the device is configured to apply material layers (42, 43, 44) from an adjacent application cladding track (MS) to a surface (41) of a component (4) in the form of at least a first layer (42) made from a material (M) that comprises structures (42s) projecting from the surface of the first layer and having a first hardness (H1), and a second layer (43) applied thereto made from a material (M) having a second hardness (H2) that is less than the first hardness, and the application process is controlled so that the second layer at least partly covers the structures projecting from the first layer.