A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include restricting, by an enclosure, an exchange of gaseous matter between an interior of the enclosure and an exterior of the enclosure. The method may further include running multiple machines within the enclosure. Each of the machines may execute its own process of additive manufacture. While the machines are running, a gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure at or below a limiting oxygen concentration for the interior.

A method of additive manufacture is disclosed. The method may include creating, by a 3D printer contained within an enclosure, a part having a weight greater than or equal to 2,000 kilograms. A gas management system may maintain gaseous oxygen within the enclosure atmospheric level. In some embodiments, a wheeled vehicle may transport the part from inside the enclosure, through an airlock, as the airlock operates to buffer between a gaseous environment within the enclosure and a gaseous environment outside the enclosure, and to a location exterior to both the enclosure and the airlock.

A system for making a welded assembly. The system may include a welding system that is configured to weld a first part to a second part with a laser beam. The system may further include an integrated feeder nozzle that includes an inlet manifold that receives a shield gas, and a nozzle body secured to the inlet manifold. The nozzle body may include a plurality of peripheral apertures that extend through the conical distal region and that are arranged around a central axis of the nozzle body. The system may further include a wire feeder disposed in the inlet manifold and the nozzle body. The wire feeder receives a welding wire and guides the welding wire to the central aperture.

An article of manufacture comprises a first component having a first mating surface and a second component having a second mating surface. The first component may include an aperture having internal splines or gear teeth, and/or an outer perimeter having external splines or gear teeth. The first and second components are disposed such that a gap is provided between the first and second mating surfaces. Brazing material is disposed between the first and second mating surfaces so as to mechanically couple the first and second components. The first component may be made of a powdered metal or a non-powdered metal, and the second component may be made of the other of such two metals. In one embodiment, the first component may be a planetary carrier plate portion having internal splines and the second component may be a planetary carrier spider portion.

A method of resistance welding first and second parts formed of dissimilar materials includes disposing a first electrode on a side of the first part and a second electrode on a side of the second part. Grooves separated by raised portions are formed in a faying surface of the second part. Pressure is applied to the first and second parts via the set of electrodes, and the parts are heated via the electrodes to form a joint between the parts. A welded assembly includes metallic first and second parts welded together. The second part may have a faying surface defining a number of grooves separated by raised portions. The faying surfaces of the parts may be disposed at 10-80 degree angles with respect to a first part axis (and/or a welding pressure axis).

A method for laser-marking an iron-based sintered body includes a first step of forming with a first laser beam a plurality of dotted recesses with a predetermined depth in an identification mark area of a surface of an iron-based sintered body, and a second step of flattening with a second laser beam the surface within the identification mark area other than the dotted recesses. The first laser beam has an irradiation energy per unit area greater than an irradiation energy per unit area of the second laser beam.

A torque converter includes a cover having a first surface and an annular plate axially spaced from the cover and having a second surface facing the first surface. A disc of the torque converter is disposed between the cover and the plate and has opposing first and second faces adjacent to the first and second surfaces, respectfully. Each of the faces defines a projection joined to one of the first and second surfaces by at least one capacitive discharge weld.

A method for joining a carburized steel workpiece to a cast iron workpiece is provided that includes tempering a localized area of the carburized steel workpiece, machining the localized area to reduce carbon content, and welding the carburized steel workpiece to the cast iron workpiece at the localized area. The tempering may be performed by induction heating and results in a hardness profile of the localized area of less than 50 HRC.

The present disclosure relates to a method of manufacturing a double layer type transmission planetary gear carrier and a planetary gear carrier manufactured by the same, and more particularly, to a material of the carrier and a method of combining materials. The present manufacturing method includes: forming and processing a carrier plate and a base plate by performing hot forging on two aluminum alloys; and welding a connecting portion between the two plates. The present double layer carrier may include a carrier plate; and a base plate which is welded on a connecting portion of the carrier plate, in which materials of the two plates are aluminum forging alloys. According to the present disclosure, it is possible to reduce a weight of the double layer type planetary gear carrier by about 60% by applying an aluminum material and it is possible to easily manufacture the double layer type planetary gear carrier.

A gearbox is provided having a housing, a gear having a plurality of teeth operationally configured within the housing, and a laser peening device located within the housing and configured to perform active laser peening on a predetermined surface of the gear while the gear is rotated within the housing. A method of maintaining compressive residual stresses in a gear is provided, the method including operating a gearbox to rotate a gear within the gearbox and laser peening a predetermined surface of the gear with a laser peening device located within the gearbox.