A mass flow controller and mass flow meter are disclosed. The mass flow controller and mass flow meter include a sensor tube configured to transport a fluid, and an upstream heater element and a downstream heater element which are formed of heating resistance wires provided in an outer periphery of the sensor tube. At least one weld terminal is electrically connected to an end of one or more of the heating resistance wires by spot welding material. A temperature difference between the melting point of the weld terminal and a melting point of the heating resistance wires does not exceed 100 degrees Celsius, and one or more coat layer(s) is provided on a surface of the weld terminal.

A method for the fabrication of a resistance spot weld containing not more than two Liquid Metal Embrittlement cracks having a depth of 100 ?m or more, the method includes the following successive steps of providing at least two first zinc or zinc-alloy coated sheets having a first steel substrate of a first steel, with TS>900 MPa, a thickness of the zinc or zinc-alloy coated sheets being between 0.5 and 2.5 mm; measuring C1.sub.av(100), Si1.sub.av(100), Mn1.sub.av(100), Al1.sub.av(100), Cr1.sub.av(100), designating respectively the average content of C, Si, Mn, Al, Cr in the zone D.sub.100 of the first steel substrate comprised between 0 and 100 micrometers under the zinc or zinc-alloy coating; then calculating a factor CSI.sub.1 of the first steel CSI.sub.1=C1.sub.av(100)+(Si1.sub.av(100)/32)+(Mn1.sub.av(100)/14)?(Al1.sub.av(100)/48)+(Cr1.sub.av(100)/11) then; performing resistance spot welding on at least 10 welds with a certain intensity. A second steel sheet can be provided depending on measurements.

This patent describes metal flake composites consisting of metal flakes and thermoplastic resins as printing materials for additive manufacturing of prototypes with metallic appearance, improved mechanical properties and durability. Metal flakes of 5 to 50 microns in average size (D.sub.50) and 0.2-2 microns in thickness are made of base metals such as aluminum, chromium, cobalt, copper, iron, nickel, tin, titanium, zinc, and their alloys, e.g., stainless steel, brass and bronze by ball milling metal powder precursors in the presence of a liquid solvent and lubricants. Thermoplastic resins such as Nylon, polystyrene, polycarbonate, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene are coated with metal flakes in a composition ranging from 0.5 to 50% by weight. The composite undergoes a bonding process to improve its adhesion and uniformity. The metal flake-based resin composites are used for additive manufacturing by selective laser sintering or other heating methods such as resistance heating at temperature ranging from 150 to 280 C.

A resistance spot welded member and a resistance spot welding method. The resistance spot welded member includes a resistance spot weld formed by resistance-spot-welding a plurality of steel sheets including at least one high strength coated steel sheet. The high strength coated steel sheet has a specific chemical composition. The at least one high strength coated steel sheet includes a coated layer, a base metal, and an Fe-based electroplated base layer interposed between the coated layer and the base metal. The amount of solute Si and the amount of solute Mn in a region on a steel sheet surface in the vicinity of the edge of the corona of the resistance spot weld are 35% or less of the amount of solute Si and 35% or less of the amount of solute Mn, respectively, at a position of the sheet thickness.

In order to further improve a method for joining a multilayer component (10) to another component (11) in a way that allows the multilayer component (10) to be mechanically and electrically joined to other elements, it is provided that an intermediate layer (14) of the multilayer component (10) be displaced in the region of the joining site (32), and that the two outer structural elements (12, 13) of the multilayer component be joined to one another by applying an electric voltage; and that the other component (11) be joined as a fastening element to the multilayer component (10) in the region of the joining site (32).

A spot welding method able to simply prevent liquid metal embrittlement cracks in spot welding of plated steel sheets, comprising, before spot welding, removing the plating at least in a zone including the inside of a circle centered at a scheduled location where the center of the nugget is formed and having an outer circumference of the inside of the outer edge of a weld affected zone or a zone at the mated surfaces of the steel sheets to be welded at the inside of a circle sharing a center of a scheduled location becoming the center of the nugget formed at the mated surfaces of the steel sheets and having an outer circumference of the inside of the outer edge of a weld affected zone

Provided is a method for resistance spot-welding at least two overlapping steel sheets. When an electrode force F after an electric current supply is started changes from an initial electrode force Fi to an electrode force F.sub.h.sup.(1) while a lapse from the start of the electric current supply is between 20 ms and 80 ms inclusive, a suspension of the electric current supply of from 20 ms to 60 ms inclusive is started. Then the electric current supply is resumed when the electrode force F reaches an electrode force F.sub.c.sup.(1).

A welding process used in a method of manufacturing a steel sheet assembly includes spot welding steel sheets performed for a heat time of 0.08 seconds or more using a convex electrode with a tip radius of curvature of 20 mm or more or a flat electrode such that the weld force F (kN) for initial 0.03 seconds of the heat time satisfies formula: F<0.00125(1+0.75t.sub.all)+3 where TS (MPa) denotes an average strength of the steel sheets and represents a weighted mean value of a thickness of each of the steel sheets, and t.sub.all (mm) denotes a total thickness of the steel sheets (the sum of the thicknesses of the steel sheets).

A spot weld may be formed between an aluminum workpiece and an adjacent overlapping steel workpiece with the use of opposed spot welding electrodes that have mating weld faces designed for engagement with the outer surfaces of the workpiece stack-up assembly. The electrode that engages the stack-up assembly proximate the aluminum workpiece includes a central ascending convex surface and the electrode that engages the stack-up assembly proximate the steel workpiece has an annular surface. The mating weld faces of the first and second spot welding electrodes distribute the passing electrical current along a radially outwardly expanding flow path to provide a more uniform temperature distribution over the intended spot weld interface and may also produce a deformed bonding interface within the formed weld joint. Each of these events can beneficially affect the strength of the weld joint.

A pre-assembled insulated weld backing ring for a tubular section of the pipeline. The weld backing ring includes a metal cylinder and an insulation layer. The metal cylinder has a ring-shaped anterior portion and a ring-shaped raised posterior portion with a step therebetween. The posterior portion has a larger diameter than the anterior portion to define an insulation pocket. The insulation layer is positioned on the external surface of the metal cylinder. The insulation layer is made of an insulated material positioned in the insulation pocket to define a protective barrier to protect the tubular section during welding. The weld backing ring may also include a second metal cylinder positioned on the insulation layer. The weld backing ring may be pre-assembled by applying a tubular metal section material to a sheet of metal and rolling the sheet of metal to form the metal cylinder.