An apparatus having an actuator having a motor, a housing and a thrust rod, where the actuator is configured to convert rotational motion of the motor into axial motion of the thrust rod. A movable holder is coupled to the thrust rod and configured for axial motion of a tool coupling therewith. A bearing assembly is coupled to the actuator, extending along an axis thereof. The bearing assembly is configured to engage with the bearing to provide positional stability for the movable holder and tool coupling when positioned along the actuator axis by motion of the thrust rod.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a spark plug of the type in which a tip is joined to a ground electrode. In a positioning step, the ground electrode is positioned with respect to a first electrode by means of a pressing member. In a tip pressing step, the tip is pressed against a tip weld site of the ground electrode by means of a second electrode. In a welding step, the tip is resistance welded to the tip weld site of the ground electrode by the passage of electric current between the first and second electrodes.

Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a spark plug of the type in which a tip is joined to a ground electrode. In a positioning step, the ground electrode is positioned with respect to a first electrode by means of a pressing member. In a tip pressing step, the tip is pressed against a tip weld site of the ground electrode by means of a second electrode. In a welding step, the tip is resistance welded to the tip weld site of the ground electrode by the passage of electric current between the first and second electrodes.

Described herein is a single-sided welding head including a first welding electrode and a second welding electrode, where the first and second welding electrodes are carried by a body of said welding head. The first welding electrode is movable relative to the body of said welding head at least along a first coordinate of motion. The second welding electrode is movable relative to the body of said welding head at least along a second coordinate of motion; where said first coordinate of motion is a coordinate of angular motion that develops about a first axis of rotation, and said second coordinate of motion is a coordinate of linear motion that develops along a first axis of translation.

A device and method for monitoring and correcting the position and orientation of an operating device (2) with respect to a piece (P). A measuring device (5) including a plurality of sensors (505) connected to the operating device is used to measure through contactless technology the distances of the sensors from a surface () of the piece along respective directions (l, r, s) having given orientations. The sensor measurements are compared to predetermined desired values and the position of the operating device (2) is selectively changed to maintain a desired positional relationship between a main operative axis (X1) of the operative device and operation axis (X2) defined by the surface of the piece.

A welding device includes a lower tip and an upper tip, as welding tips, and pressuring members. The pressuring members are supported by a support member disposed in the upper tip. The pressuring members are displaced by the action of pressuring member displacement mechanisms and, together with the upper tip, come into contact with a metal plate arranged on the outermost part of a laminated body.

An apparatus includes a housing, a mechanism and a sensor. The housing may be configured to receive a weld head. The mechanism may be attached to the housing and configured to convert a position of a location pin relative to the housing into an angular rotation. The sensor may be coupled to the mechanism and configured to generate a value representative of the position of the location pin based on the angular rotation.

An apparatus includes a housing, a mechanism and a sensor. The housing may be configured to receive a weld head. The mechanism may be attached to the housing and configured to convert a position of a location pin relative to the housing into an angular rotation. The sensor may be coupled to the mechanism and configured to generate a value representative of the position of the location pin based on the angular rotation.

Disclosed are weld electrode plugs with polymeric inserts for loss-of-cooling detection, methods for making or for using such weld electrode plugs, and electric welding systems equipped with loss-of-cooling detection plugs. A disclosed loss-of-cooling detection assembly includes a plug that attaches to the weld shank of a welding system such that the plug fluidly couples to a coolant bore within the shank. The plug includes a plug body with a clearance hole extending therethrough. An insert detachably mounts to the plug such that the insert fluidly seals the clearance hole. This insert is fabricated from a polymeric material, such as a shape memory polymer, that alters a physical property, such as shape/size, of the insert responsive to changes in temperature and/or pressure of coolant fluid in the shank's bore. When this physical property is altered, the insert unseals the clearance hole causing a detectable leak of fluid from the shank.

A welding electrode unit includes a repositioning device that is movable. The repositioning device includes an energy storage device by way of which a welding electrode is connected directly or indirectly with the energy storage device can have a force applied to it for the purpose of a repositioning movement. The repositioning device is movable into a welding position by way of a forward movement and can be locked in the welding position.