This disclosure describes an improved method of electron beam (EB) welding utilizing a collection pocket. The method includes providing a first surface and a second surface, forming a collection pocket in at least one of the first surface and the second surface, coupling the first surface to the second surface at a joining location, and EB welding the first surface and the second surface to each other at the joining location. The collection pocket captures and contains excess weld material to prevent the excess material from escaping the joining location, and also reduces an amount of wall thickness required for EB welding. A method of reconditioning gas turbine components is also disclosed.

An object is to provide a structure and a method of joining a nozzle vane and a lever, and a variable geometry turbocharger, capable of reducing breakage of a welded part between a shaft portion of the nozzle vane and the lever during usage of the same by reducing generation of a hot crack in weld metal at the welded part. A joint structure includes: a nozzle vane 2 disposed in an exhaust passage for guiding exhaust gas to a turbine wheel 34 of a variable geometry turbocharger 500, and including a shaft portion 2a; and a lever 1 including a fitting surface 42a fitted with a peripheral surface 72 on one end side of the shaft portion, for transmitting torque to the shaft portion to adjust a vane angle of the nozzle vane. Weld metal 50 at a welded part 40 between the lever and the nozzle vane is formed so that a center position 64 of the weld metal is disposed inside a position 17 of the fitting surface with respect to a radial direction of the shaft portion.

The present invention relates to a structural component 1; 21; 31; 41, in particular for a motor vehicle body, comprising a cold-formed first formed part 2; 32; 42 and a warm-formed and hardened second formed part 3; 23; 33 with a variable thickness along a longitudinal extension L.sub.2 of the second formed part 3; 23; 33, wherein the second formed part 3; 23; 33 has a connection portion 7; 27; 37 for being connected to the first formed part 2; 32; 42, wherein the connection portion 7; 27; 37 is distanced from an outer edge 13 of the first formed part 2; 32; 42 such, that the structural component 1; 21; 31; 41 has a one-layered flange portion 12 of the first formed part 2; 32; 42 between the connection portion 7; 27; 37 and the outer edge 13, and wherein the first formed part 2; 32; 42 and the second formed part 3; 23; 33 are connected to each other by means of a high energy beam welding seam 19 along a connection edge 18 of the connection portion 7; 17; 27. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a structural component 1; 21; 31; 41.

A welded component for a substrate processing system includes a first component comprised of a first semiconductor material, a second component comprised of the first semiconductor material, a weld region defined between respective unwelded regions of the first component and the second component located on either side of the weld region, and a seam defined in the weld region between the first component and the second component. The weld region is comprised of the first semiconductor material of respective portions of the first component and the second component on either side of the seam that was melted and recrystallized to form the weld region.

There is provided a welding system (16) comprising an evacuatable welding chamber (26), an electron beam gun (20) connected to the welding chamber (26), a control system (44) to modify the direction of an electron beam (22) generated by the electron beam gun (20) and a detector (40) for acquiring X-ray images, wherein first and second X-ray sources (14, 14) are positioned proximal a weld site (24) within the welding chamber (26). The control system (44) is configured to synchronise acquisition of X-ray images of the weld site (24) by the detector (40) with periodic generation of X-rays by the X-ray sources (14, 14) in response to an incident electron beam.

The present invention provides a modification to the EBW process, which is referred to as a slope-out methodology, the results in the formation of a slope-out portion located generally in that region of the overall weldment located at the end of the ordinary EBW welding process for joining two components. The slope-out portion overlaps with the initial weld of the workpiece for a given distance or length along the weld and effectively eliminates the keyhole and provides a weldment that has minimal to no defects, particularly in the slope-out portion. The slope-out methodology begins by adjusting various parameters related to the electron beam to essentially decay the beam. In general, the focus position of the electron beam is moved from under-focused (focal position in the bulk of the material) to over-focused (focal position ahead of the workpiece surface) as the overlapping weld is made.