One exemplary embodiment of this disclosure relates to an article having a multi-layer wall structure having an embedded sensor. Further, the multi-layer wall structure and the sensor are bonded together.

A method of forming an object includes installing multiple foil drums within a processing chamber of an ultrasonic consolidation system. The multiple foil drums each include different materials than the other foil drums. The multiple foil drums are positioned so that one of the foils is selected to be placed on top of the build platform. The selected foil is welded onto the build platform or onto a previously processed layer. A portion of the welded foil is then cut. The multiple foil drums are retracted away from the build platform. The portion of the welded foil that was just cut is then consolidated to the object. The build platform is incrementally lowered before the process is repeated to form the next layer of the object.

Systems and methods in accordance with embodiments of the invention fabricate objects including metallic glass-based materials using ultrasonic welding. In one embodiment, a method of fabricating an object that includes a metallic glass-based material includes: ultrasonically welding at least one ribbon to a surface; where at least one ribbon that is ultrasonically welded to a surface has a thickness of less than approximately 150 m; and where at least one ribbon that is ultrasonically welded to a surface includes a metallic glass-based material.

The present invention relates to a welding apparatus including an electrode assembly configured such that a plurality of positive electrodes and a plurality of negative electrodes are stacked in the state in which separators are interposed therebetween, guides configured to reduce tensile force of positive electrode tabs and negative electrode tabs protruding from the electrode assembly, an anvil configured to allow the electrode tabs to be disposed thereon, and a horn configured to apply ultrasonic waves to the electrode tabs disposed on the anvil, a welding method using the same, and an electrode assembly manufactured by the welding method.

An ultrasonic welding system for assembling materials is provided. The system may comprise a feeding device, a fabrication system, a product uniformer, and a finalization system. The feeding device may include pace feeders, position feeders, and one or more of a retention member. The pace feeders may carry and supply product materials to be distributed by the position feeders and layered by the retention member. The fabrication system may include a main retention member, attachment apparatuses, anvils, and an aperture generator. The attachment apparatuses and anvils may be utilized to crate one or more of an attachment point on the layered product materials, and the aperture generator may be utilized to create at least one through-hole ending through at least a portion of the layered product materials. The finalization system may comprise a product separator and a motion inducer. The product separator may separate the layered product materials.

Including a process of applying ultrasonic energy to a workpiece; a process of reciprocally moving an anvil between an overrun region and a non-welding region; a process of guiding the anvil such that the anvil reaches a first level away from a surface level of a horn so that the anvil does not abut against the horn at ends portions far from a welding region and moving the anvil to a second level where the anvil touches the horn in the welding region; and a process of performing control such that in the overrun region the anvil becomes displaced from the first level to the second level and the anvil abuts against the horn not via the workpiece in a non-driven state in which the horn is not being caused to generate ultrasonic energy.

An ultrasonic welding system for creating one or more finished products is provided. The ultrasonic welding system may include a feeding device to carry and supply product materials that are arranged in a plurality of layers. The system may also include a fabrication system to receive the product materials from the feeding device. The fabrication system may be configured to form at least one attachment between one or more portion(s) of first layer(s) of the product materials and one or more portion(s) of second layer(s) of the product materials. The fabrication system may create one or more through-hole(s) that may be extending through one or more of the first and/or second layer(s) of the product material(s). The ultrasonic welding system may further include a finalization system that may cut the product materials into finished products.

Provided are methods and apparatus for bonding metals. In an example, a provided method includes (i) disposing a layer of Vanadium onto a first Titanium surface of a first tangible object, (ii) placing a second Titanium surface of a second tangible object in direct contact with the layer of Vanadium, and (iii) imparting, using a sonotrode, compressive and shear forces to the first Titanium surface, the layer of Vanadium, and the second Titanium surface, to cause plastic deformation that bonds the first Titanium surface to the second Titanium surface.