A method and an apparatus pertaining to recycling and reuse of unwanted light in additive manufacturing can multiplex multiple beams of light including at least one or more beams of light from one or more light sources. The multiple beams of light may be reshaped and blended to provide a first beam of light. A spatial polarization pattern may be applied on the first beam of light to provide a second beam of light. Polarization states of the second beam of light may be split to reflect a third beam of light, which may be reshaped into a fourth beam of light. The fourth beam of light may be introduced as one of the multiple beams of light to result in a fifth beam of light.

A railway rail induction-welding device is provided which includes a device support and a railway rail alignment means for aligning opposing railway rails in three mutually perpendicular directions, the railway rail alignment means being supported by the device support. The railway rail alignment means includes first and second railway-rail clamping elements to horizontally and longitudinally align the opposing railway rails when gripped by the first and second railway-rail clamping elements, with at least one of the first and second railway-rail clamping elements being movably supported by the device support, and a vertical lifting means for moving each railway-rail clamping element vertically to align the opposing railway rails. A railway rail clamping and lifting module, a vehicle a railway rail induction-welding device, and a method of inductively welding opposing railway rails together are also provided.

A modular reconfigurable vehicle assembly pallet system and method are disclosed. In one example, a plurality of modular assembly plates are assembled having vehicle locators positioned specifically for a particular model vehicle. The assembled vehicle-specific plates are easily installed on a universal pallet positioned along an assembly line in an assembly sequence. The vehicle-specific modular plates can be quickly interchanged on the assembly pallet to thereby reconfigure the assembly pallet to coordinate with changing vehicle build assembly sequences.

A welding process involves a fixture for holding a workpiece and a welder, or welding electrode. The fixture imposes ultrasonic vibration on the workpiece. The welder vibrates during vibration, and is operable at a first voltage for welding and a second voltage for peening. The peening may occur while the weld metal is crystallizing. The welding process may be a process of welding two parts together, or of filling a groove or other feature, or of applying or restoring a surface, or of applying a hard facing or ceramic to a parent metal or object. The weld metal may be the same, or substantially the same, as the parent metal, or it may be different. The different material may be a ceramic material.

A pressing plate structure includes a frame and a pressing block unit. The pressing block unit includes a first crimping portion and a second crimping portion fixedly connected to each other. The first crimping portion is movably disposed on the frame in a first direction to approach or leave an electrode assembly. The second crimping portion protrudes downward from the first crimping portion in the first direction. The second crimping portion is provided with a welding hole extending in the first direction. The second crimping portion is capable of being crimped onto a tab of the electrode assembly, and the welding hole exposes part of the tab.

A beam-end component welding fixture is disclosed, including a stand having a central horizontal axle mechanism and a housing. A handle is mounted on a first end portion of the axle mechanism and a rotatable plate structure is mounted on a second end portion of the axle mechanism. A column connecting simulator is attached to the plate structure and configured to support a beam-end component.

In one aspect of the disclosure, an apparatus for manipulating a plurality of curved sheets is provided. Each of the plurality of curved sheets includes an upper surface and a lower surface. The apparatus includes tooling to be coupled to the upper surface of each of the plurality of curved sheets. The tooling is capable of moving the plurality of curved sheets relative to each other and abutting the plurality of curved sheets so that the upper surface of each of the plurality of curved sheets is coextensive with a virtual arcuate surface. The apparatus also includes a welding apparatus capable of welding the plurality of curved sheets together after abutting the plurality of curved sheets.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a helical coil spring type seal. The method of the present invention is able to make the stacked layers of ring sharing the same center point during the making of the helical coil spring type seal.

A rotator is disclosed. The rotator includes a base and a mounting ring supported by the base. The rotator further includes a plurality of rollers on which the mounting ring rests when the rotator is fully assembled. The rotator is configured to support a steel column and allow rotation of the steel column to facilitate fabrication of the steel column.

A system for joining at least two components by welding includes a magnetic base for receiving the components for welding and a flexible magnetic member configurable to correspond to a weld path defining a weld joining the components. The flexible magnetic member exerts a retention force on the components in response to a magnetic field produced by selective activation of the magnetic base. The system can include a magnetic locating element positioned adjacent a perimeter edge of the component to be welded, for generating a repulsive magnetic force between the flexible magnetic member and the magnetic locating element to locate the flexible magnetic member relative to the perimeter edge and provide clearance for a welding device to access a continuous weld path defined by the perimeter edge, such that the welding device can form a continuous weld along the weld path. A welding method using the system is provided.