A reference block which is machined from a single body of material and is a single block with reference pins integral therewith is configured for use in a method of manufacturing a head suspension by laser-welding the flexure to the load beam at a first welding spot so that a tongue is pressed against a convex portion under predetermined load. The method includes steps of forming, before joining the flexure and load beam together, at least one positioning reference hole in each of the flexure and load beam within a circular range that is defined around the first welding spot with a radius equal to a distance between the first welding spot and the projection, laying the flexure and load beam one on another, inserting the reference pins of the reference pin block into the reference holes, and laser-welding the flexure and load beam to each other at the first welding spot.

Methods and systems for welding a terminal of a battery cell to corresponding terminal tab or busbar are described using a magnet that causes the terminal and tab/busbar to be placed in physical contact. The terminal of a battery cell is aligned in contact with the tab/busbar by the force of a magnetic field. A welder, e.g., a laser welder, can then generate a laser weld beam to weld the terminal of the battery cell to the tab/busbar. Next, the laser weld beam is narrowed, reducing the first diameter to a smaller second diameter. Without touching the tab/busbar or terminal of the battery (which could affect the welding operation), the magnetic field can cause a force that brings the tab and terminal in contact during welding.

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.

An apparatus and method for soldering an electrical component to a circuit board includes a stage positioning the circuit board and electrical component in alignment with a solder tip along an axis. A first spring-loaded compression mechanism maintains contact between the circuit board and the electrical component, and a second spring-loaded compression mechanism brings the soldering tip into thermal contact with the circuit board and the electrical component such that solder disposed adjacent to the circuit board and the electrical component melts. When the second spring-loaded compression mechanism removes its applied force such that the soldering tip comes out of contact with the circuit board, the first spring-loaded compression mechanism maintains the contact between the circuit board and the electrical component while the solder cools and solidifies.

A spacer assembly and method for using same to fix a first component to a second component are provided. The method includes positioning the first and second spacer segments between the first and second components, the first and second spacer segments each including an inner face, an opposite outer face, and an exterior surface extending along a longitudinal axis between the inner face and the outer face. The exterior surfaces of the first and second spacer segments are coaxially aligned and secured by a securing device such that the inner faces of the first and second spacer segments define supplementary non-perpendicular angles relative to the longitudinal axis and the outer faces of the first and second spacer segments are parallel to one another. The securing device and the first and second spacer segments are removed after the first component is mechanically coupled to the second component.

A system for characterizing manual welding exercises and providing valuable training to welders that includes components for generating, capturing, and processing data. The data generating component further includes a fixture, workpiece, at least one calibration device having at least two point markers integral therewith, and a welding tool. The data capturing component further includes an imaging system for capturing images of the point markers and the data processing component is operative to receive information from the data capturing component and perform various position and orientation calculations.

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 method and an apparatus for chain welding a chain starting from a chain composed of open C-shaped chain links uses a conveying wheel which receives one or more chain links of the chain and positions them for welding. The conveying wheel is a double chain wheel, the two pocket wheels of which receive a respective chain link of two chain strands of the chain. In each sequence of welding of a chain link, the conveying wheel is displaced relative to a welding device transversely with respect to the longitudinal direction of the chain and then occupies a welding position in which a chain link to be welded, as chain link that is vertical in the conveying wheel, faces the welding device and the open ends thereof are welded. This sequence is repeated, allowing that chain links of the two chain strands are alternately welded in the chain wheel.

A method of additive manufacture suitable for large and high resolution structures is disclosed. The method may include sequentially advancing each portion of a continuous part in the longitudinal direction from a first zone to a second zone. In the first zone, selected granules of a granular material may be amalgamated. In the second zone, unamalgamated granules of the granular material may be removed. The method may further include advancing a first portion of the continuous part from the second zone to a third zone while (1) a last portion of the continuous part is formed within the first zone and (2) the first portion is maintained in the same position in the lateral and transverse directions that the first portion occupied within the first zone and the second zone.

In a heat insulating load jig 11 of the present invention, a solder material 14 having a melting point or a solidus temperature in a range between a thermal resistance temperature of a semiconductor chip 13 and a temperature 100 C. below the thermal resistance temperature is interposed between a circuit board 12 and the semiconductor chip 13; a heat insulating body 17 is placed on an upper side of the semiconductor chip 13 in this state; a metal weight 16 is disposed on the heat insulating body 17; and load is applied to the semiconductor chip 13 while the solder material 14 is melted and solidified.