A hard banding apparatus for pipes and other drilling tools. The hard banding apparatus has a floating weld box that moves in response to the shape of the item to be welded. The apparatus can include a drive roller assembly and lift mechanisms that lift and move the weld box or housing to a desired height.

Apparatus for assisting in weld assembling a box column from a tack-welded pre-assembly of planar plate components. The apparatus features (1) an elongate frame defining a rotational-assembly axis, and (2) plural pre-assembly-receiving, rotational support structures mounted at spaced locations on the frameeach support structure including (a) an openable/closable yoke possessing a collar-reception zone, (b) an openable/closable collar rotatably receivable within this reception zone, and possessing a central throughpassage having a cross-sectional configuration which is larger than that of a box-column which is to be assembled, and (c) a pair of removably-collar-attachable, throughpassage clamping shoes for forming cooperatively, within the collar throughpassage, a window for complementarily, receiving extension therethrough of a box-column pre-assembly's cross section. A so received pre-assembly is rotatable about the rotational-assembly axis to position the existing seams of adjacency between the pre-assembly plate components for full-strength welding by an automated, traveling welding instrumentality.

A roll-out wheel has a base housing secured to a working surface. A rolling arm having a lever end and a working end pivots about a hinge point in the housing. A hand wheel and a pipe chuck are rotatably attached to the working end by a rolling sleeve. A pipe to be welded is securable on the pipe chuck and rotatable in unison with the hand wheel. Rotation of the hand wheel permits welding about the perimeter of the pipe without moving the welding tool. A clamping mechanism can permit or prevent rotation of the hand wheel. A pivoting mechanism can raise or lower the working end.

A rollout wheel apparatus for performing welding. The rollout wheel apparatus may comprise a mount; a support section; a spindle extending from the support section; a substantially circular hub disposed on the spindle and free to rotate about the spindle, the hub having a narrow portion facing the support section and a wide portion facing the chuck, the hub further including a brake pad disposed about the circumference of the narrow portion; a brake, the brake being affixed to the support section and having a cantilever design, wherein the brake is cantilevered from the support section to a point located radially outwards from the brake pad of the substantially circular hub; and a chuck, the chuck comprising a chuck locking mechanism and a plurality of jaws.

A method of manufacturing an outer joint member of a constant velocity universal joint includes forming cup and shaft members using medium carbon steel, preparing, as the cup member, a cup member having cylindrical and bottom portions integrally formed, and a joining end surface formed on an outer surface of the bottom portion, preparing, as the shaft member, a shaft member having a joining end surface to be joined to the bottom portion of the cup member, and bringing the joining end surfaces of the cup and shaft members into abutment against each other. The method also includes welding the cup and shaft members from an outer side of the cup member to an abutment portion between the cup and shaft members in a radial direction of the cup member under a state in which a hollow cavity portion is formed inside the abutment portion.

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for machine-cutting workpieces in plate form or bar form and also to a machine tool, with a laser machining device, and a workpiece support, by which a workpiece to be machined in the laser machining device is received, and with a workpiece moving device, by which the workpiece to be machined is held and moved in relation to the laser machining device, wherein with a machining head a laser beam is directed onto the workpiece to be machined and a clearance or recess is introduced into the workpiece and the clearance is machined with a flow drill and widened to a final size of a borehole.

The machine comprises: a working head (12) with a focussing device (18) arranged to focus a laser beam on the surface of the tube or profiled section (T) to be worked, a carriage (26) on which the working head (12) is mounted and a scanning system (20) arranged to scan at least a portion of the outline of the cross-section of the tube or profiled section (T). The carriage (26) is able to translate with respect to the tube or profiled section (T) both in a longitudinal direction (x) coinciding with the longitudinal axis of the tube or profiled section (T) and in a transverse direction (y). The scanning system (20) comprises at least one laser scanning module (20) comprising a laser emitter (22) arranged to emit a light blade (L) with which to illuminate a portion of the tube or profiled section (T) and a camera (24) arranged to acquire an image of the portion of tube or profiled section (T) illuminated by the light blade (L). The working head (12) and the at least one laser scanning module (20) are mounted on the carriage (26) so as to be drivingly connected for translation with said carriage (26) both in the longitudinal direction (x) and in the transverse direction (y).

A rollout wheel apparatus for performing welding. The rollout wheel apparatus may comprise a mount; a support section; a spindle extending from the support section; a substantially circular hub disposed on the spindle and free to rotate about the spindle, the hub having a narrow portion facing the support section and a wide portion facing the chuck, the hub further including a brake pad disposed about the circumference of the narrow portion; a brake, the brake being affixed to the support section and having a cantilever design, wherein the brake is cantilevered from the support section to a point located radially outwards from the brake pad of the substantially circular hub; and a chuck, the chuck comprising a chuck locking mechanism and a plurality of jaws.

A smart welding system and smart welding process which integrates technology to increase performance and safety in welding operations.

A machine for manufacturing parts that includes a base having therein one or more motors, an electrical power input port and a connector for connection to a general purpose programmable controller, and including a removable part holding and aligning (or presenting) fixture which can hold and rotate one or more parts to a specific location. The machine can include a tool for performing a process on a part. The machine can include a programmed general purpose controller that can control the operation of the machine during a manufacturing process.