A method and apparatus for forming an object by additive layer manufacturing. The method comprises: a) applying, by a heat source (4), heat to a portion of a surface of a workpiece (1) sufficient to melt said portion; b) adding material to the melted portion and moving the heat source (4) relative to the workpiece (1) whereby progressively to form a layer of material (10) on the workpiece (1); c) cooling the formed layer (10) to bring at least part of the layer (10) to a state of crystallisation, there producing a modified workpiece; d) peening, using a plurality of independently controllable impact treatment devices (7), the modified work-piece so as to plastically deform the cooled at least part of the layer (10); and repeating steps a) to d) as required whereby to form the object.

A method of eliminating dissimilar metal welds has been disclosed. The method includes the steps of providing a first part having a first alloy composition; providing a second part having a second alloy composition different from the first part; connecting a containment structure to the first part; pouring a powder into the containment structure such that the powder is in contact with the first part; positioning a portion of the second part in the containment structure such that the second part compresses the powder between the first and second parts; and performing hot isostatic pressing (HIP) to consolidate the powder and join the first and second parts together.

In known methods for through-cut detection in the thermally assisted through cutting of a workpiece, the workpiece is subjected to a first alternating signal. Starting therefrom, to indicate a method which allows a fast and accurate detection of a through-cut made, it is suggested according to the invention that the method comprises the following method steps:

a) detecting a second alternating electrical signal caused by the first alternating electrical signal in a measurement electrode spaced from the workpiece,

b) determining the phase shift between first and second alternating electrical signal with output of a phase shift signal,

c) detecting a temporal evolution of the phase shift electrical signal or a measurement variable derived therefrom in a predetermined time interval,

wherein a workpiece through-cut made is detected in that the phase shift signal or the measurement variable derived therefrom is in the time interval within a predetermined fluctuation range.

A method of inserting a rivet into a workpiece comprises moving the rivet and workpiece relative to one another, along a longitudinal axis of the rivet, so as to drive the rivet into the workpiece. The rivet is rotated about its longitudinal axis, relative to the workpiece, for at least part of the time during which it is in contact with the workpiece. The speed of said rotation, or the speed of movement along the longitudinal axis of the rivet, is altered at least once before driving of the rivet into the workpiece is complete. One axial end of the rivet has a tip for piercing the workpiece, and the rivet has a substantially cylindrical shank extending longitudinally from the tip. The shank has one or more surface irregularities.

A metal plate for laser processing (such as a stainless steel plate or a titanium plate) and preferably an austenitic stainless steel plate suitable for use as a metal mask or the like which undergoes fine processing with a laser has an average grain diameter d (μm) and a plate thickness t (μm) which satisfy the equation d≦0.0448.Math.t−1.28.

A remanufacturing method for a metal part having a damage. The damage groove is divided into a number of levels, and the groove bottom is treated by absorption layer-free laser shock peening to remove surface impurities and to refine surface-layer crystal grains. Then a cladding layer is formed by laser cladding. The process is repeated until the groove is completely filled by the cladding layer to higher than the surface of the metal part and the cladding layer higher than the surface is cut by a mechanical processing and polished, and the upper surface of the laser cladding layer is subjected to large-area overlapped laser shock peening.

A method for making a crescent shaped metallic device for attaching to the exterior of the pipe to provide intimate contact for an enhanced acoustic sensing system using a fiber optic sensing cable that can be interrogated by distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) systems wherein the crescent shaped metallic device is used for attaching to the exterior of the pipe and the method of making includes the use of additive layer-wise manufacturing.

A dissimilar metal connection arrangement comprising a dissimilar metal connection between a first member made of a first metal and having a first end, and a second member made of a second metal different from said first metal with regard to its metallurgical behavior, and having a second end, wherein the first end of the first member is fixedly connected to the second end of the second member. An increased lifetime of the connection is achieved by arranging a heating means at said dissimilar metal connection for controlled heating of said dissimilar metal connection.

Pipe flange alignment leveling pins are disclosed to square a flange. The pins include a first and a second cylindrical magnet each configured to have a hollow axis and a positive radial pole and a negative radial pole. A first and a second chamfered hollow pin are engineered to axially receive a respective cylindrical magnet, the chamfer of each pin on an end configured complementary to a flange hole chamfer. A non-magnetic core is engineered to axially slide in and out of the hollow axis of the magnets received into respective pins wherein each of a pair of apparatus resemble a bow tie in cross section configured to align a pair of flanges in two places for a level operation. A level is set across a first and a second assembly of chamfered pins to determine a level flange ready for welding.

This laser irradiation mechanism includes a control unit which has a function allowing the focal point of a laser beam to describe a circle, performs control such that the focal point describes a spiral, and performs control such that the central axis of the spiral moves along a curved surface.