A steel strip is formed into a cylinder so that opposite ends of the steel strip face each other, while continuously conveying the steel strip. The opposite ends are melted across the entire thickness by irradiating the opposite ends with a high-energy-density beam while applying a pressure with squeeze rolls. A seam is formed by joining the opposite ends, and excess weld metal of the seam on the outer and inner sides of the obtained welded steel pipe is removed by cutting. A repaired seam is then formed by remelting and solidifying a region on the inner side of the welded steel pipe, the region having a depth of 0.5 mm or more from the surface and a width of double or more the width of the seam, and in addition, the center line of the seam is made to coincide with the center line of the repaired seam.

A steel strip is formed into a cylinder so that opposite ends of the steel strip face each other, while continuously conveying the steel strip. The opposite ends are melted across the entire thickness by irradiating the opposite ends with a high-energy-density beam while applying a pressure with squeeze rolls. A seam is formed by joining the opposite ends, and excess weld metal of the seam on the outer and inner sides of the obtained welded steel pipe is removed by cutting. A repaired seam is then formed by remelting and solidifying a region on the inner side of the welded steel pipe, the region having a depth of 0.5 mm or more from the surface and a width of double or more the width of the seam, and in addition, the center line of the seam is made to coincide with the center line of the repaired seam.

An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line. A further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with tools for applying reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another.

An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line. A further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with tools for applying reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another.

An apparatus for producing a tailored sheet metal strip, comprising at least one welding station, by means of which at least two sheet metal strips can be welded to one another along their longitudinal edges, and at least two strip feeding devices for respectively feeding one of the sheet metal strips into the at least one welding station, wherein the at least two strip feeding devices and the at least one welding station define a production line. A further-processing station for further processing is integrated in the production line downstream of the at least one welding station in the strip running direction and is equipped with tools for applying reinforcing material, to local points of at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another, for punching holes and/or for forming at least one of the sheet metal strips which are connected to one another.

A method for manufacturing a crimp terminal having a crimp portion adapted to allow crimp connection with a coated wire having a conductor and an insulating coating, the crimp portion being adapted to crimp connect along the coated wire from a portion of the conductor coated with the insulating coating to a portion of the conductor exposed from the insulating coating at a tip of the coated wire includes providing a barrel member formed by arranging edges of a copper alloy plate material side-by-side, the barrel member having a diameter reducing on an end portion side in a longitudinal direction from a coating crimp portion, forming the crimp portion by welding the edges by laser irradiation from a laser irradiation unit onto a position where the edges are arranged side-by-side, while moving a laser light irradiation position in a longitudinal direction of the barrel member, and irradiating laser light with an output power density and a sweep rate for causing fine molten metal particles having a diameter of 60 m or less to ejected from the weld portion during laser welding to adhere to an inner surface of the barrel member.

For the production of fibre waveguides mounted in a metal hollow profile, a flat metal strip is supplied to a deforming unit. The deforming unit is configured for continuously deforming the supplied flat metal strip into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. The hollow profile is continuously welded along a longitudinal seam by means of a laser. A filler gel with a viscosity which increases with decreasing temperature, and one or more fibre waveguides, are introduced into the welded hollow profile in a continuous process via a guide or protective tube. In order to introduce the one or more fibre waveguides with an excess length into the hollow profile, the welded hollow profile is elastically stretched, is cooled, and is relaxed again. The finished product is received in a receiving unit. The continuous closed-loop control of the excess length of the fibre waveguides is performed inter alia through continuous open-loop control of the gel temperature, of the laser power and of the force exerted on the hollow profile for the elastic stretching.

For the production of fibre waveguides mounted in a metal hollow profile, a flat metal strip is supplied to a deforming unit. The deforming unit is configured for continuously deforming the supplied flat metal strip into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. The hollow profile is continuously welded along a longitudinal seam by means of a laser. A filler gel with a viscosity which increases with decreasing temperature, and one or more fibre waveguides, are introduced into the welded hollow profile in a continuous process via a guide or protective tube. In order to introduce the one or more fibre waveguides with an excess length into the hollow profile, the welded hollow profile is elastically stretched, is cooled, and is relaxed again. The finished product is received in a receiving unit. The continuous closed-loop control of the excess length of the fibre waveguides is performed inter alia through continuous open-loop control of the gel temperature, of the laser power and of the force exerted on the hollow profile for the elastic stretching.