An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface and also includes a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes melting together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes laser welding together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes laser welding together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

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.

A process for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the nonferrous metal to a forming apparatus (212) at a first supply speed, where the thickness of the strip corresponds to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus (212) is configured for continuous forming of the flat strip supplied into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region. A welding apparatus (216) continuously welds the edges which rest flush against one another by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats a point in a welding region which has a diameter which is less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region, provided in a corrugator (225) is with parallel or helical corrugation in sections and taken up in an uptake device (226).

A process for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the nonferrous metal to a forming apparatus (212) at a first supply speed, where the thickness of the strip corresponds to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus (212) is configured for continuous forming of the flat strip supplied into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region. A welding apparatus (216) continuously welds the edges which rest flush against one another by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats a point in a welding region which has a diameter which is less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region, provided in a corrugator (225) is with parallel or helical corrugation in sections and taken up in an uptake device (226).

A process for the continuous production of thin-walled, radially closed hollow profiles which are composed of nonferrous metals and have a small cross section comprises supply of a flat strip of the nonferrous metal to a forming apparatus (212) at a first supply speed. The thickness of the strip corresponds to the wall thickness of the hollow profile. The forming apparatus (212) is configured for continuous forming of the flat strip supplied into a shape corresponding to the hollow profile. After forming, two opposite edges of the flat strip rest flush against one another in a contact region. A welding apparatus (216) continuously welds the edges which rest flush against one another by means of a laser which emits light having a wavelength of less than 600 nm. The laser heats a point in a welding region which has a diameter which is less than 20% of the cross-sectional dimension of the hollow profile. The welded hollow profile is taken off from the welding region and taken up in an uptake device (226).

A multi-tubular beam for a vehicle, such as a vehicle structure or a bumper reinforcement, includes an elongated beam formed with a metal sheet. The metal sheet has a central section and outer sections extending along a length of the metal sheet. The outer sections are disposed in opposing directions from the outer edges of the central section to provide adjacent first and second tubular portions. The central section forms a common center wall between the adjacent first and second tubular portions. A first edge portion of the metal sheet is disposed along and in parallel alignment with the center wall. The first edge portion is attached to the center wall at a first weld joint to form the first tubular portion. The first weld joint includes a weld material that extends through a thickness of the center wall and into a thickness of the first edge portion.

A method for manufacturing a profile member for a suspended ceiling system, comprising forming a sheet metal material into an elongate T-shaped profile member with a web having two web side walls and a pair of oppositely disposed flanges projecting from a bottom portion of the web, and laser welding the elongate T-shaped profile member for providing a laser weld joint extending in a longitudinal direction of the T-shaped profile member and joining the two web side walls to each other. The step of laser welding comprises alternatingly performing a first operation and a second operation, the second operation being different from the first operation, whereby a laser weld joint is provided comprising along its extension alternating welded first sections associated to the first operation and second sections associated to the second operation. The present invention also relates to an elongate profile member provided with a laser weld joint.