To arrange an auxiliary member (2) having a greater absorption rate of laser light (LL) than a plurality of members (1) to be joined to each other so as to face a boundary exposed surface (12) of the plurality of members to be joined where a boundary (11) of the plurality of members to be joined is exposed, to melt the auxiliary member by applying laser light to the auxiliary member, to shift a boundary portion (13) in a state where laser light is easily absorbed by increasing a temperature of the boundary portion of the plurality of members to be joined by a melted portion (23) of the auxiliary member, and to weld a plurality of members to be joined by applying laser light to the boundary portion and melting the boundary portion.

To arrange an auxiliary member (2) having a greater absorption rate of laser light (LL) than a plurality of members (1) to be joined to each other so as to face a boundary exposed surface (12) of the plurality of members to be joined where a boundary (11) of the plurality of members to be joined is exposed, to melt the auxiliary member by applying laser light to the auxiliary member, to shift a boundary portion (13) in a state where laser light is easily absorbed by increasing a temperature of the boundary portion of the plurality of members to be joined by a melted portion (23) of the auxiliary member, and to weld a plurality of members to be joined by applying laser light to the boundary portion and melting the boundary portion.

A decorative part and a method for producing a decorative part, wherein the decorative part is in particular a lining part of a motor vehicle. The decorative part has a decorative coat which is provided on the rear side with a reinforcing layer and/or on the visible side with a transparent coating. In order to improve the durability or the optical properties, in particular, of a decorative part provided with a light guide for transilluminating and/or backlighting the decorative coat, the decorative part is post processed by a laser treatment.

A method of forming a planetary carrier assembly is disclosed herein. In one aspect, the method includes providing a first carrier plate and a second carrier plate. The first carrier plate has a first body portion, and the second carrier plate has a second body portion including a plurality of legs. The method includes forming at least one staking element on an axial end of at least one of the plurality of legs. The method includes fixing the first carrier plate and the second carrier plate to each other via application of an axial load such that the at least one staking element on the at least one of the plurality of legs digs into the first carrier plate.

A method of forming a planetary carrier assembly is disclosed herein. In one aspect, the method includes providing a first carrier plate and a second carrier plate. The first carrier plate has a first body portion, and the second carrier plate has a second body portion including a plurality of legs. The method includes forming at least one staking element on an axial end of at least one of the plurality of legs. The method includes fixing the first carrier plate and the second carrier plate to each other via application of an axial load such that the at least one staking element on the at least one of the plurality of legs digs into the first carrier plate.

A detection apparatus according to one aspect of this disclosure includes: two or more housings connectable to each other; a first photodetector connectable to a corresponding one of the two or more housings; and a second photodetector connectable to a corresponding one of the two or more housings. Each of the housings includes a first connecting portion to which the first photodetector is connectable, a second connecting portion to which the second photodetector is connectable, and a third opening facing the first connecting portion. At least one of the housings includes a dichroic mirror placed between a first opening and the third opening. The dichroic mirror allows light having a first wavelength in incident light from the third opening to pass through the dichroic mirror toward the first opening, while the dichroic mirror reflects light having a second wavelength in the incident light toward the second opening.

Rigidity is improved at a part where side frame pieces overlap each other in a side frame. In a vehicle seat provided with a seat back frame, a side frame 10 of the seat back frame has a first side frame piece 20 and a second side frame piece 30 partially overlapping each other in a direction of extension of the side frame 10. The side frame 10 has an overlapping part 40 where both the first side frame piece 20 and the second side frame piece 30 overlap each other. At the overlapping part 40, the side frame pieces overlap each other in a state where a plurality of closed regions 41 and 42 closed by being surrounded by both side frame pieces are formed in a cross section of the overlapping part 40 intersecting with the direction of extension of the side frame 10.

A method of laser processing of a metallic material is described by means of a focused laser beam having a predetermined transverse power distribution on at least one working plane of the material, comprising the steps of: providing a laser beam emitting source; leading the laser beam along a beam transport optical path to a working head arranged in proximity to the material; collimating the laser beam along an optical axis of propagation incident on the material; focusing the collimated laser beam in an area of a working plane of the material; and conducting the focused laser beam along a working path on the metallic material comprising a succession of working areas, wherein the laser beam is shaped: by reflecting the collimated beam by means of a deformable controlled surface reflecting element having a plurality of independently movable reflection areas, and by controlling the arrangement of the reflection areas to establish a predetermined transverse power distribution of the beam on at least one working plane of the metallic material as a function of the area of the current working plane and/or of the current direction of the working path on the metallic material.

A method of laser welding a workpiece stack-up that includes at least two overlapping metal workpieces is disclosed. The method includes advancing a beam spot of a laser beam relative to a top surface of the workpiece stack-up and along a beam travel pattern to form a laser weld joint, which is comprised of resolodified composite metal workpiece material, that fusion welds the metal workpieces together. And, while the beam spot is being advanced along the beam travel pattern, between a first point and a second point, which may or may not encompass the entire beam travel pattern, at least one of the following laser beam parameters is repeatedly varied: (1) the power level of the laser beam; (2) the travel speed of the laser beam; or (3) the focal position of the laser beam relative to the top surface of the workpiece stack-up.

In a method for welding using a wire-shaped filler and at least one laser beam, the wire-shaped filler is advanced in the direction of the surface of the workpiece by a wire feed mechanism. The wire-shaped filler is successively fused during the feed movement thereof. The wire-shaped filler and the material are connected to an electrical voltage source and form an electrical circuit. The electrical voltage, the electrical current and/or the electrical resistance are measured and used as control variables for the wire feed movement and/or the power of the at least one laser beam. Use of the laser beam is modified when a predefined threshold value of the electrical voltage and/or of the electrical current are fallen short of or a predefined threshold value of the electrical resistance is exceeded.