Systems and methods suitable for shaping and cutting materials. Such a system includes first and second carriage units that are independently operable to travel in a travel direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of a table supporting the material. The first and second carriage units have first and second arms, respectively. A cutting device coupled to the first arm forms a slit in the material, and a deburring device coupled to the second arm forcibly removes burrs from the slit. The deburring device is behind the cutting device relative to the travel direction and forcibly removes burrs in the travel direction toward a breakthrough point of the slit. The second carriage unit oscillates parallel to the travel direction so that the deburring device moves toward and away from the breakthrough point of the slit to remove burrs at the breakthrough point.

Systems and methods suitable for shaping and cutting materials. Such a system includes first and second carriage units that are independently operable to travel in a travel direction parallel to a longitudinal axis of a table supporting the material. The first and second carriage units have first and second arms, respectively. A cutting device coupled to the first arm forms a slit in the material, and a deburring device coupled to the second arm forcibly removes burrs from the slit. The deburring device is behind the cutting device relative to the travel direction and forcibly removes burrs in the travel direction toward a breakthrough point of the slit. The second carriage unit oscillates parallel to the travel direction so that the deburring device moves toward and away from the breakthrough point of the slit to remove burrs at the breakthrough point.

The invention relates to a device for checking for foreign parts and/or deposits on support elements of a worktable, wherein the support elements are provided to support a flat workpiece for cutting with a laser or a water jet, wherein the support elements are arranged parallel to one another and have a first distance from one another, comprising: a sensor for detecting the foreign parts and/or the deposits in the space between two respective support elements.

The invention relates to a device for checking for foreign parts and/or deposits on support elements of a worktable, wherein the support elements are provided to support a flat workpiece for cutting with a laser or a water jet, wherein the support elements are arranged parallel to one another and have a first distance from one another, comprising: a sensor for detecting the foreign parts and/or the deposits in the space between two respective support elements.

A system for manufacturing a drive shaft assembly comprises a welding apparatus configured to weld a tube to an end fitting to form the drive shaft assembly having an annular weld. A transport apparatus is configured to transport the drive shaft assembly away from the welding apparatus. A knurling apparatus receives the drive shaft assembly from the transport apparatus. The knurling apparatus is configured to knurl the weld of the drive shaft assembly. The knurling apparatus includes a pair of knurling plates having textured surfaces in facing relationship. One of the knurling plates is configured to move relative to the other of the knurling plates to roll the drive shaft assembly between the textured surfaces, thereby knurling the weld to improve an appearance and texture of the outer surface of the drive shaft assembly.

A system for manufacturing a drive shaft assembly comprises a welding apparatus configured to weld a tube to an end fitting to form the drive shaft assembly having an annular weld. A transport apparatus is configured to transport the drive shaft assembly away from the welding apparatus. A knurling apparatus receives the drive shaft assembly from the transport apparatus. The knurling apparatus is configured to knurl the weld of the drive shaft assembly. The knurling apparatus includes a pair of knurling plates having textured surfaces in facing relationship. One of the knurling plates is configured to move relative to the other of the knurling plates to roll the drive shaft assembly between the textured surfaces, thereby knurling the weld to improve an appearance and texture of the outer surface of the drive shaft assembly.

Provided is a spatter scattering prevention apparatus that eliminates the necessity to, for example, remove scattered spatters and thus makes it possible to facilitate maintenance work, and also provided is a flash butt welder including the spatter scattering prevention apparatus. The spatter scattering prevention apparatus 1 according to the present invention is characterized by being configured to form a water screen in midair in the vicinity of a welding spot, at which welding is performed, wherein the water screen is for preventing spatters, generated during the welding, from scattering. The spatter scattering prevention apparatus is also characterized by being configured to form the water screen on one side in a lateral direction of the welding spot and form the water screen on the other side, laterally opposite to the one side, of the welding spot.

Provided is a spatter scattering prevention apparatus that eliminates the necessity to, for example, remove scattered spatters and thus makes it possible to facilitate maintenance work, and also provided is a flash butt welder including the spatter scattering prevention apparatus. The spatter scattering prevention apparatus 1 according to the present invention is characterized by being configured to form a water screen in midair in the vicinity of a welding spot, at which welding is performed, wherein the water screen is for preventing spatters, generated during the welding, from scattering. The spatter scattering prevention apparatus is also characterized by being configured to form the water screen on one side in a lateral direction of the welding spot and form the water screen on the other side, laterally opposite to the one side, of the welding spot.

A joint unit includes a first metal pipe, a second metal pipe, and a joint portion (a region including a joint interface at which the end faces of the first and second metal pipes are joined to each other. At the joint portion, an outer circumferential bead portion protruding toward the outer circumference side and an inner circumferential bead portion protruding toward the inner circumference side are formed. The difference between the width of the outer circumferential bead portion (the width L1 of a grinding portion and the width L2 of the inner circumferential bead portion in a direction from the first metal pipe toward the second metal pipe is equal to or smaller than 40% with respect to the average value of the width L1 of the outer circumferential bead portion and the width L2 of the inner circumferential bead portion.

A joint unit includes a first metal pipe, a second metal pipe, and a joint portion (a region including a joint interface at which the end faces of the first and second metal pipes are joined to each other. At the joint portion, an outer circumferential bead portion protruding toward the outer circumference side and an inner circumferential bead portion protruding toward the inner circumference side are formed. The difference between the width of the outer circumferential bead portion (the width L1 of a grinding portion and the width L2 of the inner circumferential bead portion in a direction from the first metal pipe toward the second metal pipe is equal to or smaller than 40% with respect to the average value of the width L1 of the outer circumferential bead portion and the width L2 of the inner circumferential bead portion.