Reference Articles 1 - 98 of 98
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Case Study - Activating Adhesives on Decorative Trims
R-Tek Ltd -- supplier to the automotive industry -- chose infrared technology from Heraeus Noblelight to achieve perfect adhesion of decorative trims on the inside of motor vehicle door panels. They...(read more)
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Case Study - Drying Coating on Airbags Using IR
A Carbon infrared drying system from Heraeus Noblelight, is helping Airbags International to improve the manufacture of side impact airbags and has significantly reduced scrap levels on a coating...(read more)
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Case Study - Infrared Curing of Metals
The president of a major US-based lighting standards manufacturer knew that "the market for finished steel light standards is extremely competitive. To increase our market share we had to offer a...(read more)
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Case Study - IR Processing of Metal Coatings
Consumers of coated metal, wood, paper, glass, plastic and textile products are demanding attractive, long-lasting, wear-resistant surfaces. At the same time, stricter safety and environmental...(read more)
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Case Study - Powder Curing
When a gas-fired curing oven for powder-coated castings couldn't keep pace with production, Whitehead Die Casting turned to Heraeus Noblelight for a more efficient solution using electric infrared...(read more)
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Case Study: Deburring of Plastic Parts (.pdf)
Plastic handles, housing parts, covers, suction hoses and lids are conventionally produced by injection moulding or by pressing. It is not always possible to prevent the creation of sharp-edged burrs,...(read more)
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Case Study: Drying Color Stain on Wood Panels (.pdf)
Saunderson's Furniture Ltd, has installed an infrared dryer to assist in the colour staining and lacquering of wooden panels used in the manufacture of its wide range of high quality furniture. The...(read more)
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Case Study: Embossding Laminates (.PDF)
By installing custom-built equipment, incorporating short wave infrared emitters on their embossing line, Cova Products of Cramlington are saving energy and improving throughput because of the...(read more)
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Setting Up a Package-On-Package Assembly Process (.pdf)
It is important to start with a level reservoir of paste (or flux) to prepare for component dipping. For manual/ prototype equipment - begin by setting the blade height to 1/3 the sphere diameter of...(read more)
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Substrate Metallization Considerations For Soldering (.pdf)
Sufficient thought should be given to the substrate metallizations used in a soldering application to insure adequate wettbility and reliability This Application Note will discuss some of those...(read more)
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Using Flux-Coated Preforms in Soldering (.pdf)
For certain soldering applications, flux coated preforms may offer the greatest number of benefits over other more conventional forms of solder. For applications other than active device manufacture,...(read more)
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Practical Suggestions for Solder Preform Design (.pdf)
Solder preforms are manufactured solder shapes that come in standard forms such as squares, rectangles, discs, washers and frames. They can also be manufactured with custom geometries. Preforms...(read more)
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Soldering 101 - A Basic Overview (.pdf)
This Application Note provides a basic understanding of the soldering process to individuals new to the field of soldering. It is not meant to be an exhaustive treatment of the subject, but simply a...(read more)
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Improve Assembly Process and Prevent Costly Screw Fastening Errors With A Screw Counter
A screw counter helps manufacturers detect and eliminate costly screw-fastening errors during the assembly process. Using a screw counter is like putting the eyes and ears of a quality control manager...(read more)
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Wood Pallet Marking - IPPC Logo (.pdf)
Federal regulation mandates pallet manufacturers to mark an International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) certificate logo on pallets. The IPPC logo certifies that the wood used on its pallets was...(read more)
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Matrox Imaging Library Helps Delta Robot Sort Biscuits
The delta robot has been a fixture in assembly lines for over 20 years. And for good reasons. It's lightweight, nimble, and more flexible than an Olympic gymnast. Traditional robotic arms are modeled...(read more)
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Laser Microwelding of Copper
Using a 532nm green laser eliminates reflectivity issues and offers a viable method for high-volume microwelding of copper and other conductive materials...(read more)
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Durability of Brushless Electric Screwdriver vs Standard Electric Screwdrivers
Designed for high production environments, electric screwdrivers with a high performance brushless motor design provides durability and reduces the standard maintenance costs for standard electric...(read more)
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Verifying the Assemblers and the Fastening Process
To improve a fastening process, one should verify that the correct numbers of fasteners have been properly installed into the assembly and that the tool has completed the fastening cycle. The...(read more)
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High-Speed Dispensers Keep Pace With Assembly
If machine builders had their druthers, they would avoid integrating dispensing operations into high-speed automated assembly systems. Compared with other assembly processes, such as crimping,...(read more)
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Guidelines for Selecting the Right Brazing Alloy
There is a wide range of brazing alloys on the market, and for many applications a number of them will do the job. The more specific the technical and economic requirements, the more obvious the...(read more)
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Seven Steps to Successful Brazing
A strong brazed joint begins with its design. To assure maximum strength, the joint should be designed with an overlap of three to four times the thickness of the thinner member. This is the most...(read more)
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Facility Engineers Applaud GatorJaw for its Real Benefits (.pdf)
FONTANA, CA - GatorJaw, the nutless aluminum frame building system, has been receiving praise from facility engineers for its benefits since it first came on the market three years ago. But according...(read more)
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Automation Training for a New Work Force: What to Look for In an Orbital Welding Training Program (.pdf)
Finding skilled welders is becoming difficult and will only become more difficult in the near future. According to the American Welding Society (AWS), more than 500,000 welders are employed in the...(read more)
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Connection and Joining Technologies for Sandvik SAF 2507® (.pdf)
SAF 2507 material has found acceptance in many aggressive chloride-containing environments. Typical applications are found in oil and gas exploration, refining and petrochemical processing, pulp and...(read more)
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OrbitalWelding in Critical Systems (.pdf)
Orbital welding has steadily gained popularity in the last ten years, mainly due to the semiconductor industry's requirements for better gas distribution systems. These systems encompassed all the...(read more)
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Torque Arm for SMSR - White Paper (.pdf)
In the power transmission industry, shaft mounted speed reducers provide one possible solution to meet the speed reduction/power generation needs for an application. As the name implies, a Shaft...(read more)
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Redefining Product Development - Part 2
In the quest for innovative, competitive products, many companies are differentiating their product portfolios by redefining the product development process itself. Instead of responding to customer...(read more)
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Snap-Fit Joints Design Guide (.pdf)
Snap joints are a very simple, economical and rapid way of joining two different components. All types of snap joints have in common the principle that a protruding part of one component, e.g., a...(read more)
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Thermoplastic Joining Techniques (.pdf)
Sometimes you will have to assemble two or more component parts to produce a complex part. Early in the development stage, designers need to consider how they will effectively join mating components...(read more)
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Three Proven Methods of Verifying Torque Specifications
Once a torque specification has been determined, tools have been selected and production has begun, it is important to audit the joint for accuracy and to ensure the product has been fastened to the...(read more)
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Ultraviolet Curing
Ultraviolet (UV) Curing is a process which utilizes light energy to increase the viscosity of a material after it has been applied to another surface. Generally, a liquid material is coated onto the...(read more)
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Pick-to-Light System Error-Proofs Automotive Parts Assembly
TG-Missouri Corporation in Perryville, Missouri, a third-tier automotive parts supplier, makes injection-molded products including body side moldings, interior dash components and air bag systems....(read more)
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Case Study: Bell Helicopter
Bell Helicopter manufactures the heavy-lift "tilt-rotor" Osprey, the hybrid aircraft that combines features of both airplane and helicopter to accomplish what none of its forbears can do. It can lift...(read more)
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Case Study: Medtronic - Sofamor Danek -- Make Two Models and Call Me in the Morning: Medical Tools, Functional Prototypes Improve Design
Doctors make house calls, but there are no patients to see at Medtronic's Sofamor Danek prototype lab. Instead they come to see their ideas for new surgical instruments become working prototypes with...(read more)
- Assembly Techniques - A Process Comparison Chart
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Solder Reflow Recommendation
Lead-free soldering techniques have been available for some years. However, they do not always meet the same physical criteria for attachments as alloys containing lead. In the past, the most common...(read more)
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Manufacturing Technology Series: Integrating Control and Information Systems
Picture a manufacturing enterprise with plants in multiple locations around the world. Using a single automation platform that handles discrete, process and motion control with common programming,...(read more)
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Infraredology: P3 - The Gas Infrared Curing System
Dr. Leach remembers it well. As the Clinical Director at The Institute of Curing (aka Vice President of Thermal Innovations Corporation), Leach felt confident he had seen it all. However, even he...(read more)
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How to Choose a Solder
The first step in choosing a solder is to decide what metals are going to be bonded, because the type of metal used will greatly influence the type of solder used. Soft solders are often used with...(read more)
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Principles and Practices of Stud Welding
The stud welding process is an extremely fast and dependable process for attaching abrasion resistant "hard facing" studs. The stud and a ceramic ferrule are held in proper position in the gun by the...(read more)
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Keeping Robots In-Line - Someone Has To Do It
Robots are becoming more evolved and a part of the daily workplace in many industries such as automotive, packaging and palletizing, metal fabrication, foundry and forging and plastics. There are so...(read more)
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What is Hot Plate Welding?
The process of hot plate welding uses a heated platen to melt the joining surfaces of the two halves of a thermoplastic part. The part halves are brought into contact with a precisely heated platen...(read more)
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How to Build Your Own ESD Workbench
Many times building your own workbench or workstation for electronics work will save you money, and will also allow you to choose what accessories you may want....(read more)
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Offshore Racing Boat from Tencara
"Spirit of Norway" is one of the fastest and best handling UIM Class 1 offshore racing boats competing in this spectacular racing serices. It won the world championship in 1998. These offshore racing...(read more)
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Tough Enough for Armored Tanks
EOIR Technology was contracted to create a camera and mount for gun sights on M1 Abrams tanks and Bradley fighting vehicles for the Mississippi National Guard. EOIR's subcontractor's designs for the...(read more)
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Working Under Pressure
The Graco Inc. Contractor Equipment Division manufactures paint spraying and texturing equipment for professional contractors and tradesmen. Recently Graco designed a spray texture gun based on...(read more)
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The Basic Principle Of Ultrasonic Assembly
Ultrasonic plastics assembly is the joining or reforming of thermoplastics through the use of heat generated from high-frequency mechanical motion. It is accomplished by converting high-frequency...(read more)
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Air Powered Dispensing
Air-powered dispensing systems use controlled pulses of air pressure to dispense solder paste from syringe reservoirs in uniform amounts. Air-powered dispensing equipment comes in many shapes and...(read more)
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Case Study - Human Transporter: A Mechatronics System Design Project
A senior design team at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) set out to develop an interdisciplinary mechatronic system by designing and prototyping a two-wheeled robotic locomotion platform...(read more)
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Comparison of Grip Forces
Accurate grip measurements are extremely important for development of ergonomically sound products. Achieving reliable grip measurements was a difficult task, until now. Tekscan's Grip system provides...(read more)
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Direct Rapid Manufacturing With Real Production Plastics Using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM)
Manufacturing parts for end-use directly from a rapid prototyping system is an emerging process. This technique is already used for short-run production; individualized part manufacturing; and custom...(read more)
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Fused Depostion Modeling: A Technology Evaluation
Selecting the best rapid prototyping (RP) process can be challenging. Without hands-on experience, uncovering both the strengths and weaknesses of a technology can be difficult. Yet, this knowledge is...(read more)
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Rapid Manufacturing with FDM in Jig and Fixture Construction
This report is from the Department of Jig and Fixture Construction that has used an FDM 3000 for years. Daily projects comprise, among other things, designing and manufacturing production tools and...(read more)
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The Birth of the Pit Viper: Handcrafting Paired with Advanced Digital Tools
Restoring and customizing cars and trucks is a laborious process that demands skill and attention to detail. Even with weeks of meticulous work, highly skilled individuals are unable to approach...(read more)
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Dispensers
EFD fluid dispensers provide much greater control than the squeeze bottles, swabs and hand syringes often used in manual assembly processes....(read more)
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Dispensing Tips
EFD produces the highest quality dispensing tips in the industry. All tips are produced in our own silicone-free facilities, and subjected to stringent quality control inspections throughout the...(read more)
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FDM Dashboard Prototype Holds Tight Tolerances
Korean-based Hyundai Mobis makes original and aftermarket equipment for the automotive industry, including Hyundai and Kia. In its drive to be best in class and a global top 10 supplier, it depends on...(read more)
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Gas Tungsten Arc Welding
The development of the GTAW process was accelerated early in 1940. Initially the process was called ''Heliarc'', because Helium was used for the shielding gas. Later when argon was available the...(read more)
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Lap Joints - The Basics
A lap joint is formed by overlapping two plates and welding them either in the joint where they meet, as is done in GTAW and PAW, or through the top plate and into the bottom plate. This is usually...(read more)
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Micro-Joining With Electron Beam Energy
Micro-joining techniques employing electron beam energy sources may be one of the most under utilized joining process in industry today. The unapprised engineer may never fully exploit its full...(read more)
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Micro-Resistance Welding
One form of welding that is rapidly gaining in popularity as electronics and other devices continue to shrink is the process of micro resistance welding. This process is a thermal process, where the...(read more)
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Options for Restoring Injection Molds
One form of welding that is rapidly gaining in popularity as electronics and other devices continue to shrink is the process of micro resistance welding. This process is a thermal process, where the...(read more)
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The "Copperman" and Electron Beam Welding
The mannequin was custom designed and fabricated for the United States army. The purpose for the mannequin was for the testing of military apparel for the evaluation and study of various materials....(read more)
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The Unique Problems of Welding Sensor Devices
Sensors are devices that monitor changes or variations in an object or process relative to a reference standard. Depending on their intended function, they can recognize changes in weight, vibration,...(read more)
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TIME Magazine Article - Joining Technologies
In the world of manufacturing, attaching part A to Part B is a $50 billion-a-year business. Every product we use, from CD player to jumbo jet, is a collection of parts that must be glued, screwed or...(read more)
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Welding Miniature Devices
Welders have been joining miniature electromechanical devices for industrial and medical applications for more than 30 years. However, it's a subject that hasn't been featured much in papers and...(read more)
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Welding Techniques for Joining Sensor Bodies
Whether you're building or selecting a sensor, which type of welding should be part of the manufacturing process? Not surprisingly, the choice depends on the sensor's material characteristics and the...(read more)
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Welding: Butt Joint
One of the most common types of weld joints in manufacturing is the butt joint. This joint is formed when the two pieces to be welded are simply placed face to face and the welding head run over it....(read more)
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Welding: Corner Joints
The fifth major type of welding connection is the corner joint. As its name implies, this joint is used to connect two parts together to form a corner. This weld type is extremely useful and can be...(read more)
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Welding: Flange Joints
When very thin plates, foils or diaphragms need to be welded, it is often unfeasible to use either a butt joint or even a lap joint, on the grounds that even a minimal amount of power would burn...(read more)
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Welding: Tee Joints
Tee joints are used when one part must be joined to the center of another part forming a "T". Like the other types of weld, there are several ways that this joint can be prepared and welded, each with...(read more)
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How 3D Printing Fits into the Design Process
Communication throughout the design process is critical in the successful development of a new product. Design and engineering changes due to poor communication become exponentially more expensive...(read more)
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Saving Time and Money with 3D Printing
An ideal complement to CAD, 3D printing offers a fast, low-cost alternative for building concept and working models. Designed for workstation and network access much like a standard laser printer, 3D...(read more)
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The Competitive Advantages of 3D Printing
In today's competitive marketplace, the typical life span of an electronic product can be less than six months. A recent McKinsey & Co. study suggests that if a product is late to market by six months...(read more)
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Design for Ultrasonic Assembly, Materials, and Joint Design
Ultrasonic assembly is a fast, clean, efficient method of assembling or processing rigid thermoplastic parts or films and synthetic fabrics. Various ultrasonic assembly techniques are used to join...(read more)
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How Does Laser Assembly Work?
Laser is based on the idea of passing light/laser radiation through one plastic component and designing the second component to absorb the laser light. This absorption results in heating and melting...(read more)
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How Hot Plate Welding Works
Hot plate welding utilizes a temperature controlled heat platen assembly, which is introduced between the two parts to be assembled. All items are brought together, and the melting cycle is started....(read more)
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How Linear Vibration Welding Works
Linear vibration welding employs frictional heat at the joint interface of two mated parts. The heat is generated by moving one part against the other under pressure through a linear displacement in...(read more)
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How Spin Welding Works
Spin welding is a process that joins circular thermoplastic parts by bringing the part interfaces together, under pressure, with a circular, spinning motion. One part is held stationary in a fixture,...(read more)
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How Ultrasonic Welding Works
Ultrasonic assembly utilizes an acoustic tool called a horn to transfer vibratory energy through the part to the joint area, where it is converted to heat through friction that melts the plastic....(read more)
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Materials and Part Design for Vibration Welding
Virtually all thermoplastic polymers can be welded to themselves utilizing the vibration welding technique. Vibration welding also offers the largest range of welding of dissimilar materials, as well...(read more)
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Ultrasonic Metal Welding for Wire Splicing and Termination
Ultrasonic energy has been shown to be a useful tool in a wide variety of applications from very low power medical diagnostics through high intensity processes which change the state of materials....(read more)
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Ultrasonics Join Harley-Davidson Wire Harnesses
While many U.S. automotive manufacturers are struggling to compete head-on against imports, Harley-Davidson Motor Co. boasts a backlog of orders reflecting the worldwide waiting list for its...(read more)
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Rigid Yet Flexible Coupling
Road induced vibrations cause NVH problems in components especially those suspended off the vehicle frame. Harmonic vibrations can be destructive unless the components are rigidly coupled to the...(read more)
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How Rings Work
The Tolerance Ring is a precision-engineered device made form a thin spring steel strip of material into which waves, corrugations or bumps are formed....(read more)
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Laser Welding Tightly-Wound Coils
Typical coil welding applications require a complete weld around the entire circumference of the coil. In most cases, there is only a single layer of a coil, with the weld preventing the coil from...(read more)
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Suitability of Materials for Pulsed Laser Welding
Material Coatings/Platings: These can have an affect on weld quality, and generally require testing as case specific. One example of coating sensitivity is gold/nickel or nickel coatings. Coating...(read more)
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Introduction to SPC and Weld Checkers and Monitors
Statistical Process Control (SPC) and Statistical Quality Control (SQC), are the buzzwords for manufacturing today. Most large manufacturers and many small ones are using these terms interchangeably...(read more)
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Resistance Welding Fundamentals
Resistance welding is a thermo-electric process in which heat is generated at the interface of the parts to be joined by passing an electrical current through the parts for a precisely controlled time...(read more)
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Performance and Cost Advantages of Stud Welding
The stud welding process is an extremely fast and dependable process for attaching abrasion resistant "hard facing" studs. The stud and a ceramic ferrule are held in proper position in the gun by the...(read more)
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Welding Sensor Devices
Sensors are devices that monitor changes or variations in an object or process relative to a reference standard. Depending on their intended function, they can recognize changes in weight, vibration,...(read more)
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Laser Build-Up: PowerWeld Technical
This application description is intended for people who want to acquaint themselves with laser hard-face welding in tool and mold making....(read more)
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Laser Integrated Robotics
In recent years laser welding has advanced into many different industries, from automotive to electronics. With lasers, it is possible to weld a high speeds with great efficiency. Once unthinkable...(read more)
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Laser Solutions - Laser Die Repair
Manual welding/cladding, using pulsed Nd:YAG lasers, is a developing process that has recently been introduced to North American tool and moldmakers. Laser energy supplies the heat to fuse tool steel...(read more)
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Mold Making Technology
Most plastic injection molds require surface restoration during the life of the mold. Specialty welders are needed because of the precise nature of restoration and the value of the die/mold. The...(read more)
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Practical Welding: Precision Instruments
Most plastic injection molds require surface restoration during the life of the mold. Specialty welders are needed because of the precise nature of restoration and the value of the die/mold. The...(read more)
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The Influence of Water Temperature & Flow on Resistance Welding Electrode Life
Many studies have been made to determine the best copper alloys for producing high-quality welds and long life when resistance welding steel, particularly galvanized metal. New electrode designs that...(read more)
