Textron Innovations Inc.

The Ohio State University

Bell Helicopter Textron Inc.

Avraham Benatar

David Allen Grewell

Edward W Lee

Xun Liu

Menachem Kimchi

An ultrasonic resistance welding apparatuscontains a resistance spot welding apparatus, a first electrodeand a vibrable second electrode, the vibrable second electrodein operable communication with an ultrasonic transducer, whereby the ultrasonic transducerselectively imparts vibratory energy to the vibrable second electrodebased on signals from a controller. The vibrable second electrodemay be tuned or designed to resonate within 2.5% of an operating frequency of the ultrasonic transducer. During operation of the welding apparatus, a tipof the second vibrable electrodemay be positioned at an anti-nodal pointof the vibratory energy and the vibrable second electrodemay be attached to the resistance spot welding apparatusat a nodal planeof the vibratory energy. A process for employing the apparatusis also presented.

Ultrasonic resistance welding process and apparatus

A method for ultrasonic debulking a composite laminate includes the steps of defining a path across the laminate, the path having a starting location and an ending location and applying a force to and transmitting ultrasonic vibration into the laminate along the path, beginning at the starting location and ending at the ending location. The method further includes determining a temperature of a surface of the laminate proximate to the path and varying at least one of an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration, the applied force, a feed rate at which the force and the ultrasonic vibration are applied along the path, an angle at which the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the laminate, and an interval at which plies of the laminate are processed, based upon the determined temperature of the surface of the laminate.

Apparatus and method for ultrasonic processing of laminates

A method for ultrasonic debulking a composite laminate () includes the steps of defining a path () across the laminate, the path having a starting location and an ending location and applying a force () to and transmitting ultrasonic vibration () into the laminate along the path, beginning at the starting location and ending at the ending location. The method further includes determining a temperature of a surface () of the laminate proximate to the path and varying at least one of an amplitude of the ultrasonic vibration, the applied force, a feed rate at which the force and the ultrasonic vibration are applied along the path, an angle at which the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the laminate, and an interval at which plies of the laminate are processed, based upon the determined temperature of the surface of the laminate.

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Upper Arlington, OH, United States of America

Avraham Benatar