Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Jorge F Arinez

Yongqiang Li

Guoxian Xiao

Pei-chung Wang

John Patrick Spicer

Ningjian Huang

Hua-tzu Fan

Saul S Lee

Hamid Ghavami Kia

Blair E Carlson

Joseph Clifford Simmer

Alejandro Hernan Plazas Torres

Qigui Wang

Dalong Gao

Bradley J Blaski

Jeffrey A Abell

Andrew Clay Bobel

Ryan Curtis Sekol

Pulak Bandyopadhyay

Debejyo Chakraborty

Leandro G Barajas

Peter H Foss

Shixin Jack Hu

Stephan R Biller

Daniel Shriver

Mihaela Banu

Kaifeng Wang

Basel Q Shadid

Mary S Boyd

David C Gillengerten

Dai-Yun Wu

Alaa Elwany

Robert K Baird, Jr

James Benjamin D'Arcy

Ram Dwibhashyam

A method for controlling a pump motor associated with a component molding system includes applying a selected activation energy to the pump motor, driving, with the pump motor, a casting medium from a source to a mold through a casting medium delivery system, delivering the casting medium into a mold cavity, detecting one or more casting medium delivery parameters in the casting medium delivery system, detecting one or more casting medium mold parameters in the mold cavity, sending a first plurality of signals representing the casting medium delivery parameters to a controller, sending a second plurality of signals representing the casting medium mold parameters to the controller, processing the first plurality of signals and the second plurality of signals to determine pump motor control parameters, and adjusting the selected activation energy to the pump motor based on the pump motor control parameters.

Pump controller for a sand casting system

A method of forming additive energy directors according to various exemplary embodiments can include dispensing a molten material onto a substrate at a predetermined location. The method also includes solidifying the molten material to form at least one additive energy director onto the substrate.

Additive energy director and method of formation

A ultrasonic welding method of joining dissimilar-material workpieces, such as sheet materials, and the joined components formed thereby. The method includes applying ultrasonic energy to a thermoplastic piece to fill a hole of a dissimilar piece to form a weld point that is made up with polymer from the thermoplastic piece. In general, the geometry of the thermoplastic piece is not altered during the process. The dissimilar piece generally has a higher melting temperate and can be metal, thermoset polymers, or other thermoplastic material. The welded pieces can be arranged in a lap, laminate, or double lap configuration. In some embodiments, the hole of the dissimilar sheet material includes undercut features that improve the mechanical interlock between the dissimilar pieces. In some embodiments, the weld point has a mushroom cap to improve mechanical interlock.

Ultrasonic welding of dissimilar sheet materials

During an example coating method, a metallic substrate is provided. A foundation coat precursor is applied on the metallic substrate. The foundation coat precursor includes a matrix and a plurality of capsules present in the matrix. Each capsule includes a shell and a healing agent surrounded by the shell. A basecoat precursor is applied, and a clearcoat precursor is applied. The metallic substrate, the foundation coat precursor, the basecoat precursor, and the clearcoat precursor are heated i) after each respective application or ii) simultaneously, in order to cure the foundation coat, basecoat, and clearcoat precursors and respectively form a foundation coat, a basecoat, and a clearcoat. The foundation coat is ultraviolet (UV) stable and bonds the metallic substrate to the basecoat and the clearcoat.

Coated articles and methods of making the same

A method for joining a plurality of workpieces includes providing a rotating drive tool. A fastener is secured to the drive tool. The drive tool is then rotatably driven such that a distal end of the fastener rotates against a surface of the plurality of workpieces. A heated material zone is then generated on the plurality of workpieces as caused by friction from the rotation of the fastener against the surface of the plurality of workpieces. The distal end of the fastener is rotatably and axially driven through the heated material zone. Finally, the drive tool is removed from the fastener, such that when the heated material zone cools, a portion of the heated material zone is fused to the fastener.

Hybrid workpiece joining

Methods and devices for manufacturing paneled structures are provided. The methods include manufacturing a frame structure by additive manufacturing methods and scanning a surface of the frame structure to determine whether there is more than a nominal surface deviation at a location where a panel will be disposed. When there is more than a nominal surface deviation, the methods also include generating a panel to be disposed at the location of the frame structure, wherein the panel has an engagement surface that is complimentary to the surface deviation.

Additive manufacturing of a body component on a tube frame

Methods and systems are provided for generating a mold. In one embodiment, a method includes: determining, by a processor, a fiber orientation for a plurality of points in a part; determining, by the processor, a distortion value based on the fiber orientations; and generating, by the processor, mold dimensions based on the distortion values.

Methods and systems for modeling of distortion in molded composites

A workpiece carrier includes a base frame, a fixture base, a plurality of locators, and a drive source. The fixture base is secured to the base frame. Each of the plurality of locators is secured at a first end to the fixture base and at a second end to a workpiece. The drive source is in communication with the fixture base for rotationally driving the fixture base with respect to the base frame.

Rotational paint curing device

A resistance spot welding method can be used to join polymeric and metallic workpieces together and includes the following steps: (a) placing an electrically conductive coating between a polymeric workpiece and a metallic workpiece, wherein the metallic workpiece has a textured surface facing the polymeric workpiece; (b) piercing the polymeric workpiece with first and second electrically conductive pins of a welding electrode assembly; (c) applying electrical energy to the first and second electrically conductive pins so that an electrical current flows through the first electrically conductive pin, the electrically conductive coating, and the second electrically conductive pin in order to at least partially melt the polymeric workpiece and the electrically conductive coating, thereby forming a weld pool; and (d) cooling the weld pool to form a solid weld nugget in order to establish a mechanical interface lock between the solid weld nugget and the textured surface.

Resistance spot welding method

Methods for manufacturing structures are provided. The methods include manufacturing a shell structure by additive manufacturing methods and sectioning panels with predetermined shapes from the shell structure. The panels are subsequently coupled to shell structure. Devices for performing various steps of the methods are also provided.

Additive manufacturing of a unibody vehicle

A resistance spot welding system can join two polymeric workpieces and includes a power supply. The power supply has a positive terminal and a negative terminal. The resistance spot welding system further includes a welding electrode assembly electrically connected to the power supply. The welding electrode assembly includes a housing, a first electrically conductive pin and a second electrically conductive pin. The first and second electrically conductive pins both protrude from the housing. The first electrically conductive pin is electrically connected to the positive terminal of the power supply, and the second electrically conductive pin is electrically connected to the negative terminal of the power supply. The second electrically conductive material is electrically insulated from the first electrically conductive pin. The first and second electrically conductive pins are at least partly made of a material having a hardness ranging between 50 HRC and 70 HRC.

Resistance spot welding system and method

A hybrid stamping system for forming a work-piece includes a stamping press. The press includes first and second dies that have respective first and second die bases formed from a first material. The system also includes first and second inlays. Each inlay is formed from a second material and has opposing die and work-piece sides. The second material hardness is greater than the first material hardness. The die side of the first inlay is cast into the first base and the work-piece side of the first inlay is contoured to form one side of the work-piece. The die side of the second inlay is cast into the second base and the work-piece side of the second inlay is contoured to form another side of the work-piece. The first and second dies are mounted in the press opposite one another to form the work-piece between the first and second inlays.

Hybrid stamping system

A device for joining thermoplastic workpieces includes an ultrasonic welder including an ultrasonic transducer, a booster and a horn having a welding tip. A clamping mechanism attaches to the ultrasonic welder and includes an upper frame coupled to a boot. The welding tip of the horn of the ultrasonic welder projects into an aperture in the boot of the clamping mechanism. The clamping mechanism exerts a clamping force on the workpieces that differs from a welding force exerted on the workpieces by the ultrasonic welder when the ultrasonic welder is operating to join the thermoplastic workpieces.

Ultrasonic welder clamp

A method can be used for joining workpieces using a fastener. The fastener includes a first head and a shank extending from the first head along a fastener axis. The joining method includes the following steps: (a) rotating a fastener about a fastener axis; (b) moving the fastener toward the first and second workpieces while the fastener rotates about the fastener axis such that the fastener increases the temperature in the first and second workpieces in order to soften and pierce the first and second workpieces along the fastener axis; and (c) advancing the fastener through the first and second workpieces and toward an open cavity of a die after piercing the first and second workpieces while the fastener rotates about the fastener axis such that the shank is partially disposed inside the open cavity in order to form a second head.

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Jorge F Arinez