Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Northwestern University

Shanghai Jiaotong University

Michael G Poss

Hui-ping Wang

Blair E Carlson

Pei-chung Wang

Thomas Arthur Perry

James C O'Kane

Chi-Mou Ni

Joshua L Solomon

Chih-chang Chen

Daniel C Hutchinson

Mark J McGuire

Alexander Michael Turley

John Forrest

Rinaldo M Lucchesi

Anthony V Minatel

David A Gatny

Bryan F Lake

Michael D Regiec

Guangze Li

Ping Guo

Haichao Cui

Koichi Inaba

James J Janick

Perry G Leggett

Raymond F Roantree

Aaron D Cox

Fenggui Lu

A laser brazing and welding system is disclosed and includes: a laser; a first cutting tool including a first cutting tip; and a control module. The control module is configured to control the laser to laser braze or laser weld two parts; and control ultrasonic vibration of the first cutting tip to remove one or more layers from at least one of the two parts prior to or subsequent to the laser brazing or laser welding of the two parts.

Ultrasonic pre-surface and post-surface processing for laser brazing and laser welding

A method of laser welding a workpiece stack-up that includes two or more overlapping aluminum alloy workpieces is disclosed. The method involves controlling the power level of the laser beam during at least one of an initial stage or a final stage of advancing the laser beam along a weld path so as to limit a line energy of the laser beam during such stage or stages to being no greater than 10% above a line energy of the laser beam during an intermediate stage of laser beam advancement that is performed between the initial and final stages. By limiting the line energy during the initial and/or final stages of laser beam advancement along the weld path, excessive fusion of the workpiece stack-up assembly can be avoided in those locations to help protect against hot-cracking in the resultant laser weld joint.

Avoiding hot cracks during laser welding of a workpiece stack-up assembly of aluminum alloy workpieces

A method of laser welding a workpiece stack-up that includes two or three overlapping aluminum alloy workpieces involves constraining a free end of an overlapping portion of a first aluminum alloy workpiece against movement away from an underlying second aluminum alloy workpiece to counteract the thermally-induced forces that cause out-of-plane deformation of one or more of the aluminum alloy workpieces during laser welding. Such constraint of the free end of the first aluminum alloy workpiece may be accomplished by clamping, spot welding, or any other suitable practice. By constraining the free end of the first aluminum alloy workpiece, and thus inhibiting out-of-plane deformation of the aluminum alloy workpieces when laser welding is practiced in a nearby welding region, the occurrence of hot cracking is minimized or altogether eliminated in the final laser weld joint.

Hot cracking reduction in aluminum laser welding

A method for object distance detection and focal positioning in relation thereto. The method comprising the steps of: (a) identifying (via a computing device) a desired distance among a plurality of designated sites on an object; (b) adjusting a focus (via an autofocus device) onto the plurality of designated sites; (c) calculating (via an image recognition module) the actual distance among the plurality of designated sites; (d) determining (via the image recognition module) if error exist between the actual distance and the desired distance; and (e) wherein (in no particular order) repeating the steps of (b), (c), and (d) until no substantial error exists between the actual distance and the desired distance.

System and method for object distance detection and positioning

A method of laser welding aluminum alloy workpieces with dual laser beams arranged in a cross-beam orientation is disclosed. The method comprises directing dual laser beams, which include a first laser beam and a second laser beam, at and along a weld seam established between the aluminum alloy workpieces together with a filler wire. The first laser beam includes a first longitudinal axis and the second laser beam includes a second longitudinal axis. When arranged in the cross-beam orientation, a plane that intersects the first longitudinal axis and the second longitudinal axis of the first and second laser beams, respectively, forms a line where it meets the aluminum alloy workpieces that is oriented transverse to the weld seam.

Laser conduction mode welding of aluminum alloys with cross dual laser beams

An aperture plate for a welding apparatus includes a body defining an aperture. The body of the aperture plate includes a first end and a second end that is opposite the first end. In addition, the body includes a first surface intersecting the first and second ends. Moreover, the body includes a second surface formed opposite the first surface. The second surface is nonparallel to the first surface.

Aperture plate for overheating prevention and wire nozzle protection

A vehicle door assembly includes a door inner panel that has a header portion that at least partially defines a window opening. A reinforcement panel is configured to abut the door inner panel along the header portion and further defines the window opening. The door inner panel and the reinforcement panel each have a respective first flange extending at least partially outboard and a respective second flange extending at least partially inboard. The first flange of the door inner panel abuts the first flange of the reinforcement panel and the second flange of the door inner panel abuts the second flange of the reinforcement panel. A trim member is secured to the reinforcement panel and to the header portion to cover the second flanges without contacting the second flanges and has an inboard-facing planar portion as a furthest inboard extent of the trim member.

Vehicle door header and method of manufacturing same

The invention contemplates a body structure for a vehicle. The body structure includes a roof panel and a side frame. The attachment flange of an outer body side panel includes a roof mounting portion with a dual angle, a glass mounting portion at an angle that matches one of the dual angles, and a transition area where the dual angle of the roof mounting portion tapers to the glass mounting portion with the single angle.

Vehicle with layered roof build

A method of single sided spot welding includes the steps of providing a metal tube having a convex surface portion and providing a metal sheet for welding to the metal tube. The method also includes the steps of contacting the metal sheet with the convex surface portion of the metal tube and contacting the metal sheet with a welding electrode. The method further includes the steps of supplying power to the welding electrode for melting metal and solidifying the molten metal to form a weld nugget between the metal sheet and the metal tube.

Method for single sided spot welding

A method is disclosed for inserting an end of a first tubular member into a complementary end of a second tubular member and attaching (e.g., welding) the adjacent surfaces of the inserted ends in a tight peripheral bond. In the method, a substantially continuous protrusion is formed in either the first or second member. Thereafter, the first and second tubular members are placed relative to each other such that a current may be passed through the protrusion and a seal may be formed, thereby joining the members.

Method for joining tubular members

Growing community of inventors

Rochester Hills, MI, United States of America

Michael G Poss