Gm Global Technolgoy Operations, Inc.

Pei-Chung Wang

Blair E Carlson

David S Yang

Daniel C Hutchinson

Samuel Paul Marin

Robin Stevenson

John Stilianos Agapiou

John Patrick Spicer

Michael J Karagoulis

John D Fickes

Jeff Wang

Xinmin Lai

Guanlong Chen

Paul M Zardus

Yansong Zhang

Zongqing Lin

Kangping Wang

Sheila A Marin, Legal Representative

Yih-Charng Deng

Methods of crack avoidance during resistance spot welding are provided. The compressive stress from the spot welding is distributed across an electrode assembly having an enlarged footprint. The electrode assembly includes a conductive core and a non-conductive cover. The delivery of current through the electrode assembly is localized to the conductive core.

Crack avoidance in resistance spot welded materials

An apparatus for resistance welding with a welder includes a heat pipe including a hollow tube and a weld electrode fitted around a portion of the heat pipe. The weld electrode and heat pipe are conductively coupled to conduct heat across an inner surface of the weld electrode.

Heat pipe waterless resistance welding electrode

A method to diagnose weld integrity in a welding process includes monitoring a weld indentation characteristic, comparing the monitored weld indentation characteristic to a threshold weld indentation characteristic, and identifying a discrepant weld when the weld indentation characteristic comparison shows the monitored weld indentation characteristic violates the threshold weld indentation characteristic.

Online weld inspection and repair method for resistance welding and weld-bonding

A method of controlling an indentation depth of an electrode into a metal substrate during formation of a weld includes selecting a weld force, current, duration, minimum indentation depth, and maximum indentation depth, contacting the substrate with the electrode to apply the force to the substrate, supplying the current to the electrode to initiate formation of the weld according to a first condition in which the depth is less than the minimum, a second condition in which the depth is greater than or equal to the minimum and less than or equal to the maximum, and a third condition in which the depth is greater than the maximum, and comparing the depth, minimum, and maximum. For the first condition, duration is changed. For the second condition, each of the force, current, and duration is maintained until the weld is substantially formed. For the third condition, current ceases to be supplied.

Method of controlling an indentation depth of an electrode into a metal substrate during welding

One or more ductile metal inserts may be selectively incorporated into articles of limited ductility, including castings and molded polymers. The inserts are positioned at joint locations for joining of the article to other articles using self-piercing riveting (SPR). The inserts are of suitable ductility, thickness and strength to receive and retain self-piercing rivets and enable a strong riveted joint between the article and a second article. In an embodiment the articles are magnesium alloy castings formed by any of sand casting, die casting and semi-solid metal casting. The chemical composition of the insert may be informed by the anticipated corrosive environment of the joint and the casting temperature of the magnesium alloy. For magnesium alloy castings which may be exposed to corrosive environments, aluminum alloy inserts are preferred.

Fabricated-in-place inserts to receive self-piercing rivets

A method of repairing and a repaired friction stir welded assembly is disclosed. The friction stir welded assembly repair may include the steps of: drilling a hole through a discrepant portion of the friction stir welded assembly; sliding a mandrel head and a tubular rivet body of a rivet assembly through the hole; seating a rivet head and an adhesive/sealer washer against one of the first workpiece and the second workpiece, with the adhesive/sealer washer located between portions of the rivet head and body and the friction stir welded assembly; pulling a mandrel to cause the mandrel head to create an upset portion of the rivet body engaging the friction stir welded assembly; and curing the adhesive/sealer washer.

Repairing a friction stir welded assembly

A method of joining multiple components includes stacking the components vertically. Each component includes two opposite substantially planar surfaces that are arranged in a column when the components are stacked. The method also includes placing the stacked components in a clinch-crimping apparatus having a first punch, a second punch, and a crimping element. The method also includes displacing a section of the substantially planar surfaces of the stacked components by driving the first punch in a first direction that is substantially perpendicular to the surfaces. The method additionally includes retracting the first punch from the displaced section and crimping the displaced section by the crimping element to form a crush initiator. The method additionally includes disengaging the crimping element from the crimped, displaced section. Furthermore, the method includes clinching the crimped, displaced section by driving the second punch in a second direction that is opposite to the first direction.

Method and apparatus for joining multiple components

A welding apparatus for welding a work-piece includes an energy source configured to generate a weld in a zone of the work-piece, with the work-piece characterized by a layer. The apparatus also includes a first wheel characterized by a first circumference and a first set of protrusions disposed on the first circumference, and a second wheel characterized by a second circumference and a second set of protrusions disposed on the second circumference. Each of the first and second wheels is configured to rotate relative to the work-piece, and the first and second sets of protrusions are configured to disrupt the layer as the work-piece is traversed between the first and second wheels. The energy source generates the weld in the zone of the work-piece following the disruption of the layer. A method employing the disclosed welding apparatus is also provided.

Welding method and apparatus

A stator for an electric motor includes a stator coil including a wire pair with respective ends that are joined with a ring. The ring is positioned around the wire pair and joined to the wire pair by a metal joining process.

Electric motor assemblies and systems and methods associated with joining wires of electric motor assemblies

A method of monitoring and maintaining a weld cap which is executing successive resistance welds on a plurality of workpieces includes measuring a first weld indentation formed during a first resistance weld and measuring a second weld indentation formed during a second resistance weld. The measured first and second weld indentations are compared with a severe threshold. If either of the measured first or second weld indentations is greater than the severe threshold, an abnormal condition is signaled. The method may include tip dressing the weld cap based upon the signaled abnormal condition. The method may further include determining a degradation rate between the first resistance weld and the second resistance weld. The degradation rate is the time differential between the measured first and second weld indentations, and either a first or a second tip dressing schedule is chosen based upon the determined degradation rate.

Method for monitoring and maintaining a resistance welding apparatus

A method is disclosed for repairing a workpiece having two metal components riveted together. The workpiece has a discrepant joint caused by an improperly-installed-self-piercing rivet. The method includes, but is not limited to providing a repair rivet, positioning the repair rivet proximate the discrepant joint such that the repair rivet is substantially aligned with the improperly-installed-self-piercing rivet, and installing the repair rivet at substantially a same location on the workpiece as the improperly-installed-self-piercing rivet without removing the improperly-installed-self-piercing rivet.

Method for repairing self-piercing riveted workpieces

A method to diagnose a failed weld in a welding process includes monitoring a location of a weld created on a plurality of work pieces, diagnosing the weld as a failed weld based on said location with respect to a closest edge of one of the work pieces, and identifying said failed weld based on the diagnosing.

Method to estimate the effect of weld location on weld strength

Methods, program products, and computer systems for estimating a stress of a toughened structural adhesive polymer are provided. One method comprises selecting a strain, a strain rate, a temperature, or a combination thereof at which the stress is to be estimated. A value of a strain-hardening stress of the toughened structural adhesive polymer is determined, wherein the value of the strain-hardening stress is dependent on the temperature and the strain. A value of a non-strain-hardening stress of the toughened structural adhesive polymer is determined, wherein the value of the non-strain-hardening stress is dependent on the strain, the strain rate, and the temperature. The value of the strain-hardening stress is added to the value of the non-strain-hardening stress to obtain an estimated total stress.

Methods, program products, and systems for estimating the stress-strain relationship of a toughened structural adhesive polymer

A rivet configured to provide a strengthened rivet joint capable of acting as a load-bearing joint, such as in a vehicle, is provided. A method of joining a multiple member work-piece utilizing the rivet is also provided. The rivet includes a head portion and an annular body portion extending from the head portion. The body portion has an open end opposite the head portion. The head portion and the annular body portion define an interior cavity that opens at the open end. The annular body portion has an inner surface at the interior cavity and an outer surface opposite the interior cavity. The body portion has passages extending through the body portion from the inner surface to the outer surface, and grooves running along the outer surface intersecting with the passages.

Self-piercing rivet and method of joining with bonded riveted joints

A closure panel assembly includes an inner and an outer panel, the inner panel having a crimped edge surface feature and a textured surface feature such as a set of radial projections or asperities. Adhesive material is applied between the panels, and the outer panel is hemmed and adhesively bonded to the inner panel. The surface features affix the panels together without induction or intermediate heat curing of the adhesive material. The outer panel has a hemmed edge enclosing the crimped surface feature, with the adhesive material positioned therebetween to form a seal of a relatively low shrinkage rate. A method of forming the closure panel assembly includes forming a first and second surface feature on the inner panel, such as by using swaging and coining, respectively, applying adhesive material therebetween, and hemming the panels to form a hem seam.

Growing community of inventors

Shanghai, China

Pei-Chung Wang