Whither Welding's Wonders

It has to, with techniques that we haven't even thought of yet.

With not only the development of new alloys, composites and polymers, but environments also. Such as the vacuum of space.

I'm still waiting for the perfect welding method.

Place one material against the other,press and hold down a button on the "ray gun gizmo" and push the articles together, until they merge to your satisfaction.

When the two objects are properly merged, almost instantaneously, release the button, and they stay there merged (cold welded) in permanent togetherness state - unless you or someone else arrive with the "ray gun gizmo",and pressing the button once again, are able to release the bond.

Now, I think the process should be possible - all we need is the "ray gun gizmo".....

We use about as close as you can get to that with the IR fusion of PVDF and polypropylene pipe using a GF IR fusion machine.

I am interested to see if the future offers anything for some of the newer materials such as ceramics and the like.

Metal alloys will always be tough (no pun). I would not be surprised if nano-tech offers up some molecular level weldments for ??????? God knows what reason.

"I am interested to see if the future offers anything for some of the newer materials such as ceramics and the like."

If this develops, welding may take on a whole new meaning that resembles adhesives or chemical bonding.

In my earlier Post:

http://cr4.globalspec.com/comment/158202/Re-Whither-Welding-s-Wonders

I should have explained what I meant with "merging".

As Matter consists of mostly empty space, it should be possible to alter that state slightly in an area, with the "ray gun gizmo".

This would enable of intermixing of highly dissimilar materials.

These materials are not just "welded", but truly and gradually intermixed.

So, you could thus intermix ceramic and steel.

Or wood and ceramic.

Or metal and living tissue - (Horrible postulated situation: Help me please there has been an accident, I slipped and fell, now I have my hand with the gizmo in it, batteries have gone flat and I'm stuck here, hand and gizmo intermixed with this boilerplate)

And soon.

Happy Christmas....