Techniques for Metal Expansion Joint Manufacturing

Abstract. The paper describes the functioning of metal expansion joints and presents their traditional production methods. Additionally, an innovative concept of using a laser beam and external forces to produce them was discussed. The authors explained that these expansion joints are used to balance temperature changes and stresses in construction materials. Then, the focus was on analyzing traditional production techniques for these elements, highlighting their limitations and potential difficulties. There was a need to look for new, more efficient production methods that could improve the quality and efficiency of expansion joints. The main part of the article discusses a new concept of metal expansion joint manufacturing with the use of a laser beam and external forces. The manufacturing process is described in detail, including precise control of the laser beam to obtain the appropriate expansion joint geometry while using external forces to accelerate the process. This method guarantees precision and repeatability of workmanship, which is crucial for the effectiveness of metal expansion joints. The next part of the paper presents the results of research on the new production method. The authors focused mainly on processing parameters, such as laser power, speed, acting forces, and geometry of the obtained elements. The test results confirmed the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed method, enabling precise control of the production process of metal expansion joints.