Patent ID: 7246736

Claim:
A method of metal fusion bonding components together, said method comprising: providing a flexible articulate tubular device separate from welding apparatus for producing metal fusion for bonding the components, the articulate tubular device having an inlet at one end of the tubular device for receiving a supply of gaseous flux and an other end of the tubular device for discharge of gaseous flux, the flexible articulate tubular device further comprising a plurality of pivot rings and wherein one of the plurality of pivot rings is a terminal pivot ring, a control module comprising a motion controller comprising electronics and an articulation drive device operatively connected to the plurality of pivot rings; articulating said flexible articulate tubular device to direct said terminal pivot ring along a target weld path to be progressively formed between said components, and wherein said articulating said flexible articulate tubular device comprises communicating motion control commands from the motion controller to the articulating drive device causing the articulating drive device to pivot at least one of the plurality of pivot rings; and supplying a gaseous flux along said flexible articulate tubular device, out said other end of the tubular device, and toward said target weld path as it is progressively formed, and positioning the flexible articulate tubular device so as to trace said target weld path.