Patent ID: 7763826

Claim:
A method for rigidly connecting a first metallic plate to a second metallic plate, comprising the steps of: a) situating the first plate over the second plate; b) applying a force to at least one first location of the first plate using a clamping arrangement having an aperture so as to tightly couple the first plate to the second plate in a proximity of the at least one first location; c) with a laser beam, irradiating the first plate through the aperture at the at least one first location to produce a molten material so that at least one irradiated section of the first plate is melted throughout its thickness and rigidly connected to the second plate using the molten material; d) during step (c), translating the first plate and the clamping arrangement with respect to one another to reach at least one second location; and dd) removing at least one portion of the molten material using one of a gas or compressed air through the aperture while the first and second plates are tightly coupled by the clamping arrangement in the proximity of the at least one first location.