Railcar welding technique

Abstract

According to some embodiments, a method of improving weld fatigue performance in a railcar weld comprises identifying a railcar weld subject to dynamic loads; determining the railcar weld is prone to fatigue; applying an impact treatment to the railcar weld using transducer coupled to one or more pins, wherein the one or more pins are configured to contact the railcar weld without interference from other portions of the railcar. According to some embodiments, an impact treatment device for a railcar comprises a transducer coupled to one or more pins for imparting an impact to a railcar weld. The transducer and the one or more pins are configured to put the one or more pins in contact with the railcar weld without interference from other portions of the railcar. The transducer comprises one of an ultrasonic transducer, a piezoelectric transducer, or a pneumatic transducer.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.