Abstract: A stator assembly, at a compressor mid-plane in a gas turbine engine, to be mounted around a rotor disc, enables access to the rotor disc (e.g., for trim balancing), without requiring disassembly of the stator assembly and/or a compressor case in which the stator assembly is housed, via a removable stator vane. The stator assembly may comprise vane apertures, aligned along a radial axis, that hold the removable stator vane when inserted into the stator assembly, and provide a radial pathway to the rotor disc, when the removable stator vane is removed from the stator assembly. In addition, a case access assembly may seal the removable stator vane in place within a compressor case when engaged, and provide access to the removable stator vane and radial pathway through the compressor case when disengaged. This enables trim balancing of a mid-plane compressor rotor assembly through the stator assembly and compressor case.

Abstract: A system for mounting at least one vibration sensor onto a machine includes a mounting block that is funned from a pre-determined material and of a form such that the pre-determined material and form of the mounting block render the mounting block with a natural frequency lying at least 1500 Hertz (Hz) away from a range of frequencies associated with operation of the machine.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the rotation breakaway of a spacer from a compressor rotor disk are disclosed herein. The method includes detecting a disk sensed feature and a spacer sensed feature on the compressor rotor disk and the spacer respectively. The method also includes comparing the timing between the two to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the relative position of the spacer to the compressor rotor disk exceeds a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount may be selected to determine whether an imbalance, rubbing, or binding can occur in the gas turbine engine or to determine whether anti-rotation features have been broken.

Abstract: A system and method for detecting the rotation breakaway of a spacer from a compressor rotor disk are disclosed herein. The method includes detecting a disk sensed feature and a spacer sensed feature on the compressor rotor disk and the spacer respectively. The method also includes comparing the timing between the two to a predetermined threshold to determine whether the relative position of the spacer to the compressor rotor disk exceeds a predetermined amount. The predetermined amount may be selected to determine whether an imbalance, rubbing, or binding can occur in the gas turbine engine or to determine whether anti-rotation features have been broken.

Abstract: An ophthalmic endo-illumination system includes a light source that produces a light beam, a fiber port that receives an optical fiber, a condenser that couples at least a portion of the light beam into the optical fiber received at the fiber port, and a beam splitter disposed between the fiber port and the condenser. The beam splitter is configured to receive the light beam from the condenser and split the light beam into a first beam which is coupled to the optical fiber and a second beam which is coupled to a monitoring fiber. An optical sensor is provided to detect an amount of the second beam output from the monitoring fiber. The coupling efficiency of the first beam coupled into the optical fiber may be determined based on the amount of the second beam output from the monitoring fiber.

Abstract: An ophthalmic endo-illumination system includes a light source that produces a light beam, a fiber port that receives an optical fiber, a condenser that couples at least a portion of the light beam into the optical fiber received at the fiber port, and a beam splitter disposed between the fiber port and the condenser. The beam splitter is configured to receive the light beam from the condenser and split the light beam into a first beam which is coupled to the optical fiber and a second beam which is coupled to a monitoring fiber. An optical sensor is provided to detect an amount of the second beam output from the monitoring fiber. The coupling efficiency of the first beam coupled into the optical fiber may be determined based on the amount of the second beam output from the monitoring fiber.

Abstract: Described herein is a marking system for marking animals. The marking system comprises a restraining device, a controller, and a robot assembly wherein the robot assembly comprises a robotic arm, a marking device attached thereto, and one or more actuators for manipulating the robotic arm and marking with the marking device; the robot assembly and the restraining device are positioned in a fixed manner relative to one another; the restraining device is sized and configured for restraining an animal or animal body part thereof and oriented such that the marking device can make a mark on a substrate portion of the animal body part; and the controller is configured to control the position of the marking device and to make a mark on the substrate portion of the animal body part by actuating the one or more actuators. Also described herein are media transfer assemblies and animal restraints.

Abstract: A mounting system is provided to couple an engine unit including a turbine engine portion coupled to a gearbox portion about an axial axis to a support structure. An aft mounting device can couple the turbine engine portion to the support structure. A force determinator can be configured to determine a force load of the engine unit at the location of the aft mounting device. The length of the aft mounting device is adjustable between the turbine engine portion and the support structure in a radial direction to substantially align the gearbox portion and the engine portion relative to the axial axis. The aft mounting device may be sized to a desired length to correspond to a force load of the engine unit during the running condition.

Abstract: A mounting system is provided to couple an engine unit including a turbine engine portion coupled to a gearbox portion about an axial axis to a support structure. An aft mounting device can couple the turbine engine portion to the support structure. A force determinator can be configured to determine a force load of the engine unit at the location of the aft mounting device. The length of the aft mounting device is adjustable between the turbine engine portion and the support structure in a radial direction to substantially align the gearbox portion and the engine portion relative to the axial axis. The aft mounting device may be sized to a desired length to correspond to a force load of the engine unit during the running condition.

Abstract: Described herein is a marking system for marking animals. The marking system comprises a restraining device, a controller, and a robot assembly wherein the robot assembly comprises a robotic arm, a marking device attached thereto, and one or more actuators for manipulating the robotic arm and marking with the marking device; the robot assembly and the restraining device are positioned in a fixed manner relative to one another; the restraining device is sized and configured for restraining an animal or animal body part thereof and oriented such that the marking device can make a mark on a substrate portion of the animal body part; and the controller is configured to control the position of the marking device and to make a mark on the substrate portion of the animal body part by actuating the one or more actuators. Also described herein are media transfer assemblies and animal restraints.

Abstract: A method for designing a product includes obtaining data records relating to one or more input variables and one or more output parameters associated with the product. One or more input parameters may be selected from the one or more input variables, and a computational model indicative of interrelationships between the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters based on the data records may be generated. The method further includes providing a set of constraints to the computational model representative of a compliance state for the product and using the computational model to generate statistical distributions for the one or more input parameters and the one or more output parameters, based on the set of constraints, that represent a design for the product.