Abstract: The invention relates to ACSR conductors having two or more layers of conductor strands wound helically around a steel core, the layers being wound alternately in right-handed and left-handed helices. The AC/DC resistance ratio of such a conductor can be greatly reduced by appropriate selection of the lay factors of the strand layers in relation to the cross sectional areas of the respective layers. The unbalanced mechanical torque can also be greatly reduced by appropriate selection of the lay factors of the strand layers in relation to the means diameters of the layers and the outside diameter of the conductor.

Abstract: Cold drawn carbon steel wire, more particularly stranded galvanized wire for use in overhead power transmission lines, is heat treated in the untensioned state for a period of at least one hour at a temperature in the range 150.degree. C.-200.degree. C. The preferred temperature is about 175.degree. C. The treated wire has a reduced susceptibility to permanent elongation under tensile stress. ACSR conductors incorporating such wire as the steel reinforcement have a greatly reduced sag under heavy ice loading.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus, and a related method, for the automatic detection of defects in manufactured parts, such as turbine blades and the like. The apparatus includes a video camera, a thresholding module to provide a binary image of a frame of video data, a region growing module to define anomalous regions by associating contiguous picture elements indicative of surface anomalies on the part, and defect analysis modules for determining if a rejectable defect exists, based on a comparison between statistics with respect to the anomalous regions and predetermined rejection criteria. Rejection may be based on region size, region shape, or region position and orientation with respect to neighboring regions. Thus, a region may be rejected if it is nearly collinear with another region, even though neither region may itself be characterized as a rejectable region.