Abstract: A rotating or moving metal component such as a blade for a gas turbine engine is made from a composite bar of titanium alloy with the sides of the bar having a surface layer of e.g. nickel which is less likely to ignite in particle form or by frictional heating when present in oxygen or air. After the surface layer has been bonded to the titanium alloy it is then parted to provide sections which extend perpendicularly to the plane of the surface layers. Each parted section may then be machined into a blade with the nickel portion forming the tip of the blade. Alternatively, each parted section may itself form the blade tip by attachment on its titanium alloy side to a blade stem.

Abstract: An automatic material loading, positioning and unloading system is disclosed in connection with a machine tool turret punch. The device includes a loader which receives a stack of sheets to be fed to the punch machine. The loader includes means for lifting the sheets one at a time from a storage area, means for transporting the sheets to a loading area of the punch worktable and means for unloading the sheets at the worktable area. The punch machine includes automatically controlled workpiece grippers which receive the sheets from the loader, properly position them with respect to the machine tool, move them in a predesired sequence through the machine and transport them to an unload area of the worktable. The unload area of the worktable is effective to discharge the punched sheets from the machine to an unload stacker. The unload stacker receives and stacks completed sheets.

Abstract: An automatic material loading, positioning and unloading system is disclosed in connection with a machine tool turret punch. The device includes a loader which receives a stack of sheets to be fed to the punch machine. The loader includes means for lifting the sheets one at a time from a storage area, means for transporting the sheets to a loading area of the punch worktable and means for unloading the sheets at the worktable area. The punch machine includes automatically controlled workpiece grippers which receive the sheets from the loader, properly position them with respect to the machine tool, move them in a predesired sequence through the machine and transport them to an unload area of the worktable. The unload area of the worktable is effective to discharge the punched sheets from the machine to an unload stacker. The unload stacker receives and stacks completed sheets.

Abstract: A turret punch machine tool equipped with controlled automatic x-y axis workpiece movement mechanisms for moving the workpiece over a stationary work table section adjacent a punching station is provided with a separate laser beam generator and with a tool frame carried vertically retractable and extendable laser cutting head in optical communication with the beam generator. The beam generator is capable of producing both laser pulses of varying duration and spacing or a continuous beam. The cutting head is provided with two gas inputs one for use with the continuous beam, a second for use with the pulse beam, and controls are provided to automatically provide varying combinations of use of the punch and laser.

Abstract: The console adapted to be interconnected to a computer for administering a test in which the questions have plural answers. After selecting a number of answers equal to the number of correct answers to a question, the student is informed of the number of incorrect answers and afforded an opportunity to complete the answer. This process is repeated until all of the correct answers have been identified and the number of errors in identifying the correct answers is utilized to indicate the student's score. A display of the rate of progression through the test is updated after each question is answered. A method of administering the test of plural answer questions as well as methods of scoring the test are also disclosed.

Abstract: A turret punch machine tool equipped with controlled automatic x-y axis workpiece movement mechanisms for moving the workpiece over a stationary work table section adjacent a punching station is provided with a separate laser beam generator and with a tool frame carried vertically retractable and extendable laser cutting head in optical communication with the beam generator. The beam generator is capable of producing both laser pulses of varying duration and spacing or a continuous beam. The cutting head is provided with two gas inputs one for use with the continuous beam, a second for use with the pulse beam, and controls are provided to automatically provide varying combinations of use of the punch and laser.