Abstract: A process of forming a sintered article includes heating a green portion of a tape of polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals in organic binder at a binder removal zone to a temperature sufficient to pyrolyze the binder; horizontally conveying the portion of tape with organic binder removed from the binder removal zone to a sintering zone; and sintering polycrystalline ceramic and/or minerals of the portion of tape at the sintering zone, wherein the tape simultaneously extends through the removal and sintering zones.

Abstract: A manufacturing system includes a tape advancing through the manufacturing system and a station of the manufacturing system. The tape includes a first portion having grains of an inorganic material bound by an organic binder. The station of the manufacturing system receives the first portion of the tape and prepares the tape for sintering by chemically changing the organic binder and/or removing the organic binder from the first portion of the tape, leaving the grains of the inorganic material, to form a second portion of the tape and, at least in part, prepare the tape for sintering.

Abstract: Methods for automatically initiating stopping of an engine of an aircraft at a desired engine-stop speed are disclosed. An embodiment of the method includes receiving data indicative of a current speed and a current acceleration of the aircraft, the current speed being different from the engine-stop speed of the aircraft. Using the received data, an initiation time at which to initiate stopping of the engine to cause the engine to stop substantially at the engine-stop speed of the aircraft is determined. Stopping of the engine is automatically initiated at the initiation time.

Abstract: A driver circuit limits the magnitude of the initial wave front launched onto a transmission line to a voltage that is approximately one-half of the supply voltage. Thus, immediately after the initial wave front is reflected from an open circuit receiver, a voltage at the receiver is approximately equal to the supply voltage when a rising voltage is launched, and ground when a falling voltage is launched.