Abstract: A flux formulation without a surfactant is used in the assembly of electronic circuit boards as a no-clean formulation. The formulation includes a flux solution having a fluxing agent consisting essentially of one or more weak organic acids and a solvent consisting essentially of water. The flux solution serves to transport the fluxing agent before deposition thereof upon a soldering site for reliability improvement engendered by a lack of hygroscopic residue and for avoidance of environmental degradation engendered by a lack of volatile organic chemicals (VOC's). The method comprises the step of heating the flux solution and dispersing it as a fine spray.

Abstract: Method of sprayforming bulk metal deposits that replicate a master pattern: (i) casting and solidifying ceramic about a master pattern to form a spraying pattern; (ii) after removing the spraying pattern from the master pattern, heating the ceramic spraying pattern to a sustained temperature to effect an isothermal diffusion dependent microstructural transformation; (iii) while in such heated condition, thermally spraying allotropic metal particles onto the heated spraying pattern to form a deposit having a bulk thickness, the particles impacting the spraying pattern, or previously deposited particles, at a temperature above the sustained temperature of the spraying pattern; (iv) holding the deposit on the heated spraying pattern sufficiently long enough to allow the particles of the deposit to undergo a diffusion reaction that relieves internal stresses due to deposition and solidification; and (v) thereafter gradually cooling the deposit to room temperature to produce a unitary article with essentially no d

Abstract: Method of one side spot welding of a metallic auto body construction containing vaporizable coatings or ingredients, the construction having overlapping metal plys, comprising: impinging a plasma column on a selected spot of one side of the construction, the plasma column being generated by passing a plasma gas at a predetermined flow rate through an electrical arc created by a predetermined electrical current path; shielding the plasma column in an inert gas containing at least 5-35% by volume of oxygen, the shielded plasma column melting at least the metal on one ply at the spot while the oxygen increases the fluidity and wetablility of the melted metal and reduce its surface tension allowing any vaporization of the ingredients to quiescently escape through the molten metal; and ceasing plasma arc impingement for allowing the molten metal to solidify and complete the spot weld.

Abstract: A plasma transferred wire arc thermal spray apparatus and method producing an extended-arc and supersonic plasma jet stream for applying a dense metallic coating on a substrate, such as a concave internal surface of a bore. The apparatus includes a plasma generating torch assembling having a cathode and an anode nozzle surrounding the cathode and a wire feeder which continuously feeds the tip of a wire feedstock opposite a constricted nozzle orifice and wherein the wire feedstock is maintained at the same positive electrical potential as the nozzle. Plasma gas is directed into the nozzle, preferably generating a vortex flow around the cathode and exiting the restricted nozzle orifice. The improved apparatus includes a pilot power supply and a high voltage or high frequency power supply which initiates the electric arc and the constricted plasma arc and a separate main power supply which extends the constricted plasma arc to the wire tip.

Abstract: A low friction valve train actuating at least one valve in an internal combustion engine includes a cam shaft having at least one cam, a tappet contacting the cam and valve, the cam and valve having outer surfaces with an open porosity, a solid film lubricant impregnated and anchored in the open porosity, the solid film lubricant is stable to temperatures at about 700.degree. F. to retain a low coefficient of friction in an oil starved environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a rigid circuit board has a circuit board with a reduced thickness in a bend region. The bend region may have several layers of laminate and conductive material. The circuit board is heated to the glass transition temperature which allows the circuit board to become flexible. The apparatus has a clamping member and a stationary member. The clamping member uses a shape memory alloy actuator with a transition temperature about the same as the glass transition temperature of the laminate. The actuator is used to form the bend region to a predetermined shape around the stationary member. When the circuit board is cooled, the circuit board again becomes rigid in its predetermined shape.

Abstract: A method of making sand cores to obtain optimum mechanical properties and particularly to obtain accurate adjustment of the gas curing cycle for making optimum resin-coated sand cores.

Abstract: A method of eliminating unevenness in pass-reversal thermal spraying of a substrate surface by: uniformly thermally spraying a substrate surface by moving a wire fed arc spray gun along the length of the substrate surface at constant spray parameters while using a first wire feed rate and a first current level for the gun's power supply; (b) when said spray gun approaches an end zone of the pass length requiring reversal of spray gun movement, reducing the wire feed rate and current by up to about 25% until the spray gun has completed such reversal and has exited from said end zone in the opposite direction; (c) while still continuing thermal spraying, restoring the wire feed rage and current to said first levels; and (d) repeating steps (b) and (c) as the spray gun approaches other or repeated end zones of the substrate length during repeated passes.

Abstract: A method of soldering materials by controlling ultrasonic energy to effect melting of only the solder in an assembly to be joined that is carried on a low temperature melting substrate.

Abstract: A strain gauge includes an image sensing device having a lens, a magnification lens optically coupled to the lens, a positioning mechanism connected to the image sensing device, an image capture device for receiving an image from the image sensing device, and a processor for mathematically analyzing the image received from the image capture device and to calculate strain.

Abstract: A three-dimensional multi-layer molded electronic device and method for manufacturing same, wherein the device comprises at least two molded, three-dimensional substrates having mating surfaces, each substrate including a layer of patterned conductive material on at least one surface and electrically conductive vias at selected locations of the substrate for interconnection of the conductive layers, wherein the substrates are electrically joined at their mating surfaces and the circuit layers are aligned and interconnected to form a multi-layer, three-dimensional circuit which may include molded-in structural features.

Abstract: A process for casting light metals. The process includes preheating ingots of the light metal in a protective atmosphere before being introduced into a melting furnace wherein the molten metal is degassed and filtered before transference in a heated delivery tube to a covered holding furnace. The filtered melt is made quiescent to reduce its kinetic energy and allow inclusions to settle and form a purified melt. A vacuum is applied to a die cavity in a casting press to displace air residing therein with an inert atmosphere. The purified melt is then transferred in a heated delivery tube as a charge to the casting press under the inert atmosphere to prevent burning and formation of accompanying reaction products. Upon cooling, a light metal casting is produced in the absence of air with minimum defects and inclusions.

Abstract: A method is provided for applying a fluid to a plurality of locations on a non-planar substrate. The apparatus used includes a movable base and an array of pins connected to the base. Each pin has a distal end which is vertically movable with respect to the base independently of the rest of the array of pins. Each distal end is adapted to transfer fluid to a location on the substrate by having a greater affinity for the fluid than the fluid has for itself and a lesser affinity for the fluid than the fluid has for the substrate. Accordingly, the distal ends may be dipped in the fluid and moved into contact with the substrate such that the distal ends may collapse toward the base as the distal ends engage the substrate to facilitate further movement of the base toward the substrate for application of fluid to each of the plurality of locations.

Abstract: An improved Direct Surface Manipulation (DSM) method is disclosed which incorporates a global surface reparametrization scheme for the purposes of extending the DSM method to applications involving multiple surfaces and for reducing the geometric effect of parametric space distortions on the features. This method reparametrizes multiple surface patches with a shared two-dimensional space defined in the object space of the model. The result is a geometrically consistent mesh, called a super-mesh, that serves as a global, uniform parametric space for topologically-disconnected, geometrically-disproportional surface patches. Spherical projection is employed to perform the patch reparametrization. This allows the creation of DSM features on multiple surface patches with improved shape quality.

Abstract: A method of depositing a dielectric coating, comprising the steps of forming an unroughened or roughened, as-cast or wrought substrate surface to receive the coatings; and flame spraying a single premixed thermoplastic epoxy/hardener powder onto the surface, the resultant in-flight heated powder being chemically activated to impact the surface and form a chemically adhering coating, the coating being cured in-situ to be dielectric and thermally conductive.

Abstract: An automotive body glass product, comprising: (a) a laminated glass having its perimeter painted to obscure the presence of applied adhesives; (b) conductive leads on or in the glass and having one or more conductive lead terminals; (c) an ultra thin pad of noble metal deposited onto a small zone of the glass in connection with at least one terminal; and (d) a conductive metal clip connected to the end of each lead path, said clip having a dimple thereof bonded to the pad by inertial welding of the dimple and noble metal pad material.

Abstract: A portable sand mold metal treating system having sand cope and sand drag portions, the treating system being attachable to a sand mold metal casting system.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for electrically interconnecting a circuit pattern with an adjacent circuit on a substrate. The circuit pattern is positioned in direct physical contact with the adjacent circuit to create a single electrical interface between the circuit pattern and the adjacent circuit. A compliant spring member is supported by the substrate for creating a normal force at the single electrical interface for holding the circuit pattern and adjacent circuit together. The compliant spring member is sufficiently flexible to facilitate electrical interconnection of the circuits along a non-planar substrate. Various embodiments are described.

Abstract: A method that eliminates or reduces chatter when plunge cutting with boring cutters at different diameters, different tool geometries, different chip loads and different cutting depths, by computing optimal cutting insert locations and relocating such inserts to such optimal cutting locations with different phase angles therebetween; this minimizes the resultant radial force of the combined cutters.

Abstract: A method of making a structural iron-based article comprising: (a) blending a compressible base iron powder (max. particle size of 100 microns) a graphite powder to provide carbon in mixture, and a single master alloy powder (average particle size of 10 microns) meltable within the range of 900.degree.-1200.degree. C. (1690.degree.-2220 .degree.F.) to form a mixture, the master alloy powder being present in an amount of 1-5% by weight of the mixture and consisting of (i) hardenability enhancing alloying ingredients selected from Mn, Mo, Ni, Cr, Cu and Fe, with Fe being present only if Cr or Mo is selected and (ii) wetting agents selected from the group of B, Y, Si and rare earth misch metal, the master alloy being devoid of carbon and being proportioned to provide a desired amount of hardenability in the base powder; (b) compacting the mixture to a green density 7.1-7.4 g/cm.sup.