Abstract: Vacuum systems for epoxy mounting of material samples are disclosed. In some examples, a vacuum system may be a castable and/or cold mounting vacuum system that facilitates mounting and/or encapsulation of material samples in epoxy resin under low, vacuum, and/or near vacuum pressure. In some examples, the vacuum system may comprise a flow control device configured to control epoxy flow through a dispensing tube that connects to a hollow vacuum chamber. In some examples, the vacuum chamber may have an opening encircled by a rim sandwiched between upper and lower portions of a sealing ring. A movable lid may be configured to press down on the upper portion of the sealing ring when in a closed position, so as to seal the opening.

Abstract: A system for controlling a flow of articles includes a conveyor driven in a direction to convey articles in the direction. A plurality of lanes are disposed along a portion of the conveyor. Each lane accepts a row of articles along the conveyor direction. A plurality of sensors count the articles in each lane. A plurality of actuators control the flow rates of the articles by comparing and adjusting the flow rates in respective lanes.

Abstract: A valve includes a housing having a housing cavity and at least two housing openings. A valve body is rotatably provided in the housing cavity and includes a valve body top portion, a valve body bottom portion and a valve body sidewall. The valve body sidewall has an upper valve body sidewall and a lower valve body sidewall which are connected to each other. An outer surface of the upper valve body sidewall is a partial cylindrical surface, and an outer surface of the lower valve body sidewall is shaped to have a gradually decreasing diameter in a direction from top to bottom. A seal is provided on the valve body sidewall and the seal is configured to match with the housing to enable the valve body sidewall to close at least one of the housing openings.

Abstract: Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a lumber handling and cutting apparatus, including an incoming material conveyor assembly, a material infeed assembly adjacent to the incoming material conveyor assembly, a cutting assembly adjacent to the material infeed assembly, a material outfeed assembly adjacent to the cutting assembly, an outgoing material conveyor assembly adjacent to the cutting assembly, and a printer assembly adjacent to the incoming material conveyor assembly and the material infeed assembly.

Abstract: A powered nailer includes a power source including a driving element reciprocating within a cylinder between a prefiring position and a fastener driving position, the latter occurring when the driving element engages a bumper disposed at the bottom of the cylinder. A reciprocating valve element defines a combustion chamber in fluid communication with the cylinder, and is configured for receiving a dose of fuel and air prior to a user-generated ignition. A return chamber at least partially surrounds the cylinder and is in fluid communication with the cylinder, being configured for receiving a supply of pressurized air generated by the driving element as it moves from the prefiring position to the fastener driving position, the pressurized air acting on an underside of the driving element for returning it to the pre-firing position.

Abstract: Apparatus, systems, and/or methods are disclosed relating to welding systems that allow for virtual marking of welding workpieces. In some examples, a virtual marking process of the welding system generates and/or displays one or more markings on a display of the welding system in response to a dynamic input. In some examples, the dynamic input may comprise one or more of a user input received via a user interface, a marking instrument, and/or a welding gun of the welding system. In some examples, the dynamic input may comprise images captured by the welding system and recognized by the welding system as indicating markings. In some examples, the markings may guide an operator by indicating weld locations and/or weld order. In some examples, the markings may include embedded marking data (and/or metadata) that may be accessed and/or displayed to provide additional information and/or guidance to the operator.

Abstract: An exterior body panel is provided that includes a substrate having a shape of the panel. A clear topcoat is on the panel. A cured composition of polysilazane moisture cured with interspersed disulfide moieties derived from disulfide monomers overlies the topcoat. A ceramic generating composition kit is also provided. A method for creating a ceramic coating on a topcoat overlying an exterior panel includes combining a first part including a polysilazane and a solvent in which said polysilazane is dissolved, with a second part stored separately from said first part that includes a monomer disulfide to form a reactive gel. The reactive gel cure is applied to the topcoat in ambient air. After allowing sufficient time, moisture cure of the reactive gel occurs and with evaporation of the solvent, the ceramic coating forms with disulfide bonds therein.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure balancing device, having a mounting seat and a cover, wherein an accommodating cavity is formed between the mounting seat and the cover. The pressure balancing device may also have a partition member, wherein the partition member divides the accommodating cavity into first and second accommodating cavities. The partition member may also include a support portion and an elastic portion, the support portion being disposed on the elastic portion and having a vent hole capable of fluidly communicating the accommodating cavities. The elastic portion is elastically deformable so as to move the support portion relative to the cover. The pressure balancing device may also have a breathable film that is disposed on the support portion and covers the vent hole, and that is movable as the support portion moves.

Abstract: Power amplifier electronics for controlling application of radio frequency (RF) energy generated using solid state electronic components may further be configured to control application of RF energy in cycles between high and low powers. The power amplifier electronics may include a semiconductor die on which one or more RF power transistors are fabricated, an output matching network configured to provide impedance matching between the semiconductor die and external components operably coupled to an output tab, and bonding ribbon bonded at terminal ends thereof to operably couple the one or more RF power transistors of the semiconductor die to the output matching network. The bonding ribbon may have a width of greater than about five times a thickness of the bonding ribbon.

Abstract: A visual security feature is provided that is disposed on a target. The visual security feature includes two substantially transparent layers. At least one of the two substantially transparent layers is present in an image-wise pattern.

Abstract: Described herein are examples of weld training systems that show (e.g., transparent and/or translucent) “ghost” images of a welding tool on a display screen of a welding headgear to indicate target positions and/or target orientations of an actual welding tool. In some examples, the weld training systems may additionally “reset” the target tool image to a position closer to the actual welding tool if the target tool image gets too far away. The ability to “reset” the target tool image to a position closer to the actual welding tool may help in minimizing a risk that an operator 106 will overcompensate to try to catch up with the target tool image, which can be detrimental to the weld. Additionally, resetting the target tool image to a position closer the welding tool may allow an operator to better perceive and/or understand differences in orientation and/or other technique parameters.

Abstract: The present application discloses a reflow oven and the operation method thereof. The reflow oven can operate in air mode and inert gas mode. The reflow oven comprises a heating zone, a blocked exhaust zone and a cooling zone. The reflow oven further comprises a first pipeline, a second pipeline and a third pipeline. When the reflow oven operates in air mode, external clean air is delivered to the heating zone and is discharged from the heating zone and the blocked exhaust zone. When the reflow oven operates in inert gas mode, an inert gas is delivered from the blocked exhaust zone to the heating zone and is discharged from the heating zone. Satisfying the accurate temperature profiling necessary for reflow processing in the operation atmosphere of air or an inert gas, the reflow oven in the present application can effectively discharge volatile pollutants to reduce the number of follow-up services and maintenances. In addition, the reflow oven in the present application can save the expensive inert gas.

Abstract: A coolant control regulator assembly that comprises a plurality of modular housings, an actuator, and a plurality of ball valves. The actuator is operatively connected to at least one of the plurality of modular housings. Each of the modular housings comprises an internal cavity, at least one inlet port, and at least one outlet port. Further, each of the internal cavities includes one of the plurality of ball valves positioned therein. At least one of the plurality of ball valves comprises a plurality of apertures that are configured to align with the at least one inlet port and the at least one outlet port in certain rotational positions.

Abstract: A grommet has a body that includes a longitudinal axis and has a passageway therein. The grommet further includes a collar and a box prong. The collar extends from the body and away from the longitudinal axis. The box prong extends at least partially around the body. The grommet also includes a plurality of openings that extend through at least the box prong.

Abstract: A connector assembly is provided. The connector assembly includes a connector body, a movable component selectively movable between an uninstalled state and an installed state, a digital tag, and a digital blocker. When the movable component is moved from the uninstalled state to the installed state, the digital blocker is moved relative to the digital tag from a position where the digital tag is blocked by the digital blocker to a position where the digital tag is unblocked by the digital blocker, thereby providing a digital indication of a successful connection between the connector body and the movable component.

Abstract: A vent device includes at least one stage ventilation assembly, each stage of the at least one stage ventilation assembly includes an inner layer element and an outer layer element. An air duct is formed between the outer layer element and the inner layer element, and the air duct has an air duct outlet. Each stage of the at least one stage ventilation assembly has an air duct open position and closed position. The outer layer element and the inner layer element are configured to be able to move along the first direction relative to each other between the air duct open position and closed position. In the air duct closed position, the inner layer element closes the air duct outlet, and in the air duct open position, the inner layer element opens the air duct outlet.

Abstract: Systems and methods for the manufacture of a solid wire using additive manufacturing techniques are disclosed. In one embodiment, a fine powdery material is sintered or melted or soldered or metallurgically bonded onto a metal strip substrate in a compacted solid form or a near-net shape (e.g., a near-net solid wire shape) before being turned into a final product through forming or drawing dies.

Abstract: An oven may include a cooking chamber configured to receive a food product, a radio frequency (RF) heating system configured to provide RF energy into the cooking chamber using solid state electronic components to heat the food product, and a context awareness engine. The context awareness engine may include processing circuitry configured to receive RF signature data (including measurements of at least forward power and reflected power) associated with provision of RF energy into the cooking chamber, and to correlate an RF signature with a phenomenon observed with respect to the food product to define a signature profile for the phenomenon observed.