Abstract: These inventions provide a method and an apparatus for setting a core used in a molding apparatus that produces flaskless molds, wherein the core-setting apparatus has a simple structure and the accuracy of the positioning of the core while setting it on the lower mold is improved. The inventions comprise: moving a first carrier 52 carrying a core-handling tool 51 which is holding the core 70 toward the cope flask 2 by means of a second carrier 53 when the cope flask 2 is located at the mold-stripping mechanism 12 being lifted to a lifted position by means of a flask-rotation mechanism 13; transferring the first carrier and the core-handling tool to the cope flask which is at the lifted position; lowering the cope flask 2, the core-handling tool 51, and the first carrier 52 by means of the flask-rotation mechanism 13 so that the core 70 comes close to or contacts the lower mold; and releasing the core 70 from the core-handling tool 51 to set the core on the lower mold.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a method for processing molding sand. In order to provide a method with a simple regulating system to control the compressibility of a reclaimed molding sand, the invention proposes that the molding sand be divided into several charges and the processing parameters, such as the quantity of water, the quantity of new sand and/or the quantity of clay to be added, is corrected on the basis of the difference following processing between the actual compressibility and the reference compressibility of the molding sand, measured for the preceding charge.

Abstract: System, method, and apparatus are provided for harvesting electrical energy from a photovoltaic source of electrical energy. The photovoltaic source has power-generating characteristics defined by a family of voltage-current curves comprising points of maximum electrical power over a respective range of at least one of the following for the photovoltaic source: distinct illumination intensities and distinct temperatures. The apparatus is made up of a switching converter coupled to the photovoltaic source. The converter has an input voltage-current curve having a predefined functional relationship between the input voltage and the input current.

Abstract: In a mold for casting a billet with a curved type continuous casting apparatus, D0 (m) is an inner diameter at a lower mold edge and R0 (m) is a curvature radius of an outer curvature side at the lower mold edge. When a rate of change Tp (%/m) in mold inner diameter per unit length along a casting direction is Tp=(1/D0)×(dD/dx)×100 (%/m), and when a rate of change Rp (%/m) in curvature radius of an outer curvature side per unit length along the casting direction is Rp=(1/R0)×(dR/dx)×100 (%/m), the rate of change Tp in mold inner diameter and the rate of change Rp in curvature radius satisfy a relationship expressed Rp=(Tp/2)×(D0/R0), where D is a mold inner diameter at a distance x away from an upper mold edge and R in Formula 2 is a curvature radius of the outer curvature side at the distance x.

Abstract: A welding method is provided for forming a weld joint between first and second elements of a workpiece. The method includes heating the first and second elements to form an interface of material in a plasticized or melted state interface between the elements. The interface material is then allowed to cool to a plasticized state if previously in a melted state. The interface material, while in the plasticized state, is then mixed, for example, using a grinding/extruding process, to remove any dendritic-type weld microstructures introduced into the interface material during the heating process.

Abstract: A method of carbon monoxide (CO) removal comprises providing an oxidation catalyst comprising cobalt supported on an inorganic oxide. The method further comprises feeding a gaseous stream comprising CO, and oxygen (O2) to the catalyst system, and removing CO from the gaseous stream by oxidizing the CO to carbon dioxide (CO2) in the presence of the oxidation catalyst at a temperature between about 20 to about 200° C.

Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for holding a semiconductor chip by using a bonding head and bonding the semiconductor chip onto a substrate. The bonding head includes: a holding part for holding the semiconductor chip; gas exhausting means for surrounding the holding part and exhausting gas toward the holding part; and an elevator means for lifting down/up the gas exhausting means to a lift-down state, in which at least a portion of the gas exhausting means protrudes downward from the bottom face of the holding part, and a lift-up state, in which any portion of the gas exhausting means does not protrude downward from the bottom face of the holding part. When the bonding apparatus holds and conveys the semiconductor chip by using the bonding head, the bonding apparatus brings the gas exhausting means to the lift-down state and exhausts the gas toward the semiconductor chip.

Abstract: A rolled copper foil according to the present invention includes a crystal grain alignment wherein: when normalized intensity of {200}Cu plane diffraction of a copper crystal in results obtained by an X-ray diffraction pole figure measurement with respect to a rolled surface is plotted against at different values of angle ?, the normalized intensity being obtained during a ? scanning in the pole figure measurement, a ratio of a maximum value A of the normalized intensity with angle ? in a range of 40° to 60° to a maximum value B of the normalized intensity with angle ? in a range of 80° to 90° is equal to or greater than 4; and when the normalized intensity increases with increasing angle ? in a range of 25° to 45°, there is essentially no area in which the normalized intensity increases stepwise.

Abstract: A method for continuous and efficient casting roll of magnesium alloy plates including providing plural induction furnaces, resistance furnace, casting roll and rollers; adding metal elements into the induction furnaces, the metal elements comprising Mg ingots or Mg alloy, the metal elements being smelted in the induction furnaces and then flow into the resistance furnace; controlling temperature of the Mg melt in the resistance furnace, wherein there are at least two temperature controlling areas communicated with each other, and a difference of temperatures is constant; transferring the Mg melt into biting area through a transferring pipe and modeling the mg melt into Mg plate, the temperature of the Mg melt into the biting area being 690±10° C.; Rolling the Mg plate in the rollers and each band of the rollers having a working temperature 250˜350° C., and the difference of temperature is ±10° C.

Abstract: An inexpensive lead-free solder which prevents the occurrence of tin pest at extremely low temperatures and which has good wettability and impact resistance has a composition consisting essentially of, in mass %, Cu: 0.5-0.8%, Bi: at least 0.1% and less than 1%, Ni: 0.02-0.04%, and a remainder of Sn.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of predicting surface quality of a thin slab hot rolled coil. The method includes calculating the Cu equivalent (Cu eq.) of molten steel, applying the calculated Cu equivalent of the molten steel into an equation: 120×(Cu equivalent)2?6×(Cu equivalent) to calculate a surface crack index, and predicting the generation of surface defect of the thin slab hot rolled coil by the surface crack index. A method of producing the thin slab hot rolled coil using the same is also provided. The surface crack defect of the thin slab hot rolled coil can be predicted by calculating the Cu equivalent of the molten steel, and thus a thin slab which meets the quality standard demanded by a consumer can be provided, and this results in increased productivity and product reliability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a casting mould for the casting of metals, wherein a layer consisting of a material which absorbs harmful substances on at least sections of gas outlet surfaces of the casting mold, in particular the top side thereof. The invention also relates to a coating composition, to a process for producing the casting mold and to the use thereof for casting of metals.

Abstract: In order to be able to carry out a multiplicity of continuously recurring activities at a continuous casting plant having at least one multifunction robot for implementing a plurality of different process-controlled or automated interventions at the continuous casting plant, at least one working region at the continuous casting plant and at least one multifunction robot assigned to each working region. The multifunction robot is arranged on a pivotable arm at a rotary column fastened to the pouring platform of the continuous casting plant and the robot can be pivoted with the pivot arm between a retraction position and a working position. The robot is also movable with respect to its arm.

Abstract: A post-combustion lance for directing a gas at least partially therethrough. The post-combustion lance includes a body having a primary tip from which a first part of the gas exits, upper and lower portions, and a post-combustion distributor mounted between the upper and lower portions and upstream from the primary tip. The distributor includes a number of ports through which a second part of the gas exits the lance. The lance also includes an upper inner tube positioned at least partially upstream from the distributor and an internal support assembly for supporting the body. The internal support assembly includes an internal tube positioned inside the body and coaxial with the body.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for making a carbon nanotube film. The method includes the following steps. An array of carbon nanotubes is formed on a substrate. The array of carbon nanotubes is pressed by a pressure head to form a carbon nanotube film having properties identical in all directions parallel to a surface of the carbon nanotube film.

Abstract: A continuous casting method of molten metal using electromagnetic force to improve the cast slab surface properties and reduce the nonmetallic inclusions and bubbles trapped inside the cast slab is provided. An alternating current is run through an electromagnetic coil arranged around a casting mold so as to surround a casting space to control the meniscus shape to improve the cast slab surface properties. The discharge ports of a submerged entry nozzle are oriented upward and the direction of the discharge flow from the discharge ports is above the intersection of the casting mold short side and meniscus.

Abstract: A method of forming a composite sheet includes the steps of: providing a first sheet having a surface and including a metal or alloy, the first sheet having a given strength characteristic; providing a second sheet having a surface and a strength characteristic that is superior to the given strength characteristic of the first sheet; disposing the first sheet and the second sheet in an aligned opposing position with at least a portion of the surface of the first sheet touching the surface of the first sheet to form a contact area; and bonding the first sheet to the second sheet at least in part by applying an oscillating ultrasonic force to at least one of the first sheet and the second sheet to form a composite sheet, the first sheet having a cube texture characterized by a ?-scan having a FWHM of no more than 15° in all directions.

Abstract: A method for preparing a filler-metal weld rod of a filler-metal composition includes the steps of centerless grinding the filler metal weld rod of a forced mixture of a mass of titanium aluminide intermetallic alloy powder that was used to form the weld rod, and hot isostatic pressing the filler-metal weld rod at a temperature greater than 2150° F., at a pressure between about 15,000 pounds per square inch and about 25,000 pounds per square inch and for a time of about 1 to 5 hours, thereby increasing the relative density to between about 98% and about 99%.

Abstract: In an embodiment, one reinforced substrate for use in a photovoltaic device includes a polymer base material and a reinforcing structure bonded with the base material. The reinforced substrate presents a surface in a condition that is made-ready for deposition of thin film layers of the photovoltaic device. A thin film photovoltaic device includes the reinforced substrate, a back contact layer formed on the surface of the reinforced substrate, and a solar absorber layer formed on the back contact layer. A plurality of thin film photovoltaic devices may be formed on a common reinforced substrate. A process of producing a reinforced substrate includes combining a fluid base material and a fiber reinforcing structure to form an impregnated fiber reinforcement. The impregnated fiber reinforcement is cured to form the reinforced substrate, and the reinforced substrate is annealed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous casting of a metal strand (1), in which the cast strand (1) leaves a die (2) vertically or arcuately downwards and is subsequently guided in a strand guide (3), wherein the strand guide (3) has a number of pairs of rollers (4), which define between them an adjustable roller nip (5), and wherein, at the start of casting, to close the die (2) in the downward direction, a piece of strand (6) is introduced into the die (2) and is followed by the cast strand (1). In order to improve the adjustment of the roller nip, the invention provides that the piece of strand (6), which is produced with a defined or calibrated thickness (d), is inserted between the respective pairs of rollers to calibrate and/or measure the roller nip (5).