Abstract: A method for improvement of adhesion and distribution along the surface of coatings using a femtosecond laser is described. The process starts from chemical preparation or cleaning of the target material, surface predetermination, laser irradiation of the surface until a certain surface geometry is obtained, which gives the surface improved wetting properties and chemical surface activation which results in improved adhesion of the coatings on the target material surface. The surface geometries and dimensions to be obtained during irradiation are selected according to the properties of the coating and target material, including the laser parameters and/or the environment to obtain the desired surface geometry, considering possible geometry errors without compromising essential adhesion.

Abstract: A beverage preparation capsule containing a beverage preparation ingredient, having a body with side walls formed from one or more substantially air- and liquid-impermeable sheet materials defining a chamber containing a beverage preparation ingredient and further defining an outlet channel having an upstream end in fluid communication with the chamber for escape of beverage from the chamber. At least a region of the outlet channel is filled by a filtration material for filtering the beverage escaping from the chamber. Also provided is a clamp assembly for preparing a beverage from such a capsule, the clamp assembly comprising two or more clamp members, wherein an inner wall of at least one of the clamp members comprises a concave base surface for receiving the capsule and one or more pressure pads projecting from the concave base surface for selectively constricting a region of the capsule.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of determining a reference focus position of a beam of a beam-based machine tool. The methods providing a relative motion trajectory defining a discoid area with respect to a surrounding area, the discoid area being connected to the surrounding area via at least one bridge area, and performing a sequence of test cuts on a workpiece, wherein at each test cut, a cutting structure is cut in the workpiece by guiding the beam along the relative motion trajectory and the cutting is performed along the at least one bridge area of the relative motion trajectory at differently set focus positions.

Abstract: A modular food holding system includes a plurality of individual modularized food holding chambers, each of the plurality of food holding chambers being physically and communicatively removably connected to one another. Each of the food holding chambers includes a food holding cavity and may further include a heating element and/or a cooling element for heating or cooling the food holding cavity. A chamber base is physically and communicatively removably connected to one of the food holding chambers and operation of at least one food holding chamber is controlled by the chamber base. A smart sensor is disposed within or connected to a food pan that is removably inserted within the food holding cavity of a food holding chamber. The smart sensor is configured to sense a characteristic of an interior environment of the food pan and communicate with the food holding chamber or the chamber base.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems, and methods for brewing a desired portion of a beverage, such as a single-cup portion of coffee, are provided. The system can include one or more hopper assemblies configured to provide a controlled dose of beverage material to a brew chamber. The system can also include a water input system configured to wet the ground beverage material as the grinds enter the brew chamber and substantially prevent steam from reaching grinder components of the system. Further, the system can include an automatic cleaning mechanism such that a user does not need to manually clean components of a brewing machine between brew cycles.

Abstract: To obtain a welded member using a steel sheet less expensive than a pure Ni sheet as a raw material and excellent in corrosion resistance. A welded member according to the present invention is made by connecting a Ni plated steel sheet having a Ni plating layer and a Fe—Ni diffusion alloy layer and another steel sheet via a welded part, wherein: a Ni concentration is 70 mass % or more and a Fe concentration is 30 mass % or less in a surface layer of each of a toe, a toe near area, and the welded part; and a thickness of the Fe—Ni diffusion alloy layer is 0.5 to 1.5 ?m and a total thickness of the Ni plating layer and the Fe—Ni diffusion alloy layer is 2.7 to 14.0 ?m at a non-welded part, and a total concentration of S and C in the Ni plating layer at the non-welded part is less than 20 ppm.

Abstract: A battery-operated wireless control system for outdoor cooking and heating appliances is disclosed. The system may include an electronic controller paired to a wireless temperature probe and a wireless monitor device capable of storing and recharging the wireless temperature probe. The electronic controller may control the operation of a fuel supply assembly, a fan assembly, and a spark generating assembly included in the appliance.

Abstract: A laser machining apparatus includes, a processing chamber, a window disposed in a surface of the processing chamber, a substrate carrier disposed inside the processing chamber and facing the window, a laser irradiator which irradiates a laser onto the substrate carrier through the window, a protector supplier disposed on a side of the processing chamber, a protector retriever disposed on an opposite side of the processing chamber opposite to the side of the processing chamber, and a protector which connects the protector supplier with the protector retriever, where at least a portion of the protector is disposed between the substrate carrier and the window in the processing chamber.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling an engine driven power system and/or a welding system from two or more control sources are disclosed. In some examples, multiple control devices or sources are in communication with a central control circuitry of the engine driven power system, and/or a welding system which is capable of managing commands from multiple control sources by prioritizing commands and/or limited the scope of control. In some examples, the central control circuitry controls the multiple control sources to update systems and displays to harmonize commands and/or data that originated at another source.

Abstract: Base materials of a butt welded joint with a welded portion have a carbon concentration of 0.1 mass % or greater and 0.35 mass % of less. The welded portion is formed by heating by keyhole welding and then reheating by heat conduction welding, and the welded portion has a melted and solidified portion by the keyhole welding, a reheated solidified portion by the heat conduction welding, and a remelted and solidified portion. A width W0 and a depth d0 of the melted and solidified portion and a width W1 and a depth d1 of the remelted and solidified portion have the following relationships: 0.46W0?W1; and 0.14d0?d1?0.73d0.

Abstract: In some aspects, material processing head can include a body; an antenna disposed within the body; a first tag, associated with a first consumable component, disposed within a flux communication zone of the body at a first distance from the antenna, the first tag having a first resonant frequency; and a second tag, associated with a second consumable component, disposed within the flux communication zone of the body at a second distance from the antenna, the second tag having a second resonant frequency that is different than the first resonant frequency, where the first and second resonant frequencies are tuned based upon at least one of: i) a difference between the first distance and the second distance; or ii) a characteristic (e.g., shape) of the flux communication zone in which the first tag and/or the second tag is disposed.

Abstract: A cooking system positionable on a support surface includes a housing having an internal cooking compartment and an opening formed in the housing for accessing said internal cooking compartment. At least one heating element is provided for heating said internal cooking compartment. The heating element is operable to heat the internal cooking compartment while the opening is at least partially exposed to an ambient environment to allow fluid transfer between the ambient environment and the internal cooking compartment. An output from said at least one heating element is variable across said internal cooking compartment during operation of the system.

Abstract: A welding torch system includes a receiving assembly to receive a contact tip and a welding nozzle. The welding torch system also includes a locking element that retains the contact tip in a partially secure position. Further, the welding torch system includes the welding nozzle configured to couple to the receiving assembly to retain the contact tip in a fully secure position.

Abstract: A cooking accessory insert for a cooking grill includes a heat distribution duct that, installed, extends from a burner proximate to the bottom of the grill's fire box generally to a cooking level near the top of the fire box. The heat distribution duct is defined by a plurality of side walls extending from a top end of the heat distribution duct to a bottom end, tapering inward, or narrowing, from top to bottom. A top surface substantially covers the top end of the heat distribution duct, while the bottom is open. A cover is provided to cover the top surface, defining a baking chamber between the cover and the top surface. A cooking surface element such as a pizza stone is removably disposed on the top surface, spaced apart from the top surface by a plurality of spacers.

Abstract: A wafer forming method includes a peeling layer forming step of applying, to a SiC ingot, a laser beam of such a wavelength as to be transmitted through the SiC ingot, with a focal point of the laser beam positioned at a depth corresponding to a thickness of a wafer to be formed from a first surface of the SiC ingot, to form a peeling layer including a modified section and cracks; and a wafer forming step of immersing the SiC ingot in a liquid and applying an ultrasonic wave to the SiC ingot through the liquid, to thereby peel a part of the SiC ingot with the peeling layer as an interface and form the wafer. In the wafer forming step, the ultrasonic wave is applied to the SiC ingot while a sweep treatment of regularly varying the oscillation frequency of an ultrasonic vibrator is performed.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for detecting a crack in an automotive windshield and alerting a user of the same. This can allow the user to repair the crack before the user might otherwise detect the crack by his/her own visual inspection. The windshield can be provided with emitters configured to emit signals (e.g., sound, light, etc.) and corresponding detectors configured to detect the emitted signals. Signal profiles or signatures can be stored that represent normal measurements when there is no crack. Upon detecting a signal signature that deviates from the stored normal signal signatures, the system can notify the user of a potential crack in the windshield. The system can also determine the location of the crack based upon which of the detectors detect a change in the detected signal.

Abstract: A laser processing apparatus includes a laser beam applying mechanism for applying a laser beam to a workpiece held by a holding mechanism while keeping a converged spot of the laser beam in the workpiece, and a temperature detector for detecting a temperature of the holding mechanism or a temperature of an actuator of a moving mechanism that moves the holding mechanism in a processing feed direction. The laser beam applying mechanism has a converged spot position adjusting unit. The controller, depending on a temperature change detected by the temperature detector, controls the converged spot position adjusting unit to establish a position of the converged spot of the laser beam in a thicknesswise direction of the workpiece.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes a main body and a storage compartment provided inside the main body. A heater assembly partitions the storage compartment into a first storage compartment and a second storage compartment. The heater assembly includes a first case provided to define a surface of the first storage compartment, a second case coupled to the first case to form an accommodation space with the first case and provided to define a surface of the second storage compartment, a fixing unit formed on at least one of an inner surface of the first case and an inner surface of the second case, and a surface heater fixed to at least one of the inner surface of the first case and the inner surface of the second case by being coupled to the fixing unit. The surface heater includes a film and a heating wire printed on the film.

Abstract: Provided is a heating device. The heating device includes a cylinder body, a door body, an electromagnetic generating module and a radiating antenna. A heating chamber having a pick-and-place opening is defined in the cylinder body, and the heating chamber is configured to place an object to be processed. The door body is disposed at the pick-and-place opening and configured to open and close the pick-and-place opening. The electromagnetic generating module is configured to generate an electromagnetic wave signal. The radiating antenna is disposed in the cylinder body and electrically connected with the electromagnetic generating module to generate electromagnetic waves of a corresponding frequency according to the electromagnetic wave signal.

Abstract: A ventilated grilling device includes a plurality of grates each having interior channels defined therein, a housing positioned at a first end of each of the plurality of grates, the housing having a ventilating interior in communication with each of the interior channels, a heat-conductive ceramic plate positioned below the plurality of grates, wherein the space defined between the top surface of the ceramic plate and the grates defines a suction jacket that is in fluid communication with the ventilating interior of the housing and a heat source positioned below the ceramic plate, wherein heat from the heat source is thermally transferred through the ceramic plate and up to a cooking region positioned proximate an upper portion of the plurality of grates.