Abstract: A design for tank fabricating equipment and system comprises a frame supporting opposing arms for supporting one or more tank shells. The opposing arms pivotally engage opposing sides of the tank shells to force them into a circular cross-sectional shape. The arms are provided with rollers for aligning the tank shell with adjacent components during fabrication. In some embodiments, the rollers are provided with a circumferential channel to accommodate welding seams and to ensure alignment of butt joints.

Abstract: A beam shaper (1) for shaping a laser beam is provided, including a first beam shaping section (2) designed for shaping a central part of the laser beam, and a second beam shaping section (3) designed for shaping a peripheral part of the laser beam. Moreover, a device for laser beam treatment of a workpiece and a method for laser beam treatment of a workpiece are provided.

Abstract: In various embodiments, wire composed at least partially of arc-melted refractory metal material is utilized to fabricate three-dimensional parts by additive manufacturing.

Abstract: An apparatus may include a power supply to generate an output current. The apparatus may further include a plasma torch to apply the output current across a gap and a user interface to receive a selection for enabling a pierce current mode. The apparatus may further include a controller to temporarily increase an output current setting at the plasma torch from a first level to a second level, responsive to the selection of pierce current mode.

Abstract: A holder for skewers is comprised of an upper array and a lower array of eyelets for receiving and retaining skewer shafts, a plurality of legs for supporting the upper and lower eyelet arrays and a plurality of support members for those arrays. Each of the upper and lower arrays can retain at least one skewer. The retained skewers are retained in an elevated orientation of approximately 60 degrees relative to the horizontal plane. The skewer holder is provided with at least three legs and can be constructed of wire. Alternatively, the skewer holder is provided with an upper circular thin plate, a lower circular thin plate and a plurality of legs. Through-holes in the upper and lower circular plates serve as eyelets for a skewer. The upper circular thin plate is wider than the lower plate. The retained skewers are retained in an elevated orientation of approximately 60 degrees.

Abstract: A portion capsule for producing a beverage includes a base element having a cavity in which a beverage raw material is provided and which is closed by a membrane fastened to the base element.

Abstract: A laser descaling device and process includes a first laser sending a ray to the product to be descaled, reflected rays being intercepted by sensors that send collected information into a processing unit that calculates the absorption of the ray by the surface of the product, deduces the emissivity of the oxidized surface in the direction of the reflected rays, and correlates this emissivity with reference information prerecorded inside the processing unit; a second laser sends a ray onto the surface of the product, the spots of the rays covering the entire surface to be descaled, the second laser being controlled by a control unit receiving information provided by the processing unit making it possible to determine the operating parameters to be imposed on the second laser to obtain the descaling of the surface of the product, compared with experimental results prerecorded in the control unit.

Abstract: A beverage system for making a beverage that includes a single-serve capsule and a beverage machine. The capsule has a cavity containing a beverage material; a flange; a cover fastened to a top side of the flange; and an individualization identifier on a bottom side of the flange. The beverage machine includes: a capsule receptacle having a wall structure to receive the capsule; an optical sensor/detector positioned outside of the wall structure to direct a beam through a portion of the wall structure to read the identifier; a pump that supplies water into the portion capsule only after the identifier is read by the sensor/detector; a mandrel to pierce the cover in a region that is offset from the central axis; and a seal that seals against the cover in a region between a peripheral edge of the flange and the region of the cover pierced by the mandrel.

Abstract: A beverage maker device is disclosed. In embodiments, the device includes an external housing and a water tank coupled to a water supply via an inlet. The beverage maker includes a manifold within the housing, the manifold controlling the dispensing of the water into a server or through a faucet via solenoid valves. Within the inlet body connecting the tank to the water supply are plumbed two pressure transducers on either side (e.g., tank-side and coupling-side) of a restriction orifice. The tank-side and coupling-side pressure transducers sense flow pressure on their respective sides of the restriction orifice and generate tank-side and coupling-side flow pressure signals. Within the housing a process control board (PCB) includes control processors and control circuitry in communication with the solenoid valves. The PCB control processors determine a differential pressure associated with the water flow based on the received tank-side and coupling-side pressure signals.

Abstract: An electric kettle may include a body made of a metal material, having a vertically open cylindrical shape, and including an outer body forming an outer appearance and an inner body disposed inside of the outer body, an upper body mounted on an upper end of the body and extending upward along the upper end of the body, a lid coupled to the upper body to open and close an open upper surface of the body, a spout that protrudes from a first side of the upper body to pour fluid, such as water, a handle connected to a second side of the upper body facing the spout, a heating module provided inside of the body to heat fluid contained in the inner body, and a base on which a lower surface of the body may be seated and that supplies power to the heating module in a state in which the body is seated.

Abstract: A system to attach valve seat inserts to an aluminum cylinder head of an automobile vehicle includes a cylinder head of an automobile vehicle engine having a valve seat portion. A valve seat insert is positioned in the valve seat portion of the cylinder head. A fusion bond is created between the valve seat insert and the valve seat portion by laser welding thereby fusing the valve seat insert to the valve seat portion.

Abstract: A beverage maker platen overflow sensing system is disclosed. The sensing system includes a process control board (PCB) in communication with solenoid valves of a manifold, the solenoid valves controlling the flow of hot water (e.g., for brewing coffee or tea) into a server positioned in a platen of the beverage maker. The PCB further includes an overflow detection circuit connected to the solenoid valves. Two signal probes are positioned near the forward edge of the platen. Similarly, ground probes are positioned in the platen below the signal probes and providing a ground path to the PCB. The overflow detection circuit generates an electrical signal between the signal probes and detects an overflow state when fluid in the platen grounds the signal between the signal probes and the ground probes. While the overflow persists, the overflow detection circuit ceases the water flow by electrically signaling the solenoid valves to close.

Abstract: Disclosed is a smoke tube combustion chamber that combusts fuel such as wood pellets to provide heat and smoke flavor to the food being cooked. The smoke tube may include two portions that rotate about one another to receive fuel, dispose of excess fuel or fuel waste, and combust the fuel, depending on the positions of the two portions. A flow path may communicate with the smoke tube to provide the necessary air flow to circulate the smoke and heat created by the smoke tube during use. The smoke tube may be a primary or secondary heat source within the appliance.

Abstract: An article is produced by welding a first piece to a second piece by a laser beam. The first piece includes an open cavity and a first sealing surface. The second piece has a second sealing surface. The first piece and second piece are inside chamber with a controllable internal pressure that is changed to cause a flow of a gas from the open cavity. The open cavity is closed by moving at least one of the pieces. The first sealing surface forms a partially gas tight preliminary joint with the second sealing surface. The first piece and the second piece define an interface. The chamber is opened after the preliminary joint has been formed. A welded seam is formed by focusing a laser beam to the interface after the chamber is opened. The first sealing surface and the second sealing surface are substantially planar.

Abstract: A method for separating and releasing a closed-form piece from a workpiece made of a brittle material is disclosed. A first pulsed laser-beam creates defects along the outline of the closed-form piece. A second laser-beam selectively heats the closed-form piece for a first time that is sufficient to initiate cracking between the defects. The heating is stopped for a period sufficiently long for the cracks to propagate completely between the defects. The second laser-beam is applied for a second time that causes melting and deformation of the closed-form piece. The deformation opens a gap between the closed-form piece and the rest of the workpiece, thereby allowing release of the closed-form piece.

Abstract: Disposable foaming device (100) for foaming a fluid (1) comprising a container compartment (20) and a foaming compartment (10), the container compartment (20) being pressurized by primary incoming air (14?) so that the fluid (1) is driven into the foaming compartment (20), wherein the foaming compartment (20) is provided with secondary incoming air (15?) to be mixed with the fluid (1) coming from the container compartment (20), the foaming compartment (10) being designed in such a way that the mixture of air and fluid (1) is moved under certain level of shear stress calculated so that it allows the mixture of air and fluid (1) to be emulsified in the foaming compartment (10).

Abstract: A beverage system for making a beverage that includes a single-serve capsule and a beverage machine. The capsule has a cavity containing a beverage material; a flange; a cover fastened to a top side of the flange; and an individualization identifier on a bottom side of the flange. The beverage machine includes: a capsule receptacle having a wall structure to receive the capsule; an optical sensor/detector positioned outside of the wall structure to direct a beam through a portion of the wall structure to read the identifier; a pump that supplies water into the portion capsule only after the identifier is read by the sensor/detector; a mandrel to pierce the cover in a region that is offset from the central axis; and a seal that seals against the cover in a region between a peripheral edge of the flange and the region of the cover pierced by the mandrel.

Abstract: A cooking appliance according to an embodiment of the present invention may comprise: a case in which a cooking chamber is formed; a door for opening or closing the front opening of the case; a steam generating device mounted to the outer surface of the case; and a steam supply tube for connecting the steam generating device to the cooking chamber, wherein the steam generating device includes: a housing fixed to the case; a drawer which can be pushed into and pulled out of the housing and is filled with water for steam generation; and an induction unit installed at the bottom of the housing so as to heat water filled in the drawer by using electromagnetic induction.

Abstract: A milk frother (1) including a container having a chamber (2) for containing milk, a mixing chamber (3) equipped with an external dispenser (4) for dispensing the milk, a connecting channel (5) for connection between the containment chamber (2) and the mixing chamber (3), a transfer impeller (6) for transferring the milk from the containment chamber (2) to the mixing chamber, a mixing impeller (8) provided in the mixing chamber (3), and disconnectable connector (9) for connecting the transfer impeller (6) and the mixing impeller (8).

Abstract: A welding torch system includes a diffuser assembly that includes a locking mechanism to receive a contact tip. Additionally, the welding torch system includes the contact tip, which includes locking elements configured to interact with the locking mechanism of the diffuser assembly to secure the contact tip within the diffuser assembly. Further, the contact tip is rotated within the diffuser assembly to securely align the locking elements with the locking mechanism.