Abstract: A brazing product, e.g. a brazing sheet product, having an aluminium layer made of an aluminium alloy comprising silicon in an amount in the range of 2 to 18 weight %, and a layer comprising nickel on the outer surface of the aluminium layer such that taken together the aluminium layer and all layers exterior thereto form the filler metal for a brazing operation. The filler metal has a composition containing at least one element: (i) with a smaller exchange current density for the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction (“HER”) than nickel and/or (ii) such that the electro-chemical potential difference between particles of Ni-aluminide(s) of the filler and the aluminium alloy matrix of the filler is reduced. The filler metal's mol-ratio of Ni to such element(s) is in the range of 10:(0.3-30). The invention also relates to a method of manufacturing a brazed assembly using the brazing product, and to a brazed assembly comprising at least one component made of the brazing product.

Abstract: The inventive method for producing packaging materials consisting of a polyolefin foam layer (B) coated with a coating film (A) on at least one side, which packaging material is formable into self supporting packaging items, such as trays, by thermoforming or folding, comprises a coextrusion step or an extrusion lamination step in which step the bonding between the polyolefin foam layer (B) and the coating is achieved. With the extrusion lamination step, the method is as follows: In a first method step, a single-layer or multi-layer coating film (A) is produced by extrusion or coextrusion, in a second method step a polyolefin foam sheet (B) is produced by expansion and extrusion and in the third method step the polyolefin foam sheet (B) is coated with the coating film (A) by extrusion lamination, wherein a polyolefin bonding layer (30) is extruded between the foam sheet (B) and the coating film (A) and pressure is applied to the combination.

Abstract: A solder ball achieves a desired quantity of solder material for a solder joint easily without increasing the thickness of a solder layer formed to cover a core. The solder ball comprises a conductive core having depressions on its outer surface, and a solder layer formed to cover the outer surface of the core in such a way as to fill the depressions of the core. Thus, the quantity of the solder material included in the ball is supplemented by the solder material filled into the depressions. Preferably, the core has a higher melting point than the solder layer and wettability to the solder layer. The core may have a cavity in its inside, thereby forming a shell-shaped core. The core may be made of a porous metal body having pores, in which part of the pores reaches the outer surface of the core, thereby forming the depressions.

Abstract: A fuel processor for a fuel cell includes a thermal start device, a mixing region and a temperature control element. The temperature control element is located between the thermal start device and the mixing region. The temperature control element reduces temperature increase in the mixing region during thermal startup. A flame arrestor is connected to the mixing region. A primary reactor is connected to the flame arrestor. The transient temperature control element has a body defining an inlet and an outlet. A plurality of bores are formed in the body.

Abstract: A catalyst, a process for making the catalyst and a process for using the catalyst in aromatization of alkanes to aromatics, specifically, aromatization of alkanes having two to six carbon atoms per molecule, such as propane, to aromatics, such as benzene, toluene and xylene. The catalyst is an aluminum-silicon-germanium zeolite on which platinum has been deposited. Germanium is in the framework of the crystalline zeolite. Platinum is deposited on the zeolite. The catalyst may be supported on magnesia, alumina, titania, zirconia, thoria, silica, boria or mixtures thereof. The catalyst may contain a sulfur compound on the surface of the catalyst. The sulfur compound may be added to the catalyst in a pretreatment process or introduced with the hydrocarbon feed to contact the catalyst during the aromatization process.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to employ a solder alloy comprising tin/lead/silver in order to provide a wider solidification range and achieve balance between the surface tensions of both side of a small leadless component. The expanded solidification range slows the melting and wetting time so as to balance the surface tension of the molten solder, and in turn reduces the tombstoning frequency. The preferred Ag concentration is 0.2-0.5% in weight, the more preferred Ag concentration is 0.3-0.4% in weight. For reflow soldering of small leadless components, the pastes made with the alloy compositions of Sn62.6Pb37Ag0.4 and Sn63Pb36.6Ag0.4 results in improvements in tombstoning.

Abstract: Abutted portions of face plates 12b and 22b of frame members 10 and 20 are friction stir welded. With the abutting, a projecting portion 20c of an end portion of the face plate 20b of the frame member 20 is inserted into a recessed portion 12c of an end portion of the face plate 12b of the frame member 10. By this engagement, the outer face on one face side of the face plates 12b and 20b form a smooth surface, so that there is no step at the joined edges. Next, a rotary tool 250 is inserted into the gap between the abutted plates, from the side of the raised portions 16 and 26 of the face plates 12b and 20b, while the other faces 12bc and 20bc of the face plates 12b and 20b are supported flatly on a bed during the friction stir welding. Accordingly, the welding of the engaged plates can be carried out without any step-wise difference.

Abstract: A probe for friction stir welding MMCs, ferrous alloys, non-ferrous alloys, and superalloys, as well as non-ferrous alloys, the probe including a shank, a shoulder, and a pin disposed through the shoulder and into the shank, wherein the pin and the shoulder at least include a coating comprised of a superabrasive material, the pin and shoulder being designed to reduce stress risers, disposing a collar around a portion of the shoulder and the shank to thereby prevent movement of the shoulder relative to the shank, and incorporating thermal management by providing a thermal flow barrier between the shoulder and the shank, and between the collar and the tool.

Abstract: The invention provides new methods for separating nitrogen from a mixture. The invention provides adsorbents specifically for accomplishing nitrogen separation. The adsorbents and separation methods are particularly useful for the selective adsorption of nitrogen from air. In one aspect, the adsorbent comprises an ion exchange zeolite X and preferably zeolite LSX (low silica zeolite X). The zeolite is most preferably a lithium-based zeolite. Further, the zeolite has exchangeable cationic sites, with silver cation or copper cation occupying at least some of the exchangeable cationic sites. The Ag/Cu exchanged zeolite is heat-treated under specific conditions as per the invention. The presence of the silver cation or copper cation at any of the sites will provide an improvement over the non-exchanged zeolite.

Abstract: An apparatus for cutting an electrical wiring line includes a laser generator for generating a laser beam, an optical beam branching element for branching a laser beam generated by the laser generator into a plurality of branch beams, and a condenser element for condensing the branch beams branched by the optical beam branching element (the optical beam branching element can also serve as the condenser element). The condenser element may be a condenser lens which is separate from the optical beam branching element. The power and the focal depth of the branch beam may be adjusted. When the substrate has a transparency to the laser beam, the branch beam is directed to the electrical wiring line formed on the substrate from the opposite side to the surface having the electrical wiring line.

Abstract: The present invention provides a macroporous foam comprising microporous zeolite or zeotype material and preparation thereof, which comprises dipping a polymeric template capable of releasing an amine which has a sponge or macroporous structure and can be selected from a group consisting of polyurethane, polyamides, aromatic or aliphatic polyimides, polyamideimides, epoxy resins having an amine skeleton, and polymeric materials capable of releasing an organic amine by hydrolysis, in an alkaline or acidic solution, gel or sol of a precursor of said zeolite or zeotype material, and reacting the resultant at a suitable temperature for a period such that all or almost all of the polymeric template can be replaced with zeolite or zeotype material. Said foam comprising zeolite or zeotype material has the outer shape and size and the inner sponge or macroporous structure which are the same or similar to those of the polymeric template used.

Abstract: By using an application unit having: a storage chamber for a viscous material; a discharge hole, for the viscous material, provided so as to communicate with the storage chamber, where a viscous-material feeding device for feeding the viscous material to the storage chamber is coupled to the application unit; and a discharge-pressure adjusting device for imparting a discharge pressure to the viscous material stored in the storage chamber, a screen mask having openings corresponding to the application object or the application object itself and the discharge hole of the application unit are brought into contact with each other, either the application unit and the screen mask or the application unit and the application object are moved relative to each other while the discharge pressure is imparted to the viscous material in the storage chamber, and the viscous material is applied onto the application object while the storage chamber is replenished at all times with the viscous material by the viscous-material

Abstract: A method and apparatus for the semisolid forming of alloys to enable shaped parts having a fine-grained, spherical thixotropic structure to be produced in a convenient, easy and inexpensive manner without relying upon the conventional mechanical or electromagnetic agitation. In the method, a molten alloy having crystal nuclei at a temperature not lower than the liquidus temperature or a partially solid, partially molten alloy having crystal nuclei at a temperature not lower than a molding temperature is fed into an insulated vessel and is maintained in the insulated vessel for 5 seconds to 60 minutes as it is cooled to the molding temperature where a specified liquid fraction is established, thereby crystallizing fine primary crystals in the alloy solution, and the alloy is fed into a forming mold, where it is shaped under pressure.

Abstract: The present invention includes a catalyst having a layered structure with, (1) a porous support, (2) a buffer layer, (3) an interfacial layer, and optionally (4) a catalyst layer. The invention also provides a process in which a reactant is converted to a product by passing through a reaction chamber containing the catalyst.

Abstract: A honeycomb structure with a plurality of flexible material strips which are arranged next to one another and are connected to one another is presented. The material strips have a corrugated shape with U-shaped cross section of essentially straight, vertical partial areas (3) and curved, horizontal partial areas (2). The material strips are connected to one another at contact points (4) of the straight, vertical partial areas. In addition, a device for manufacturing a honeycomb has welding sections (6). The flexible material strips (9) are guided by the welding sections (6), where the material strips are welded to one another by means of a comb-like finger system (10). The finger system or the welding sections are laterally displaced by two sections and by a pressing operation taking place between the finger and the welding section. This presses two material strips onto a heated welding wire (7), which leads to the thermal connection of the material strips.

Abstract: A method and a device are for controlling multiple machining processes in a die-sink erosion machine with several identical or different electrodes (R1, R2, R3, R4), whereby the machining sequence of the machining processes and the electrode used for each machining process are determined by providing the following criteria: a) predefining priorities of workpieces to be machined, of a group of machining procedures, of individual machining jobs (ARB), of work cycles (AZ) and/or work steps (AS) of a machining job; and/or (b) predefining the life span or wear limit of the electrodes used for the individual machining jobs, work cycles or work steps. The overall machining on the die-sink erosion machine is performed with consideration of the determined machining sequence.

Abstract: A fluxer applies powdered flux to an object. The fluxer includes an enclosure that defines a chamber where the object is fluxed. The enclosure includes an inlet for receiving the object into the chamber prior to application of the flux and an outlet for discharging the object from the chamber after the flux has been applied. A conveyor extends through the enclosure for traversing the object into and out of the chamber. The fluxer also includes a hopper for storing the flux and an applicator in fluid communication with the hopper for applying the flux to the object. A flux recovery system is in fluid communication with the chamber to introduce and maintain a negative pressure within the chamber. As a result, excess flux is retained within the enclosure. This excess flux can then be recovered and recycled to the hopper.

Abstract: A system and method for micromachining substrates containing glass employing a UV laser beam generated by outputting a sub-1000 nm pulsed laser beam that is frequency converted by third harmonic generation to have a wavelength within the range of 285 nm to 333 nm.

Abstract: A method for securing a metallic substrate (24) to a metallic housing (26). The method may include: firing a first solderable coating (64) to an edge (60) of the metallic substrate (24); firing a second solderable coating (64) to a groove (62) of the metallic housing (26); joining the edge (60) of the metallic substrate (24) to the groove (62) of the metallic housing (26) to form a joint (66) at the first solderable coating and the second solderable coating; applying a solder (68) to the joint (66); and solder bonding the metallic substrate (24) to the metallic housing (26) to provide a hermetic seal at the joint (66). There is also an electronic control module that incorporates the method.

Abstract: A method and cluster tool for selectively removing contaminating particles from a substrate surface using a laser. An inspection tool scans the substrate surface to detect and identify any defects on the substrate surface, and then suitable software analyzes the scanned data to determine characteristics of the defect including the type of defect, the number of defects, sizes of each defect and the planar x, y coordinates of each defect. This data is used to command a laser tool to remove only those defects identified as contaminants that are capable of being removed from the surface of the substrate and may be detrimental to subsequent substrate processing techniques. The laser contacts this identified contaminant at its x, y coordinates to remove only such contaminant while not substantially treating or directly contacting the area surrounding the contaminant, thereby preventing damaging or altering the substrate surface.