Abstract: A system and method of welding or additive manufacturing is provided where at least two welding electrodes are provided to and passed through a two separate orifices on a single contact tip and a welding waveform is provided to the electrodes through the contact tip to weld simultaneously with both electrodes, where a bridge droplet is formed between the electrodes and then transferred to the puddle.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems and methods for remotely controlling a robotic welding system over a long distance in real time are disclosed. One embodiment is a method that includes tracking movements and control of a mock welding tool operated by a human welder at a local site and generating control parameters corresponding to the movements and control. The control parameters are transmitted from the local site to a robotic welding system at a remote welding site over an ultra-low-latency communication network. The round-trip communication latency over the ultra-low-latency communication network is between 0.5 milliseconds and 10 milliseconds, and a distance between the local site and the remote welding site is at least 10 kilometers. An actual welding operation of the robotic welding system is controlled to form a weld at the remote welding site via remote robotic control of the robotic welding system in response to the control parameters.

Abstract: Techniques and systems to reduce contact of a cable with a top drive. A cable guide may be mounted to one or more bails supporting the top drive and may operate to extend a distance between a cable passing along a length of the top drive. The cable guide may include both an upper guide assembly and a lower guide assembly. Each of the upper guide assembly and the lower guide assembly may both be coupled to one or more bails supporting the top drive in a serial manner.

Abstract: Embodiments of systems, apparatus, and methods to support the simulation of a shielded metal arc welding (SMAW) operation are disclosed. One embodiment is a tip assembly that includes an elongate mock electrode tip having a proximal end, a distal end, and a locking sleeve near the proximal end. A compression spring is configured to interface with the proximal end of the electrode tip. A locking cup is configured to encompass the compression spring and the locking sleeve. A housing, having an orifice, is configured to receive the electrode tip, the compression spring, and the locking cup into an interior of the housing by accepting the distal end of the electrode tip through the orifice up to the locking sleeve. The locking sleeve and the locking cup are configured to be rotated with respect to each other to allow changing between a locked position and an unlocked position.

Abstract: The present invention provides a bionanocomposite including a pre-selected decellularized tissue crosslinked with a pre-selected nanomaterial. Also provided is a process for fabricating the bionanocomposite. Additionally, applications for using the bionanocomposite as soft tissue repair materials or scaffolds for tissue engineering are described.

Abstract: The invention provides an adjustable means for supporting the breast from beneath the nipple during a prone breast biopsy procedure. By increasing or decreasing the volume of air or fluid within the pillow, the clinician can apply a controlled amount of compression on the breast, thereby increasing or decreasing the compressed area of the breast. The invention is believed to have utility for all modalities of breast biopsy; however, it is believed to be especially useful for a prone MRI breast biopsy procedure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting a welding output waveform based on characterizing a welding circuit output path with respect to its electrical characteristics. At least one electrical characteristic (e.g., inductance, resistance) of a welding output circuit path connected to a welding power source is determined. A welding output waveform is selected from a plurality of welding output waveforms based on the determined electrical characteristics. As a result, the selected welding output waveform is matched to the welding output circuit path electrical characteristics to provide superior welding performance.

Abstract: An eddy-current braking mechanism including a rotor, rotatable about a rotor axis; at least one electrically conductive member coupled to the rotor for rotation therewith; at least one magnet configured to apply a magnetic field extending at least partially orthogonal to the plane of rotation of the conductive member, and characterized in that upon rotation of the rotor, the conductive member is configured to move at least partially radially from the rotor axis into the applied magnetic field.

Abstract: This disclosure describes embodiments of novel line dispensing devices and methods for dispensing and retracting a line of a line dispensing device.

Abstract: A method for authentication facilitated via a trusted execution environment includes: reading payment credentials in a first application program stored in a first memory area of a computing device; transmitting an authentication request to a second application program stored in a trusted execution environment of the computing device separate from the first memory area; displaying a prompt for authentication data based on an instruction supplied by the second application program; receiving authentication data; transmitting the received authentication data to an external computing device; receiving, by the second application program of the computing device, an authentication result from the external computing device; and transmitting, by the second application program of the computing device, the authentication result to the first application program in response to the authentication request.

Abstract: This disclosure describes embodiments of novel line dispensing devices and methods for dispensing and retracting a line of a line dispensing device.

Abstract: Systems and methods for selecting a welding output waveform based on characterizing a welding circuit output path with respect to its electrical characteristics. At least one electrical characteristic (e.g., inductance, resistance) of a welding output circuit path connected to a welding power source is determined. A welding output waveform is selected from a plurality of welding output waveforms based on the determined electrical characteristics. As a result, the selected welding output waveform is matched to the welding output circuit path electrical characteristics to provide superior welding performance.

Abstract: An offshore structure comprises: an original structure comprising a main platform supported via a foundation on a seabed; and an extension structure comprising a platform extension positioned laterally of the main platform and a platform extension support, depending downwardly from the platform extension, into contact with the foundation, so as to support the extension structure directly on the foundation.

Abstract: Provided is an electric arc generation system comprising a robot, an electric arc torch attached to the robot, a power supply configured to provide an electrical power output to the torch, and a user interface for adjusting a plurality of power supply parameters. The user interface comprises a display. The system includes a processor configured to receive respective settings of the plurality of power supply parameters, and configured to analyze the settings of the plurality of power supply parameters and control the display to display a pictograph warning associated with a current parameter setting, based on a result of analyzing the settings of the plurality of power supply parameters. Said pictograph warning graphically indicates an adjustment direction for the current parameter setting. The processor is configured to automatically adjust one or more of the settings of the plurality of power supply parameters based on a predetermined operating angle of the torch.

Abstract: A component according to the disclosure may include a body having an aperture therein for receiving one of a turbomachine shaft or a lathe chuck, wherein in response to the body being coupled to the lathe chuck, the aperture is oriented substantially axially relative to an axis of rotation of the body with the lathe chuck; and a flange coupled to and in direct axial contact with the body, the flange including a surface that extends axially relative to the axis of rotation of the body, wherein the surface of the flange comprises a matingly engageable face configured to contact an axially aligned surface during operation of the component and having a sanding indentation thereon, wherein a surface roughness of the surface of the flange is less than a surface roughness of a remainder of the component.

Abstract: A retention device for maintaining a first rotary machine component axially loaded onto a second rotary machine component in a fixed axial position includes a lock block sized and configured to move between first and second aligned recesses in the first and second rotary machine components. The aligned recesses are shaped to prevent rotation of the lock block, and the lock block has a threaded bore extending therethrough. An actuator is threadably mounted in the bore, such that rotation of the actuator will, in use, move the lock block from the first aligned recess at least partially into the second aligned recess.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide surface treatment tools, methodologies, and/or treated turbomachine components. A surface treatment tool according to the present disclosure can include a lathe assembly having a lathe chuck for receiving a component thereon, wherein the lathe chuck rotates the component about a first axis of rotation, and wherein the component includes an exposed axial target surface; and a sander or burnishing tool coupled to the lathe assembly and including a sanding or burnishing surface thereon, coupled to a drive system, wherein the sanding or burnishing surface is oriented along a second axis substantially non-parallel with the first axis of rotation, such that the sanding or burnishing surface selectively contacts the target surface of the component to yield a polished target surface.

Abstract: Embodiments for controlling heat input for a weld or metal deposition process by monitoring thermal characteristics of a weld environment are disclosed. One embodiment includes a welding helmet having a shell to be worn by a human welder to protect the human welder while viewing a weld environment through a viewing window of the shell during a welding operation using a welding system. A thermal sensing device is integrated with the shell to sense thermal energy of the weld environment and generate thermal data based on the thermal energy. A thermal analysis module is integrated with the shell to analyze the thermal data and generate control parameters. A transmitter device is integrated with the shell to transmit the control parameters to the welding system. The control parameters control at least one welding parameter of the welding system during the welding operation.

Abstract: An offshore structure includes an original structure and an extension structure. The original structure includes a main platform supported via a foundation on a seabed. The extension structure includes a platform extension positioned laterally of the main platform and a platform extension support, depending downwardly from the platform extension, into contact with the foundation, so as to support the extension structure directly on the foundation.

Abstract: Welding helmets, systems, and kits providing real-time fume exposure monitoring and warning capability during an arc welding process. A welding helmet configured to protect the head of a user during a welding process is configured with an intelligent warning apparatus and an air-sampling pick-up and output port. The air-sampling pickup and output port connects to a proximal end of an air sampling tube for sampling breathable air within the welding helmet, and a distal end of the air-sampling tube connects to an air-sampling in-take port of an external aerosol monitoring device. The intelligent warning apparatus communicates with the aerosol monitoring device to receive air sample output data from the aerosol monitoring device, and to process the air sample output data to generate warning data and/or warning signals based on preset exposure level set points and/or exposure warning operating modes.