Abstract: In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a composition comprising 1) about 97.5 wt % to about 99.9 wt % of a first polyethylene having a density of about 0.91 g/cm3 to about 0.94 g/cm3, and a melt strength of about 10 mN or greater; and 2) about 0.1 wt % to about 2.5 wt % of a second polyethylene having an Mw of about 500,000 g/mol or more. In some embodiments, the composition is a film. In some embodiments, the present disclosure provides a method of making a composition comprising blending a first polyethylene of any embodiment described herein and a second polyethylene of any embodiment described herein.

Abstract: An orthopaedic surgical instrument includes a patella trial and drill guide that may be used to both perform a surgical trial of the patellofemoral joint and guide the surgeon in drilling a number of anchor holes in the patella of the patient.

Abstract: A method of manipulating a wire, having an electrical contact, comprises clamping the wire with a predetermined force between a first gripping portion, installed in a first channel of a first tip half, and a second gripping portion, installed in a second channel of a second tip half. The method also includes pushing the electrical contact into a receptacle of a terminal block using a first internal shoulder of the first channel and a second internal shoulder of the second channel to interlock the electrical contact and the terminal block. With the wire clamped between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion, the method includes verifying that the electrical contact and the terminal block are interlocked by pulling the first tip half and the second tip half away from the terminal block until the wire slips along the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for installing at least one electrical contact (152) into a connector housing (150) comprises a base (110) configured to fixedly support the connector housing (150), an alignment guide (122), extending from the base (110) and having a central axis (164), and a carrier (124), translatably and pivotally coupled with the alignment guide (122). With the connector housing (150) fixedly supported by the base (110), the alignment guide (122) is configured to be parallel to an insertion axis (160) of a socket (154) of the connector housing (150), and the carrier (124) is movable parallel to the insertion axis (160). The apparatus (100) additionally comprises a tool holder (132), coupled to the carrier (124). The tool holder (132) has a working axis (162), only one degree of freedom relative to the carrier (124), and only three degrees of freedom relative to the base (110).

Abstract: An automated system for processing an end of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable processing module; a pallet supported by the cable delivery system; a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet; a motor operatively coupled for driving rotation of the drive wheel; and an idler wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet and forming a nip with the drive wheel. The cable processing module includes cable processing equipment and a computer system. The computer system is configured to: (a) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pushing direction to cause a specified length of cable to be inserted into the cable processing equipment; (b) activate the cable processing equipment to operate on the cable end; and (c) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pulling direction to cause the length of cable to be removed from the cable processing equipment.

Abstract: A method of manipulating a wire, having an electrical contact, comprises clamping the wire with a predetermined force between a first gripping portion, installed in a first channel of a first tip half, and a second gripping portion, installed in a second channel of a second tip half. The method also includes pushing the electrical contact into a receptacle of a terminal block using a first internal shoulder of the first channel and a second internal shoulder of the second channel to interlock the electrical contact and the terminal block. With the wire clamped between the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion, the method includes verifying that the electrical contact and the terminal block are interlocked by pulling the first tip half and the second tip half away from the terminal block until the wire slips along the first gripping portion and the second gripping portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for manipulating a wire comprises a first lever and a second lever. The first lever comprises a first tip-support portion, a first handle portion, and a first hinge portion. The second lever comprises a second tip-support portion, a second handle portion, and a second hinge portion. The first hinge portion and the second hinge portion are pivotally interconnected about a lever-pivot axis. The apparatus also comprises means for biasing the first tip-support portion and the second tip-support portion toward each other, a first tip half pivotally coupled to the first tip-support portion, and a second tip half pivotally coupled to the second tip-support portion. The first tip half comprises a first channel. The second tip half comprises a second channel.

Abstract: An automated system for processing an end of a cable. The system includes: a cable delivery system; a cable processing module; a pallet supported by the cable delivery system; a drive wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet; a motor operatively coupled for driving rotation of the drive wheel; and an idler wheel rotatably coupled to the pallet and forming a nip with the drive wheel. The cable processing module includes cable processing equipment configured to perform an operation on an end of a cable and a computer system. The computer system is configured to: (a) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pushing direction to cause a specified length of cable to be inserted into the cable processing equipment; (b) activate the cable processing equipment to perform an operation on the inserted end of the cable; and (c) cause the drive wheel to rotate in a cable pulling direction to cause the specified length of cable to be removed from the cable processing equipment.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for installing at least one electrical contact (152) into a connector housing (150) comprises a base (110) configured to fixedly support the connector housing (150), an alignment guide (122), extending from the base (110) and having a central axis (164), and a carrier (124), translatably and pivotally coupled with the alignment guide (122). With the connector housing (150) fixedly supported by the base (110), the alignment guide (122) is configured to be parallel to an insertion axis (160) of a socket (154) of the connector housing (150), and the carrier (124) is movable parallel to the insertion axis (160). The apparatus (100) additionally comprises a tool holder (132), coupled to the carrier (124). The tool holder (132) has a working axis (162), only one degree of freedom relative to the carrier (124), and only three degrees of freedom relative to the base (110).

Abstract: An apparatus for installing at least one electrical contact into a connector housing comprises a base configured to fixedly support the connector housing, an alignment guide, extending from the base and having a central axis, and a carrier, translatably and pivotally coupled with the alignment guide. With the connector housing fixedly supported by the base, the alignment guide is configured to be parallel to an insertion axis of a socket of the connector housing, and the carrier is movable parallel to the insertion axis. The apparatus additionally comprises a tool holder, coupled to the carrier. The tool holder has a working axis, only one degree of freedom relative to the carrier, and only three degrees of freedom relative to the base.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for manipulating a wire (400) comprises a first lever (102) and a second lever (202). The first lever (102) comprises a first tip-support portion (112), a first handle portion (118), and a first hinge portion (108). The second lever (202) comprises a second tip-support portion (212), a second handle portion (218), and a second hinge portion (208). The first hinge portion (108) and the second hinge portion (208) are pivotally interconnected about a lever-pivot axis (300). The apparatus (100) also comprises means for biasing (304) the first tip-support portion (112) and the second tip-support portion (212) toward each other, a first tip half (130) pivotally coupled to the first tip-support portion (112), and a second tip half (230) pivotally coupled to the second tip-support portion (212). The first tip half (130) comprises a first channel (132). The second tip half (230) comprises a second channel (232).

Abstract: A device to test a contact of a connector includes a frame and a connector adaptor coupled to the frame. The connector adaptor is configured to retain the connector. The device also includes one or more alignment actuators coupled to the frame and a piston assembly movable relative to the connector by the one or more alignment actuators. The piston assembly is configured to apply a compressive force to the contact to test a locking mechanism of the contact.

Abstract: An apparatus (100) for installing at least one electrical contact (152) into a connector housing (150) comprises a base (110) configured to fixedly support the connector housing (150), an alignment guide (122), extending from the base (110) and having a central axis (164), and a carrier (124), translatably and pivotally coupled with the alignment guide (122). With the connector housing (150) fixedly supported by the base (110), the alignment guide (122) is configured to be parallel to an insertion axis (160) of a socket (154) of the connector housing (150), and the carrier (124) is movable parallel to the insertion axis (160). The apparatus (100) additionally comprises a tool holder (132), coupled to the carrier (124). The tool holder (132) has a working axis (162), only one degree of freedom relative to the carrier (124), and only three degrees of freedom relative to the base (110).

Abstract: The invention relates to an aluminum alloy lithographic sheet product having an enhanced electrolytic graining response in which Zn between 0.5 and 2.5 wt % is added to an aluminum base alloy, in particular an alloy of the 1XXX, 3XXX or 5XXX series alloys. The invention also relates to a method of producing a lithographic sheet product.

Abstract: The invention relates to an aluminium alloy lithographic sheet product having an enhanced electrolytic graining response in which Zn between 0.5 and 2.5 wt % is added to an aluminium base alloy, in particular an alloy of the 1XXX, 3XXX or 5XXX series alloys. The invention also relates to a method of producing a lithographic sheet product.

Abstract: The invention relates to an end wall of a metal container having a score therein. The end wall is made of a composite metal sheet made of two or more metal layers, one of the layers being made of an aluminum alloy of high strength (e.g. a high magnesium alloy such as AA5182, AA5042 or AA5082, optionally with increased Mg), and another of the layers being made of an aluminum alloy having a good resistance to stress corrosion cracking (e.g. aluminum alloys AA3004, AA3104, AA5006 or AA5005), wherein at least the bottom of the score is formed by a surface of the alloy of good resistance to stress corrosion cracking.

Abstract: There is provided a method of texturing a metal sheet or strip (8), which method comprises a plurality of sequential texturing passes each of which is performed by passing the sheet or strip (8) between at least one pair of rollers (7), wherein at least one of each pair of rollers (7) has a textured pattern on the surface thereof and the textured patterns are transferred to the sheet or strip (8) during each texturing pass, and wherein the textured surface on the sheet or strip (8) resulting from each pass overlaps with that from the one or more other passes to form a final textured pattern. There is also provided an apparatus for texturing a metal sheet or strip (8).

Abstract: An optically baffled heating station for joining wire connections by using a solder sleeve includes: an outer housing; a reflection block where said reflection block includes a reflection chamber where the reflection chamber forms the shape of two overlapping ellipses where the ellipses intersect at one respective focal point of each ellipsis and the opposing non-intersecting focal points are separated by about a 90° angle; two heating elements within a heating element block where the two heating elements extend beyond the heating element block and protrude into the reflection pockets of the reflection chamber. A slot extends between the two heating elements through the reflection block and the heating element block. The closed end of the slot includes a target area where the shrinking of the sleeve occurs. The target area receives the reflected light and minimizes the reflection of light toward the open end of the slot.

Abstract: Systems are provided for logging transactions in heterogeneous networks that include a combination of one or more instrumented components and one or more non-instrumented components. The instrumented components are configured to generate impersonated log records for the non-instrumented components involved in the transaction processing hand-offs with the instrumented components. The impersonated log records are persisted with other log records that are generated by the instrumented components in a transaction log that is maintained by a central logging system to reflect a complete flow of the transaction processing performed on the object, including the flow through the non-instrumented component(s).

Abstract: Systems are provided for logging transactions in heterogeneous networks that include a combination of one or more instrumented components and one or more non-instrumented components. The instrumented components are configured to generate impersonated log records for the non-instrumented components involved in the transaction processing hand-offs with the instrumented components. The impersonated log records are persisted with other log records that are generated by the instrumented components in a transaction log that is maintained by a central logging system to reflect a complete flow of the transaction processing performed on the object, including the flow through the non-instrumented component(s).