Abstract: Provided is a disclosure for a cutting device configured to control a linear speed of a cutting wheel as the cutting wheel gets smaller with use. In one example, the cutting device includes a cutting wheel; an actuator to rotate the cutting wheel; a power source configured to provide power to the actuator for rotating the cutting wheel at an adjustable rotational velocity; and control circuitry configured to adjust the rotational velocity of the cutting wheel to maintain a substantially constant surface speed.

Abstract: Provided is a disclosure for a cutting device configured to control a linear speed of a cutting wheel as the cutting wheel gets smaller with use.

Abstract: In some examples, a material removal system may control movement of a material removal machine based on whether a material removal tool is in contact with a sample. A material removal system may include a material removal machine (e.g., saw, grinder, polisher, and/or more general material preparation and/or testing machine) that is configured to move at the urging of one or more actuators. The system may further include control circuitry configured to control movement (and/or speed, acceleration, etc.) of the material removal machine (e.g., via the actuators) based on one or more power, thermal, position, and/or other parameters that indicate whether the material removal tool of the material removal machine is in contact with a sample.

Abstract: A material removal system may control movement of a material removal machine based on whether a material removal tool is in contact with a sample. A material removal system may include a material removal machine (e.g., saw, grinder, polisher, and/or more general material preparation and/or testing machine) that is configured to move at the urging of one or more actuators. The system may further include control circuitry configured to control movement (and/or speed, acceleration, etc.) of the material removal machine (e.g., via the actuators) based on one or more power, thermal, position, and/or other parameters that indicate whether the material removal tool of the material removal machine is in contact with a sample.

Abstract: A saw has a system for sensing the torque on a cutting blade to signal when the blade begins to cut material. The saw has a drive belt extending between a driven wheel and a drive wheel and a belt tensioner that engages a side of the belt and maintains tension in the belt. The belt tensioner is movable to maintain the tension in the belt. A control system calculates the movement of the belt tensioner. The saw has a system for determining the size of the sacrificial blade. A through beam photoelectric emitter and receiver pair are positioned on opposite sides of the blade such that a largest cutting blade is moved above the beam regardless of a horizontal position of the cutting blade and sensor senses a vertical position of the axis of the blade. The sensor senses the vertical position of the blade axis when the blade is moved above the beam.

Abstract: A sample preparation saw has a base, a housing, a saw assembly mounted to the base, a dressing assembly, a sample clamping assembly mounted to the base, and a reservoir assembly. The saw assembly includes a blade assembly with a rotating blade. The blade assembly is movable along x-, y- and z-axes by at least two drives. The dressing assembly is operable to dress the rotating blade. The sample clamping assembly includes a rail, a sample mount removably positioned on the rail and a saddle operable to hold a sample. The reservoir assembly is operable to recirculate a rinse fluid sprayed on the rotating blade, and includes a basin having a pump and a series of weirs.

Abstract: A sample grinder includes a base having a bowl and a rotatable drive plate to operably support a grinding wheel. A head is configured to support a specimen holder and has a first drive for rotational drive of the specimen holder and a second drive for moving the head and specimen holder toward and away from the drive plate. The head has a sleeve that is larger than the specimen holder. A cover is disposed over the bowl and has an opening larger than the sleeve so that the sleeve fits through the opening when the specimen holder is moved toward the rotatable drive plate. The grinding wheel is mountable to the plate in a single radial orientation only. A dressing system is operably connected to a controller to monitor the current of the drive plate motor and/or the head first drive actuates the dressing system based upon the current drawn by the drive plate motor and/or the head first drive motor falling below a predetermined value.

Abstract: Systems, and/or methods for movement control of material removal systems and/or assemblies are disclosed, such as saws, grinders, polishers, and/or more general material preparation and/or testing machines, for example. A material removal system may include a material removal machine that is configured to move at the urging of one or more actuators. The system may further include control circuitry configured to control movement (and/or speed, acceleration, etc.) of the material removal assembly (e.g., via the actuators) based on one or more power, thermal, position, and/or other parameters that indicate whether the material removal tool is in contact with a sample.

Abstract: Provided is a disclosure for a cutting device configured to control a linear speed of a cutting wheel as the cutting wheel gets smaller with use.

Abstract: A sample preparation saw (10) has a base (130, 146, 14, 47), a housing (12, 76), a saw (10) assembly (30, 58) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), a dressing assembly (58), a sample clamping assembly (100) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), and a reservoir assembly (30, 58). The saw (10) assembly (30, 58) includes a blade assembly (30) with a rotating blade (24). The blade assembly (30) is movable along x-, y- and z-axes by at least two drives (27, 36). The dressing assembly (58) is operable to dress the rotating blade (24). The sample clamping assembly (100) includes a rail (102), a sample mount (104) removably positioned on the rail (102) and a saddle (106) operable to hold a sample. The reservoir assembly (30, 58) is operable to recirculate a rinse fluid sprayed on the rotating blade (24), and includes a basin (178) having a pump (180) and a series of weirs (188A, 188).

Abstract: A sample preparation saw (10) has a base (130, 146, 14, 47), a housing (12, 76), a saw (10) assembly (30, 58) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), a dressing assembly (58), a sample clamping assembly (100) mounted to the base (130, 146, 14, 47), and a reservoir assembly (30, 58). The saw (10) assembly (30, 58) includes a blade assembly (30) with a rotating blade (24). The blade assembly (30) is movable along x-, y- and z-axes by at least two drives (27, 36). The dressing assembly (58) is operable to dress the rotating blade (24). The sample clamping assembly (100) includes a rail (102), a sample mount (104) removably positioned on the rail (102) and a saddle (106) operable to hold a sample. The reservoir assembly (30, 58) is operable to recirculate a rinse fluid sprayed on the rotating blade (24), and includes a basin (178) having a pump (180) and a series of weirs (188A, 188).

Abstract: A saw has a system for sensing the torque on a cutting blade to signal when the blade begins to cut material. The saw has a drive belt extending between a driven wheel and a drive wheel and a belt tensioner that engages a side of the belt and maintains tension in the belt. The belt tensioner is movable to maintain the tension in the belt. A control system calculates the movement of the belt tensioner. The saw has a system for determining the size of the sacrificial blade. A through beam photoelectric emitter and receiver pair are positioned on opposite sides of the blade such that a largest cutting blade is moved above the beam regardless of a horizontal position of the cutting blade and sensor senses a vertical position of the axis of the blade. The sensor senses the vertical position of the blade axis when the blade is moved above the beam.

Abstract: A saw has a system for sensing the torque on a cutting blade to signal when the blade begins to cut material. The saw has a drive belt extending between a driven wheel and a drive wheel and a belt tensioner that engages a side of the belt and maintains tension in the belt. The belt tensioner is movable to maintain the tension in the belt. A control system calculates the movement of the belt tensioner. The saw has a system for determining the size of the sacrificial blade. A through beam photoelectric emitter and receiver pair are positioned on opposite sides of the blade such that a largest cutting blade is moved above the beam regardless of a horizontal position of the cutting blade and sensor senses a vertical position of the axis of the blade. The sensor senses the vertical position of the blade axis when the blade is moved above the beam.

Abstract: A sample grinder includes a base having a bowl and a rotating drive plate to operably support a grinding wheel. A head is configured to support a specimen holder and has a first drive for rotational drive of the specimen holder and a second drive for moving the head and specimen holder toward and away from the drive plate. The head has a sleeve that is larger than the specimen holder. A cover is disposed over the bowl and has an opening larger than the sleeve so that the sleeve fits through the opening when the specimen holder is moved toward the rotating drive plate. The grinding wheel is mountable to the plate in a single radial orientation only. A dressing system is operably connected to a controller to monitor the current of the drive plate motor and/or the and the head first drive actuates the dressing system based upon the current drawn by the drive plate motor and/or the head first drive motor falling below a predetermined value.

Abstract: A sample encapsulation system includes a base, a chamber having an inlet and a chamber housing in which the chamber is housed. The chamber is fixedly mounted at least in part within the housing and the housing is movably mounted to the base. The system includes a cap, a first ram operably mounted to the cap for engaging the chamber inlet and a second ram positioned in the chamber opposite the inlet. The second ram is movable toward and away from the first ram. The chamber and housing are movable toward the cap for engaging the first ram with the chamber inlet during an encapsulation cycle and away from the cap, disengaging the first ram from the chamber inlet following an encapsulation cycle. The system includes heating and cooling assemblies and a temperature sensor located remotely from the chamber interior to automatically isolate cooling water to the system.

Abstract: A saw has a system for sensing the torque on a cutting blade to signal when the blade begins to cut material. The saw has a drive belt extending between a driven wheel and a drive wheel and a belt tensioner that engages a side of the belt and maintains tension in the belt. The belt tensioner is movable to maintain the tension in the belt. A control system calculates the movement of the belt tensioner. The saw has a system for determining the size of the sacrificial blade. A through beam photoelectric emitter and receiver pair are positioned on opposite sides of the blade such that a largest cutting blade is moved above the beam regardless of a horizontal position of the cutting blade and sensor senses a vertical position of the axis of the blade. The sensor senses the vertical position of the blade axis when the blade is moved above the beam.

Abstract: A sample encapsulation system includes a base, a chamber having an inlet and a chamber housing in which the chamber is housed. The chamber is fixedly mounted at least in part within the housing and the housing is movably mounted to the base. The system includes a cap, a first ram operably mounted to the cap for engaging the chamber inlet and a second ram positioned in the chamber opposite the inlet. The second ram is movable toward and away from the first ram. The chamber and housing are movable toward the cap for engaging the first ram with the chamber inlet during an encapsulation cycle and away from the cap, disengaging the first ram from the chamber inlet following an encapsulation cycle. The system includes heating and cooling assemblies and a temperature sensor located remotely from the chamber interior to automatically isolate cooling water to the system.

Abstract: An improved grinder/polisher includes a base having a bowl, a rotating drive plate and a drive plate drive that is adapted to support a platen. The grinder/polisher includes a head configured to support a specimen holder. The head has a first drive for rotational drive of the specimen holder and a second drive for moving the specimen holder toward and away from the drive plate. The head includes a load cell operably connected to the first drive and a counter operably connected to the second drive. The counter is configured to determine movement and the extent of movement of the head toward and away from the drive plate. The grinder/polisher includes a control panel mounted within a housing and including a microprocessor controlled control system having a touch panel or screen.

Abstract: An improved grinder/polisher includes a base having a bowl, a rotating drive plate and a drive plate drive that is adapted to support a platen. The grinder/polisher includes a head configured to support a specimen holder. The head has a first drive for rotational drive of the specimen holder and a second drive for moving the specimen holder toward and away from the drive plate. The head includes a load cell operably connected to the first drive and a counter operably connected to the second drive. The counter is configured to determine movement and the extent of movement of the head toward and away from the drive plate. The grinder/polisher includes a control panel mounted within a housing and including a microprocessor controlled control system having a touch panel or screen.

Abstract: A device has processing hardware to carry out a blood processing procedure. A processing control manager resides on the device to monitor status conditions over time during the blood processing procedure. A data interface also resides on the device. The data interface includes a flash memory data storage medium formatted to allocate discrete block file spaces to receive data. Chronologic data or time-specific data, are created based upon sensed conditions by a data generator task, which also resides on the device. A file manager task appends chronologic data to an allocated file space to create a chronologic block file, which, when read, provides a time-ordered account of processing activities or hardware conditions. The file manager also operates to block-write time-specific data to another allocated file space, which, when read, creates a snap-shot of processing conditions at a given point in time. The data file structure created on the flash memory medium withstands corruption of data due to power failure.