Abstract: Pre-molding of wax or similar sacrificial material over one or more cores facilitates a subsequent molding over a core assembly. Individual cores or groups thereof may be pre-molded in a wax body. One or more such wax bodies may be assembled with other bodies and/or other cores to facilitate a main wax molding of such assembly.

Abstract: A valved sheath introducer for venous cannulation, including a valve, sheath, handle and cap. The valve is configured to permit safe introduction and removal of medical instruments through the sheath introducer. The valve may have one or more anchoring members and a thickened central portion through which a slit is formed. The central portion may have one or more concave surfaces and the slit can be angled with respect to the top surface of the valve. The cap is attached to the handle, compressing a portion of the valve therebetween.

Abstract: An at least two step heating process is used to strengthen the shell of an investment casting mold including a refractory metal core. The first stage may occur under otherwise oxidizing conditions at a low enough temperature to avoid substantial core oxidation. The second stage may occur under essentially non-oxidizing conditions at a higher temperature.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating object tracking is provided. The system includes an audio model that receives at least two audio input signals and a video model that receives a video input. The audio model and the video model employ probabilistic generative models which are combined to facilitate object tracking. Expectation maximization can be employed to modify trainable parameters of the audio model and the video model.

Abstract: A sacrificial core for forming an interior space of a part includes a ceramic core element and a first core element including a refractory metal element. The ceramic core element may be molded over the first core element or molded with assembly features permitting assembly with the first core element.

Abstract: A casting system for forming a gas turbine engine component is provided. The casting system, in a first embodiment, comprises a shaped refractory metal sheet having a plurality of features for forming a plurality of film cooling passages, which features are formed from refractory metal material bent out of the sheet. The casting system for forming a gas turbine engine component in a second embodiment comprises a metal wall having an airfoil shape and a refractory metal core adjacent the metal wall and having a shape corresponding to the shape of the metal wall.

Abstract: In accordance with the present invention, a casting system is provided which broadly comprises a core and a wax die spaced from said core, a refractory metal core having a first end seated within a slot in the core and a second end contacting the wax die for positioning the core relative to the wax die, and the refractory metal core having at least one of a mechanism for providing spring loading when closed in the wax die and a mechanism for mechanically locking the wax die to the core.

Abstract: A system and method facilitating object tracking is provided. The invention includes an audio model that receives at least two audio input signals and a video model that receives a video input. The audio model and the video model employ probabilistic generative models which are combined to facilitate object tracking. Expectation maximization can be employed to modify trainable parameters of the audio model and the video model.