Abstract: An item made of wear resistant material, the item, in certain aspects, made by a method including forming a mass of wear resistant material, the wear resistant material comprising at least one element from the group consisting of arsenic, antimony, cerium and bismuth, wherein the at least one element is present by weight as between 0.01% to 0.0001% of a total weight of the wear resistant material, wherein the wear resistant material includes by weight percent chromium 29.10-30.00%; nickel 5.00-6.00%; titanium 1.00-2.10%; boron 3.00-3.90%; silicon 1.00-2.10%; manganese 1.10-2.00%; iron-balance.

Abstract: A method for applying wear resistant material to a substrate, the substrate comprised of material with a substrate coefficient of thermal expansion, the method including applying the wear resistant material to the substrate with application apparatus, the wear resistant material having a wear resistant material coefficient of thermal expansion, the substrate coefficient of thermal expansion within 15% of the wear resistant material coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A method for applying wear reducing material to a tool joint useful in a wellbore in drilling operations, the method, in at least certain aspects, including positioning the tool joint adjacent laser beam apparatus, delivering wear-reducing material to a location on the tool joint to which the wear-reducing material is to be applied, heating the wear-reducing material with the laser beam apparatus to a temperature not exceeding its melting temperature so that the wear-reducing material is welded to the tool joint; in one particular aspect, using a defocused laser beam to achieve desired heating temperatures; and, in one aspect, defocusing the laser so no plasma is formed.

Abstract: A method for applying wear resistant material to a substrate, the substrate comprised of material with a substrate coefficient of thermal expansion, the method including applying the wear resistant material to the substrate with application apparatus, the wear resistant material having a wear resistant material coefficient of thermal expansion, the substrate coefficient of thermal expansion within 15% of the wear resistant material coefficient of thermal expansion.

Abstract: A wire for use in thermal spraying, the wire having sheath material—e.g. zinc, zinc alloy, aluminum and/or aluminum alloy, and core material, e.g. copper and/or copper alloy. A method for thermal spraying, the method including spraying a coating onto an object (e.g. but not limited to a vessel's hull with a thermal spray system, the thermal spray system using such wire or powder to produce the coating, the wire or powder including first material acting as a cathode and second material acting as a biocide for marine growth.

Abstract: A method for applying wear reducing material to a tool joint useful in a wellbore in drilling operations, the method, in at least certain aspects, including positioning the tool joint adjacent laser beam apparatus, delivering wear-reducing material to a location on the tool joint to which the wear-reducing material is to be applied, heating the wear-reducing material with the laser beam apparatus to a temperature not exceeding its melting temperature so that the wear-reducing material is welded to the tool joint; in one particular aspect, using a defocused laser beam to achieve desired heating temperatures; and, in one aspect, defocusing the laser so no plasma is formed.

Abstract: A system (10) for processing wafers and cleaning wafer cassettes (160, 260, 460) includes a work cell (12) having a plurality of processing stations (14) for processing wafers, and at least one processing/cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) for receiving and delivering wafers to and from a wafer cassette (160, 260, 460), a transfer mechanism (16) for moving the wafers between the plurality of processing stations (14) and the cleaning station (30). The cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) may have an exterior door (32, 132, 232, 432), an exhaust (34, 134, 234, 434), an interior door (40, 140, 240, 440), a plurality of gas nozzles (166, 266, 466) for delivering a sweeping gas over the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460). The cleaning process can also be done with a loaded cassette (160, 260, 460) that is unloaded before cleaning.

Abstract: A system for sealing a head end of a cylinder to prevent a material flow through the cylinder. An o-ring inside the cylinder surrounds a piston when the piston is in a closed position inside the cylinder to prevent material from leaking into the cylinder around the piston. The o-ring is held in position by a groove inside the cylinder wall proximate a head end of the cylinder. A retainer ring has a first end held in place by a step protruding from the cylinder wall and a second end extending into a second end of the o-ring. The retainer ring applies a force to the retainer-ring which holds the o-ring inside the groove. The o-ring also applies a force to the retainer ring holding the o-ring in place.

Abstract: A system (10) for processing wafers and cleaning wafer cassettes (160, 260, 460) includes a work cell (12) having a plurality of processing stations (14) for processing wafers, and at least one processing/cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) for receiving and delivering wafers to and from a wafer cassette (160, 260, 460), a transfer mechanism (16) for moving the wafers between the plurality of processing stations (14) and the cleaning station (30). The cleaning station (30, 130, 230, 430) may have an exterior door (32, 132, 232, 432), an exhaust (34, 134, 234, 434), an interior door (40, 140, 240, 440), a plurality of gas nozzles (166, 266, 466) for delivering a sweeping gas over the wafer cassette (160, 260, 460).

Abstract: A system for indicating a position of a piston inside a cylinder of a control valve. The indicator of the present invention has an enclosed shaft which prevents the use of the shaft to tamper with the piston. The position of the shaft inside a shaft housing is indicated using a pair of magnets a first magnet is connected to a first end of the shaft and a second magnet is slidably mounted to an outside of the shaft housing. As the shaft moves the first magnet inside the housing, the second magnet moves outside the housing. The second magnet and shaft housing are enclosed in a transparent housing to prevent damage. The shaft housing has a threaded connector for connecting the shaft housing to a valve housing over the piston to prevent leakage through the shaft housing. A groove in a second end of the shaft receives teeth from a toothed retaining ring affix the shaft to the piston.