Abstract: A method of constructing and creating a proposed cinema selection may receive, from a plurality of users, selected cinema elements to create a plurality of proposed cinema selections and store, in a memory, the plurality of proposed cinema selections along with corresponding selected cinema elements. The method may also include displaying one of the plurality of proposed cinema selections along with a plurality of the selected cinema elements, receiving voting authorization for a user that a payment has been received to allow voting for one of a plurality of proposed cinema selections; and receiving at least one voting value identifying which of the plurality of proposed cinema selections has been voted on by at least one user. The method also include aggregating the voting values received for proposed cinema selections; and displaying a list of the proposed cinema selections having a highest ranking based on the voting values.

Abstract: A method of constructing and creating a proposed cinema selection may receive, from a plurality of users, selected cinema elements to create a plurality of proposed cinema selections and store, in a memory, the plurality of proposed cinema selections along with corresponding selected cinema elements. The method may also include displaying one of the plurality of proposed cinema selections along with a plurality of the selected cinema elements, receiving voting authorization for a user that a payment has been received to allow voting for one of a plurality of proposed cinema selections; and receiving at least one voting value identifying which of the plurality of proposed cinema selections has been voted on by at least one user. The method also include aggregating the voting values received for proposed cinema selections; and displaying a list of the proposed cinema selections having a highest ranking based on the voting values.

Abstract: There is provided a silicone rubber composition comprising an organopolysiloxane having a viscosity of at least 250,000 mPa·s at 250C, treated filler, and an organic peroxide curing agent. The composition is substantially free of reinforcing silica fillers and is characterised in that the filler comprises a mixture of aluminium trihydroxide and kaolin in a ratio of from 1:3 to 4:1.

Abstract: A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes.

Abstract: A laser-based method and system for selectively processing a multi-material device having a target link structure formed on a substrate while avoiding undesirable change to an adjacent link structure also formed on the substrate are disclosed. The method includes applying at least one focused laser pulse having a wavelength into a spot. The at least one focused laser pulse has an energy density over the spot sufficient to completely process the target link structure while avoiding undesirable change to the adjacent link structure, the substrate and any layers between the substrate and the link structures. The target link structure and the adjacent structure may have a pitch of about 2.0 microns or less.

Abstract: A method and system for adaptively controlling a laser-based material processing process are provided. The system includes sensing equipment to measure a process variable or condition of at least one of a laser-based material processing system and a workpiece processed by the material processing system and to provide a corresponding measurement signal. The control system also includes a signal processor for processing the measurement signal to obtain a processed signal which initiates, at least semi-automatically, an action associated with at least one of the material processing system and the workpiece. A method and system for at least semi-automatically qualifying a laser-based material processing system which delivers laser energy to locations on or adjacent a plurality of microstructures formed on a workpiece to at least partially process the microstructures are also provided.

Abstract: Method and system for displaying information on one or more aircraft flights, where at least one flight is determined to have at least one atypical flight phase according to specified criteria. A flight parameter trace for an atypical phase is displayed and compared graphically with a group of traces, for the corresponding flight phase and corresponding flight parameter, for flights that do not manifest atypicality in that phase.

Abstract: A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes.

Abstract: A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes.

Abstract: A method and system for locally processing a predetermined microstructure formed on a substrate without causing undesirable changes in electrical or physical characteristics of the substrate or other structures formed on the substrate are provided. The method includes providing information based on a model of laser pulse interactions with the predetermined microstructure, the substrate and the other structures. At least one characteristic of at least one pulse is determined based on the information. A pulsed laser beam is generated including the at least one pulse. The method further includes irradiating the at least one pulse having the at least one determined characteristic into a spot on the predetermined microstructure. The at least one determined characteristic and other characteristics of the at least one pulse are sufficient to locally process the predetermined microstructure without causing the undesirable changes.

Abstract: Method and system for analyzing aircraft data, including multiple selected flight parameters for a selected phase of a selected flight, and for determining when the selected phase of the selected flight is atypical, when compared with corresponding data for the same phase for other similar flights. A flight signature is computed using continuous-valued and discrete-valued flight parameters for the selected flight parameters and is optionally compared with a statistical distribution of other observed flight signatures, yielding atypicality scores for the same phase for other similar flights. A cluster analysis is optionally applied to the flight signatures to define an optimal collection of clusters. A level of atypicality for a selected flight is estimated, based upon an index associated with the cluster analysis.

Abstract: A heavy duty diesel piston includes upper and lower portions joined across a friction weld and internally contoured to provide a dual gallery structure including an outer annular gallery and a central gallery joined by passages for communicating cooling oil therebetween. The dual-gallery structure allows oil to enter from the outer gallery, which is formed by the circumferential annular recess in the crown and crown bottom, into the central gallery to cool the piston and particularly the central crown region exposed to hot combustion gases. The friction weld provides high structural integrity and minimizes the number of manufacturing steps needed to attach the crown to the crown bottom.

Abstract: An engine piston (10) comprising a crown (12) and a tubular body portion (30) containing gudgeon pin bosses (46) and force transmitting regions (66) has the body portion forged, preferably of steel, as two or more circumferentially incomplete segments (1001, 1002) which extend about a longitudinal piston axis (14) and are joined into the tubular form by welding or the like. The segments are forged in a direction perpendicularly to the piston axis which permits the formation of regions of differing wall thickness along the tubular body length and mass saving recesses (70) between force transmitting struts (661) and (662) that are not possible with forging a unitary tubular body from one end.

Abstract: A heavy duty diesel piston includes upper and lower portions joined across a friction weld and internally contoured to provide a dual gallery structure including an outer annular gallery and a central gallery joined by passages for communicating cooling oil therebetween. The dual-gallery structure allows oil to enter from the outer gallery, which is formed by the circumferential annular recess in the crown and crown bottom, into the central gallery to cool the piston and particularly the central crown region exposed to hot combustion gases. The friction weld provides high structural integrity and minimizes the number of manufacturing steps needed to attach the crown to the crown bottom.

Abstract: A heavy duty diesel piston includes upper and lower portions joined across a friction weld and internally contoured to provide a dual gallery structure including an outer annular gallery and a central gallery joined by passages for communicating cooling oil therebetween. The dual-gallery structure allows oil to enter from the outer gallery, which is formed by the circumferential annular recess in the crown and crown bottom, into the central gallery to cool the piston and particularly the central crown region exposed to hot combustion gases. The friction weld provides high structural integrity and minimizes the number of manufacturing steps need to attach the crown to the crown bottom.

Abstract: A process for making a flowable powdered base suitable for use in the formulation of liquid silicone rubber compositions that can be cured to form silicone elastomers. The process comprises (A) fluidizing a reinforcing silica filler in a high-shear mixer, (B) maintaining the content of the mixer at a temperature below about 60.degree. C. while adding to the mixer a silylating agent, a nitrogen containing compound to facilitate the silylation reaction, and water thereby forming an essentially homogeneous mixture comprising a treated reinforcing silica filler; (C) adding a polydiorganosiloxane having a viscosity of about 0.03 to 300 Pa.s at 25.degree. C. to the mixer and forming a flowable powdered base having an average particle size of from about 1 to 1000 microns, and (D) heating the flowable powdered base under conditions sufficient to remove volatiles.

Abstract: A method for the preparation of hydrophobic fumed silicas which are useful, for example, as reinforcing fillers in rubber compositions. The method comprises two steps, where in the first step an aqueous suspension of fumed silica is contacted with an organosilicon compound in the presence of a catalytic amount of an acid to effect hydrophobing of the fumed silica. In the preferred method the first step is conducted in the presence of a water miscible organic solvent which facilitates hydrophobing of the fumed silica with the organosilicon compound and the fumed silica has a BET surface area greater than 50 m.sup.2 /g. In the second step the aqueous suspension of the fumed silica is contacted with a water-immiscible organic solvent at a solvent to silica weight ratio greater than 0.1:1 to effect separation of the hydrophobic fumed silica from the aqueous phase. In a preferred process the hydrophobic fumed silica has a surface area within a range of about 100 m.sup.2 /g to 750 m.sup.2 /g.

Abstract: A platinum curing organosiloxane composition having improved hysteresis characteristics when cured. The composition requires the presence of a diorganovinylsiloxy terminated polydiorganosiloxane having a viscosity within a range of about 20 Pa.multidot.s to 200 Pa.multidot.s at 25.degree. C. and containing essentially no ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon radicals bonded to non-terminal silicon atoms and a diorganovinylsiloxy terminated polydiorganosiloxane having a viscosity within a range of about 0.1 Pa.multidot.s to 200 Pa.multidot.s at 25.degree. C., where from 1 to 5 percent of the non-terminal repeating units of the siloxane comprise a vinyl radical. In addition, the present composition comprises 10 to 30 weight percent of a reinforcing silica filler that has been treated with hexamethyldisilazane and 1,1,3,3-tetramethyl-1,3-divinyldisilazane, and an organohydrogensiloxane resin crosslinker comprising greater than 5 silicon-bonded hydrogen atoms per molecule.

Abstract: A platinum group-metal curing liquid silicone rubber compositions having improved physical properties such as tear and heat-aging, especially at durometers below about 35 and above about 65. The present inventors have unexpectedly discovered that the addition of diorganohydrogensiloxy end-blocked polydiorganosiloxanes and triorganosiloxy end-blocked polydiorganosiloxanes having a viscosity greater than about 10 Pa.cndot.s at 25.degree. C. to liquid silicone rubber compositions can provide for the described improved properties.

Abstract: A method for preparing organopolysiloxane bases with high levels of fillers. The present inventors have found that by mixing the components of the base at a temperature below about 60.degree. C. for a period of time sufficient to effect essentially a homogeneous blend, a base composition is formed which can be further blended with a platinum group metal-containing catalyst, an organohydrogensiloxane, and optionally an inhibitor to form a curable liquid silicone rubber (LSR) composition. The curable LSR composition has improved flow characteristics and improved shelf life when compared to similar materials where the base is prepared at temperatures above about 60.degree. C. The improved flow characteristics allows larger quantities of fillers to be incorporated into the curable LSR composition while still maintaining acceptable flow characteristics.