Abstract: Disclosed is a method of using laser sensors to measure the top surface of the granular flux powder height at the top of the continuous caster. Additionally, the laser sensor measures the height of the underlying sintered or liquid flux level absent the powder. This disclosure includes a method of utilizing a laser sensor and a gas puff to determine both the granular powder depth and the level of the underlying solid or liquid layer. The granular powder depth measurement then is utilized in a mold powder deposition system to permit feedback control so as to maintain the granular powder thickness.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of using laser sensors to measure the top surface of the granular flux powder height at the top of the continuous caster. Additionally, the laser sensor measures the height of the underlying sintered or liquid flux level absent the powder. This disclosure includes a method of utilizing a laser sensor and a gas puff to determine both the granular powder depth and the level of the underlying solid or liquid layer. The granular powder depth measurement then is utilized in a mold powder deposition system to permit feedback control so as to maintain the granular powder thickness.

Abstract: A nail module for nail attachment of metal tags to hot steel includes a nail and a fracturable carrier. The nail has a pointed shank and a head. The carrier houses the nail and has a delivery end and a female socket end. The carrier delivery end is adapted to receive said nail shank. The female socket end is adapted to receive said nail head. The female socket end also is adapted to receive a mandrel for carrying the module to a driving location in an orientation for driving the nail into a workpiece. The carrier is fractured and releases the nail when the mandrel drives the nail into a workpiece.

Abstract: Method for identifying an object having a surface of a given color associates a colored zone with the surface of the object. The zone is machine readably contrasting in color compared to the surface color. The colored zone is ablatively imaging to produce one or more of machine readable images, human readable images, or graphics. The contrast in color between the colored zone and the surface is machine readable. Advantageously, at least two colored zones are associated with the object to be identified. One or more of these colored zones can be ablatively marked. One or more of these colored zones also can be used to sort and/or identify the object by color.

Abstract: A method for imaging a product with a pattern commences by forming a film of a wet or tacking marking material on a cliché. A negative of the pattern is ablatively imaged into the film on the cliché. The negative image then is pressure transferred from the cliché onto a marking pad. Finally, the negative image is pressure transferred from the marking pad onto the product. Preferably, the cliché where the film is formed contains recesses. The apparatus, which images the product, has a moveable cliché having a recessed pocket. An ink reservoir transfers ink into the recessed pocket. A laser imaging system images a pattern into ink contained in the recessed pocket. A stamp pad is moveable from a home position to contact the imaged pattern for pressure transferring the pattern onto the stamp pad, and moveable to a printing station to pressure transfer the pattern onto a product.

Abstract: An anodized micro-pore aluminum tag bearing indicia thereon wherein the micro-pore anodized aluminum has its micro-pores filled with the cured reside of a composition, which contains silicone resin having pendant groups selected from one or more of methyl groups or phenyl groups. The composition in the micro-pores was cured to a degree effective for marking by blackening thereof with a, e.g., CO2, laser beam, in the form of indicia thereon. The surface of the tag preferably is substantially free of said composition. The method for treating the surface of the anodized micro-pore aluminum tag for forming indicia thereon commences by applying the composition to the surface. Excess of the composition from the surface is removed to leave composition resident in said micro-pores. The composition in the micro-pores then is at least partially cured. A laser then can create the indicia by blackening the composition in the micro-pores.

Abstract: An anodized micro-pore aluminum tag bearing indicia thereon wherein the micro-pore anodized aluminum has its micro-pores filled with the cured reside of a composition, which contains silicone resin having pendant groups selected from one or more of methyl groups or phenyl groups. The composition in the micro-pores was cured to a degree effective for marking by blackening thereof with a, e.g., CO2, laser beam, in the form of indicia thereon. The surface of the tag preferably is substantially free of said composition. The method for treating the surface of the anodized micro-pore aluminum tag for forming indicia thereon commences by applying the composition to the surface. Excess of the composition from the surface is removed to leave composition resident in said micro-pores. The composition in the micro-pores then is at least partially cured. A laser then can create the indicia by blackening the composition in the micro-pores.

Abstract: Broadly, the present invention is directed to a method for making a metal tag bearing visible indicia thereon and which can be welded onto a workpiece. Such inventive method commences by providing a metal sheet having a top face, a bottom face, and a pair of ends. The top face bears a painted zone upon which is imprinted with visible indicia. At least one of the ends of the bottom face has exposed bare metal. Such bare metal end is folded so as to reveal the bottom face bare metal adjacent to the imprinted painted zone. The thickness of the folded ends is effective for the metal tag to be welded onto a metal workpiece at such folded tag end. Another aspect of the present invention is a metal tag bearing indicia thereon and which can be welded onto a metal workpiece. The tag includes a metal sheet having a top face, a bottom face, and a pair of ends. The top face bears a painted zone upon that is imprinted with visible indicia.

Abstract: The present invention broadly is addressed to the marking, labeling, or tagging of hot metal or hot coils at elevated temperature with human readable and/or machine readable (e.g., bar code) characters. To this end, the present invention broadly is directed to a label which can be secured to hot metal stock (e.g.., coil stock) which is at a temperature of up to about 1200.degree. F. The label is formed from a sheet of metal having a face and a back. The sheet face is coated with a layer of paint that is resistant to temperature of the hot metal stock and receptive to being thermally transfer printed. The metal sheet label is of a thickness so that the paint layer can be thermally transfer printed using conventional markers designed for paper or films. Alternatively, this paint layer can be marked upon using conventional dot matrix (wire) printers with carbon ribbon.

Abstract: Marking apparatus is provided for carrying out the marking of programmed character strings upon brittle surfaces such as glass. The lines forming the characters are generated by a gas entrained stream of abrasive particles which are expressed from the opening of a nozzle located in close adjacency with the surface being marked. Switching of this abrasive particle string between marking and non-marking orientations is carried out by a diversionary flow of gas under pressure which is expressed into the stream at a rate effective to integrate with the abrasive particle and divert the marking stream away from a marking axis. A suction port is provided which removes particles subsequent to marking or having been diverted to a collection location. In one embodiment, the nozzle from which the marking particulate stream is expressed is maneuvered between lifted or retracted positions and marking positions in close adjacency with the surface being marked.

Abstract: The present invention broadly is addressed to the marking, labeling, or tagging of hot metal or hot coils at elevated temperature with human readable and/or machine readable (e.g., bar code) characters. To this end, the present invention broadly is directed to a label which can be secured to hot metal stock (e.g., coil stock) which is at a temperature of up to about 1200.degree. F. The label is formed from a sheet of metal having a face and a back. The sheet face is coated with a layer of paint that is resistant to temperature of the hot metal stock and receptive to being thermally transfer printed. The metal sheet label is of a thickness so that the paint layer can be thermally transfer printed using conventional markers designed for paper or films. Alternatively, this paint layer can be marked upon using conventional dot matrix (wire) printers with carbon ribbon.