Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a primary contact or primary body comprising of a primary material with a propensity to corrode. A location on a surface of the primary body is an active location and functions to interface with a secondary body. The active location has a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface. An anode material is applied to the second surface adjacent to the active location on the first surface. The primary body is exposed to a corrosive material. The anode material functions to divert a galvanic corrosive medium from the active location to the applied anode material.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention relate to a primary contact or primary body comprising of a primary material with a propensity to corrode. A location on a surface of the primary body is an active location and functions to interface with a secondary body. The active location has a first surface and an oppositely disposed second surface. An anode material is applied to the second surface adjacent to the active location on the first surface. The primary body is exposed to a corrosive material. The anode material functions to divert a galvanic corrosive medium from the active location to the applied anode material.

Abstract: Variables associated with hypotheses of a qualitative physics model are grouped into type I variables and type II variables, wherein any possible value measured for a type I variable is guaranteed to render at least one hypothesis inconsistent and some, but not all, possible values measured for a type II variable will render at least one hypothesis inconsistent. A test score, indicating the desirability of observing a variable, is calculated for each variable and the type I variable with the highest test score is chosen for observation unless no type I variables have a test score above a predetermined threshold, in which case the type II variable with the highest test score is chosen.

Abstract: A Qualitative Reasoning System (QRS) performs machine failure isolation by generating a plurality of pending hypotheses which assume the failure of one or more machine components and by testing each of the hypotheses by propagating actual values for machine parameters through confluence equations for the hypothosis being tested. Hypotheses which produce an inconsistent set of predictions are discarded while hypotheses which produce a consistent set of predictions are saved. The hypotheses are generated using a model instance data element which contains a qualitative physics model description of the machine. The machine failure is isolated when all but one hypothesis, which assumes the failure of one or more elementary machine components, remains.