Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through a fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. The control box controls the illumination of the UV light sources through the bus connector.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through a fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. The control box controls the illumination of the UV light sources through the bus connector.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources that are connectable to a fixture when the fixture is not attached to the stage of a workcell. A support structure holds the UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through the fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. Attaching the UV light sources to the fixtures outside of the workcell increases the throughput of the workcell and reduces the cost of the fixtured work pieces.

Abstract: An apparatus, system and method for adhesive fixturing include UV light sources that are connectable to a fixture when the fixture is not attached to the stage of a workcell. A support structure holds the UV light sources in alignment with gripper pins communicating through the fixture. A bus connector operably connects the UV light sources to a control box of the workcell. Attaching the UV light sources to the fixtures outside of the workcell increases the throughput of the workcell and reduces the cost of the fixtured work pieces.

Abstract: The Invention is a system and method for adaptively attaching a work piece, especially an imprecise work piece, to a non-adaptive fixture that can be repeatably attached to one or more CNC machines. The Invention allows a work piece to be set up once for multiple machining operations. The Invention avoids the potential for errors and the cost and complexity inherent in adaptive machining and adaptive fixturing.

Abstract: The Invention is a system and method for adaptively attaching a work piece, especially an imprecise work piece, to a non-adaptive fixture that can be repeatably attached to one or more CNC machines. The Invention allows a work piece to be set up once for multiple machining operations. The Invention avoids the potential for errors and the cost and complexity inherent in adaptive machining and adaptive fixturing.

Abstract: In order to make weather seals from closed cell elastomer foam material, molten plastic is extruded over a substrate of the foam material. Surface reactions during extrusion are avoided by continuously pulling the substrate through an oven chamber to degas (and remove moisture from) the material at least on its outside to a limiting thickness of the order of 10-30 mil to form a skin or crust. The extrusion of the over-coating is carried out to form a sleeve while the substrate is still hot. Since the skin is a degassed region on the outside of the foam substrate, reactions which may cause blistering and prevent the extrusion of a smooth and firmly adhering skin are avoided. The substrate material is preferably a thermosetting EPDM rubber closed cell foam, and the over coating material is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

Abstract: In order to make weather seals from closed cell elastomer foam material, molten plastic is extruded over a substrate of the foam material. Surface reactions during extrusion are avoided by continuously pulling the substrate through an oven chamber to degas (and remove moisture from) the material at least on its outside to a limiting thickness of the order of 10-30 mil to form a skin or crust. The extrusion of the over-coating is carried out to form a sleeve while the substrate is still hot. Since the skin is a degassed region on the outside of the foam substrate, reactions which may cause blistering and prevent the extrusion of a smooth and firmly adhering skin are avoided. The substrate material is preferably a thermosetting EPDM rubber closed cell foam, and the over coating material is a thermoplastic elastomer (TPE).

Abstract: There is a pot for growing a plant. The pot in a position of use has downwardly opening gaps (6) through the side walls (4). The tips of plant roots growing down the side walls are pruned by the effects of air and light when encountering the gaps (6) so that further up the root lateral growth inward toward centre of the pot is encouraged. The pot also has a substantially open bottom 2 and tapered side walls (4) to creat a wedging action to help soil retention above the open bottom (2).

Abstract: An unmanned vehicle capable of being automatically guided towards a predetermined destination by the geometrical computation of light signals received by at least three omnidirectional detectors on-board the vehicle. Useful in restricted areas such as automatic warehouses and loading bays.