Abstract: A hardened/stiffened steel component includes a steel substrate having a bulk region and a steel substrate surface. Plurality of localized martensite-enriched regions is located at the steel substrate surface. Characteristically, the plurality of localized martensite-enriched regions has higher martensite content than the bulk region. Centers of adjacent localized martensite-enriched regions in the plurality of martensite-enriched localized regions are separated by a separation distance that is from about 0.5 to 5 mm. A method for forming the steel component by laser spot hardening is also provided.

Abstract: A component formation and hardening process, and component (18, 30, 32, 36 and 50) made therefrom are provided. The process includes providing a steel blank (10) and inserting the blank (10) into a press (14), preliminarily stamping the steel blank (2) using a stamping press to form a preliminarily stamped intermediate component (22) and laser hardening (3, 3?) the preliminarily stamped intermediate component in selected regions of the stamped component. Subsequent to the step of laser hardening, the preliminarily stamped intermediate component is further stamped (4) to form a stamped component (18). The stamped component (18) is then ejected (5) from the stamping press as a stamped component with selectively hardened regions. The component made by the process has a defined load path based on regions that have been hardened and regions that retain the material characteristics.

Abstract: A method of reinforcing a vehicle seat structural member may include identifying a reinforcement region of the vehicle seat structural member based on an area of the vehicle seat structural member that will be subjected to higher operational stress than another area of the vehicle seat structural member and attaching a reinforcement member to the reinforcement region of the vehicle seat structural member. The reinforcement member may include at least one of structural epoxy, a plastic, a metallic member, and a composite member. The reinforcement member may be configured to reinforce the vehicle seat structural member in the reinforcement region.

Abstract: A method of locally heat treating a structural member for a vehicle component, comprising placing the structural member into a fixture including a first element having a first layer that is electrically conductive and a second element having a first layer that is electrically conductive; moving at least one of the first and second elements into contact with the structural member; imparting a pressure into the structural member by at least one of the first and second elements; passing a current through the electrically conductive first layers of the first and second elements to effect at least one heat treated area in the structural member; and stopping the current and releasing the pressure from the structural member.

Abstract: A printing method comprising a printhead and rollers for printing. A page of a print job is printed which causes depressions in the non-printed side of the print medium. The print medium is heated to reduce the depressions before printing the non-printed side.

Abstract: A system for affixing a printed image onto a book cover, comprising a sleeve having a front surface, a back surface and four edges. The sleeve includes a front layer having a transparent window region surrounded by an opaque mask region and a back layer joined to the front layer along at least two of the edges, wherein the back layer is not joined to the front layer along at least one of the edges thereby providing at least one open edge adapted to receive the printed image. Adhesive strips having peelable coverings are affixed onto the back surface of the sleeve along at least two of the edges. The opaque mask region is adapted to cover the edges of the printed image, and the adhesive strips are adapted to affix the sleeve onto the book cover.

Abstract: A printing system comprising two thermal printheads and an apparatus for smoothing a side of thermal media which may be compromised by an aggressive drive roller design. The smoothing apparatus in one embodiment is a heater which optionally comprises a heated roller for contacting and smoothing the receiver media.

Abstract: A printing method comprising a printhead and rollers for printing. A page of a print job is printed which causes depressions in the non-printed side of the print medium. The print medium is heated to reduce the depressions before printing the non-printed side.

Abstract: A system for affixing a printed image onto a book cover, comprising a sleeve having a front surface, a back surface and four edges. The sleeve includes a front layer having a transparent window region surrounded by an opaque mask region and a back layer joined to the front layer along at least two of the edges, wherein the back layer is not joined to the front layer along at least one of the edges thereby providing at least one open edge adapted to receive the printed image. Adhesive strips having peelable coverings are affixed onto the back surface of the sleeve along at least two of the edges. The opaque mask region is adapted to cover the edges of the printed image, and the adhesive strips are adapted to affix the sleeve onto the book cover.

Abstract: A printing system comprising two thermal printheads and an apparatus for smoothing a side of thermal media which may be compromised by an aggressive drive roller design. The smoothing apparatus in one embodiment is a heater which optionally comprises a heated roller for contacting and smoothing the receiver media.

Abstract: A printing method comprising a printhead and rollers for printing. A page of a print job is printed which causes depressions in the non-printed side of the print medium. The print medium is heated to reduce the depressions before printing the non-printed side.

Abstract: A printing system comprising two thermal printheads and an apparatus for smoothing a side of thermal media which may be compromised by an aggressive drive roller design. The smoothing apparatus in one embodiment is a heater which optionally comprises a heated roller for contacting and smoothing the receiver media.

Abstract: A printing method comprising a printhead and rollers for printing. A page of a print job is printed which causes depressions in the non-printed side of the print medium. The print medium is heated to reduce the depressions before printing the non-printed side.

Abstract: Lithographic printing is carried out by a novel process utilizing a zirconia ceramic as a printing plate. In this process, the surface of the zirconia ceramic printing plate is imagewise exposed to radiation which transforms it from a hydrophilic to an oleophilic state or from an oleophilic to a hydrophilic state, thereby creating a lithographic printing surface which is hydrophilic in non-image areas and is oleophilic and thus capable of accepting printing ink in image areas. The zirconia ceramic printing plate utilized in this process is capable of extremely long printing runs, is especially well adapted for direct digital laser imaging using images that are electronically captured and digitally stored, and can be reused by erasing the image from the ceramic surface by thermally-activated oxidation or laser-assisted oxidation.

Abstract: Lithographic printing is carried out by a novel process utilizing a zirconia ceramic as a printing plate. In this process, the surface of the zirconia ceramic printing plate is imagewise exposed to radiation which transforms it from a hydrophilic to an oleophilic state or from an oleophilic to a hydrophilic state, thereby creating a lithographic printing surface which is hydrophilic in non-image areas and is oleophilic and thus capable of accepting printing ink in image areas. The zirconia ceramic printing plate utilized in this process is capable of extremely long printing runs, is especially well adapted for direct digital laser imaging using images that are electronically captured and digitally stored, and can be reused by erasing the image from the ceramic surface by thermally-activated oxidation or laser-assisted oxidation.