Abstract: A method of determining a life defining quantity of a production component manufactured by an additive manufacturing process. The method includes the step of defining a plurality of components to be manufactured by an additive manufacturing technique. The plurality of components has a first test piece and a first production component. The method further includes manufacturing the components in the same manufacturing batch using an additive manufacturing process and with nominally the same material composition and build parameters. A characteristic mechanical property of the first test piece is then determined. The method further includes determining a value of a life defining quantity of the first production component as a function of the first test piece characteristic mechanical property. The first production component and first test piece are then provided with indicators which associate the first production component with the determined life defining quantity.

Abstract: A method of determining a life defining quantity of a production component manufactured by an additive manufacturing process. The method includes the step of defining a plurality of components to be manufactured by an additive manufacturing technique. The plurality of components has a first test piece and a first production component. The method further includes manufacturing the components in the same manufacturing batch using an additive manufacturing process and with nominally the same material composition and build parameters. A characteristic mechanical property of the first test piece is then determined. The method further includes determining a value of a life defining quantity of the first production component as a function of the first test piece characteristic mechanical property. The first production component and first test piece are then provided with indicators which associate the first production component with the determined life defining quantity.

Abstract: A casting core for use in investment casting having at least one gap between two separate core material parts which define separate adjacent cavities in the finished product, wherein the two core material parts are connected by at least one crossover bridge fixing the position of the two core material parts relative to each other, wherein the crossover bridge has a cross section whose wall contour has at least one convex and at least one concave section.

Abstract: A turbomachine component having an aerofoil, such as a blade or a vane for a gas turbine engine, includes a suction side wall and a pressure side wall bordering an aerofoil cavity, and meeting at a leading edge and a trailing edge. The turbomachine component also includes a circumferentially extending first platform wherefrom the aerofoil extends radially. The first platform includes a first-platform cavity corresponding to a shape of the aerofoil and continuous with the aerofoil cavity. The first-platform cavity has a leading-edge end and a trailing-edge end corresponding to the leading edge and the trailing edge, respectively, of the aerofoil. The first-platform cavity at the trailing-edge end forms a protuberance within the first platform. The turbomachine component may optionally include a second-platform cavity in a circumferentially extending second platform. The second-platform cavity at its trailing-edge end forms an additional protuberance within the second platform.

Abstract: A dangerous level of gas safety monitor for indicating a level of a target gas in an atmosphere comprising: a sol-gel layer comprising a first phosphorescent material, exposed to the atmosphere; a light source enabled to stimulate the phosphorescent material; a detector enabled to detect light emitted by the phosphorescent material; a pressure sensor to determine the pressure of the atmosphere; a processor enabled to determine relative phase shift or time delay between the detected light emitted by the phosphorescent material and the emitted light of the light source, wherein the monitor is configured to provide an output indicative of a dangerous level of the target gas in the atmosphere, the output based on the determined pressure and relative phase shift or time delay.

Abstract: A prism for use in scanning applications such as total internal reflection microscopy in which the prism is translated relative to an incident light beam. A geometry is disclosed which cancels walk of the beam footprint at the base of the prism. Walk of the beam footprint due to irregularities in a largely planar sample surface located at the prism base are cancelled by coupling movement of the incident light beam to movement of the sample in the field of view of an objective lens, for example as part of an autofocus arrangement.

Abstract: A device for detecting lightning currents in a wind turbine comprises an inductive loop (1) for carrying a current representative of a lightning current and a sensitive element, such as a resistance or a piezoelectric element electrically connected to the inductive loop (1). The apparatus further comprises an optical fibre strain sensor mechanically connected to the sensitive element, such that, in use, a lightning current results in expansion of the sensitive element and the optical fibre strain sensor produces an optical signal indicative of the strain on the sensitive element due to the expansion. The device has the advantage that the optical signal from the optical fibre strain sensor can be processed by the same signal processing equipment that processes signals from other strain sensors provided on the wind turbine.

Abstract: There is disclosed a prism for use in scanning applications such as total internal reflection microscopy in which the prism is translated relative to an incident light beam. A geometry is disclosed which cancels walk of the beam footprint at the base of the prism. Walk of the beam footprint due to irregularities in a largely planar sample surface located at the prism base are cancelled by coupling movement of the incident light beam to movement of the sample in the field of view of an objective lens, for example as part of an autofocus arrangement.

Abstract: There is disclosed a prism for use in scanning applications such as total internal reflection microscopy in which the prism is translated relative to an incident light beam. A geometry is disclosed which cancels walk of the beam footprint at the base of the prism. Walk of the beam footprint due to irregularities in a largely planar sample surface located at the prism base are cancelled by coupling movement of the incident light beam to movement of the sample in the field of view of an objective lens, for example as part of an autofocus arrangement.

Abstract: A casting mold and method for its use to achieve in-mold modification of the casting metal is disclosed. One or more chambers are located within the casting mold's runner system. Each chamber can contain metallurgical modifiers for adjusting the chemical composition of the metal to improve the mechanical and physical properties of an article cast from the metal. One or more modifiers can be placed in the chamber(s) as the casting mold is assembled for use. As the melt is introduced to the casting mold, it passes through the chamber(s) and liquefies the modifier. Amounts of the liquid modifier, then, are carried away and become dispersed in the melt as it continues through the runner system and into the mold cavity. The metallurgical modifiers can be selected from any number of known additives or alloying elements, including strontium, among others.

Abstract: This invention relates to isolated nucleic acids comprising novel genes of a 20 cM region of human chromosome 11q13.3 and the proteins encoded by these genes. Expression vectors and host cells containing these genes or fragments thereof, as well as antibodies to the proteins encoded by these nucleic acids are also included herein.

Abstract: A casting design system (101) is provided which comprises (a) a database (115) which contains casting design data and rules, (b) a user interface (109), in communication with the database, which accepts as input a product design (103) that is to be cast by a casting process, and (c) an inference engine (111) which is adapted to generate casting designs (114) from the input product design by searching the database and retrieving data therefrom.

Abstract: A casting mold and method for its use to achieve in-mold modification of the casting metal is disclosed. One or more chambers are located within the casting mold's runner system. Each chamber can contain metallurgical modifiers for adjusting the chemical composition of the metal to improve the mechanical and physical properties of an article cast from the metal. One or more modifiers can be placed in the chamber(s) as the casting mold is assembled for use. As the melt is introduced to the casting mold, it passes through the chamber(s) and liquefies the modifier. Amounts of the liquid modifier, then, are carried away and become dispersed in the melt as it continues through the runner system and into the mold cavity. The metallurgical modifiers can be selected from any number of known additives or alloying elements, including strontium, among others.

Abstract: There is disclosed a prism for use in scanning applications such as total internal reflection microscopy in which the prism is translated relative to an incident light beam. A geometry is disclosed which cancels walk of the beam footprint at the base of the prism. Walk of the beam footprint due to irregularities in a largely planar sample surface located at the prism base are cancelled by coupling movement of the incident light beam to movement of the sample in the field of view of an objective lens, for example as part of an autofocus arrangement.

Abstract: The invention provides isolated polypeptide and nucleic acid sequences derived from Klebsiella pneumoniae that are useful in diagnosis and therapy of pathological conditions; antibodies against the polypeptides; and methods for the production of the polypeptides. The invention also provides methods for the detection, prevention and treatment of pathological conditions resulting from bacterial infection.