Abstract: A surgical instrument, has an end effector that includes an ultrasonic blade, and a clamp arm that moves relative to the ultrasonic blade from an opened position toward an intermediate position and a closed position. The clamp arm is offset from the ultrasonic blade to define a predetermined gap in the intermediate position between the opened position and the closed position. A clamp arm actuator connects to the clamp arm and moves from an opened configuration to a closed configuration to direct the clamp arm from the opened position toward the intermediate position and the closed position. A spacer connects with the clamp arm to inhibit movement of the clamp arm from the intermediate position toward the closed position for maintaining the predetermined gap between the clamp arm and the ultrasonic blade.

Abstract: Methods, devices, and systems for controlling a tissue-treatment motion by a surgical instrument are disclosed.

Abstract: A surgical instrument system comprising a motor system and a control circuit is disclosed. The motor system comprises a motor and a drive train coupleable to the motor and configured to actuate a firing member through a staple firing stroke. The control circuit is coupled to the motor, wherein the control circuit comprises a motor controller configured to control the motor, and wherein, during the staple firing stroke, the control circuit is configured to actuate the firing member through the staple firing stroke, monitor a parameter of the motor system during the staple firing stroke, identify when the firing member is within an active adjustment portion of the staple firing stroke; and automatically adjust, at a frequency, tuning parameters of the motor controller with based on the monitored parameter of the motor system during the active adjustment portion of the staple firing stroke.

Abstract: A method of forming a magnet includes forming a structure by electrophoretic deposition (EPD), and after forming the structure, sintering the formed structure to form a magnet. The forming the structure by EPD includes adding a plurality of first particles having magnetic anisotropy to an EPD chamber and applying a voltage differential across electrodes of the EPD chamber to create an electric field in the EPD chamber for causing electrophoretic deposition of the first particles above a first of the electrodes for forming a first layer comprising the first particles.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnet includes a plurality of layers, each layer having a microstructure of sintered particles. The particles in at least one of the layers are characterized as having preferentially aligned magnetic orientations in a first direction.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a reservoir model for a subsurface reservoir, identifying a current state of the subsurface reservoir using the reservoir model, and a computer processor selecting an optimization function from multiple optimization functions according to the current state of the reservoir to obtain a selected optimization function. The method further includes the computer processor calculating valve positions of physical devices using the selected optimization function. The valve positions are implemented.

Abstract: Using a reservoir simulator, a reservoir model state is obtained. The reservoir model state is used to trace streamlines to obtain streamline trajectories and detect fluid fronts along the streamlines. Using the streamline trajectories, the streamlines are connected to wells. The streamlines are grouped for multiple granularity levels, into groups to obtain a grouping hierarchy. Through the granularity levels of the grouping hierarchy, fluid front time of flights are determined for the groups, and target flowrates assigned to completion devices based on the fluid front time of flights to obtain target flow rates. A completion design is presented that incorporates the target flowrates.

Abstract: Defining flow control device configurable positions include executing a reservoir simulator on a reservoir model to obtain a collection of flow control device settings defined in continuous space. For each number of multiple numbers of clusters, a cluster analysis is individually performed on the collection to obtain a set of flow control device configurable positions. The set includes the number of flow control device configurable positions and its corresponding inflow area or diameter. Performing the cluster analysis across the numbers generates multiple sets for the multiple numbers of clusters. The sets of flow control device configurable positions are compared to obtain a selected set of flow control device configurable positions, which is presented in a completion design.

Abstract: Reservoir sweep efficiency includes obtaining fluid front arrival times for streamlines in a reservoir. A wellbore is partitioned into independent production zones, and a target flow rate is allocated to each of the independent production zones based on the fluid front arrival times. Partition choke parameters complying with the target flow rates are allocated to generate a completion design, which is presented.

Abstract: An ink includes a vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane polymer, a polydimethylsiloxane copolymer having a hydride component, wherein a hydride to a vinyl ratio (hydride:vinyl) is in a range of greater than 1:1 to about 4:1, a hydrophobic filler, a crosslinking agent, and a carbon dioxide-binding component. A method includes extruding an ink for forming a three-dimensional (3D) structure, the ink including a vinyl-terminated polydimethylsiloxane polymer, a polydimethylsiloxane copolymer having a hydride component, wherein a hydride to a vinyl ratio (hydride:vinyl) is in a range of greater than 1:1 to about 4:1, a hydrophobic filler, a crosslinking agent, and a carbon dioxide-binding component. The method further includes curing the 3D structure for forming a silicone polymer product having the carbon dioxide-binding component.

Abstract: A method can include receiving time series data acquired during equipment operations at a plurality of natural resource sites; detecting operational events using the time series data; ranking the operational events; associating each of the operational events with a corresponding operational action; and outputting at least a portion of the ranked operational events, each with its corresponding operational action.

Abstract: A method includes obtaining a reservoir model for a subsurface reservoir, identifying a current state of the subsurface reservoir using the reservoir model, and a computer processor selecting an optimization function from multiple optimization functions according to the current state of the reservoir to obtain a selected optimization function. The method further includes the computer processor calculating valve positions of physical devices using the selected optimization function. The valve positions are implemented.

Abstract: Reservoir sweep efficiency includes obtaining fluid front arrival times for streamlines in a reservoir. A wellbore is partitioned into independent production zones, and a target flowrate is allocated to each of the independent production zones based on the fluid front arrival times. Partition choke parameters complying with the target flowrates are allocated to generate a completion design, which is presented.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a magnet includes a plurality of layers, each layer having a microstructure of sintered particles. The particles in at least one of the layers are characterized as having preferentially aligned magnetic orientations in a first direction.