Abstract: A system and method for forming a composite part. The method comprises positioning a prepreg material relative to a composite forming tool. The composite forming tool comprises a frame associated with a shaping system, a base comprising at least one mold, and the shaping system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the frame, the base, and the prepreg material. The method also lowers the shaping system of the composite forming tool towards the prepreg material. The method applies pressure to the prepreg material with a centerline presser of the shaping system. The method also applies a force to the prepreg material using a number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system to uniformly apply the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transaction/file-based management of a plurality of processes associated with various jobs are provided. Through the management of discrete applications, a file distribution manager/scheduler orchestrates automated execution of different types of jobs. The processes executed for the various processes can vary based on job type, or other parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for supporting a structure. The apparatus may comprise a support, a load-balancing structure associated with the support, and a set of connection devices associated with the load-balancing structure. The set of connection devices may be configured to connect to the structure to form a set of control points. Each of the set of connection devices may be configured to independently control a location of a corresponding control point in the set of control points.

Abstract: A system and method for forming a composite part. The method comprises positioning a prepreg material relative to a composite forming tool. The composite forming tool comprises a frame associated with a shaping system, a base comprising at least one mold, and the shaping system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the frame, the base, and the prepreg material. The method also lowers the shaping system of the composite forming tool towards the prepreg material. The method applies pressure to the prepreg material with a centerline presser of the shaping system. The method also applies a force to the prepreg material using a number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system to uniformly apply the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for maintaining a selected configuration for a structure during a manufacturing process for forming a product using the structure. Metrology data for a support system is received. The support system holds the structure during the manufacturing process. A determination is made as to whether a current configuration of the structure is within selected tolerances of the selected configuration for the structure based on the metrology data. The support system is reconfigured to move the structure into the selected configuration in response to a determination that the current configuration of the structure is not within the selected tolerances of the selected configuration for the structure.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transaction/file-based management of a plurality of processes associated with various jobs are provided. Through the management of discrete applications, a file distribution manager/scheduler orchestrates automated execution of different types of jobs. The processes executed for the various processes can vary based on job type, or other parameters.

Abstract: The problem of business reliance on expert judgement is solved through charge number coding with an added code line for the complexity or work difficulty (a ‘complexity factor’). A complete charge number code provides the means to automate many business functions that are traditionally conducted through expert judgment. The primary purpose of the charge number code with Complexity Factor is to automate or assist in cost and schedule estimating. The use of a Complexity Factor in stored performance information provides the additional means for automating many Program Management, Business Development Management, and Personnel Management functions. These functions include personnel projections, scheduling, and assessment, program performance reporting, and Work Breakdown Structure (WBS) creation. The complete charge number code also provides the means for data navigation through the System and an integrated Business and Program Information Systems.

Abstract: A robotic apparatus for painting a workpiece includes a redundant axis robot for use in a robotic painting system. The redundant axis of rotation provides the robot arm additional flexibility in avoiding obstacles and reaching an interior of the workpiece to apply paint thereto. The robotic apparatus could be a seven-axis robot arm or a five-axis parallel link panel opener robot arm for opening and/or closing the panel. The robot arms are mounted on at least one vertically oriented column adjacent a path of travel of the workpiece through a painting booth and the robot arms can be mounted on a common base.

Abstract: The current document is directed to methods and subsystems for communication between virtualization layers and guest operating systems. A hardware baseboard management controller (“BMC”) provides an out-of-band communications link and management interface to a computer system that can be accessed by a system administrator through a remote console. A virtualization layer may provide a virtualized BMC (“vBMC”) that provides a data-and-command-exchange medium between a guest operating system and the virtualization layer. The virtualization layer may transmit commands, query status and configuration information, and transfer data through this data-and-command-exchange medium to the guest operating system.

Abstract: A robotic apparatus for painting a workpiece includes a redundant axis robot for use in a robotic painting system. The redundant axis of rotation provides the robot arm additional flexibility in avoiding obstacles and reaching an interior of the workpiece to apply paint thereto. The robotic apparatus could be a seven-axis robot arm or a five-axis parallel link panel opener robot arm for opening and/or closing the panel. The robot arms are mounted on at least one vertically oriented column adjacent a path of travel of the workpiece through a painting booth and the robot arms can be mounted on a common base.

Abstract: Methods for preprocessing pixel data using a Direct Memory Access (DMA) engine during a data transfer of the pixel data from a first memory (e.g., a DRAM) to a second memory (e.g., a local cache) are described. The pixel data may derive from an image capturing device (e.g., a color camera or a depth camera) in which individual pixel values are not a multiple of eight bits. In some embodiments, the DMA engine may perform a variety of image processing operations on the pixel data prior to the pixel data being written into the second memory. In one example, the DMA engine may be configured to identify and label one or more pixels as being within a particular range of pixel values and/or the DMA engine may be configured to label pixels as belonging to one or more pixel groups based on their pixel values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an operation on a work surface of a structure. The apparatus may comprise a motion platform and an overhead support system. The motion platform may be configured to be positioned above the work surface of the structure to perform the operation on the work surface. The overhead support system may be configured to carry the motion platform across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location.

Abstract: Pixel interleaving configurations for use in high definition electronic sign displays where each and every scan line includes full red, green, and blue color representation to provide for high resolution electronic video sign displays.

Abstract: A power switch control circuit is provided for power management in one-wire application. The circuit comprises a controllable switch coupled between an input node and an internal power node. A comparator is utilized for power loss sensing to close the switch when necessary to minimize the power loss while the input is low or floating. A watchdog circuit is incorporated within the control circuit to pull down the input node periodically to detect small leakage current when the input node is floating.

Abstract: Systems and methods for transaction/file-based management of a plurality of processes associated with various jobs are provided. Through the management of discrete applications, a file distribution manager/scheduler orchestrates automated execution of different types of jobs. The processes executed for the various processes can vary based on job type, or other parameters.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for performing an operation on a surface of a structure. An assembly system may comprise a motion platform and a mobile platform. The motion platform may be configured to be positioned below the surface of the structure to perform the operation on the surface. The mobile platform may be configured to carry the motion platform across a floor of a manufacturing environment from a first location to a second location.

Abstract: Provided are systems and methods for accurately determining flux distribution in organisms or cells without use of metabolic flux analysis data. The methods include estimating flux distributions in multiple reference strains (variants of a parental strain) using experimentally determined extracellular flux data from the reference strains, and determining a flux distribution for the parental strain from the estimated flux distributions for the reference strains and from experimentally measured extracellular fluxes for the parental strain. The systems are configured for carrying out the methods.

Abstract: Methods for preprocessing pixel data using a Direct Memory Access (DMA) engine during a data transfer of the pixel data from a first memory (e.g., a DRAM) to a second memory (e.g., a local cache) are described. The pixel data may derive from an image capturing device (e.g., a color camera or a depth camera) in which individual pixel values are not a multiple of eight bits. In some embodiments, the DMA engine may perform a variety of image processing operations on the pixel data prior to the pixel data being written into the second memory. In one example, the DMA engine may be configured to identify and label one or more pixels as being within a particular range of pixel values and/or the DMA engine may be configured to label pixels as belonging to one or more pixel groups based on their pixel values.

Abstract: Methods for preprocessing pixel data using a Direct Memory Access (DMA) engine during a data transfer of the pixel data from a first memory (e.g., a DRAM) to a second memory (e.g., an SRAM) are described. The pixel data may derive from a color camera or a depth camera in which individual pixel values are not a multiple of eight bits. In some cases, the DMA engine may perform a variety of image processing operations on the pixel data prior to the pixel data being written into the second memory. In one embodiment, the DMA engine may be configured to determine whether one or more pixels corresponding with the pixel data may be invalidated or skipped based on a minimum pixel value threshold and a maximum pixel value threshold and to embed pixel skipping information within unused bits of the pixel data.

Abstract: A system and method for forming a composite part. The method comprises positioning a prepreg material relative to a composite forming tool. The composite forming tool comprises a frame associated with a shaping system, a base comprising at least one mold, and the shaping system associated with the frame and configured to move relative to the frame, the base, and the prepreg material. The method also lowers the shaping system of the composite forming tool towards the prepreg material. The method applies pressure to the prepreg material with a centerline presser of the shaping system. The method also applies a force to the prepreg material using a number of compliant elongate members of the shaping system to uniformly apply the prepreg material to the at least one mold of the base of the composite forming tool.