Abstract: A system and method are provided for managing some or all of an agricultural ecosystem. In one example, the method includes obtaining a current soil moisture level for multiple zones at a geographic location, where each of the zones has been assigned a desired minimum soil moisture level. The zones are ranked in a watering schedule based on a delta between the current soil moisture level and the desired minimum soil moisture level of each zone. For each zone, in the order based on the zone's ranking, at least one valve is opened to deliver water to the zone and closed after watering of the zone is completed. The water may be delivered based on time or volume. If by volume, the volume needed by the zone is calculated.

Abstract: A system and method for producing material characteristics are described. A magnetic treatment chamber with a high magnetic field treats workpieces; and a conveyor or transporter continuously moves the workpieces through the high magnetic field in the magnetic chamber. A frictional or mechanical engagement system extracts the workpieces through and out of the high magnetic field.

Abstract: A composite lightweight engine poppet valve (10, 110, 210) that has a valve head portion (12, 112, 212) and at least a portion of the stem portion (14, 114, 214) made from a titanium intermetallic material attached by way of a solid state attachment to a nickel base alloy transition piece (16, 116, 216) that is heat treated for high creep resistance. The tip portion (18, 118, 218) made from conventional material is first attached to one end of the transition piece. The transition piece (16, 116,216) is cut to a desired length and then attached preferably by friction welding to the titanium intermetallic stem portion (14, 114, 214) at a preselected distance (d1, d2, or d3). The tip portion (18, 118, 218) made from conventional material is then attached to the other end of the transition piece. In another embodiment, a second hollow stem portion (215) is attached to the transition piece (216) and the tip portion (218) is then attached thereto.

Abstract: A composite lightweight engine poppet valve (10, 110, 210) that has a valve head portion (12, 112, 212) and at least a portion of the stem portion (14, 114, 214) made from a titanium intermetallic material attached by way of a solid state attachment to a nickel base alloy transition piece (16, 116, 216) that is heat treated for high creep resistance. The tip portion (18, 118, 218) made from conventional material is first attached to one end of the transition piece. The transition piece (16, 116, 216) is cut to a desired length and then attached preferably by friction welding to the titanium intermetallic stem portion (14, 114, 214) at a preselected distance (d1, d2, or d3). The tip portion (18, 118, 218) made from conventional material is then attached to the other end of the transition piece. In another embodiment, a second hollow stem portion (215) is attached to the transition piece (216) and the tip portion (218) is then attached thereto.

Abstract: A clutch driven disc assembly includes a hub and an annular spring plate fixed to the hub. A friction disc assembly is mounted concentric with an axis of rotation of the hub and is rotatably relative to the spring plate. A plurality of drive springs are operably disposed between the spring plate and the friction disc assembly. The friction disc assembly further includes a reinforcing plate and a substantially annular disc fixed to the reinforcing plate. A friction material button is fixed to the substantially annular disc. The friction material button has a friction material cookie and a backer plate. The backer plate is fixed to the friction material cookie. The backer plate is substantially the same size and shape as the friction material cookie. A laser weld bead joins the substantially annular disc and the backer plate, in turn fixing the friction material button to the substantially annular disc.

Abstract: A clutch driven disc assembly includes a hub and an annular spring plate fixed to the hub. A friction disc assembly is mounted concentric with an axis of rotation of the hub and is rotatably relative to the spring plate. A plurality of drive springs are operably disposed between the spring plate and the friction disc assembly. The friction disc assembly further includes a reinforcing plate and a substantially annular disc fixed to the reinforcing plate. A friction material button is fixed to the substantially annular disc. The friction material button has a friction material cookie and a backer plate. The backer plate is fixed to the friction material cookie. The backer plate is substantially the same size and shape as the friction material cookie. A laser weld bead joins the substantially annular disc and the backer plate, in turn fixing the friction material button to the substantially annular disc.

Abstract: A hollow poppet valve (31) is disclosed, in which a stem portion (13) includes a flared fillet portion (17), having a wall thickness (T), and a downwardly-extending cylindrical portion (33;51), having a cylindrical external surface (35). In the main embodiment, the valve includes a cap member (15) defining a seat face (25), and a cylindrical internal surface (39), the internal and external surfaces (39,35) being closely spaced apart, defining an interface having an axial length (L), and being consumed by a weld (43). Preferably, the length (L) of the weld (43) is equal to at least 1.1 times the thickness (T). The fillet portion (17) defines an internal fillet radius (R1), greater than 0.3 times the thickness (T), and near the radius (R1) is a transition region (TR). The present invention improves fatigue strength of the poppet valve by separating the transition region (TR) from the weld (43) so that there is overlap for no more than a minor portion of the weld.

Abstract: A clutch driven disc assembly includes a hub and an annular spring plate fixed to the hub. A friction disc assembly is mounted concentric with an axis of rotation of the hub and is rotatably relative to the spring plate. A plurality of drive springs are operably disposed between the spring plate and the friction disc assembly. The friction disc assembly further includes a reinforcing plate and a substantially annular disc fixed to the reinforcing plate. A friction material button is fixed to the annular disc. Friction material button has a metallic friction material cookie with at least three apertures. A backer plate is fixed to the friction material. At least three spot welds are within three corresponding apertures in the cookie. At least one of the welds are offset from a line joining two others of the welds. The welds join the substantially annular disc and the backer plate, in turn fixing the friction material button to the substantially annular disc.

Abstract: A clutch driven disc assembly includes a hub and an annular spring plate fixed to the hub. A friction disc assembly is mounted concentric with an axis of rotation of the hub and is rotatably relative to the spring plate. A plurality of drive springs are operably disposed between the spring plate and the friction disc assembly. The friction disc assembly further includes a reinforcing plate and a substantially annular disc fixed to the reinforcing plate. A friction material button is fixed to the substantially annular disc. Friction material button has a metallic friction material cookie with at least three apertures. A backer plate is fixed to the friction material. The backer plate covers the apertures in the friction material cookie. At least three spot welds are within three corresponding apertures in the cookie. At least one of the welds are offset from a line joining two others of the welds.

Abstract: An electrode displacement monitoring and control system for predicting and adaptively controlling resistance weld quality. The relative displacement (34) between a movable electrode (16) and a fixed electrode (20) is monitored during a resistance weld cycle. The displacement information is processed and applied as a control signal for dynamically and adaptively varying various weld parameters including current application in order to control weld quality. A reversal in the direction of electrode displacement is identified and used in the adaptive control strategy to determine the amount of dynamic indentation achieved in a weld cycle.

Abstract: A system (10) and method for predicting weld quality in a stud welding system by measuring the displacement of a movable shaft (20) with respect to the gun body (12) during the weld process. A sensor (34) is positioned with respect to the welding system in order to produce a series of discrete signal values each indicative of this displacement. These values are plotted graphically and used to produce a weld "signature" which can be compared with signatures of welds of known quality to more accurately predict the quality of the current weld. Based on these weld signatures, various weld parameters including current, time and lift can then be adjusted until a consistent signature indicative of good weld quality is produced.

Abstract: An electrode displacement monitoring and control system for predicting and adaptively controlling resistance weld quality. The distance (34) between the movable electrode (16) and a fixed point such as on a workpiece (12) surface is monitored during a resistance weld cycle. The displacement information is processed and applied as a control signal for dynamically and adaptively varying various weld parameters including current application in order to control weld quality. A reversal in the direction of electrode displacement is identified and used in the adaptive control strategy.

Abstract: A method for applying a hardsurfacing material to a workpiece such as a reciprocating aircraft engine tappet in which a carbon-containing wear resistant material in powder form is applied to a surface of the workpiece in the molten state while a sharp temperature gradient is established from the surface into the body of the workpiece to ensure that solidification occurs from the body upward. The resulting surface material consists of wear resistant carbides in a tough martensitic matrix with minimal formation of graphite.

Abstract: An improvement in process for reinforcing a structure against fatigue failure and the resulting structure are set forth. The structure comprises joined weldable structural portions having adjoining surfaces which meet at a junction and diverge therefrom to form a gap between each other. A brace with weldable terminal feet spans the gap. Each such foot rests against a structural portion, and the brace is plug-welded to at least one of the structural portions through a hole in a foot, or a hole in a structural portion or holes in each such portion where they interface. The invention is especially efficient for bracing an air chamber bracket that is designed for automotive use. A preferred rigid structure has the feet welded at both ends.

Abstract: A fatigue-resistant welded joint between structural members and process for making same, as for an automotive bracket, are shown. A filler metal-containing reprocessing weld is applied over at least part of a toe of a small primary structural weld at the joint, the reprocessing weld extending onto the weld face area and onto the structural member area immediately adjacent to the covered toe portion. The total welding energy input used for the reprocessing weld is less than the welding energy input used for making said primary structural weld, and the cross-sectional area of the reprocessing weld is less than the corresponding cross-sectional area of the primary structural weld.

Abstract: A bracket structure resistant to fatigue and a process of making same are shown. The structure can be useful for conveyances such as parts of automobiles; it comprises: a first and a second member joined together at a junction and extending out therefrom to form a gap between the resulting diverging surfaces; and a stressed gusset spanning the gap, the gusset having a first contact surface abutting said first member and second contact surface abutting said second member, the first contact surface being affixed to said first member, the second contact surface being in vibration-dampening frictional contact with said second member due to the stress on said gusset. Steel members and a steel gusset are preferred, together with a plug-welded connection of the first contact surface to the first member.