Abstract: A contact ring applies electroplating to a substrate having an electrically conductive portion. The contact ring comprises an annular insulative body, a conductive biasing member, and a seal member. The annular insulative body defines a central opening. The conductive biasing member is configured to exert a biasing force upon the substrate.

Abstract: A contact ring applies electroplating to a substrate having an electrically conductive portion. The contact ring comprises an annular insulative body, a conductive biasing member, and a seal member. The annular insulative body defines a central opening. The conductive biasing member is configured to exert a biasing force upon the substrate.

Abstract: An improved method and apparatus are disclosed for isolating product gas from compressor operating fluid. A portion of a piston rod directly exposed to the compressor's operating fluid (the oily portion of the piston rod) is atmospherically isolated from the remaining portion of the piston rod by providing the piston rod with a collar that separates the oily portion of the piston rod from the remainder of the piston rod. A first and a second flexible membrane are coupled to the collar to form a first isolation region, and a second isolation region; the first isolation region encases the oily portion of the piston rod and atmospherically isolates it from the second isolation region, and the second isolation region provides additional isolation from both the operating fluid and the ambient environment. A higher pressure is maintained along the backside of the piston that compresses the product gas than the pressure within the adjacent isolation region.

Abstract: A high pressure fitting configured to be weldingly coupled to high pressure tubing is provided. The high pressure fitting and/or the tubing welded thereto may be chamfered to provided a smoother welded joint. The interior surface finish of the fitting is smoothed via an abrasive fluid flowed through the fitting's fluid passageway. In fittings comprising a corner, the inner edge of the corner may be rounded by forcibly flowing an abrasive fluid through the fitting. Electropolishing further smoothes the interior surfaces. The inventive fitting allows flow system tolerancing to be tightly controlled by determining a desired distance between two high pressure fittings to be coupled, and adjusting the desired distance by a welded length variable.