Abstract: There are provided herein methods and products resulting therefrom. The methods include attaching a pre-fabricated porous ingrowth structure to a substrate by applying heat, or creating and bonding an in-situ-formed porous ingrowth structure from beads on a substrate by applying heat. In some embodiments, an oxidized metal surface of the substrate is diffusion hardened during the heating process. In some embodiments, a vacuum is applied during the heating process. In some embodiments, pressure is applied during the heating process. Also provided herein are assemblies for compressing the pre-fabricated porous ingrowth structure or the beads onto the substrate during the heating process.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for wrapping lollipops wherein the candy portion is first placed in a pre-formed wrapper envelope and then loaded between chuck jaws translated on a conveyor. The conveyor includes a plurality of chucks, and the chuck jaws of each chuck grip the candy portion of a single lollipop and move the lollipop along a linearly extending heat sealing station wherein the chuck is rotated to cause the wrapper to twist about the stick of the lollipop The chuck then moves the lollipop to an ejection and counting station where the chuck jaws are automatically opened. After the lollipop leaves the chuck, the chuck jaws are realigned and the chuck is returned to the loading station with the chuck jaws open to receive another lollipop. Movement of the chuck jaws is controlled at each station by underlying cams. As the conveyor carries the chuck over the cams the chuck jaws are opened, closed and/or rotated.