Abstract: A method for permissioning part manufacturing is provided, the method including associating a first user with a first part manufacturing template, the part manufacturing template defining a first vendor for providing a first part associated with the first part manufacturing template. The method then receives an indication from the first user to assign permissions associated with the first part manufacturing template to a second user. The method then provides the second user with limited access to the first part manufacturing template, such that the second user can order instances of the first part from the first vendor. The method then accepts an order for an instance of the first part placed by the second user and records analytics in a database accessible by the first user related to the order placed by the second user.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method of facilitating tracking of manufacturing information for a plurality of manufacturing customers is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for stabilizing a tremolo system in a string instrument, the tremolo system having a block and a number of tensioners in extension from the block. One aspect of the invention includes an apparatus, mountable to the string instrument, and having a first retainer to engage a first one of the tensioners and a second retainer to engage a second one of the tensioners, wherein the first retainer is closer to the block than is the second retainer when the apparatus is mounted to the string instrument.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for changing the pitch of a string or strings of a string instrument.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for changing the pitch of a string or strings of a string instrument.

Abstract: A few-moded fiber device has several discrete sections of few-moded fibers that are separated by mode converters, with each mode converter accomplishing mode conversion between one or more pairs of modes. The mode conversions can be accomplished using a sequence, such as a periodic or cyclic sequence that would cause (1) a signal wave launched with any mode to assume every other mode for one or more times; (2) the number of times the signal remains in any modal state is substantially the same; and (3) the net signal gain or loss or group delay of the input signal is substantially the same regardless of the state of input mode. A laser few-mode amplifier is provided. An optical transmission system is also provided.