Abstract: An electromagnetic fuel injector having improved wear characteristics comprises a body having a fuel inlet and a fuel outlet. A valve seat is sealably connected to the body, and a moveable valve member positioned at the fuel outlet for controlling the flow of fuel from the outlet comprises a valve outlet element that provides a sealing interface with the valve seat. The valve member and included valve outlet element further comprise wear surfaces that are subject to repeated impact and/or sliding contact; at least a portion of these wear surfaces comprise an applied layer of diamond-like carbon (DLC) stabilized by inclusion of greater than 30 weight percent of a carbide-forming material selected from the group consisting of silicon, titanium, and tungsten.

Abstract: The fatigue life of gears, for example, the gears in a sun gear-planetary gear set, is markedly improved by forming the respective gears by ordinary manufacturing practices and then running each new gear against a durable, but expendable, dummy of its counter-gear. The teeth of a dummy sun gear may be suitably hardened and used under suitable loads to minimally reshape the teeth of a plurality of newly-made pinions so that they are smoothed and better fit an intended sun gear. Similarly, the roughened teeth of a hardened or hard coated sun gear can be smoothed by running it for a few rotations against an expendable pinion.

Abstract: The invention includes an on-board diagnostic system for monitoring exhaust gas from an automotive combustion engine and includes a sample port connected to the exhaust piping, preferably downstream from the catalytic converter. The exhaust port leads to a sample cell to which an infrared spectrometry system is operably connected to measure the concentration of hydrocarbons in the sample cell. An air pump is connected to the exhaust port and communicates with the sample cell. The air pump is operated to continuously purge the sample cell by pushing small amounts of clean air through the sample cell into the exhaust.

Abstract: The present invention contemplates a PEM fuel cell having electrical contact elements (including bipolar plates/septums) comprising a titanium nitride coated light weight metal (e.g., Al or Ti) core, having a passivating, protective metal layer intermediate the core and the titanium nitride. The protective layer forms a barrier to further oxidation/corrosion when exposed to the fuel cell's operating environment. Stainless steels rich in CR, Ni, and Mo are particularly effective protective interlayers.