Abstract: In additive manufacturing, a method of adding a segment of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic filament. Adding a segment of filament involves three tasks: (1) determining where the segment of filament should be added, (2) depositing the segment of filament at the desired location, and (3) tamping the segment of filament to ensure adhesion and eliminate voids. Tamping the segment of filament is performed by steering a wheel along the filament. In accordance with the illustrative embodiment, the wheel is steered around a yaw axis that is offset from the wheel's axis by a distance s, where s is a positive real number.

Abstract: A method of determining a relationship between a stochastic variation of a characteristic of an aerial image or a resist image and one or more design variables, the method including: measuring values of the characteristic from a plurality of aerial images and/or resist images for each of a plurality of sets of values of the design variables; determining a value of the stochastic variation, for each of the plurality of sets of values of the design variables, from a distribution of the values of the characteristic for that set of values of the design variables; and determining the relationship by fitting one or more parameters from the values of the stochastic variation and the plurality of sets of values of the design variables.

Abstract: A filter and kit assembly for securing to one or more intake surfaces associated with a V-shaped heat exchanger unit. A screen includes a reinforced edge, within which is configured a plurality of spaced apart grommets aligning with and receiving therethrough engaging portions of the fasteners. In one variant, a frame is constructed for supporting the fasteners and attached filter and which is subsequently secured by clips against a flange surface surrounding the intake opening. In a further variant, the screen is configured in wrap-around fashion for supporting against first and second consecutively arranged intake openings along with an interconnecting intermediate flange surface.

Abstract: The need for a laundry detergent composition which provides improved removal of stains comprising a combination of mannans and other polysaccharides, is met using a combination of detersive surfactant and a cocktail of enzymes comprising a xanthan endoglucanase, a xanthan lyase, and a mannanase.

Abstract: Methods and switches are provided for communicating electronic messages between financial institutions. One example method includes receiving, at a first switch of a plurality of switches, an electronic message for a transaction, where the electronic message includes a unique identifier for the transaction, and identifying, by the first switch, one of the plurality of switches to process the electronic message based on the unique identifier. The method also includes, in response to the first switch being the identified one of the plurality of switches, processing, by the first switch, the electronic message and, in response to a second switch of the plurality of switches being the identified one of the plurality of switches, forwarding, by the first switch, the electronic message to the second switch for processing.

Abstract: The present invention provides a device for processing electronic transaction request messages from financial institutions, each transaction request message instructing payment of funds from one financial account in a first financial institution to another financial account in a second financial institution, the device comprising: a plurality of switches located at a location, each switch being operable to receive a transaction request message from a financial institution; and a clustered database connected to the plurality of switches, the clustered database comprising a plurality of synchronised databases, wherein the clustered database is con figured to generate a transaction summary record on the basis of the received transaction request message that allows settlement of the funds between the financial accounts defined by the received transaction request message.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to water-soluble unit dose articles made from a combination of chemically different water-soluble films and containing household care compositions that are at least partially enclosed by the water-soluble films in at least one compartment.

Abstract: A gateway is provided for controlling transfer of electronic messages between a financial institution and a transaction processing system comprising a plurality of switches. The gateway includes communication circuitry operable to receive an electronic message issued by the financial institution and processing circuitry operable to determine whether the electronic message includes enough information for a switch of the transaction processing system to process the electronic message. In response to the electronic message including enough information, the communication circuitry is further operable to transmit the electronic message over a data communications network for storage in a message queue unit associated with the transaction processing system for subsequent processing by the switch. In response to the electronic message not including enough information, the communication circuitry is operable to return the electronic message to the financial institution.

Abstract: In a 3D-printing system, a deposition head comprising a band assembly having a body and a band for compacting a filament onto the surface of an object being manufactured. One or more actuators are mounted on the assembly body and are used to shape the band to a desired contour. The band is connected to the one or more actuators, and is capable of being driven along its length by one or more drive wheels. For example, the band can be in the form of a loop, arranged such that the front of the loop is in contact with a front wheel, the back of the loop is in contact a rear wheel, and the bottom of the loop faces toward the surface of the object. The band assembly further comprises a compaction support supporting the band and comprising a roller that permits the band to move along its length.

Abstract: In a 3D-printing system, a deposition head comprising a band assembly having a body and a band for compacting a filament onto the surface of an object being manufactured. One or more actuators are mounted on the assembly body and are used to shape the band to a desired contour. The band is connected to the one or more actuators, is curved toward the surface of the object to enable contact with the surface, and is capable of being driven along its length by one or more drive wheels that are under the control of a controller. The drive wheels are configured to advance the band along its length by a first distance and in response to a first signal from the controller. The controller provides the first signal based on an estimate of thermoplastic build-up on a portion of the band that overlaps the point of compaction.

Abstract: In a 3D-printing system, a deposition head comprising a band assembly having a body and a band for compacting a filament onto the surface of an object being manufactured. One or more actuators are mounted on the assembly body at a front mounting point or a rear mounting point, or both, and are used to shape the band to a desired contour. The band is made of a flexible material, and has a first and second connecting point, wherein at least one of them is connected to the one or more actuators. The intermediate portion of the band between the connecting points is curved toward the surface of the object being manufactured to enable the portion to come into contact with and to compact the filament onto the object. The band assembly further comprises a compaction support extending from the assembly body toward an inward-facing surface of the band.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a fiber-composite article for a bicycle frame or other bicycle component uses an outer mold configured to define an outer surface of the fiber-composite article and an inner mold configured to define an inner surface of the fiber-composite article. The method comprises: securing in the inner mold a supportive armature for a space-filling mandrel, the mandrel being configured to occupy a space within the inner surface of the fiber-composite article during lay up and curing of the fiber-composite article; forming the mandrel by injection molding a solidifiable fluid into the inner mold, around the armature, the solidifiable fluid being configured to form a solidified, molded material; applying a fiber composition to the mandrel; securing the mandrel with the fiber composition in the outer mold; heating the fiber composition in the outer mold to form the fiber-composite article and concurrently heating the solidified, molded material.

Abstract: A method including obtaining a selected component of optical aberration of or for a lithography apparatus, under a processing condition; computing an approximate of a cost function, based on the selected component; and producing an adjustment of the lithography apparatus or a patterning process that uses the lithography apparatus, based on the approximate of the cost function.

Abstract: A mobile tower for transportation to and rapid deployment at remote sites where the mobile tower can be engaged with the ground, the mobile tower including an extendable and retractable tower secured to a mobile support structure including a frame having a plurality of rapidly deployable outriggers, wherein the tower includes three series of pivotally interconnected tower sections or segments, sections or segments of which engage with segments of each of the other series when the tower is assembled; the mobile tower including a plurality of guy wires secured between the extendable and retractable tower and the respective outriggers to stabilize the tower after the tower is assembled. The guy wires are preferably secured to the extendable and retractable tower at first and second connecting positions that are displaced from one another about an outer perimeter. Methods of deploying the mobile tower are also disclosed.

Abstract: A cleaning kit comprising a cleaning agent comprising a supporting substrate and an oxidoreductase mediator. The oxidoreductase-mediator is immobilized on the supporting substrate.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method, system and computer program product for improving prediction accuracy in machine learning techniques. A teacher model is constructed, where the teacher model generates a weight for each data case. The current student model is then trained using training data and the weights generated by the teacher model. After training the current student model, the current student model generates state features, which are used by the teacher model to generate new weights. A candidate student model is then trained using training data and these new weights. A reward is generated by comparing the current student model with the candidate student model using training and testing data, which is used to update the teacher model if a stopping rule has not been satisfied. Upon a stopping rule being satisfied, the weights generated by the teacher model are deemed to be the “optimal” weights which are returned to the user.

Abstract: Evaluating data partition quality is provided. A historical data set is partitioned into a specified number of partitions. A quality of each partition in the specified number of partitions is evaluated by measuring a distribution similarity between variables from each data subset in a respective partition and the historical data set. A highest-quality partition in the specified number of partitions is recommended to build a supervised machine learning model based on the highest-quality partition having a highest variable distribution similarity measure with the historical data set.

Abstract: A seal assembly including: a collar having an opening configured to receive a rotatable shaft, an annular member having an annular opening configured to receive the collar, and first and second end plates fixedly coupled to a respective one of the first and second end surfaces of the collar. An outer surface of the collar includes one or more helical threads. The collar has a first axial length defined between first and second end surfaces of the collar, and the annular member has a second axial length defined between first and second end surfaces of the annular member, in which the second axial length is less than the first axial length. Also provided are an assembly comprising a seal assembly in accordance with the present disclosure and a method for preventing contamination of a sealed chamber.

Abstract: An interface is provided for controlling transfer of electronic transaction messages between a financial institution and switches distributed amongst a plurality of switch sites. The financial institution and the switches are connected via a data communications network. Communication circuitry is operable to transmit a test message to one of the switch sites over the data network if no transaction message is received from that switch site for a predetermined time. And, in response to the test message, the communication circuitry is operable to receive an echo of the test message from the switch site. If the echo is received within a defined time, processing circuitry is operable to then set the operational status of the switch site as operational, and if the echo is not received within the defined time, the operational status of the switch site is set as not operational.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for receiving electronic messages from a financial institution, the system comprising a plurality of switches configured to communicate with one another and to process the received electronic messages, wherein each switch includes processing circuitry that is configured to receive an electronic message that includes a unique identifier and, in dependence upon the unique identifier, either process the electronic message or forward the electronic message to another one of the switches for processing.