Abstract: There are newly provided an index which quantitatively indicates shapes of kaolin particles, and a method of measuring the index. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a low-thermal-expansion honeycomb structure suitable for an application such as a car exhaust gas purifying catalyst carrier by use of the kaolin particles whose index is not less than a predetermined value. A certain amount of kaolin particles 1 are pressed and filled into a container 2, peak intensities of the kaolin particles 1 in (200), (020), and (002) faces are measured by X-ray diffraction, respectively, and a cleavage index of the kaolin particles 1 is calculated from the resultant measured values by the following equation (1): Cleavage index=(002)/[(200)+(020)+(002)]??(Equation 1), wherein (200), (020), and (002) denote values of the peak intensities of the kaolin particles measured in the (200), (020), and (002) faces by the X-ray diffraction, respectively.

Abstract: A process for producing a honeycomb structure by obtaining clay from a cordierite-forming raw material containing an alumina source, a silica source, and a magnesia source; and forming the clay into a honeycomb shape, wherein a material having, in its volume particle size distribution, a 50 volume % particle size (V50) [?m] of 1 to 25 ?m is used, as each of alumina source, silica source, and magnesia source; and a material having, in the volume particle size distribution of the whole cordierite-forming raw material, a ratio of 90 volume % particle size (Vall90) [?m] to 10 volume % particle size (Vall10) [?m] [a volume particle size distribution ratio (Vall90/Vall10)] of 10 or less and a difference (Vall90?Vall10) between 90 volume % particle size (Vall90) [?m] and 10 volume % particle size (Vall10) [?m] of 25 ?m or less is used, as the cordierite-forming raw material.

Abstract: There is disclosed a ceramic structure which comprises a material having a controlled pore distribution and including cordierite as the main crystal phase. In the pore distribution, the volume of pores having pore diameters smaller than 20 ?m accounts for 15% or less of the total pore volume, and the volume of pores having pore diameters of 20 to 100 ?m accounts for 70% or more of the total pore volume. This ceramic structure is suitable for realizing a ceramic catalyst body which has excellent purification efficiency, is reduced in pressure loss, and is mountable even in a limited space.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure, including: firing a formed body containing ceramic particles and a combustible powder functioning as a pore former, and burning off the combustible powder to obtain the porous ceramic structure. The combustible powder has an exothermic rate of 0 to 35 ?V·min./mg, which is obtained from a differential thermal analysis. The method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure can inhibit a crack from being generated during firing even without slowing down the temperature rise rate at the combustion range of the pore former or without lowering an oxygen content in the firing atmosphere.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure, including: firing a formed body containing ceramic particles and a combustible powder functioning as a pore former, and burning off the combustible powder to obtain the porous ceramic structure. As the combustible powder, porous resin particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 50 ?m and a porosity of 50 to 90% are used. The method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure can inhibit the combustible powder functioning as a pore former from being smashed upon mixing/kneading a forming raw material and suppressing an excess heat generation upon firing and can manufacture a porous ceramic structure having a stable porosity with a good yield.

Abstract: A support plate for use in firing which has a main component of the crystal phase after firing being the same as that of an article to be sintered, and has a surface roughness (Ra) of the surface to be contacted with the article to be fired of 8 to 50 ?m. A firing method using the above support plate is free from the breaking or chipping of cells of a honeycomb fired article as a product and also is free from the breaking thereof during firing, the staining or cells, the cracking or deformation thereof, or the failure of reaction, which is caused by the mismatch in expansion-shrinkage behavior, and thus allows the prevention of the decrease of the yield in the production of a honeycomb fired article as a product.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure, including: firing a formed body containing ceramic particles and a combustible powder functioning as a pore former, and burning off the combustible powder to obtain the porous ceramic structure. As the combustible powder, porous resin particles having an average particle diameter of 10 to 50 ?m and a porosity of 50 to 90% are used. The method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure can inhibit the combustible powder functioning as a pore former from being smashed upon mixing/kneading a forming raw material and suppressing an excess heat generation upon firing and can manufacture a porous ceramic structure having a stable porosity with a good yield.

Abstract: There is provided a method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure, including: firing a formed body containing ceramic particles and a combustible powder functioning as a pore former, and burning off the combustible powder to obtain the porous ceramic structure. The combustible powder has an exothermic rate of 0 to 35 ?V·min./mg, which is obtained from a differential thermal analysis. The method for manufacturing a porous ceramic structure can inhibit a crack from being generated during firing even without slowing down the temperature rise rate at the combustion range of the pore former or without lowering an oxygen content in the firing atmosphere.

Abstract: There are newly provided an index which quantitatively indicates shapes of kaolin particles, and a method of measuring the index. There is also provided a method of manufacturing a low-thermal-expansion honeycomb structure suitable for an application such as a car exhaust gas purifying catalyst carrier by use of the kaolin particles whose index is not less than a predetermined value. A certain amount of kaolin particles 1 are pressed and filled into a container 2, peak intensities of the kaolin particles 1 in (200), (020), and (002) faces are measured by X-ray diffraction, respectively, and a cleavage index of the kaolin particles 1 is calculated from the resultant measured values by the following equation (1): Cleavage index=(002)/[(200)+(020)+(002)]??(1), wherein (200), (020), and (002) denote values of the peak intensities of the kaolin particles measured in the (200), (020), and (002) faces by the X-ray diffraction, respectively.

Abstract: To provide a nickel based brazing filler metal which does not contain at all boron (B) or phosphorus (P) that is likely to form a hard and brittle compound in the brazed layer, in which the liquidus is lowered below 1,100° C. by adding a small amount of silicon (Si) and is abundant in ductility, heat-resistance and corrosion resistance. This is attained by a nickel based brazing filler metal characterized by containing manganese (Mn) of 13 to 20% by wt. and silicon (Si) of 5 to 7% by wt. added as melting point depression elements and chrome (Cr) of 16 to 21% by wt. and the balance consisting of nickel (Ni) and the impurities.

Abstract: A highly reliable connection structure of a bundle of more than two coil leading-out wires and a wire bundling terminal is provided by contacting and fixing at least a part of a circumferential surface of each of the coil leading-out wires to an inside wall of the wire bundling terminal. Further, a small size motor and an alternator for a vehicle utilize the connection structure.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for treatment of stator coil lead wires for an electric rotary machine, in which a plurality of coil lead wires extending in the radial direction of a stator for an electric rotary machine are movably arranged between two plane-like or cylindrical-surface members opposite to each other; the plurality of coil lead wires are pressed in a predetermined gathering direction by a lead wire pressing member which is capable of moving between the two plane-like or cylindrical-surface members, so that the plurality of coil lead wires are transformed and gathered into a predetermined shape. Thus, the coil length required for treatment of the stator coil lead wires can be reduced, and the lead wire treatment can be performed quickly and automatically.

Abstract: A heat-sensitive recording material which comprises a heat-sensitive recording layer and a substrate, the substrate having as a constituent element a synthetic resin film layer containing minute cavities and a content of cavities in the synthetic resin film layer being 40 to 100 cc/100 g. The heat-sensitive recording material has excellent resolution and gives a clear recorded image having a high density even with low printing energy.

Abstract: A process for manufacture of digestable artificial milk replacer effective for raising infant pigs and other infant animals, comprising crushed meat and viscera of fishes and shell fishes are digested with protease, heated to inactivate the protease, separated the undigestable residue through a screen, the remaining solid matter is removed by means of centrifugation, minute suspended particles are removed by use of filter press, the solution is then defatted with solvent, reduced to a powder by means of spray-drying and finally the dry powder thus obtained is used as main protein source of said milk replacer, prepared with the addition of suitable amounts of skimmed milk powder, glucose, soybean oil, small amount of sodium chloride, antibiotics, vitamins, minerals and others.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating the ends of elongated rod-like synthetic resin articles comprising a rotatable disk having circumferentially spaced slits in its periphery for receiving the articles at a feed station, moving them through a treating station and discharging them at a discharge station. A tool is located at said treating station for treating corresponding ends of said articles.

Abstract: The invention discloses a digital position instruction signal modification device for use with a memory controlled manipulator apparatus of the type in which, during a teaching operation, a desired position of manipulator arm means is stored in memory means, and the stored position is read out during repetitive work cycles to cause the manipulator apparatus to reproduce a series of motions taught during the teaching operation. The digital position instruction or command read out from the memory means may be modified by a modifying value entered by a modifying value setting device so that all or desired digital position command or instruction signals stored in the memory means may be modified without repeating the teaching operation.

Abstract: The invention discloses a digital position instruction signal modification device for use with a memory controlled manipulator apparatus of the type in which, during a teaching operation, a desired position of manipulator arm means is stored in memory means, and the stored position is read out during repetitive work cycles to cause the manipulator apparatus to reproduce a series of motions taught during the teaching operation. The digital position instruction or command read out from the memory means may be modified by a modifying value entered by a modifying value setting device so that all or desired digital position command or instruction signals stored in the memory means may be modified without repeating the teaching operation.