Abstract: Provided herein is a process for the pretreatment of workpieces having a surface of aluminum or aluminum alloys for noncutting forming and/or joining by welding or adhesive bonding to similarly pretreated, precoated workpieces, or to optionally precoated parts. The parts are composed of steel, galvanized steel, and/or alloy-galvanized steel. Further provided herein is a subsequent permanent corrosion-protecting treatment by phosphating, by means of a chromium-free conversion treatment, by application of primer, or by surface coating, where the workpieces are a) pickled by means of an aqueous, acidic solution comprising mineral acid by dipping or spraying, b) rinsed with water, and c) brought into contact with an aqueous, acidic, chromium-free solution including Zr as complex fluoride and Mo as molybdate by application by dipping or spraying. After subsequent drying, a layer weight from 2 to 15 mg/m2 of Zr and Mo is formed.

Abstract: Described herein is an aqueous, chromium-free composition for a pretreatment of aluminum surfaces, which includes at least one water-soluble phosphorus compound, at least one water-soluble zirconium compound, at least one water-soluble titanium compound, and at least one water-soluble molybdenum compound, a phosphorus compound content being in a range from 15 to 50 mg/l (calculated as phosphorus), a zirconium compound content being in a range from 400 to 600 mg/l (calculated as metal), a titanium compound content being in a range from 85 to 400 mg/l (calculated as metal), and a molybdenum compound content being in a range from 40 to 150 mg/l (calculated as metal). Also described herein are a corresponding method and a correspondingly pretreated component or strip.

Abstract: A method for scheduling tasks to a cyclic schedule, comprising maintaining a request queue, a count, the count being initialized to a given limit, and an index of a current time slot within the schedule. Periodically, if the request queue contains a reference to an urgent task among the tasks, that reference is removed from the request queue and the urgent task is dispatched and if the request queue is empty, the index is advanced to the next time slot within the schedule. If the next time slot is statically assigned to a task among the tasks, that task is dispatched, and if the next time slot is unassigned and the count is below the limit, the count is incremented and the index is further advanced to the next but one time slot.

Abstract: Described herein is an aqueous, chromium-free composition for a pretreatment of aluminum surfaces, which includes at least one water-soluble phosphorus compound, at least one water-soluble zirconium compound, at least one water-soluble titanium compound, and at least one water-soluble molybdenum compound, a phosphorus compound content being in a range from 15 to 50 mg/l (calculated as phosphorus), a zirconium compound content being in a range from 400 to 600 mg/l (calculated as metal), a titanium compound content being in a range from 85 to 400 mg/l (calculated as metal), and a molybdenum compound content being in a range from 40 to 150 mg/l (calculated as metal). Also described herein are a corresponding method and a correspondingly pretreated component or strip.

Abstract: A method for scheduling tasks to a cyclic schedule, comprising maintaining a request queue, a count, the count being initialized to a given limit, and an index of a current time slot within the schedule. Periodically, if the request queue contains a reference to an urgent task among the tasks, that reference is removed from the request queue and the urgent task is dispatched and if the request queue is empty, the index is advanced to the next time slot within the schedule. If the next time slot is statically assigned to a task among the tasks, that task is dispatched, and if the next time slot is unassigned and the count is below the limit, the count is incremented and the index is further advanced to the next but one time slot.

Abstract: Provided herein is a process for the pretreatment of workpieces having a surface of aluminum or aluminum alloys for noncutting forming and/or joining by welding or adhesive bonding to similarly pretreated, precoated workpieces, or to precoated parts. The parts are composed of steel, galvanized steel, and/or alloy-galvanized steel. Further provided herein is a subsequent permanent corrosion-protecting treatment by phosphating, by means of a chromium-free conversion treatment, by application of primer, or by surface coating, wherein the workpieces are a) pickled by means of an aqueous, acidic solution comprising mineral acid by dipping or spraying, b) rinsed with water, and c) brought into contact with an aqueous, acidic, chromium-free solution comprising Zr as complex fluoride and Mo as molybdate by application by dipping or spraying. After subsequent drying, a layer weight from 2 to 15 mg/m2 of Zr and Mo is formed.

Abstract: An array of animal diets nutritionally tailored to different animal life stages. A method for facilitating the selection of a life-stage appropriate diet for an animal. The method may comprise providing an indicium to facilitate an anthropomorphic connection between the animal life stage and a corresponding human life stage.

Abstract: A method for coating of a metallic coil or of metallic sheets with an aqueous coating composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of zirconium compounds, titanium compounds and hafnium compounds whereby the such treated metallic coil or metallic sheets is/are shaped by cold extruding, by deep-drawing, by drawing, by necking, by punching, by wall ironing or by any combination of such process steps to a hollow article like a container or a casing and is then cleaned and optionally further coated either by chemical pre-treatment and then by coating with ink or paint or both or by chemical treatment.

Abstract: A method for coating of a metallic coil or of metallic sheets with an aqueous coating composition comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of zirconium compounds, titanium compounds and hafnium compounds whereby the such treated metallic coil or metallic sheets is/are shaped by cold extruding, by deep-drawing, by drawing, by necking, by punching, by wall ironing or by any combination of such process steps to a hollow article like a container or a casing and is then cleaned and optionally further coated either by chemical pre-treatment and then by coating with ink or paint or both or by chemical treatment.

Abstract: Metallic surfaces are coated with an aqueous, acidic phosphate solution containing 10 to 60 g/l zinc, 0.5 to 40 g/l manganese, 50 to 300 g/l phosphate ions calculated as P2O5, and optionally other components.

Abstract: A constraint mechanism for holding products as they are processed through a microwave applicator, used specifically for constraining products as they travel on one or more continuous conveyors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for applying phosphate coatings to metallic surfaces by wetting with an aqueous, acidic phosphating solution and subsequent drying of the phosphating solution, usually without subsequent rinsing, in which the phosphating solution contains

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for coating metallic surfaces by a manganese-zinc phosphatizing process, using an aqueous phosphatizing solution, in which nickel is deliberately not added. Said method is characterized in that the zinc:manganese weight ratio of the phosphatizing solution is maintained in the region of between 0.05:1 and 0.99:1 and that the phosphatizing solution has the following contents: between 0.05 and 5 g/l zinc, between 0.075 and 5.2 g/l manganese and between 0.008 and 0.050 g/l copper and/or hexafluoride complexes of titanium, hafnium and/or zirconium totalling between 0.002 and 0.5 g/l, calculated as F6. The invention also relates to the use of the metal parts coated in this manner.

Abstract: In a method for the pretreatment of work pieces having a surface made of aluminium or aluminium alloys, for non-cutting shaping and/or the connection by welding or gluing to work pieces as well as for a subsequent permanent corrosion-preventing treatment, the work pieces are subjected to a three-stage treatment by a) rinsing with an aqueous, acidic solution containing a mineral acid, b) rinsing with water, c) bringing them into contact with an aqueous, acidic solution which is chromium-free and polymer-free and contains Ti and Zr as complex fluorides in a weight ratio of Ti:Zr of 2:1 to 1:2, in such a way that, after the subsequent drying off, a layer weight of 2 to 15 mg/m2 (calculated as Ti/Zr metal) results, wherein depending on the type of application, solutions having different concentrations and different pH values are used.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for applying phosphate coatings to surfaces of zinc, iron, aluminum, and the alloys thereof by wetting with a phosphatizing solution containing divalent cations and phosphate to form a liquid film, and subsequently drying on the liquid film wherein the metal surfaces are wetted with a phosphatizing solution, which is free from elements of sub-groups 5 and 6 of the Periodic Table, said phosphatizing solution containing:0.5 to 8 g/l nickel;2 to 20 g/l manganese;18 to 170 g/l of phosphate (calculated as P.sub.2 O.sub.5);and has an acid number of 0.4 to 0.8, such that after drying on, a phosphate layer having a weight per unit area of 0.3 to 3.0 g/m.sup.2, is obtained, where in the case of phosphatizing surfaces of iron, aluminum or the alloys thereof, the phosphatizing solution necessarily contains 0.5 to 5 g/l of zinc, and in the case of phosphatizing surfaces of zinc or zinc alloys the phosphatizing solution either contains zinc or is free from zinc.

Abstract: A biocompatible osteosynthesis plate operable for being enhanced in a substantially secured relation to a plurality of adjacent bone portions is provided. The biocompatible osteosynthesis plate includes an elongated section having a top face and a bottom face, at least one fastener opening disposed between the top face and the bottom face, and means disposed upon elongated section to permit the formation of additional fastener openings therethrough during a surgical procedure. The osteosynthesis plate is in a first configuration at a first thermochemical state and is operable to be converted to a second thermochemical state so that it may be deformed prior to fixation. The osteosynthesis plate may further include means disposed upon the elongated section for enhancing structural rigidity, which may be provided as one or more raised surfaces, or rails, disposed upon the top face of the osteosynthesis plate.

Abstract: The process forms a phosphate coating on a steel strip or sheet having a galvanized or alloy galvanized side and a steel side so that the phosphate coating is only present on the galvanized or alloy galvanized side. This process includes contacting the galvanized or alloy galvanized side of the steel strip or sheet with a phosphatizing solution for 4 to 20 seconds at a temperature of from 45.degree. C. to 80.degree. C. The phosphatizing solution has an S value of from 0.08 to 0.30 and contains 0.5 to 5 g/l zinc, 3 to 20 g/l P.sub.2 O.sub.5, 0.020 to 0.2 g/l nitrite, 3 to 30 g/l nitrate and 0.2 to 2.5 g/l complexing agent for iron. Chelate forming substances, such as tartaric acid, citric acid, ethylenediamine-tetraacetic acid, nitrilotriacetic acid and/or oxalic acid, may be used as the complexing agent for iron. The phosphatizing solutions may also contain other bivalent cations, particularly manganese and/or nickel cations.