Abstract: A customer transmits their 3D CAD file for a part to be total profile machined. Computer analysis of the transmitted CAD file produces CNC machining instructions, which are transmitted back to an address defined by the customer. The customer can then use the transmitted CNC machining instructions to total profile machine their own part using their own CNC mill at the location where the part is likely needed. The transmitted instructions include not only the tool paths for CNC machining of the total profile of the part, but also for additional features formed into the encircling portion of a material block from which the part is to be total profile machined. For instance, the CNC machining instructions transmitted back to the customer can define a registration recess and/or channels or undercuts for fluid support material on an A-side of a material block. After the A-side of the block is machined, the customer adds and solidifies fluid support material into the machined recess.

Abstract: A customer transmits their 3D CAD file for a part to be total profile machined. Computer analysis of the transmitted CAD file produces CNC machining instructions, which are transmitted back to an address defined by the customer. The customer can then use the transmitted CNC machining instructions to total profile machine their own part using their own CNC mill at the location where the part is likely needed. The transmitted instructions include not only the tool paths for CNC machining of the total profile of the part, but also for additional features formed into the encircling portion of a material block from which the part is to be total profile machined. For instance, the CNC machining instructions transmitted back to the customer can define a registration recess and/or channels or undercuts for fluid support material on an A-side of a material block. After the A-side of the block is machined, the customer adds and solidifies fluid support material into the machined recess.

Abstract: Automated, custom mold manufacture for a part begins by creating and storing a collection of information of standard tool geometries and surface profiles machinable by each of the standard tool geometries. A customer sends a CAD file for the part to be molded to the system. The system assesses the CAD file to determine various pieces of mold manufacturing information. One or more acceptability criteria are applied to the part, such as whether the part can be manufactured in a two-piece, straight-pull mold, and whether the mold can by CNC machined out of aluminum. If not, the system sends a file to the customer graphically indicating which portions of the part need modification to be manufacturability. The system provides the customer with a quotation form, that allows the customer to select several parameters, such as number of cavities, surface finish and material, which an independent of the shape of the part.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for simulating fluid flow in a cavity, having relevance to the modeling of viscous flows within thin cavities of complex shapes in which heat exchange with the cavity walls may be a governing factor, as in injection molding of plastic parts. Its automated discretization scheme, in which the model cavity is partitioned into macrocells, each macrocell having substantial contact areas with the model cavity walls, eliminates the need for time consuming and expensive manual model configuration required by some modeling methods. Because of the simplicity of the discretization, models based on the invention are less demanding on computer resources then conventional finite element methods, and execute more quickly. A key innovation of the method is a function characterizing the shape of a macrocell that appears in a coefficient in equations governing the flow.

Abstract: The present invention is a method and system for simulating fluid flow in a cavity, having relevance to the modeling of viscous flows within thin cavities of complex shapes in which heat exchange with the cavity walls may be a governing factor, as in injection molding of plastic parts. Its automated discretization scheme, in which the model cavity is partitioned into macrocells, each macrocell having substantial contact areas with the model cavity walls, eliminates the need for time consuming and expensive manual model configuration required by some modeling methods. Because of the simplicity of the discretization, models based on the invention are less demanding on computer resources then conventional finite element methods, and execute more quickly. A key innovation of the method is a function characterizing the shape of a macrocell that appears in a coefficient in equations governing the flow.

Abstract: Automated, custom mold manufacture for a part begins by creating and storing a collection of information of standard tool geometries and surface profiles machinable by each of the standard tool geometries. A customer sends a CAD file for the part to be molded to the system. The system assesses the CAD file to determine various pieces of mold manufacturing information. One or more acceptability criteria are applied to the part, such as whether the part can be manufactured in a two-piece, straight-pull mold, and whether the mold can by CNC machined out of aluminum. If not, the system sends a file to the customer graphically indicating which portions of the part need modification to be manufacturable. The system provides the customer with a quotation form, that allows the customer to select several parameters, such as number of cavities, surface finish and material, which an independent of the shape of the part.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention increases the color fidelity and precision for controlling a plurality of cartridges that emit an extremely wide variety of colored ink droplets from twelve (12) high resolution ink jet print cartridges, or pens, onto unique printing substrates during print operations in a large format digital print engine. The present invention provides an automated method of creating customized, ink and media-dependent color transforms to enable optimized printing operations. In the preferred embodiment, a charge coupled device (CCD) illuminated by an array of carefully chosen light emitting diodes (LED) is used to generate color coordinates of each of a plurality of colored patches printed on a printing substrate. The LED array provides a source of illumination upon a portion of a printed substrate within the field of view of a CCD/lens assembly that covers approximately the 400 to 700 nanometer wavelength of light (the “visible spectrum”).

Abstract: An improved electromagnetic launcher (10; 98; 150) has a barrel (20; 100) formed by at least one pair of bus-bars (30, 32; 102, 104; 156, 158; 184, 184, 188, 190) to transport current longitudinally along the barrel. The barrel includes a bore (36; 108) which is spaced from the bus-bars by a bore structure (34; 106). The bore structure guides an elongated, tapered metal armature (44; 122; 164) through the bore. The current to the armature passes from the bus-bars through an array of deformable contactors (54, 55; 110, 112) disposed near the bore walls and in series with resistors (60, 62, 64, 66; 114, 116, 118, 120). The resistors distribute current and electromagnetic driving force along the armature. A conductive implodable shield (130) confines the bore structure and the bus-bars to impede repulsion of the bus-bars and to compress the magnetic flux between the shield walls and the bus-bars.

Abstract: A railgun apparatus for accelerating a projectile having a conductive region. The railgun comprises a power supply for providing a current impulse and at least two elongate generally parallel rails. The rails include a first layer comprising a highly conductive material and a second layer comprising a highly resistive layer. The second layer has a resistivity that varies along the length of the rails and is so sized and arranged as to contact the conductive region of the projectile. The power supply is switchably connected to the first layer of the rails. When the current impulse is applied to the rails with the projectile therebetween, the current impulse is spread over the conductive region of the projectile to reduce the velocity skin effect.