Abstract: According to one embodiment, an estimation device acquires a data set from history data. The history data includes a plurality of data IDs, path information, first and second qualitative variables. The data IDs respectively indicate a plurality of data flowing through a plurality of nodes. The path information indicates a path of the nodes for each of the data. The first and second qualitative variables are mutually-independent and indicate classifications of each of the data IDs. The data set includes a part of the data IDs having a first variable value assigned as the first qualitative variable. The estimation device estimates an overall relevance indicating a relevancy to the data set for each of the nodes. The estimation device generates a plurality of partial data sets. The estimation device estimates a partial relevance indicating a relevancy to each of the partial data sets for each of the nodes.

Abstract: A processing method is provided integrating hot stamping and controllable subsequent heat treatment in the technical field of hot working for steels. It includes the steps of selecting and preparing a steel blank, hot stamping treatment, controllable temperature quenching, adjusting the temperature of the steel blank to a tempering temperature and fine stamping at the same time. The invention combines the hot stamping and controllable heat treatment to improve the strength of material with precise plastic deformation and save energy as well. The tensile strength of the processed steel is greater than 1900 Ma.

Abstract: Gun barrel for firearms made from a deformed material and method for producing the gun barrel material. The material has a chemical composition in % by weight of: Content C Si Mn P S Cr Mo Min 0.28 0.08 0.15 3.6 1.2 Max 0.36 0.26 0.35 0.005 0.002 4.4 1.8 Content Ni V W Ti As + Sn + Sb Fe Min 0.42 Rest Max <0.5 0.5? 0.15 0.08 0.007 and impurities due to smelting. The material has a hardness of at least 46 to 48 HRC.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a corrosion-resistant cold-rolled sheet of iron-carbon-manganese austenitic steel, comprising the following steps: a sheet whose chemical composition comprises, the contents being expressed by weight: 0.35%?C?1.05%, 16%?Mn?24%, the balance of the composition consisting of iron and inevitable impurities resulting from its smelting, is provided; said sheet is cold-rolled; and a recrystallization annealing treatment is carried out on said sheet in a furnace containing a gas chosen from gases that are reducing with respect to iron, the parameters of said annealing being chosen in such a way that said sheet is covered on both its sides with an essentially amorphous (Fe,Mn)O oxide sublayer and with an external crystalline manganese oxide (MnO) layer, the total thickness of these two layers being equal to or greater than 0.5 microns.

Abstract: An iron or iron-base alloy sheet having high proportion of {100} texture and a method of manufacturing the same. A method of forming grains having {100} plane parallel to the sheet surface is disclosed. A Fe or Fe-base alloy sheet is annealed at austenite (?) temperature while minimizing an effect of oxygen in the sheet or on surfaces of the sheet or a heat treatment atmosphere, and then the above sheet is subject to phase transformation to ferrite (?). On surfaces of the resulting sheet, a high proportion of {100} texture develops. A method of manufacturing electrical steel sheet is disclosed. The grains with {100} texture on surfaces grow to have a grain size of at least half the thickness of the sheet by a ??? transformation. By adopting the above disclosed methods, an iron or iron-base alloy sheet with excellent texture can be simply manufactured within short time.

Abstract: A method and device for inhibiting contamination of a workpiece during the heating of a workpiece by a contaminant. The method includes placing the workpiece in a first container, and, in a first step, filling the first container with a protective gas. The first container is placed in a second container, and in a second step, the second container, and hence the first container contained therein, is evacuated to create a vacuum inside the first and second containers so that during the first and second steps the partial pressure is reduced for the contaminants in the first container before the workpiece is heated.

Abstract: A method for reducing surface particle shedding of a material, specifically a suspension mounting arm for a hard disk drive, made of an alloy such as 300 Series stainless steel, by thermally conditioning the mounting arm for a desirable time period sufficient to reduce residual stress in the mounting arm while substantially maintaining its original yield strength characteristics. To ensure fabrication free from oxidation and contamination, the contained heat source can be oxygen depleted by evacuating the interior of the container to a sub-atmospheric pressure or by filling the interior of with an inert gas such as argon or a reducing gas, such as hydrogen. After thermal exposure, the material is cooled to an ambient temperature. The resulting material exhibits adequate stiffness and yield strength for assembly and operation in a hard disk drive.

Abstract: A process of production of a compressor shoe superior in durability and reduced in manufacturing cost, wherein a process of quenching the shoe is performed in a vacuum, inert gas, or modified gas so as to prevent oxidation of the chrome and manganese of the surface of the material or the quenching process is performed after forming an antioxidation film on the surface of the material to prevent the oxidation of the chrome and manganese.

Abstract: A process for making an article with ballistic protective effect and an article obtainable thereby, as well as a method of providing an object with ballistic protection provided by a corresponding material. The alloys used for making the article comprise the elements C, Si, Mn, Cr, Ni, Mo and V within certain concentration ranges and contain a limited amount of impurities. This abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Abstract: A method for reducing the electrical resistance caused by a corrosion oxide coating at the current-carrying transition of a chromium steel component includes annealing the chromium steel component a temperature of at least 950° C. and removing any oxide coating that develops during said annealing before the component carries current.

Abstract: Fe--Ni alloy with improved etch factors for electronic parts are provided which are characterized by the composition consisting of, all by weight, 30-55% Ni, 0.8% or less Mn, 0.0030-0.0100% N, or 0.02% less Al, and the balance Fe and unavoidable impurities, preferably with 0.01% or less C, 0.003% or less Si, 0.005%, or less S, 0.005% or less P, and 0.0100% or less O. There is provided Fe--Ni alloy materials for electronic parts which have high etch factors and produce favorably etched surfaces without blister generation, by restricting the N and Al contents within specified ranges and preferably limiting C, Si, P, S, and O contents below specified levels.

Abstract: The invention includes an apparatus and associated method of increasing the pump-out efficiency of H.sub.2 O by, for example, reducing the staying time or the probability of sticking of H.sub.2 O or analogous molecules on a stainless steel surface. The method for the vacuum treatment of stainless steel surfaces includes an annealing treatment carried out under conditions of at least 500.degree. C. while maintaining an H.sub.2 O partial pressure of not more than 1.times.10.sup.-5 torr, or at least 400.degree. C. while maintaining an H.sub.2 partial pressure of at least ten times the H.sub.2 O partial pressure, or at least 300.degree. C. while maintaining an H.sub.2 partial pressure at least the same as the H.sub.2 O partial pressure and activating the H.sub.2. Furthermore, during the interval after the annealing treatment and before use, the surface is stored in an environment such that the product of the relative humidity and the number of days is not more than 500.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hard solder for high-temperature soldered joints joining high temperature-resistant materials, especially chromium and alloys based on chromium. The hard solder consists of 40% to 70% by weight chromium, up to 2% by weight of one or several of the metals selected from the group of vanadium, niobium, tantalum, titanium, zirconium and hafnium, up to 2% by weight of one or several of the metals or their oxides selected from the group of rare earths and yttrium, as well as nickel as the balance. The solder according to the present invention is particularly suitable for joining by soldering parts in solid-electrolyte, high-temperature fuel cells.

Abstract: A method of quenching a metal object comprising: (a) providing a reservoir of liquid coolant containing gas that has been dissolved therein; and (b) immersing the metal object in the reservoir to quench the metal. The gas is selected from the group consisting of nitrogen and carbon dioxide and is preferably carbon dioxide. The gas is preferably maintained within the range of 0.001 to 0.2 standard cubic feet of gas per gallon of coolant. The liquid coolant is preferably water. In a preferred embodiment, the reservoir of liquid coolant is open to ambient pressure and temperature.

Abstract: A control arrangement is disclosed for a conventional, atmosphere heat treating furnace which is operated at high temperature and fitted with a vacuum pump to draw rough or soft vacuum levels when heating the work to heat treat temperatures. The control arrangement utilizes a hydrogen--inert gas furnace atmosphere continuously metered into the furnace to produce a reducing gas mixture to prevent oxidation of the work. If oxidation conditions are sensed, the mass flow is automatically increased while vacuum levels are maintained constant. A unique oxygen probe mounting arrangement is disclosed which enables a conventional oxygen probe to give fairly accurate and consistent readings for fast, automatic process control.