40results about How to "Downtime cost" patented technology

A redundant fan system for a computer includes two fans installed in series with at least one of the fans having collapsible blades. A fan system of this type reduces the fan inefficiency caused when one fan in a series mounted pair is not operating, either because it is free-wheeling or in a locked rotor condition. When non-operational, the fan blades of the collapsible fan fold inward due to airflow generated by the operational fan over the collapsible blades. The ability of the blades to fold reduces the inefficiency of the operational fan, having less of an effect on fan life. Also, because the flow of air is less restricted, proper airflow can be maintained, thus preventing overheating of the computer.

Systems and methods for in-process vision inspection for automated machines are disclosed. In one embodiment, a head assembly includes a tool moveable over a workpiece and adapted to perform a manufacturing operation on the workpiece, and an inspection unit operatively positioned proximate the tool and moveable with the tool relative to the workpiece. The inspection unit is adapted to perform a vision inspection of a portion of the workpiece simultaneously with the performance of the manufacturing operation on the workpiece. In a particular embodiment, the inspection unit includes a camera adapted to monitor an area including the portion of the workpiece upon which the tool has performed the manufacturing operation, and a processor operatively coupled to the camera and adapted to receive an image from the camera and to analyze the image to determine a presence of a defect within the portion of the workpiece.

According to one aspect, data identifying a component is received, wherein the component is part of a system associated with a wellhead. A location at which the component is positioned relative to one or more other components is identified. The useful remaining operational life of the component is predicted based on at least an operational parameter specific to the location, and the operational history of the component or one or more components equivalent thereto. According to another aspect, a model representing at least a portion of a proposed system associated with a wellhead is generated, the model comprising a plurality of objects, each of which has a proposed location and represents an existing component. The useful remaining operational life for each object is predicted based on an operational parameter at the corresponding proposed location, and data associated with the respective operational history of the existing component.

Systems and methods for monitoring automated composite fabrication processes are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method includes performing a manufacturing operation on a portion of a workpiece using a tool moveable relative to the workpiece. Simultaneously with performing the manufacturing operation, the tool is translated relative to the workpiece, and a portion of the workpiece upon which the tool has performed the manufacturing operation is monitored. The monitoring includes illuminating an illuminated strip of the workpiece using a laser, and receiving a reflected beam reflected from the illuminated strip into a camera. Output signals from the camera may be analyzed to detect and characterize a feature of interest, wherein the feature of interest may include an edge, an overlap, a gap, a wrinkle, and foreign object debris (FOD).

A process for preparing aliphatic alcohols that includes cobalt-catalyzed hydroformylation of olefins, treatment of a hydroformylation mixture with oxygen-containing gases in the presence of acidic, aqueous cobalt(II) salt solutions, separation of a mixture into an aqueous phase comprising cobalt salts and an organic phase comprising the aliphatic aldehydes, and hydrogenation of an aldehyde-containing organic phase wherein the organic phase and treatment with an adsorbent to separate off cobalt compounds prior to hydrogenation.

An actuator for operating a valve comprises a housing, a cap, a ring and a piston. The housing has a connecting interface for being mounted on the valve. The cap substantially covers a first portion of the housing. Both the cap and the housing define a substantially enclosed space inside the housing. The ring sealably covers a second portion of the housing. The ring is equipped with two ports that are in fluid communication with the enclosed space. The piston is slidably located inside the housing. Advantageously, an actuator assembly may include the actuator as previously described and one bonnet, one of the connecting interfaces of the actuator being connected to the bonnet. The bonnet is adapted to be mounted to a valve body.

Systems and methods for avoidance of tape flaw or splices in manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of applying a tape onto a workpiece includes feeding the tape from a tape supply using a tape application assembly, and applying the tape onto the workpiece using the tape application assembly. Simultaneously with the feeding of the tape, the tape is monitored for a marker indicating a defect within the tape, the marker being spaced apart along the tape from the defect such that the marker arrives prior to the defect. The method further includes detecting the marker, and avoiding the application of a portion of the tape that includes the defect onto the workpiece.

An information processing apparatus which is capable of reducing operational costs required for the information processing apparatus equipped with HDDs having a mirroring function and a self-diagnosis function. Status information indicative of statuses of the HDDs is obtained by the self-diagnosis function which the HDDs have. Based on the obtained status information obtained, whether or not the HDDs will fail is predicted. When a failure of the HDDs is predicted, and the mirroring function is disabled, an electronic device determined in advance is notified that replacement of the HDDs is necessary. When a failure of the HDDs is predicted, and the mirroring function is enabled, the electronic device is not notified that replacement of the HDDs is necessary.

A carbon fiber shell is used to change the appearance or look of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, and is formed to be non-permanently installed over an existing vehicle component to customize the appearance of a vehicle while still being removable. The carbon fiber shell is molded to match the contours or the shape of the original vehicle component so that, when installed, the shell has the same contours and thus the same physical shape as the original vehicle component. Moreover, the carbon fiber shell is configured to be mounted onto the vehicle using existing mounting brackets, holes or other structure on the vehicle that is provided to mount or secure the original vehicle component, thereby eliminating the need to drill holes into, or apply glue or other adhesives to the original vehicle component. This feature additionally allows the carbon fiber shell to be removed in the same manner as the original vehicle component. The carbon fiber shell may also incorporate lighting effects and may be ordered via a system for customizing the vehicle.

An aircraft venting tank (for example a surge tank) has a stack pipe unit. The stack pipe unit comprises first and second portions and houses a frangible overpressure protector element (for example a frangible disc). The stack pipe unit may be arranged to have a fitted configuration in which the first portion of the stack pipe unit is attached to a part of the venting tank structure, the first portion is coupled to the second portion, and the second portion is coupled to another part of the venting tank structure. The first portion may be held in a relationship with the second portion so as to form a seal between the frangible element, and the first and second portions. In a frangible element-replacement configuration the second portion may be coupled to the venting tank structure, such that the frangible overpressure protector element can be replaced without removal of the second portion from the venting tank structure. The venting tank may include a frangible element holder for holding a spare frangible element for use in an overpressure protector unit.

A process for preparing aliphatic alcohols that includes cobalt-catalyzed hydroformylation of olefins, treatment of a hydroformylation mixture with oxygen-containing gases in the presence of acidic, aqueous cobalt(II) salt solutions, separation of a mixture into an aqueous phase comprising cobalt salts and an organic phase comprising the aliphatic aldehydes, and hydrogenation of an aldehyde-containing organic phase wherein the organic phase and treatment with an adsorbent to separate off cobalt compounds prior to hydrogenation.

A container scanning system comprises a rail, a camera / sensor unit and a control unit. The rail is mounted on a support or beam of a container handling crane. The camera / sensor unit is movably mounted along the rail. The camera / sensor unit comprises a camera and / or a sensor for scanning the exterior surface of a container. The control unit is operationally coupled to the camera / sensor unit. The control unit is able to obtain position information indicative for the operational position of the container handling crane, and the control unit is adapted to control movement of the camera / sensor unit along the rail in function of the position information. The rail contains space for wiring for power feeding the camera / sensor unit.

Systems and methods for in-process vision inspection for automated machines are disclosed. In one embodiment, a head assembly includes a tool moveable over a workpiece and adapted to perform a manufacturing operation on the workpiece, and an inspection unit operatively positioned proximate the tool and moveable with the tool relative to the workpiece. The inspection unit is adapted to perform a vision inspection of a portion of the workpiece simultaneously with the performance of the manufacturing operation on the workpiece. In a particular embodiment, the inspection unit includes a camera adapted to monitor an area including the portion of the workpiece upon which the tool has performed the manufacturing operation, and a processor operatively coupled to the camera and adapted to receive an image from the camera and to analyze the image to determine a presence of a defect within the portion of the workpiece.

An actuator for operating a valve comprises a housing, a cap, a ring and a piston. The housing has a connecting interface for being mounted on the valve. The cap substantially covers a first portion of the housing. Both the cap and the housing define a substantially enclosed space inside the housing. The ring sealably covers a second portion of the housing. The ring is equipped with two ports that are in fluid communication with the enclosed space. The piston is slidably located inside the housing. Advantageously, an actuator assembly may include the actuator as previously described and one bonnet, one of the connecting interfaces of the actuator being connected to the bonnet. The bonnet is adapted to be mounted to a valve body.

According to one aspect, data identifying a component is received, wherein the component is part of a system associated with a wellhead. A location at which the component is positioned relative to one or more other components is identified. The useful remaining operational life of the component is predicted based on at least an operational parameter specific to the location, and the operational history of the component or one or more components equivalent thereto. According to another aspect, a model representing at least a portion of a proposed system associated with a wellhead is generated, the model comprising a plurality of objects, each of which has a proposed location and represents an existing component. The useful remaining operational life for each object is predicted based on an operational parameter at the corresponding proposed location, and data associated with the respective operational history of the existing component.

A tablet of compacted particulate detergent composition has an indentation (39) around a periphery of the face (37) of the tablet. The surface circumscribed by the indentation preferably has higher permeability and is rougher than the surface of the indentation (39) itself. Such a tablet can be made by a process in which a detergent composition is compacted in a mould by at least one die with an elastomeric surface layer (36) on an area which contacts the composition, which layer (36) is surrounded by a rigid rim (30) which forms the indentation (39).

In a method, a data transmission device and a system for transfer of operating and / or error data originating from a medical examination apparatus from a user of the apparatus to a third-party organization, operating and / or error data of the medical examination apparatus necessary for determination of an operating and / or error state of the medical examination apparatus are initially selected from an accumulation of available data. The selected operating and / or error data are then filtered according to predetermined filter criteria by means of a filter device disposed in a secure area of the user, and the selected and filtered operating and / or error data are then forwarded to a reception device of the third-party organization.

A carbon fiber shell is used to change the appearance or look of a vehicle, such as a motorcycle, and is formed to be non-permanently installed over an existing vehicle component to customize the appearance of a vehicle while still being removable. The carbon fiber shell is molded to match the contours or the shape of the original vehicle component so that, when installed, the shell has the same contours and thus the same physical shape as the original vehicle component. Moreover, the carbon fiber shell is configured to be mounted onto the vehicle using existing mounting brackets, holes or other structure on the vehicle that is provided to mount or secure the original vehicle component, thereby eliminating the need to drill holes into, or apply glue or other adhesives to the original vehicle component. This feature additionally allows the carbon fiber shell to be removed in the same manner as the original vehicle component. The carbon fiber shell may also incorporate lighting effects and may be ordered via a system for customizing the vehicle.

Systems and methods for avoidance of tape flaw or splices in manufacturing are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of applying a tape onto a workpiece includes feeding the tape from a tape supply using a tape application assembly, and applying the tape onto the workpiece using the tape application assembly. Simultaneously with the feeding of the tape, the tape is monitored for a marker indicating a defect within the tape, the marker being spaced apart along the tape from the defect such that the marker arrives prior to the defect. The method further includes detecting the marker, and avoiding the application of a portion of the tape that includes the defect onto the workpiece.

The current technology relates to mining processes and compositions which inhibit the growth of complex scale. More specifically it relates to a process for preventing / inhibiting and / or controlling gypsum scale in aqueous mineral ore slurries, and for inhibiting scale in relatively high solids content environments in industrial mining operations.

The invention provides for a medical apparatus (500, 700, 800) comprising a high intensity focused ultrasound system (506). The medical apparatus further comprises a memory (550) for storing machine executable instructions (560, 562) for execution by a processor (544). Execution of the instructions cause the processor to: receive (100, 200, 304) previous sonication data (522) descriptive of a previous sonication of the subject; construct (102, 202, 306) a thermal property map (554) of the subject using the previous sonication data and a thermoacoustic model (562); determine (104, 204, 308) a maximum energy map (556) using the thermoacoustic model and the thermal property map, wherein the maximum energy is time dependent; display (106, 206, 310) the maximum energy map on a display (672); and receive (108, 208, 312) a selection of at least one thermoacoustic model and thermal property map sonication volume (580, 582) from a user interface (570).

A separator for separating chips in a coolant generated by a workstation from other objects, including a conveyor having an inclined portion removing chips and other objects from the coolant, a separator plate beneath the conveyor including an inclined portion extending parallel to the conveyor having a plurality of generally parallel slots receiving the chips therethrough and enlarged openings adapted to receive the other objects therethrough, and a pump transferring the chips and coolant to a filter.

A method for reducing image burn-in artifacts in an electrophotographic printing system, includes receiving a print job including image data for a set of pages to be printed. The pages are analyzed to determine that the image data for a sequence of pages in the print job are similar. The similar pages are printed using a pattern of lateral translations wherein the image data is laterally translated such that it is printed at a different lateral position on the printed page.

A method for reducing image burn-in artifacts in an electrophotographic printing system, includes receiving a print job including image data for a set of pages to be printed. The pages are analyzed to determine that the image data for a sequence of pages in the print job are similar. The similar pages are printed using a pattern of page orientations including a first page orientation and a second page orientation, wherein the image data for the second page orientation is rotated 180 degrees relative to the image data for the first page orientation.

The current technology relates to mining processes and compositions which inhibit the growth of complex scale. More specifically it relates to a process for preventing / inhibiting and / or controlling gypsum scale in aqueous mineral ore slurries, and for inhibiting scale in relatively high solids content environments in industrial mining operations.

A detecting probe mounting device for fixation in the proximity to a rotating member of a machine is provided. The detecting probe mounting device includes at least two detecting probes with a connecting part and a detecting part for detecting parameters of the machine and / or the rotating member, a probe support structure with one through hole for each detecting probe and with mounting means for mounting each detecting probe at the probe support structure, wherein in a mounted state the connecting part and the detecting part are located on different sides of each through hole, and fixing means for fixing the probe support structure at a predefined position in proximity to the rotating member of the machine, wherein in the fixed state the detecting part of each detecting probe is facing the rotating member.

A resurfacing tool and method of operation for a weld gun lug having a lug face is disclosed. The resurfacing tool may comprise a hollow chip retention housing having a lug entrance, a bushing opening, and a chip retention area. A rotary attachment shaft extends through the lug entrance and rotates relative to the retention housing, driven by a rotary power tool. A cutting head assembly is mounted to the rotary attachment shaft in the retention housing for rotation with the rotary attachment shaft, with the cutting head assembly having a cutting head facing toward the lug entrance. A member defines an alignment bore oriented coaxially relative to the rotary attachment shaft. A guide pin has a lug attachment portion configured to attach to the weld gun lug normal to the cable bolt attachment hole, and a pilot shaft telescopically received in the alignment bore.

A casing for a subsea compressor comprises a main body having a central axis; a plurality of interconnection flanges attached to the main body; wherein the main body comprises an inner layer made of corrosion resistant material; an outer layer applied over the inner layer and made of a composite material; wherein the outer layer extends along the entire length of said main body.