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The Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB) at the University of Stuttgart developed a flexible pressure roll mechanism for braiding machines, which significantly improves the automated braiding of components with sharp curvatures and widely varying cross-sections without the need for manual intervention. While overbraiding a mandrel the flexible mounting of the pressure rolls allows for adaptation to the mandrel's positioning (e.g. inclined position) and to changes in the cross section. They exert a constant and precisely defined force on the braid and thereby press it against the mandrel.
As part of the automated process, the robot control of the braiding machine coordinates the movement of the pressure rolls. This significantly improves the braiding of components with a variable cross-section and curvatures so that manual intervention is no longer required.

Based on a very thin, high-strength design of the invention the ultrasonic sensor is placed between the teeth of the approximal region, thus reducing the distance significantly. As a result the images posses a very high spatial resolution.
The ultrasonic sensor consists of a metallic base plate with a reinforced frame, made of high-strength pure titanium or a TiAl6V4 alloy. The edges of the frame are rounded to make the insertion in the approximal region more comfortable. The total thickness of the design is limited to a maximum of 0.8 mm. The piezoelectric part is made on a PVDF-film equipped with spacers and shielded by an adjustable cover. The cover allows for a special contact by respecting the safety clearance to the teeth. By removing the cover hydrogel is pumped into the gap to provide acoustic coupling. In addition, it is used for lubrication of the cover movement.

The present invention comprises a buffer memory for combined cycle (CC) power plants, which mitigates the effect of accelerated startup and shutdown of the gas turbine on the heat recovery steam generator. Hence, CC Power Plants are enabled to exploit the full potential of their gas turbines in the growing balancing power market without having to accept increased degradation of the waste heat boiler

Scientist at the Westfälische Wilhelms University of Münster developed the efficient Cu-catalyzed PEN method for the formation of tetra-substituted pyrazoles. In this atomeconomic process, readily available enamines and nitriles are reacted by C-C and N-N bond formation. A broad scope of enamines and nitriles can be utilized in this process.

The invention relates to a sample holder to be used in cryo fluorescence microscopes or to simply and cost effectively upgrade a room temperature fluorescence microscope. The holder solves existing problems regarding thermal and mechanical stability of the sample and allows for a localization accuracy of a few hundred Angstroms.

A new embodiment of a braiding machine was developed at the Institute of Aircraft Design (IFB) of Stuttgart University. It features a thread positioning unit which forms a secondary ring of horn-gears close to the braiding point. This secondary ring moves synchronously with the primary horn-gears of the braiding machine. Therefore, the position of each thread, that is close to the mandrel, is clearly defined. This is a basic requirement for manipulation of specific threads during the braiding process, which in turn permits the automated production of components with highly varying diameters at a constant braid angle.