1. An apparatus for forming a powder material into a solid form through the application of pressure, comprising:
a die;
a lower compression punch insertable into a lower end of said die, said compression punch having a ceramic-tipped center pin passing therethrough where the ceramic reduces the wear of said outer surface of said center pin;
powder material for filling at least a portion of the cavity defined by said die, said lower compression punch and said center pin; and
an upper compression punch, insertable into an upper end of said die to compact the powder material.
2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1, wherein the center pin comprises a base of a rigid material, and a tip of a ceramic material.
3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said rigid material of said base of said center pin is pre-hardened steel.
4. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said ceramic material of said center pin tip is zirconia ceramic material.
5. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said center pin further comprises a mandrel arbor disposed within and positively engaged with said tip of said center pin.
6. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said mandrel arbor is fastened to said base by an interference fit between said mandrel arbor and a hole disposed within said base.
7. The apparatus as recited in claim 6, wherein said interference fit is a shrinkage fit.
8. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said mandrel arbor is fastened to said base by a retainer pin inserted in coaxially aligned holes in said base and said mandrel arbor.
9. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said mandrel arbor is fastened to said base by an adhesive.
10. The apparatus as recited in claim 5, wherein said mandrel arbor further comprises a square head engaged in a counterbore disposed in the end of said tip.
11. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said base further comprises a shoulder, and a shaft outwardly extending from said shoulder; and said tip comprises a hollow sleeve having an inside diameter; and wherein said shaft of said base is slidably fitted within said inside diameter of said tip.
12. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said tip is affixed to said shaft of said base by brazing.
13. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said tip is affixed to said shaft of said base by an interference fit.
14. The apparatus as recited in claim 10, wherein said tip is affixed to said shaft of said base by an adhesive.
15. The apparatus as recited in claim 2, wherein said tip further comprises a shoulder, and a shaft outwardly extending from said shoulder; and said base has a hole extending therein having an inside diameter; and wherein said shaft of said tip is slidably fitted within said inside diameter of said hole.
16. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said shaft of said tip is affixed to said base by brazing.
17. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said shaft of said tip is affixed to said base by an interference fit.
18. The apparatus as recited in claim 15, wherein said shaft of said tip is affixed to said base by an adhesive.
19. A method of manufacturing a compression center pin for use in a punch and die powder compaction apparatus, comprising the steps of:
forming a center pin base of a rigid material);
forming a center pin tip of a ceramic material; and
affixing the center pin tip to the center pin base.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein the step of affixing the center pin tip to the center pin base includes brazing the ceramic to the rigid material.
21. The method of claim 20, wherein the center pin base is formed with a shoulder and reduced diameter shaft that is inserted into a hollow of the ceramic center pin tip and brazed thereto.
22. The method of claim 20, wherein the center pin tip is formed with a shoulder and reduced diameter shaft extending therefrom that is inserted into a hollow of the center pin base and brazed thereto.
23. The method of claim 19, wherein the center pin tip is formed with a shoulder and reduced diameter, tapered shaft extending therefrom and having the largest diameter at the end thereof, and where that tapered shaft is inserted into a hollow of the center pin base when the base is being heated, such that once the base is cooled, the tapered shaft is retained within the hollow and affixed thereto.
24. The method of claim 19, wherein the center pin tip is formed of a ceramic sleeve that has a mandrel arbor passing therethrough and extending beyond the ceramic sleeve, where the diameter of the mandrel arbor is of such a size so as to be in interference fit with a hollow in the center pin base, such that when the base is being heated, the diameter of the hollow increases to allow the arbor to be inserted therein, but when the base is cooled the interference fit causes the arbor to be retained within the hollow and the ceramic sleeve is thereby affixed to the center pin base.
25. The method of claim 19, wherein said center pin tip is formed of a ceramic sleeve that has a mandrel arbor passing therethrough and extending beyond said ceramic sleeve; and wherein said base is formed with a hollow therein; and wherein the diameter of said mandrel arbor is of such a size so as to be in interference fit with said hollow in said center pin base; wherein said method further comprises the steps of heating said base to a temperature of between 600 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, inserting said arbor into said hollow in said base, and cooling said arbor, said base, and said center pin tip to a temperature of less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
26. The method of claim 19, wherein said rigid material of said center pin base is pre-hardened steel.
27. The method of claim 19, wherein said ceramic material of said center pin tip is zirconia ceramic material.
28. The method of claim 19, further comprising the step of applying an adhesive to at least one of said center pin tip and said center pin base.
29. A method of repairing a compression center pin, having a center pin tip and a center pin base, for use in a punch and die powder compaction apparatus, comprising the steps of:
removing a center pin tip from a center pin base;
replacing the center pin tip with a ceramic material and
affixing the center pin tip to the center pin base.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said center pin comprises a base joined to a tip by brazing, and wherein said said step of removing said center pin tip from said center pin base further comprises the steps of heating said compression center pin to a temperature of between 600 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit, and slidably removing said center pin tip from said center pin base.
31. The method of claim 30, wherein the said step of affixing the center pin tip to the center pin base further comprises the steps of brazing the center pin tip to the center pin base, and cooling said compression center pin to a temperature of less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
32. The method of claim 29, wherein said center pin comprises a base joined to a tip by an interference fit, and wherein said step of removing said center pin tip from said center pin base further comprises the steps of heating said compression center pin to a temperature of between 600 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit and slidably removing said center pin tip from said center pin base.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the said step of affixing the center pin tip to the center pin base further comprises the steps of heating said base to a temperature of between 600 and 1000 degrees Fahrenheit inserting said center pin tip into said base, and cooling said mandrel arbor, said compression center pin to a temperature of less than 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
34. The method of claim 32, wherein said center pin tip is fabricated from a material selected from the group consisting of zirconia, alumina, and mixtures thereof.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A computer-implemented method for managing translation settings information comprising:
receiving a translation request;
receiving translation settings information;
performing a translation; and
saving the translation settings information.
2. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the translation is a data import.
3. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein the translation is a data export.
4. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising presenting a menu of translation settings information.
5. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein said translation settings information is comprised of a selection a subset of data to translate.
6. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein said translation settings information is comprised of one or more data formatting settings.
7. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein said translation settings information is comprised of one or more data transformation settings.
8. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, wherein said translation settings information is comprised of one or more data field delimiter settings.
9. A computer-implemented method as defined in claim 1, further comprising using the translation specification in conjunction with performing one or more subsequent translations.
10. A system for saving and using translation settings information comprising:
an IO module for receiving user input, and displaying translation settings information and translation results;
an importation module for importing data and saving importation settings information;
an exportation module for exporting data and saving exportation settings information; and
an execution module for executing translations using saved translation settings information.
11. A system as defined in claim 10, further comprising a log module for s a v i n g settings information from recent translations.
12. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said execution module allows management of saved translation settings information.
13. A system as defined in claim 10, wherein said execution module allows exportation of saved translation settings information to another application.
14. A system as defined in claim 13, wherein said another application allows scheduling one or more translations using said saved translation settings information.
15. A computer readable medium accessible to a computing system and encoding a computer program for creating a translation specification comprising:
receiving a translation request;
receiving translation settings information;
performing a translation; and
saving said translation settings information.
16. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, further comprising presenting a menu of translation specifications for selection and manipulation.
17. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, further comprising using the translation specification in conjunction with performing one or more subsequent translations.
18. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein said saving translation settings information is performed in response to a request from a user.
19. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 15, wherein said saving translation settings information is performed automatically.
20. A computer readable medium as defined in claim 19, wherein said saved translation settings information is maintained or deleted based on frequency of usage.