A method of structuring and/or thinning a semiconductor wafer having a plurality of functional chip sites includes forming one or more semiconductor devices in a device region of each functional chip site at a frontside of the semiconductor wafer, and forming an electrode at one of the frontside or a backside of the semiconductor wafer. The side of the semiconductor wafer at which the electrode is formed is structured by applying voltage pulses between the electrode and a tool electrode positioned above the semiconductor wafer as part of an electrical discharge machining (EDM) process before the electrode is removed by the EDM process, and between the tool electrode and an intrinsic conductive layer formed on the side of the semiconductor wafer being structured after the electrode is removed by the EDM process.

A rotary valve with increased resistance to degradation that can include, a manifold with multiple flow paths, a rotary actuator rotatably mounted within the valve, and a valve seat that is fixedly attached to the manifold, with an end (or component) of the rotary actuator made from silicon carbide diamond (ScD) and the end having a first surface. The valve seat can have a second surface that sealingly engages the first surface. Manufacturing a rotary valve can include combining diamond particles in a press with silicon and applying temperature and pressure to produce a piece of ScD. Interposing a compound between the piece and a structure and brazing them by heating the compound between 700-1200 degrees Celsius. Forming ports and flow paths in the piece by machining the piece with an Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) tool.

A rotary valve with increased resistance to degradation that can include, a manifold with multiple flow paths, a rotary actuator rotatably mounted within the valve, and a valve seat that is fixedly attached to the manifold, with an end (or component) of the rotary actuator made from silicon carbide diamond (ScD) and the end having a first surface. The valve seat can have a second surface that sealingly engages the first surface. Manufacturing a rotary valve can include combining diamond particles in a press with silicon and applying temperature and pressure to produce a piece of ScD. Interposing a compound between the piece and a structure and brazing them by heating the compound between 700-1200 degrees Celsius. Forming ports and flow paths in the piece by machining the piece with an Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM) tool.

An electro-discharge machining (EDM) device comprises a housing, an erosion electrode, a ground electrode, and a dielectric inlet. The housing is configured to be positioned on a surface of a workpiece and proximal to a fastener to be eroded. The planar erosion electrode is positioned at least partially within the housing, with the erosion electrode being movable relative to the housing in a first axis. The first axis is substantially normal to a longitudinal axis of the fastener.

The ground electrode is conductively connected to the fastener. The dielectric inlet is configured to deliver a dielectric fluid to a region between the erosion electrode and the fastener.

A multi-axis flexure device can include a first support base, a second support base, and a central coupler. The multi-axis flexure device can also include a first flexure device rotatably coupling the first support base and the central coupler to one another to facilitate rotation about a first axis, and a second flexure device rotatably coupling the second support base and the central coupler to one another to facilitate rotation about a second axis. Each flexure device can include a first flexure, a second flexure, and a flexure coupler coupled to the first and second flexures. The first flexure of the first flexure device can be coupled to the first support base to facilitate relative rotation between the first support base and the flexure coupler of the first flexure device about the first axis. The second flexure of the first flexure device can be coupled to the central coupler to facilitate relative rotation between the central coupler and the flexure coupler of the first flexure device about the first axis. The first flexure of the second flexure device can be coupled to the second support base to facilitate relative rotation between the second support base and the flexure coupler of the second flexure device about the second axis. The second flexure of the second flexure device can be coupled to the central coupler to facilitate relative rotation between the central coupler and the flexure coupler of the second flexure device about the second axis.

A machine learning device, performing machine learning for adjusting a position and a length of a welding part when a core is welded to a workpiece in a wire electric discharge machine, acquires the position and the length of the welding part as state data; sets reward conditions; calculates a reward based on the state data and the reward conditions; performs the machine learning of the adjustment; determines and outputs an adjustment target and its adjustment amounts based on the state data and a result of the machine learning; performs the machine learning of the adjustment based on the output adjustment action, the state data acquired based on the recalculated position and the recalculated length of the welding part, and the reward based on the state data; and outputs an optimum position of the welding part, the reward conditions being set as a positive or negative reward.

A machine learning device, performing machine learning for adjusting a position and a length of a welding part when a core is welded to a workpiece in a wire electric discharge machine, acquires the position and the length of the welding part as state data; sets reward conditions; calculates a reward based on the state data and the reward conditions; performs the machine learning of the adjustment; determines and outputs an adjustment target and its adjustment amounts based on the state data and a result of the machine learning; performs the machine learning of the adjustment based on the output adjustment action, the state data acquired based on the recalculated position and the recalculated length of the welding part, and the reward based on the state data; and outputs an optimum position of the welding part, the reward conditions being set as a positive or negative reward.

A method of forming a medical device contact element includes annealing an elongated rod of Ti-15Mo alloy material to form an annealed rod having a Young's Modulus of less than 13.5 Mpsi and an elastic range or strain of at least 0.7%. Then forming a contact ring element from the annealed rod and assembling the contact ring element into a medical device. Contact rings and lead receptacles including the same are also described.

A method of forming a medical device contact element includes annealing an elongated rod of Ti-15Mo alloy material to form an annealed rod having a Young's Modulus of less than 13.5 Mpsi and an elastic range or strain of at least 0.7%. Then forming a contact ring element from the annealed rod and assembling the contact ring element into a medical device. Contact rings and lead receptacles including the same are also described.

A method of polishing a surface of an object disposed within a gas chamber is provided. The method includes filling the gas chamber with a discharging medium to a predefined pressure, applying a voltage between an electrode and the surface, calibrating a height of the electrode relative to the surface so as to establish electrical breakdown threshold criteria, and scanning the electrode with respect to the surface so as to sequentially position the electrode over a plurality of locations on the surface, each location characterized by a surface error. When a respective location in the plurality of locations has a surface error that meets the electrical breakdown threshold criteria, electrical breakdown occurs, whereby the electrical breakdown results in a discharging pulse that polishes the surface.