A plasma cutting system for measuring or monitoring the voltage between a plasma torch and the material being cut to determine a voltage or voltage signature and comparing that measurement against predetermined values to indicate that an initial pierce of the material is complete, and based on the measurement, moving the torch or the material to a different location for additional cutting. The system further provides a Fix Drawing Tool, which will automatically detect and fix gaps or overlaps in a drawing that are very difficult to find visually. These gaps and overlaps become a problem when trying to make a proper toolpath because a CAM program requires a clean, closed shape. The system also provides a Dynamic Corner Looping system, which automatically adjusts with the feed-rate and accelerations of the toolpath and plasma machine, eliminates unwanted dross, sharpens corners and minimizes material loss. A pendant tethering system is also disclosed for managing control of a CNC machine remotely. Additional disclosed functionality includes a data collection system, a manual hand wheel with 3D simulation and a multiple fabrication head management system.

An electrically driven construction machine is provided in which, in a case where a plurality of electrically driven construction machines operate simultaneously, it is possible to avoid exceeding the allowable electric power that can be output by the electric power receiving facility of a commercial electric power supply. A controller computes an own demanded power Pd1 for driving the plurality of hydraulic actuators, on the basis of operation signals of the operation devices, computes an allowable power as a power limit value usable by the electric motor on the basis of the own demanded power, the demanded powers of the other electrically driven construction machines received through the communication device, and an allowable electric power of the electric power receiving facility of the commercial electric power supply, and controls the electric motor such that a power consumption of the electric motor does not exceed the allowable power.

Embodiments for power generation include defining a power tile within a power distribution network having a grid of power rails, the power tile having logic gates, and applying an initial power grid pattern from a plurality of power grid patterns for the power tile such that initial power grid pattern relates to timing characteristics of the logic gates of the power tile. The power grid patterns each have a different number of connectors connecting one power rail to another power rail in the grid of power rails. A subsequent power grid pattern is selected from the power grid patterns for the power tile such that the subsequent power grid pattern meets a threshold condition for the timing characteristics of the logic gates of the power tile. The timing characteristics for the logic gates are determined based on a voltage drop associated with the subsequent power grid pattern.

Software for controlling processes in a heterogeneous semiconductor manufacturing environment may include a wafer-centric database, a real-time scheduler using a neural network, and a graphical user interface displaying simulated operation of the system. These features may be employed alone or in combination to offer improved usability and computational efficiency for real time control and monitoring of a semiconductor manufacturing process. More generally, these techniques may be usefully employed in a variety of real time control systems, particularly systems requiring complex scheduling decisions or heterogeneous systems constructed of hardware from numerous independent vendors.

Software for controlling processes in a heterogeneous semiconductor manufacturing environment may include a wafer-centric database, a real-time scheduler using a neural network, and a graphical user interface displaying simulated operation of the system. These features may be employed alone or in combination to offer improved usability and computational efficiency for real time control and monitoring of a semiconductor manufacturing process. More generally, these techniques may be usefully employed in a variety of real time control systems, particularly systems requiring complex scheduling decisions or heterogeneous systems constructed of hardware from numerous independent vendors.

Modular building blocks for building a robotic system, and the method of building the robotic system using the building blocks, are presented. The building block includes a chassis having a first end and a second end, a first connector positioned closer to the second end than the first end of the chassis, either a second connector or a rotational actuator positioned closer to the first end than the second end of the chassis and configured to couple with the first connector, a signal interface on a surface of the chassis, the signal interface including hardware and circuitry for transferring and receiving signals from and to the building block, and a power and control interface on the chassis for receiving power for the building block.

Modular building blocks for building a robotic system, and the method of building the robotic system using the building blocks, are presented. The building block includes a chassis having a first end and a second end, a first connector positioned closer to the second end than the first end of the chassis, either a second connector or a rotational actuator positioned closer to the first end than the second end of the chassis and configured to couple with the first connector, a signal interface on a surface of the chassis, the signal interface including hardware and circuitry for transferring and receiving signals from and to the building block, and a power and control interface on the chassis for receiving power for the building block.

A method and apparatus for managing health of a motor in an aircraft is presented. A first group of motor parameters and a second group of external bias parameters in sensor data received from a sensor system associated with the aircraft in which the first group of motor parameters is for an environment affected by operation of the motor in the aircraft and the second group of external bias parameters modifies an effect of the first motor group of motor parameters in identifying a health of the motor is monitored. The health of the motor is identified based on the first group of motor parameters and the second group of external bias parameters. An action is performed based on the health of the motor identified, wherein a controller enables increasing a confidence level in indicating the health of the motor.

A method and apparatus for managing health of a motor in an aircraft is presented. A first group of motor parameters and a second group of external bias parameters in sensor data received from a sensor system associated with the aircraft in which the first group of motor parameters is for an environment affected by operation of the motor in the aircraft and the second group of external bias parameters modifies an effect of the first motor group of motor parameters in identifying a health of the motor is monitored. The health of the motor is identified based on the first group of motor parameters and the second group of external bias parameters. An action is performed based on the health of the motor identified, wherein a controller enables increasing a confidence level in indicating the health of the motor.

Method for compensating a reference measurement including a measurement of angular position and a measurement of time T1 that are simultaneous at the time t1, for an angular position sensor of the type including a toothed wheel, includes the following steps: determination of a first measurement of corresponding angular position at the moment in time t1 when a reference measurement is desired; triggering of a software acquisition function; substantially simultaneous acquisitions of a second measurement of the angular position and of a measurement T2 of the time by software acquisition at a time t2; estimation of an error T; and calculation of the compensated measurement of time, T1=T2T. A Sensor for measuring angular position, of the type including a toothed wheel, implementing such a compensation method is described.