A method for controlling a start of a metalworking operation. The method includes detecting an initial contact between a wire being fed from a welding apparatus and a workpiece and, in response to the detection, halting feeding of the wire from the welding apparatus. The method further includes activating a high energy heat source configured to heat a tip of the wire and resuming the feeding of the wire from the welding apparatus when the tip of the wire is heated by the high energy heat source to a plastic state. The feeding of the wire is resumed by measuring a force feedback from the wire contacting the workpiece. An apparatus for implementing the method is also disclosed.

A material processing system includes an oven that cooks or bakes, with electrical resistance, dough contained within containers. The oven can include a frame defining, devices mounted, in a preselected pattern, on the frame for a reciprocal movement in a vertical direction during use of the system, each device configured to connect voltage to a respective container so as to cook or bake the dough with the electrical resistance, and one or more powered members configured to move the devices in the vertical direction. Conveyors are also provided to convey a plurality of rows of containers with a plurality of containers in each row along a material conveyance path, the conveyors disposed in a series with each other and with the oven along the material conveyance path, one of the conveyors disposed within the oven so as to position a batch of the containers in an alignment with the devices.

An electronic cigarette includes a shell and a mouthpiece. The external wall of the shell has an air inlet. An atomizer and a liquid-supply are in contact with each other. The air inlet, atomizer, and an aerosol passage are interconnected.

A metallic film includes: a top side; a flat electrical conductor; and a base insulation layer configured to attach the flat electrical conductor to the top side, the base insulation layer having: a cover layer covering the conductor in an electrically insulating manner. The film has at least one edge region without the electrical conductor and without either the base insulation layer or the cover layer, and the combined total thickness (D) of the electrical conductor, the base insulation layer and the cover layer, is less than 80 μm.

A heating circuit for an energy storage device having a core with an electrolyte, inputs, a capacitance across the electrolyte and the core, and internal surface capacitance between inputs which can store electric field energy between internal electrodes of the energy storage device that are coupled to the inputs, including: a power supply coupled to an input, the power supply provides positive and negative input currents to one input, the positive input current flows in to the input and the negative input current flows out of another input; and a controller that switches between the positive and negative input currents to provide the positive input current and the negative input current to the one of the inputs at a frequency sufficient to effectively short the internal surface capacitance of the energy storage device to generate heat and raise a temperature of the electrolyte.

A heating circuit for an energy storage device having a core with an electrolyte, inputs, a capacitance across the electrolyte and the core, and internal surface capacitance between inputs which can store electric field energy between internal electrodes of the energy storage device that are coupled to the inputs, including: a power source coupled to one of the inputs, wherein the power source provides positive and negative input currents to the input, the positive input current flows in to one of the inputs and the negative input current flows out another of the inputs; and a controller for controlling the power source to provide alternating between the positive and negative input currents to the input at a frequency sufficient to effectively short the internal surface capacitance of the energy storage device to generate heat and raise a temperature of the electrolyte.

Apparatus is provided for metallurgical heat treatment of coil springs, or similarly shaped workpieces and articles of manufacture, by electric resistance heating along the entire length of the workpiece so that the ends of the workpiece can be heat treated to the same degree and quality as the section of the workpiece between its two ends.

The present invention relates to a rapid low-temperature self-heating method and device for a battery. Active controllable large-current lossless short-circuit self-heating cooperates with an external heater to implement rapid composite heating, so that a battery is rapidly heated in a low-temperature environment and is controlled to fall within an optimal working temperature interval, so as to improve energy utilization of the battery and durability of a battery system. Before the battery system is started, battery temperature is first determined; when the temperature is less than a threshold, an external short-circuit is first proactively triggered to generate a large current to implement self-heating inside the battery. The method is simple, easy to implement, and safe and reliable, and can effectively resolve a problem that an electric vehicle has large capacity degradation and poor working performance in a low-temperature severe cold working condition.

An electronic cigarette includes a shell and a mouthpiece. The external wall of the shell has an air inlet. An atomizer and a liquid-supply are in contact with each other. The air inlet, atomizer, and an aerosol passage are interconnected.

An electronic cigarette includes a shell and a mouthpiece. The external wall of the shell has an air inlet. An atomizer and a liquid-supply are in contact with each other. The air inlet, atomizer, and an aerosol passage are interconnected.