A vapor provision system comprising: a heating element for generating a vapor from a vapor precursor material; and control circuitry configured to provide power for the heating element for performing a heating operation to generate the vapor and to compare a measurement of a resistance value for the heating element for the heating operation with a baseline resistance value for the heating element for use in detecting a fault condition. The control circuitry is further configured to: establish the baseline resistance value for a first heating operation by making a measurement of a first resistance value for the heating element; and establish the baseline resistance value for a second, subsequent, heating operation by making a measurement of a second resistance value for the heating element if more than a predetermined period of time has elapsed between the first heating operation and the second heating operation, and otherwise using the same baseline resistance value as for the first heating operation.

A method of forming a component includes providing a work-piece blank from a formable material. The method also includes engaging the work-piece blank with a transfer device. The method additionally includes austenitizing the work-piece blank in the transfer device via heating the blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein. The method also includes transferring the austenitized blank to a forming press using the transfer device. The method additionally includes forming the component via the forming press from the austenitized blank and quenching the formed component. A work-piece blank transfer system includes a transfer device having clamping arm(s) for engaging, holding, transferring, and releasing the work-piece blank. The transfer device also includes a heating element configured to austenitize the work-piece blank via heating the blank to achieve austenite microstructure therein. The transfer system additionally includes an electronic controller programmed to regulate the heating element and the clamping arm(s).

A method for operating a glow plug includes controlling a temperature of the glow plug by switching between applying a voltage V.sub.H and applying a voltage V.sub.N<V.sub.H to the glow plug. Applying the voltage V.sub.H and applying the voltage V.sub.N causes a glow plug current to oscillate about a glow plug current threshold. The glow plug current threshold is associated with one of the voltage V.sub.H and the voltage V.sub.N. The method includes monitoring the glow plug current at the one of the voltage V.sub.H and the voltage V.sub.N.

A substrate heating apparatus includes: a plurality of heating lamps disposed on a chuck stage; a window disposed on the chuck stage and including a window base and a central lens, wherein the chuck stage and the window are each configured to support a substrate above the heating lamps; and a mirror disposed between the heating lamps and the chuck stage, the mirror including a mirror base, a central reflector, and an edge reflector, wherein the plurality of heating lamps are configured to heat the substrate by emitting light through the window onto the substrate and emitting light onto the mirror, wherein the mirror is configured to reflect the light through the window onto the substrate, including reflecting portions of the light via the central and edge reflectors, and wherein the central lens is configured to focus the light onto the central portion of the substrate.

Methods and systems for electrically heating and cooling rollers is described. A system may include one or more rollers comprising one or more electrical heating elements and one or more air channels. The one or more electrical heating elements may integrated to a power source and control circuit through an electrical contact on at least one end of the roller. The control circuit may additionally receive input from one or more temperature sensors.

A tunable optical filter includes sequentially coupled Mach-Zehnder (MZ) interferometers. The first and last interferometers are configured to function as variable power splitter/combiner, whereas the middle interferometer or interferometers have unequal optical paths, creating a desired spectral response of the entire filter. The amplitude of the spectral response can be varied by varying the optical power splitting/combining ratios.

A novel low profile heater apparatus and method of manufacture is disclosed, which provides a lower assembly including a first sheet, a heating sheet including at least one heating element, a dielectric sheet, an intermediate sheet and one or more electrical leads configured to supply electrical power to the heating element, the electrical leads extending through a lead sleeve of an upper assembly. The upper assembly includes a top sheet with one or more split sleeves securely attached thereto, thereby forming one or more strain relief assemblies configured to prevent damage to the electrical leads. One or more stitches or coupling features securely attach the upper assembly to the lower assembly. One or more retention device are be used to securely retain the low profile heater apparatus to one or more pipes, tubes or conduits of a plumbing apparatus.

A MEMS-based Wavelength Selectable Switch (WSS), used classically for demultiplexing fiber optic communications, is re-purposed to act as a filter. A light emitter provides a light beam with its wavelength detected by a wavelength detector. A light condenser directs reflected light from the light emitter to an input of the WSS. The WSS is controllable to provide a selected wavelength band to a selected output of the WSS, where it is detected by a photodetector. Other wavelengths are discarded by the WSS at other outputs. A controller is configured to control the WSS to select the selected wavelength band based on a detected wavelength from the wavelength detector.

A heating system for semi-finished metal products is provided. The heating system has a heating group having a positive contact and a negative contact, suitable for being connected to a semi-finished metal product to determine a current flow in the semi-finished metal product during a heating step. A power supply group, connectable to a power supply grid, has at least a first thyristor power controller, a second thyristor power controller and a third thyristor power controller. An input transformer has a primary input transformer side connectable to the power supply grid and a secondary input transformer side connected to the first, second, and third thyristor power controllers. An adaptation apparatus has an adaptation transformer connected in cascade to the first, second, and third thyristor power controllers and an AC-DC converter for converting alternating current from the adaptation transformer into direct current to be supplied between the positive and negative contacts.

The heater assembly includes a case having a heating element therein, a channel extending through the case and having a size and shape for selectively receiving therethrough a first end of an elastomeric fixture outstretched through a substrate to a first length having a first width, and a heat transfer surface positioned relative to the heating element for receiving generated heat therefrom. The heat transfer surface is generally positionable relative to the substrate to cooperate with an adhesively bondable attachment coupled to a second end of the elastomeric fixture opposite the first end and including an uncured bonding agent disposed thereon. The heater assembly and attachment simultaneously sandwich the substrate in compression engagement in between when the elastomeric fixture extends through the substrate into the central channel and relaxes to a second relatively shorter length having a second relatively larger width.