Methods are disclosed for performing operations such as cleaning, inspection or data acquisition on an external surface of a hollow cylindrical tubular. Preferred embodiments include providing a fluid dispenser and an abrasion assembly on a buggy that travels up and down the length of the tubular as the tubular rotates. The fluid dispenser includes nozzles that dispense cleaning fluids onto the tubular's external surface. The abrasion assembly includes a swivel brush and a brush train providing different styles of abrasion cleaning of the tubular's external surface. Preferred embodiments include robotically monitoring abrader contact against the external surface of the tubular, and, in response, dynamically adjusting the distance between the external surface of the tubular and the abrasion assembly.

A sculptured drum for a retread process that has an inner radial section with a central axis that extends in an axial direction. The sculptured drum has a plurality of support members that extend outward from a drum outer surface in a radial direction and that are located outward from the inner radial section in the radial direction. A tread that has a plurality of grooves is supported by the sculptured drum during a brushing process and pass across the sculptured drum such that some but not all of the grooves have one of the support members disposed therein. The support members when disposed within the grooves do not completely fill the grooves, and when disposed within the grooves engage a lower surface of the tread.

A tire pre-conditioning system includes a first mandrel, a second mandrel spaced apart from the first mandrel, and a controller in communication with the first mandrel and the second mandrel. The first mandrel is fixedly attached to a first shaft and including a first tapered sidewall. The second mandrel is fixedly attached to a second shaft and including a second tapered sidewall. The controller is operable to axially move the first mandrel and the second mandrel toward one another until the first and second tapered sidewalls are opposing respective beads of a tire, and supply pressurized fluid into an internal cavity of the tire to inflate the tire. The inflating causing the beads to move relative to the mandrels while contacting the opposing respective tapered sidewalls to burnish the beads of the tire.

A method for manufacturing a fastening element including a step of producing a blank of the fastening element including a head and a shank connected to each other, followed by a step of forming an impression in the head, the forming step including an operation of machining the impression, carried out with a cutting member and an operation of matting a target surface of the impression carried out with a matting member.

A method for manufacturing a fastening element including a step of producing a blank of the fastening element including a head and a shank connected to each other, followed by a step of forming an impression in the head, the forming step including an operation of machining the impression, carried out with a cutting member and an operation of matting a target surface of the impression carried out with a matting member.

A system for polishing an outer surface of a specimen, the system including a motor and a rotatable shaft extending from a first end of the motor, wherein the specimen is removably attachable to the rotatable shaft, a safety cover configured to at least partially surround at least a portion of the rotatable shaft, wherein the safety cover includes a top panel, a first side panel and a second side panel spaced from each other across a width of the safety cover and extending downwardly from the top panel, and at least one aperture extending through at least one of the first and second side panels. The system further includes an abrasive material insertable through the at least one aperture so that the abrasive material is positionable to contact the outer surface of the specimen.

A system for polishing an outer surface of a specimen, the system including a motor and a rotatable shaft extending from a first end of the motor, wherein the specimen is removably attachable to the rotatable shaft, a safety cover configured to at least partially surround at least a portion of the rotatable shaft, wherein the safety cover includes a top panel, a first side panel and a second side panel spaced from each other across a width of the safety cover and extending downwardly from the top panel, and at least one aperture extending through at least one of the first and second side panels. The system further includes an abrasive material insertable through the at least one aperture so that the abrasive material is positionable to contact the outer surface of the specimen.

A polishing pad (1) is provided with higher polishing efficiency for polishing an outer circumferential edge part (3d, 3e) of a disc-shaped wafer (3). An unpolished part is less likely to occur during a polishing process with the polishing pad (1), and the polished wafer (3) is cleanable easily. In the polishing pad (1), a polishing surface is formed of a polishing body, and the polishing body includes a base material and polishing particles. The base material is composed of a binder resin and fibers and has a plurality of pores formed therein. The polishing particles are retained in the base material or in the pores and are diamond particles. The polishing pad (1) has a durometer hardness in a range from 16 to 27, a density in a range from 0.58 to 0.81 g/cm.sup.3, and an elastic modulus in a range from 21.5 to 37.5 N/mm.sup.2.

A polishing pad (1) is provided with higher polishing efficiency for polishing an outer circumferential edge part (3d, 3e) of a disc-shaped wafer (3). An unpolished part is less likely to occur during a polishing process with the polishing pad (1), and the polished wafer (3) is cleanable easily. In the polishing pad (1), a polishing surface is formed of a polishing body, and the polishing body includes a base material and polishing particles. The base material is composed of a binder resin and fibers and has a plurality of pores formed therein. The polishing particles are retained in the base material or in the pores and are diamond particles. The polishing pad (1) has a durometer hardness in a range from 16 to 27, a density in a range from 0.58 to 0.81 g/cm.sup.3, and an elastic modulus in a range from 21.5 to 37.5 N/mm.sup.2.

A method for testing a vehicle includes designing a tire that has a runout as a function of an angular position of the tire that induces a desired vibration in a vehicle when the tire operates on the vehicle. The method also includes performing a test on the vehicle while operating the vehicle with the tire having the design that induces a desired vibration in a vehicle.