A tethered spacecraft has a first endmass and a second endmass with a telescoping stacer spring and a tether arranged between the endmasses. The spring is coiled around a center rod and initially contained within a housing, the spring being biased to push the first endmass away from the second endmass. The spring housing is affixed to the first endmass, a first end of the spring being affixed to the spring housing, and tether are affixed to spring at one end and to the second endmass at the other end. A pretensioned loop holds the endmasses abuttingly together, and a burnwire release mechanism cuts the loop to deploy the spring. Upon deployment, the spring extends to its full length to form a cylindrical boom, and the endmasses continue to move outward along the spring centerline until stopped by the tether.

A tethered spacecraft has a first endmass and a second endmass with a telescoping stacer spring and a tether arranged between the endmasses. The spring is coiled around a center rod and initially contained within a housing, the spring being biased to push the first endmass away from the second endmass. The spring housing is affixed to the first endmass, a first end of the spring being affixed to the spring housing, and tether are affixed to spring at one end and to the second endmass at the other end. A pretensioned loop holds the endmasses abuttingly together, and a burnwire release mechanism cuts the loop to deploy the spring. Upon deployment, the spring extends to its full length to form a cylindrical boom, and the endmasses continue to move outward along the spring centerline until stopped by the tether.

A cutting apparatus configured to hold an elongate element, such as a ribbon, in a desired orientation as the elongate element is cut into two sections. A cutting element of such a cutting apparatus may be confined to a single orientation relative to that of the elongate element, reducing or eliminating the likelihood of misalignment between the cutting element and the elongate element immediately before the elongate element is cut. In some embodiments, the cutting apparatus, or even its cutting element, may be configured to seal the newly cut ends of the elongate element. Methods for cutting and or sealing elongate elements, such as ribbons, are also disclosed.

A cutting apparatus configured to hold an elongate element, such as a ribbon, in a desired orientation as the elongate element is cut into two sections. A cutting element of such a cutting apparatus may be confined to a single orientation relative to that of the elongate element, reducing or eliminating the likelihood of misalignment between the cutting element and the elongate element immediately before the elongate element is cut. In some embodiments, the cutting apparatus, or even its cutting element, may be configured to seal the newly cut ends of the elongate element. Methods for cutting and or sealing elongate elements, such as ribbons, are also disclosed.

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for repairing an abradable material coated on a casing of a gas turbine engine. The system includes an articulating guide configured to fit into an access port of the gas turbine engine. Further, the articulating guide has a proximal end and a distal end. The system also includes a repair tool configured at a distal end of the articulating guide. The repair tool includes a body having a proximal end and a shaped distal end, with the shaped distal end extending away from the body. Thus, the shaped distal body is configured to trench out an area of the abradable material comprising a defect. The system also includes a filler material for filling the trenched out area.

The present disclosure is directed to a system and method for repairing an abradable material coated on a casing of a gas turbine engine. The system includes an articulating guide configured to fit into an access port of the gas turbine engine. Further, the articulating guide has a proximal end and a distal end. The system also includes a repair tool configured at a distal end of the articulating guide. The repair tool includes a body having a proximal end and a shaped distal end, with the shaped distal end extending away from the body. Thus, the shaped distal body is configured to trench out an area of the abradable material comprising a defect. The system also includes a filler material for filling the trenched out area.

A device for slitting a tubular workpiece into strips includes radially disposed cutting members. The device may include a tapered infeed mandrel for maintaining tension on the tubular workpiece being slit and optionally an exit mandrel. In embodiments, the position of the radially disposed cutting members may be adjustable.

A device for slitting a tubular workpiece into strips includes radially disposed cutting members. The device may include a tapered infeed mandrel for maintaining tension on the tubular workpiece being slit and optionally an exit mandrel. In embodiments, the position of the radially disposed cutting members may be adjustable.

Insulated, load bearing wall panels are machined from a raw foam slab of foam material. The raw foam slab is loaded into a Turcotte sculptor. The Turcotte sculptor is an elegant 36-axis machine that machines the raw foam slab into one or more insulated foam wall panels. The Turcotte sculptor, in particular, may accept very large 18?4?2 feet slabs of foam material. The Turcotte sculptor then individually commands and actuates any of 36 linear actuators to produce the one or more insulated foam wall panels. The Turcotte sculptor, within minutes, simultaneously machines the raw 18?4?2 foam slab into two (2) 9-feet tall wall panels for 9-feet ceilings. The Turcotte sculptor may easily machine other wall sizes. The Turcotte sculptor thus efficiently and quickly volume produces entire one-piece, single-height insulated wall panels at reduced cost and with outstanding energy performance.

Insulated, load bearing wall panels are machined from a raw foam slab of foam material. The raw foam slab is loaded into a Turcotte sculptor. The Turcotte sculptor is an elegant 36-axis machine that machines the raw foam slab into one or more insulated foam wall panels. The Turcotte sculptor, in particular, may accept very large 18?4?2 feet slabs of foam material. The Turcotte sculptor then individually commands and actuates any of 36 linear actuators to produce the one or more insulated foam wall panels. The Turcotte sculptor, within minutes, simultaneously machines the raw 18?4?2 foam slab into two (2) 9-feet tall wall panels for 9-feet ceilings. The Turcotte sculptor may easily machine other wall sizes. The Turcotte sculptor thus efficiently and quickly volume produces entire one-piece, single-height insulated wall panels at reduced cost and with outstanding energy performance.