Oxy-Acetylene Combustion Process

Yield strength, or the yield point, is the stress at which a material begins to deform plastically. Prior to the yield point, the material deforms elastically and will return to its original shape when the applied stress is removed. Once the yield point is passed, some fraction of the deformation will be permanent and non-reversible. It marks the limit of elastic behavior.

Das Hall-Héroult-Verfahren ist das wichtigste industrielle Verfahren zur Aluminiumschmelze. Dabei wird Aluminiumoxid (Al₂O₃) in geschmolzenem Kryolith (Na₃AlF₆) gelöst und das geschmolzene Salzbad elektrolysiert. Aluminiummetall scheidet sich an der Kathode ab, während Sauerstoff aus dem Aluminiumoxid mit der Kohlenstoffanode reagiert und Kohlendioxid erzeugt. Dieses Verfahren machte Aluminium allgemein verfügbar und erschwinglich.

An empirical formula that describes how the available capacity of a battery decreases as the rate of discharge increases. The law is stated as [latex]C_p = I^k t[/latex], where [latex]C_p[/latex] is the capacity at a one-ampere discharge rate, [latex]I[/latex] is the discharge current, [latex]t[/latex] is the discharge time, and [latex]k[/latex] is the Peukert constant, specific to the battery type. It quantifies the inefficiency at high loads.

The properties of an oxy-acetylene flame are controlled by the volumetric ratio of oxygen to acetylene. A neutral flame (ratio ≈ 1.1:1) is standard for steel welding. A carburizing or reducing flame (ratio 1.1:1) has excess oxygen, is hotter, and is used for braze-welding.

Temper embrittlement is a reduction in the toughness of certain alloy steels caused by holding them in, or slowly cooling them through, a specific temperature range (approximately 375–575 °C). This phenomenon is driven by the segregation of impurity elements (e.g., phosphorus, tin, antimony) to the grain boundaries, which weakens the cohesion between grains and promotes intergranular fracture.

For materials that do not have a distinct yield point on their stress-strain curve, like aluminum or high-strength steel, 'proof stress' is the engineering equivalent. It is defined as the stress required to produce a small, specified amount of permanent (plastic) deformation, typically 0.2% of the original gauge length. This value, [latex]\sigma_{0.2}[/latex], is used in design calculations as the material's practical elastic limit.

Ductility is a measure of a material's ability to undergo significant plastic deformation before rupture, often quantified by percent elongation or percent reduction in area. Ductile materials, like steel, show a long plastic region on their stress-strain curve. Brittleness is the opposite; brittle materials, like ceramics or cast iron, fracture with little to no plastic deformation.

Hydrogen embrittlement (HE) is a process where metals, most notably high-strength steels, become brittle and fracture following exposure to hydrogen. Atomic hydrogen diffuses into the metal lattice and reduces its ductility and load-bearing capacity. Key proposed mechanisms include Hydrogen-Enhanced Decohesion (HEDE), which weakens atomic bonds, and Hydrogen-Enhanced Localized Plasticity (HELP), which facilitates dislocation motion and localized failure.

Das Chloralkali-Verfahren ist ein industrielles Verfahren zur Elektrolyse von Natriumchlorid (NaCl), auch Sole genannt. Es ist die Hauptquelle für die Produktion von Chlor (Cl₂), Natriumhydroxid (NaOH) und Wasserstoff (H₂), wichtigen Grundchemikalien. Moderne Verfahren nutzen eine Membranzelle zur Trennung der Anoden- und Kathodenprodukte, um hohe Reinheit und Effizienz zu gewährleisten.

Exothermic welding, also known as thermite welding, is a technique that uses the superheated molten metal from an aluminothermic reaction to create a strong, permanent molecular bond between metal components. The process is self-contained, requiring no external power source. It is most famously used to join sections of railway track into continuous welded rail, creating a smoother and more durable track.

Oxy-fuel cutting, or flame cutting, severs ferrous metals by a rapid, exothermic oxidation process. First, a preheating flame raises the steel's surface to its kindling temperature (approx. 870 °C or 1600 °F). A high-pressure jet of pure oxygen is then directed at the spot, initiating a chemical reaction, [latex]3Fe + 2O_2 \rightarrow Fe_3O_4[/latex], which forms molten iron oxide (slag) and releases heat.

Gas cylinders for oxy-fuel welding store gases or other industrial or medical gases, at very high pressures. A pressure regulator is essential to reduce this to a safe, usable working pressure. A two-stage regulator performs this reduction in two steps, providing a highly constant delivery pressure even as the cylinder pressure drops with use. This ensures a stable flow, thus a stable flame for consistent weld quality.

Acoustic impedance ([latex]Z[/latex]) is a material's intrinsic resistance to acoustic flow, defined as its density ([latex]\rho[/latex]) multiplied by its acoustic velocity ([latex]c[/latex]), so [latex]Z = \rho c[/latex]. The percentage of ultrasonic energy reflected at the boundary between two materials is governed by the difference, or mismatch, in their respective acoustic impedances. This principle is what makes flaw detection possible.

Jidoka, oft übersetzt als „Autonomisierung“ oder „Automatisierung mit menschlicher Note“, ist eine Säule des Toyota-Produktionssystems. Es ermöglicht jeder Maschine und jedem Arbeiter, die gesamte Produktionslinie anzuhalten, sobald eine Anomalie oder ein Defekt erkannt wird. Dies verhindert die Massenproduktion fehlerhafter Teile und zeigt Probleme sofort auf, sodass eine Ursachenanalyse und dauerhafte Lösungen möglich sind.