Abstract: A filament guide that guides thermoplastic filament to an object being manufactured. A deposition head comprising the disclosed filament guide provides a filament to the intended deposition point. The filament guide comprises a guide member having a filament groove configured to guide the filament along a path of travel. The groove has an upstream end that is configured to receive the filament from a source and a downstream end that is configured to direct the filament toward the deposition point in the intended direction. A notch at the downstream end of the guide member enables the filament to travel toward the deposition point. The portions of the guide member on either side of the notch act to keep the filament centered laterally. A plate that is transparent to electromagnetic radiation from a heat source covers the groove and permits the electromagnetic radiation to reach the filament while providing added support.

Abstract: A device and corresponding method for depositing a powder bed on a surface (1) is provided. The device comprises a deposition module (2) configured in order to scan the surface while delivering the powder onto the surface. The deposition module has at least one electromagnetic-response probe (5) capable of analysing a delivered portion (6) of the powder bed. The invention finds an application in sintering or selective laser melting machines.

Abstract: A roller device for use in an automated fiber placement process for creating composite parts on a contoured tool. A helical spring provides a bendable axle, and a roller cover fits over the spring axle. A tension mechanism is arranged through the spring axle along a centerline axis, and is adjustable to control a bendability of the spring axle so as to more closely conform to particular contours of the tool. The tension mechanism may include a cable extending through the spring axle, a threaded portion at an end of the cable, and a screw received within the threaded portion and turnable to adjust a length of the tension mechanism and thereby adjust the bendability of the spring axle. The tension mechanism may be adjustable manually, semi-manually with a motor controlled by a user, or automatically with a motor controlled by an electronic controller.

Abstract: A spiral pipe (9) is formed by joining edges of adjacent turns of a strip member (90) while helically winding the strip member using a pipe-making apparatus. A propulsive reaction force for moving in a winding direction of the strip member is imparted to a following strip portion (92) or a preceding spiral pipe portion (91) of the strip member by a propulsive reaction force imparting portion of the pipe-making apparatus. The following strip portion follows a preceding spiral pipe portion that has already been made into a pipe. A resisting force in a direction opposite to the propulsive reaction force is imparted to the strip member along the winding direction by a friction between a resisting force imparting portion and the strip member generated while the strip member is moved forward. In this arrangement, a diameter limiting frame can be omitted, and thereby, the pipe-making apparatus can be downsized.

Abstract: A polymeric material that is capable of being employed as a build material and/or support material in a three-dimensional printer system is provided. The polymeric material is formed from a thermoplastic composition containing a continuous phase that includes a matrix polymer. A microinclusion additive and nanoinclusion additive are dispersed within the continuous phase in the form of discrete domains.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an antibacterial container, the method including: reacting allyl chloride with potassium thiocyanate by stirring the allyl chloride and the potassium thiocyanate; mixing a compound resulting from the reaction with a vegetable oil; mixing and melting a PP pellet with the mixture; and injection-molding the melt, wherein the allyl chloride is reacted with the potassium thiocyanate at 150 to 200 RPM for 10 to 36 hours.

Abstract: A method for producing a multi-layer bus bar unit includes preparing a plurality of metal flat plate-shaped bus bars, each with electrode terminal parts at two or more locations, depositing a coating film over an entire surface of each bus bar by electrodeposition coating, subjecting a coating film of a predetermined bus bar to a heating treatment so that the coating film is completely cured, subjecting another bus bar to a heat treatment so that the bus bar is semi-cured, and obtaining a multi-layer structure by alternately overlapping, and then subjecting to a pressure and heating treatment, the bus bar with the completely-cured coating film and the bus bar with the semi-cured coating film, so that the semi-cured coating film is completely cured and the plurality of bus bars adhere to each other by the completely-cured coating film.

Abstract: A compact apparatus for atomisation of fluid samples comprises a sonotrode (11), placed so that an ultrasonic wave emitted by the sonotrode is directed through a channel (25) in a separate channel device (21) and reflected by from the interface (26) in a high-low impedance transition zone (Tz), so that a standing wave is formed within the channel. A positive air flow through the channel, driven by a pressure differential at each end of the channel, interacts with the working fluid or slurry being delivered by a fluid delivery device (30) to atomise it. The speed of the air flow and the dispersal, homogeneity, and size of particles in the slurry sample can be controlled by varying the shape of the channel outlet.

Abstract: Provided is a pneumatic tire which has both improved driving stability performance on a dry road surface and improved on-snow performance. A pneumatic tire has defined on the tread first lands and second lands. The first lands and the second lands are provided with recesses. The recesses include first recesses provided in first edges of the first lands, and also include second recesses provided in second edges of the second lands. The second recesses are provided so as not to intersect projection regions formed by projecting the first recesses onto the second edges in the axial direction of the tire.

Abstract: A tire includes a circumferential tread, a pair of beads, and a pair of sidewalls. The tire further includes a plurality of circumferential belts disposed below the circumferential tread and extending in an axial direction. The plurality of circumferential belts include a lower belt and an upper belt. The tire also includes at least one gum strip. The at least one gum strip has a first portion in contact with a top surface of the lower belt and a bottom surface of the upper belt. The at least one gum strip has a second portion disposed below the lower belt.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure are directed to a toolset configured to fabricate a component of an aircraft, the toolset comprising: a mold base configured to seat at least one mandrel, a mold lid configured to be coupled to the mold base, and at least one driver block that is integral with the mold lid and projects from an interior surface of the mold lid.

Abstract: In sterile, additive manufacturing wherein one lamella is successively built upon an underlying lamella until an object is completed, a sterile manufacturing environment is provided. A major chamber large enough to accommodate the manufactured object has sterile accordion pleated sidewalls and a sterile top closed with flap valves. A minor chamber for supporting the nozzles positioned above the major chamber has similar valves in corresponding positions. Nozzles for material deposition penetrate the pair of valves to block air and particles from entry into the major chamber where the nozzles make layer by layer deposition of the object using XY areawise nozzle motion relative to the object as well as Z nozzle vertical motion with the major chamber expanding as the object is formed.

Abstract: An intelligent continuous manufacturing method via liquid cooling of dripping pills comprises the following steps: (1) feeding: weighing and transferring multiple materials respectively; (2) material combining: performing staged heating on the materials transferred in step (1), and mixing the same to obtain a material mixture, wherein an RSD of an effective ingredient in the material mixture ?5%; (3) homogenizing: pressurizing the material mixture obtained in step (2), and increasing the temperature, so as to obtain a homogenized material having the RSD of the effective ingredient in the material mixture ?5%; (4) dripping: performing vibration dripping on the homogenized material obtained in step (3) to obtain dripping pills, delivering the dripping pills into a cooling liquid to be cooled and then transferred; and (5) de-oiling: removing the cooling liquid on surfaces of the dripping pills obtained in step (4) via tilting centrifugation.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing composite build material composition includes a polymer particle and an inorganic particle. The polymer particle is an aliphatic polyamide. The inorganic particle has an average particle size ranging from about 1 ?m to about 100 ?m. A mass ratio of the polymer particle to the inorganic particle in the composite build material composition ranges from about 5:2 to about 1:3.

Abstract: A method 100 for generating and dispensing a powdered 60 release agent during an additive manufacturing build is disclosed. A solid body 28 of release agent material is ground insitu by a grinder 50 and dispensed on a surface of the part 72 to prevent adhesion of an adjacent layer of a base material 70. With the addition of the powdered 60 release agent, a support structure 76 is easily separated from the base material 70 when the part 72 is complete, saving time and preventing the part 72 from sustaining unintentional damage. Since no powdered 60 release agent is actually loaded or stored in the apparatus 20, the potential for spillage, waste, inconsistent dispensing, inadvertent dispensing, and clumping due to humidity is eliminated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing polishing articles used in polishing processes are provided. In one implementation, a method of forming a polishing pad is provided. The method comprises depositing an uncured first layer of a pad forming photopolymer on a substrate. The method further comprises positioning a first optical mask over the first layer of the uncured pad forming photopolymer. The first optical mask includes a patterned sheet of material having at least one aperture. The method further comprises exposing the uncured first layer of the pad forming photopolymer to electromagnetic radiation to selectively polymerize exposed portions of the uncured first layer of the pad forming photopolymer to form pad-supporting structures within the first layer of pad forming photopolymer.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions of a fused filament fabrication (FFF) composite filament having embedded functional materials in a thermoplastic matrix. Methods of making the composite filaments are also disclosed. In one example, a FFF composite filament incorporates a MOF, in an amount greater than 10% by mass, dispersed in a matrix polymer. One example of a method of synthesizing FFF composite filaments involves mixing a suspension that has a MOF with a matrix polymer solution to yield a polymer-MOF mixture. The mixture is cast and dried into a solid composite material, which is formed a FFF composite filament having the MOF in an amount greater than 10% by mass.

Abstract: Methods for forming a ceramic matrix composite from a melt infiltrated and melt extracted preform that has residual silicon within open pore channels therein are provided. The method may include: introducing a carbon yielding resin into the open pore channels; heating the preform to produce elemental carbon from the carbon yielding resin within the open pore channels; and further heating the elemental carbon to react with the residual silicon to form SiC within the open pore channels to form the ceramic matrix composite.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing discrete portions (19; 119) comprises: an advancement device for advancing a flexible material (4; 102) along a path (P1); a cutting device (18) positioned along said path (P1) for cutting the flexible material (4; 102) so as to obtain a discrete portion (19; 119), the cutting device (18) comprising a laser source (20) configured to emit a laser beam (21) incident on a rear face (7; 107), opposite a printed front face (5; 105), of the flexible material (4; 102); a retaining device (22) for retaining the flexible material (4; 102) while the cutting device (18) cuts the discrete portion (19; 119) from the flexible material (4; 102).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a seamless, non-wicking containment bladder includes providing yarn materials, coating the yarn materials with a precursor protective coating, loading the yarn materials into an additive manufacturing process, depositing the yarn materials in pre-selected amounts and locations to form a desired structure, forming and heat-setting, and coating the seamless bladder.