Abstract: A fibrous body manufacturing method includes: a first supplying step of supplying a first raw material containing a first fiber group; a second supplying step of supplying a second raw material containing a second fiber group and a binder, the second fiber group having a length-average fiber length not less than a length-average fiber length of the first fiber group, the binder being configured to bond fibers together; a forming step of forming a first deposited material by depositing a first mixed material containing the first raw material and the second raw material; and a bonding step of bonding first fibers of the first fiber group and second fibers of the second fiber group that are contained in the first deposited material together using the binder to form a first fibrous body.

Abstract: In one example, an additive manufacturing system. An unsealed air supply enclosure for clean air is maintained at a first pressure above an ambient air pressure to inhibit unfiltered ambient air from leaking into the enclosure. An unsealed processing chamber is maintained at a second pressure below the ambient air pressure to inhibit processing chamber air from leaking out of the processing chamber. An air pathway is disposed between the air supply enclosure and the processing chamber to provide clean air from the air supply enclosure to the processing chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for making nonwoven has a mesh belt moving in a horizontal direction and upstream and downstream spinnerets spaced apart in the direction above the belt and having downwardly opening tips at respective vertical spacings above the belt and each emitting fibers that are deposited at locations on the belt directly below the spinnerets to form thereon respective nonwoven layers. A support carrying the belt can be moved vertically and pivoted to orient the belt into a position forming an acute angle with respect to horizontal and thereby vary the spacings.

Abstract: A refuse vehicle comprising a chassis, a body assembly coupled to the chassis, the body assembly defining a refuse compartment, and a thermal event monitoring system comprising a sampling element configured to detect a thermal event associated with the refuse vehicle indicating at least one of a fire or an overheating component and transmit a notification in response to detecting the thermal event.

Abstract: An intake manifold for an additive manufacturing system includes a body defining a flow channel therein. The body includes an inlet end defining an inlet configured to intake gas and/or particles from a build area of the additive manufacturing system, and an outlet end defining an outlet that is fluidly connected to the inlet through the flow channel. The outlet is configured to be in fluid communication with an uptake manifold of the additive manufacturing system. The intake manifold also includes at least one mount extending from the outlet end of the body that is configured to rotatably mount the body to the uptake manifold.

Abstract: A bottling apparatus (200) in aseptic conditions of containers (100) made of a thermoplastic material, comprising: a stretching rod (5) partially located in a contamination-controlled environment (3) isolated from an external environment (4); a linear motor (6) comprising a cylindrical stator (7) and a rotor (8) integrally connected to the stretching rod (5); a first support (107) and a second support (207) for the rotor (8), arranged at opposite ends of the cylindrical stator (7) and integrally connected thereto, in each of the supports (107, 207) at least one passage (707, 807; 107a, 207a) being obtained to allow a sanitising fluid to pass through a separation volume (30) defined between the cylindrical stator (7) and the rotor (8).

Abstract: A collector device of a non-woven fabric manufacturing apparatus electrostatically attracts and stacks fibers charged at a first electrical polarity on a front surface of a base sheet. The collector device comprises an electrode disposed to face a back surface of the base sheet at a distance, the electrode is supplied with a voltage having a second electrical polarity opposite to the first electrical polarity or grounded, and a plurality of charge holding members positioned between the base sheet and the electrode. The charge holding members serially come in contact with and get away from the back surface of the base sheet at random.

Abstract: A substrate manufacturing facility includes a lower molding plate and an upper molding plate. A resin supply tray provides resin powder to a top surface of the lower molding plate. The lower and upper molding plates may compress a substrate and the resin powder. The upper molding plate has multiple apertures. The apertures are densely formed on a front side of the upper molding plate. The front side of the upper molding plate contacts the substrate. The apertures have diameters smaller than diameters of the resin powder. The substrate manufacturing facility includes a vacuum pump, a ventilator, a conduit, a controller, and valves. The substrate manufacturing facility can adsorb a circuit board using adsorption pressure from the vacuum pump and clean residue from the upper molding using exhaustion pressure from the ventilator.

Abstract: A device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers with a mobile carrier on which is arranged a plurality of blowing stations, each comprising blow mold carrier parts to hold blow mold parts, wherein at least one of these blow mold carrier parts is mobile in relation to the other blow mold carrier part, and wherein the blowing stations each comprise a carrier element to carry at least one blow mold carrier part. The device includes a clean room within which the plastic preforms can be expanded into plastic containers. The blow mold carrier parts together with the carrier element form a unit which can be demounted as a whole from the carrier.

Abstract: A device for transforming parisons into containers with a plurality of transforming stations which are disposed on a movable carrier, wherein the transforming stations each have blow molds, within which the parisons can be transformed into containers by a supply of a flowable medium, and blow mold supports for holding these blow molds, wherein the blow mold supports have at least two blow mold support parts which are movable relative to one another for opening and closing the blow molds, with a clean room which is demarcated with respect to the surroundings by means of at least one wall and which at least partially surrounds the individual transforming stations, so that the transforming stations are movable within this clean room, and with at least one supply unit in order to supply flowable sterilizing medium to at least one region of the transforming stations which are movable within the clean room.

Abstract: An example multi-dimensional component building system includes a first chamber having at least one base, a second chamber adjacent to and in fluid communication with the first chamber through a first door, and a third chamber adjacent to and in fluid communication with the second chamber through a second door. The second chamber is fluidly sealed from the first chamber if the first door is in a closed position. The second chamber includes a directed heat source, a build-up material and is configured to receive the at least one base if the fluid parameters of the first chamber and second chamber are approximately equal. The third chamber is fluidly sealed from the second chamber if the first door is in a closed position. The third chamber is configured to receive the at least one base, having a formed component disposed thereon, if the second door is in an open position.

Abstract: An apparatus according to various embodiments can be configured to use a cryogen for cooling articles, particularly having applications for chilling extrusions. The apparatus removes thermal energy from an article by conductive and convective heat transfer. The apparatus allows for heat transfer from an outer surface of an article, and from an inner surface of the article.

Abstract: A method of injecting laser-blocking material into a workpiece includes communicating molten laser-blocking material through the workpiece as the workpiece is subjected to at least a partial vacuum within an enclosed environment such that the partial vacuum expands any air bubbles in the laser-blocking material and transports the air bubbles out of the workpiece.

Abstract: A blow molding machine for shaping plastics material pre-forms into plastics material containers, has a plurality of blow molding stations with blow mold carriers for holding blow molds, including a clean room for arranging or conveying the blow molding stations under aseptic conditions and having an installation access to the clean room for installing the blow mold carriers with blow molding station components. The installation access includes at least one sterile room which is positioned in front of the clean room with the plurality of blow molding stations on the environment side.

Abstract: During the manufacture of slabs of stone or stone-like material using the technology which envisages preparation of a mix formed by a granular product and by a binder consisting of a hardening synthetic resin, vacuum vibrocompression of a layer of said mix and hardening of the resultant rough slab by means of a catalytic action and by heating, the slab is cooled to room temperature by directing onto both its surfaces a flow of cooling fluid, in particular air at room temperature, while controlling the flowrate of the air, so as to ensure gradual and controlled cooling, and supporting the slab in a static and perfectly flat condition. The device consists of a flat structure provided with a plurality of spacers (20) which keep the slab in a perfectly flat condition and allow the flow of cooling fluid to perform its action.

Abstract: An apparatus for shaping plastic preforms for providing plastic containers), having a plurality of shaping stations arranged on a movable carrier, wherein the shaping stations have blowing molds which accommodate the preforms and within which the preforms are shaped to provide the containers, and wherein the shaping stations each have charging devices which are movable relative to the preforms and which charge the preforms arranged in the molds with a flowable medium for expansion, and wherein the shaping stations have a valve arrangement which controls the feed of the medium to the preforms, with a clean chamber within which the shaping stations are conveyed with the charging devices, wherein the clean chamber is arranged against the surroundings by at least one wall. Flow connections for guiding the flowable medium are provided between the valve arrangements and the charging devices and the valve arrangements are arranged outside the clean chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for the stretch blow molding of plastics material pre-forms to form plastics material containers with a carrying device (2) for carrying a blow mold (3) comprising at least two shell parts (4, 5) and a base part (6) and with a base part clamping device (10) comprising a base part receiving means (11; 111) and holding devices (12, 13 and 14, 15; 114, 115 respectively) for holding the base part receiving means (11; 111), in which the base part receiving means (11; 111) is capable of being clamped to the holding devices (12, 13 and 14, 15; 114, 115 respectively) by way of a fastening with positive locking (18; 118), in which the fastening with positive locking (18; 118) has positive locking areas (22) produced from ceramic material.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding plastic preforms into plastic containers, includes a plurality of molding stations which are arranged on a movable carrier. The molding stations each include blow molds, within which plastic preforms can be molded into plastic containers by applying a flowable medium, as well as blow mold carriers for holding the blow molds, a clean room which at least partially surrounds the individual molding stations, so that the molding stations can be moved within the clean room, and a locking mechanism at least partially located within the clean room, to lock the two blow mold carrier parts together in a closed condition. The locking mechanism includes a first locking element that cooperates with a second locking element, the first locking element being arranged to be movable by a movement device that is supported by at least one bearing that is at least partially provided outside of the clean room.

Abstract: Process of moulding a container in a contamination-controlled environment (102) starting from a parison (20) made of plastic material, comprising the steps of: injecting air into the parison (20) at the maximum pressure of 16 bar and subsequently, at the maximum pressure of 40 bar in such a way as to obtain the container; discharging the air from the parison or from the container (20) externally of the contamination-controlled environment (102) until the air pressure inside the container (20) reaches a predetermined value comprised between 0.5 bar and 3 bar; completing the discharge of the air from the container (20) towards the contamination-controlled environment (102).

Abstract: An apparatus for shaping plastics material preforms into plastics material containers, having a multiplicity of shaping stations arranged on a movable carrier. The shaping stations each comprise blow moulds, inside which the plastics material preforms can be shaped into plastics material containers by application of a free-flowing medium, as well as blow mould carriers for holding these blow moulds. The blow mould carriers comprise at least two blow moulding carrier parts movable in relation to one another to open and close the blow moulds, and having at least one fastening element, via which at least one element of the shaping stations is arranged on the carrier. A clean chamber surrounds the individual shaping stations, at least in part, so that the shaping stations are movable inside this clean chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms into containers has a plurality of blow molding stations arranged on a movable carrier The blow molding stations have two part blow molds with a cavity inside in which the plastics material pre-forms are expanded. The blow molding stations have stressing devices which act upon the plastics material pre-forms to expand them with a flowable medium. At least one first bearing device is provided for movable mounting of the blow mold carriers with respect to each other and at least one second bearing device is provided for movable mounting of the first locking element with respect to the second locking element. At least one of these bearing devices is a slide bearing without lubricant or a bearing which is injection molded at least in part from a plastics material between bearing parts movable relative to each other.

Abstract: An oven (10) for the thermal conditioning of preforms made of a thermoplastic material, includes at least one cooling circuit (6) with air flow circulation which sequentially extends from the upstream side to the downstream side through at least one cooling air intake area (16a), a heating area (16b) in which a preform heating element (22) and the cooling air flow projected by ventilation elements are provided, and an air extraction area (16c) to which at least one air extraction duct (42) is connected, characterized in that the oven includes a confining housing that extends from the air extraction duct to at least the heating area, and is capable of insulating at least the heating area from the outside of the oven in order to prevent the pollution of the inside of the oven by airborne pollution particles.

Abstract: An apparatus for shaping plastics material pre-forms to form plastics material containers includes a conveying device on which a plurality of blowing stations are arranged. Each of these blowing stations has a blow mold inside which a plastics material pre-form is capable of being shaped to form a plastics material container. The apparatus has a clean room inside which the plastics material pre-forms can be conveyed. The region of the conveying device on which the blowing stations are arranged is situated in the clean room, and at least one further region of the conveying device is arranged outside the clean room.

Abstract: An autoclave (1) is one in which a heat application target molded material (W) is retained in shape by a retaining jig (4) which has a cavity (15) therein, and is heat-cured with high temperature gas. The autoclave is provided with: a pressure vessel (2) in the interior of which the molded material (W) is arranged; a high temperature gas supplying device (5) which supplies the high temperature gas to the molded material (W) within the pressure vessel (2); and an auxiliary high temperature gas supplying device (7) which supplies the high temperature gas into the interior of the cavity (15).

Abstract: At least one of first and second mold portions defines a mold cavity to receive molten plastic and form therefrom at least one molded part, and is movable relative to the other between (i) a closed position for sealing the mold cavity or cavities and molding at least one part therein, and (ii) an open position defining a fluid passageway between the mold portions and permitting the passage of a fluid sterilant therein. A fluid sterilant source is connectable in fluid communication with the fluid passageway for introducing the sterilant therein in the open position, contacting with the sterilant the surfaces of the first and second mold portions forming the fluid passageway and located adjacent to the at least one mold cavity, but not contacting an interior surface of a molded part within the mold cavity, to sterilize the exposed mold surfaces and thereby prevent contamination of the molded part.

Abstract: An oven (10) for the thermal conditioning of preforms made of thermoplastic, is traversed upstream to downstream by an air stream (A) for cooling the preforms and includes successively an air inlet zone (16a) having at least one air inlet port (22a), a zone (16b) for heating the preforms, that includes at least one ventilation module (36) that is able to guide the air stream (A) coming from the inlet zone (16a) to the preforms, an air extraction zone (16c) having at least one air extraction duct (68), characterized in that the air inlet zone (16a) includes a plurality of ventilation modules (36) and at least one air distribution chamber (18), called a plenum (18), which is interposed between the air inlet port (22a) and each of the ventilation modules (36).

Abstract: Disclosed are a method and an apparatus of compression molding to reduce voids in molding compounds of semiconductor packages. A compression mold jig set including a top mold and a bottom mold is provided and disposed inside a pressure chamber. A substrate disposed with chips is loaded on the top mold. An encapsulating material is filled in the cavity of the bottom mold. When heating the bottom mold to melt the encapsulating material, a positive air pressure more than 1 atm is provided in the pressure chamber in order to expel or reduce any bubbles trapped inside the encapsulating material. Then, the top mold is pressed downward to clamp with the bottom mold under the heating and high-pressure condition until the encapsulating material is pre-cured to transform a molding compound adhered to the substrate. Therefore, potential bubble trapped inside the molding compound can be eliminated or reduced to improve production yield, reliability and life time.

Abstract: Provided is a nano-fiber manufacturing apparatus which manufactures nano-fibers by an electrostatic explosion, and has a low possibility of explosion even when a flammable solvent is used. The nano-fiber manufacturing apparatus (101) having an ejection unit (110) which ejects solution (200) that is raw material liquid for nano-fibers (200) to a manufacturing space in which the nano-fibers (200) are manufactured by an electrostatic explosion of the solution (200), and a charging unit which charges the solution (200). The nano-fiber manufacturing apparatus (101) includes a gas supply source (103) which supplies safety gas to change an atmosphere of the manufacturing space, in which the solution (200) is ejected, into a low oxygen atmosphere, and a partition (102) which maintains the manufacturing space at a lower oxygen atmosphere than an atmosphere of an outside space of the partition (102).

Abstract: A blow molding machine with air conditioning that while minimizing the introduction rate of outside air maintains constant temperature in a plant building and the interior of a blow molding machine and production of a bottle as a final configuration with stability in its measurement value. The machine is constructed so that air for biaxially stretching blow molding together with hot air of heating zone and internal air of a plant building is suctioned by suction chamber, filtered by primary filter and secondary filter into clean air, brought into heat exchange with primary cooling coil, fed under pressure by air blower and released through low-temperature duct into the interior of the plant building. Further, a housing on its side face is provided with vent to allow reflux of the clean air released into the interior of the plant building and flow into the heating zone and blow zone.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the continuous production of an expanded edible food product obtained by cooking-extrusion and containing solid inclusions having a size larger than 0.5 mm.

Abstract: Three-dimensional parts having porous protective structures built with powder-based additive manufacturing systems, the porous protective structures being configured to protect the three-dimensional parts from damage during de-powdering processes.

Abstract: Systems and methods of generating a recycled output are disclosed. This recycled output may include a fabric produced by fusing reclaimed plastic bags. The reclaimed plastic bags are fused together using a material manufacturing system. This system is typically configured to heat the plastic bags to a temperature wherein the plastic bags fuse together but do completely melt. Some embodiments include the addition of different types of plastic or non-plastic materials to the recycled output. Also disclosed are systems and methods of controlling textures and patterns within the recycled output.

Abstract: A system that receives nanomaterials, forms nanofibrous materials therefrom, and collects these nanofibrous materials for subsequent applications. The system include a housing coupled to a synthesis chamber within which nanotubes are produced. A spindle may extend from within the housing, across the inlet, and into the chamber for collecting nanotubes and twisting them into a yarn. A body portion may be positioned at an intake end of the spindle. The body portion may include a pathway for imparting a twisting force onto the flow of nanotubes and guide them into the spindle for collection and twisting into the nanofibrous yarn. Methods and apparatuses for forming nanofibrous are also disclosed.

Abstract: A part cake defining a build produced by laser sintering and the surrounding unfused powder is contained in an enclosure, and the enclosure includes displaceable wall portions for compressing the part cake to support the build against distortion during rapid cooling from a cooling fluid. The enclosure enables the part cake to be quickly and reliably cooled either within the laser sintering system or outside the laser sintering system. A source of cooling fluid connects to the enclosure and a lid holds the part cake in place as cooling fluid is forced through the pore volume of the cake. An inert gas blanket apparatus is also provided to reduce or prevent oxidation of the part cake and/or to cool the part cake. Once the part cake is cooled, the build produced by laser sintering may be removed from the part cake.

Abstract: An air guide shaft capable of filling to the air guide holes of a mold for guiding air and prevent large particles from flowing out comprises a stop being a round cylinder for stopping material; an air guide having a plurality of axial trenches extending from a body of the air guide; one end of the air guide being a taper end; the air guide serving for guiding air to flow out; and a neck connected between the stop and the air guide; and The air guide shaft is tightly engaged into an air releasing hole of a mold. Thus, large particles of the material within the mold will not flow out from the hole, while air within the mold will flow out from the hole. The final product molded from the mold has a perfect outer side.

Abstract: A reactor unit includes a bed of desiccant and a bed of media for treating pollutants. The media includes an adsorptive material and a reactive material. The adsorptive material is selected from at least one of activated carbon and zeolite. The reactive material is selected from at least one of potassium permanganate and sodium hydroxide. The adsorptive material is impregnated with reactive materials to enhance performance. A method of using the reactor unit includes delivering a moldable material into a mold. An effluent stream carrying pollutants produced by the moldable material flows through the reactor unit.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for producing fibrous materials in which the apparatus includes an electrospinning element configured to electrospin a substance from which the fibers are to be composed by an electric field extraction of the substance from a tip of the electrospinning element, a collector disposed from the electrospinning element and configured to collect the fibers, a chamber enclosing the collector and the electrospinning element, and a control mechanism configured to control a gaseous environment in which the fibers are to be electrospun.

Abstract: In a tenter dryer, while a film is dried, the stretch or the relaxation of the film are made. The tenter dryer includes first-third drying chambers for independently controlling the drying conditions and a shiftable stretch/relaxation device for making the stretch and the relaxation of the film with holding the film. When the stretch/relaxation device holds four edges, cutter blades provided in a drying nozzle cut the film to sheet films. Then while holding the film, the stretch/relaxation device moves between the first-third drying chambers in which drying conditions are previously controlled.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a tubular tissue scaffold having aligned biopolymer fibrils including a biopolymer gel dispersion feed pump that is operably connected to a tube-forming device having an exit port, where the tube-forming device is capable of producing a tube from the gel dispersion while providing an angular shear force across the wall of the tube, and a liquid bath located to receive the tubular tissue scaffold from the tube-forming device.

Abstract: Included is a spinning cell for a synthetic fiber such as spandex. The spinning cell includes a top closure which reduces or eliminates solvent vapor transfer, where solvent vapor process gas(es) may leave the cell and room air may be introduced into the spinning cell. A bottom closure device may also be included.

Abstract: To fabricate a composite item from a layup of composite material, the layup is degassed, debulked, and cured. To degas the layup, an envelope pressure within an envelope that includes the layup is reduced, a chamber pressure within a chamber that includes the envelope is reduced, and the layup is heated. To debulk the layup, the chamber pressure is increased relative to the envelope pressure so that the envelope exerts a compressive force upon the layup in response to the relatively higher chamber pressure as compared to the envelope pressure. To cure the layup, the layup is exposed to radiation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an innovative procedure for producing three-dimensional candies, preferably of the type known in the food industry as gummy snacks, which eliminates the stamping of starch beds and the cleaning process of the chilled product, furthermore having control of detail on all sides of the product, as well as a transparency and crystallinity never before achieved with the procedures known and traditionally used in the food industry. Likewise, the invention incorporates a completely novel shaping device consisting of two plates connected by a male-female system and with a plurality of product-shaping cavities that are in contact with all sides of the product to be formed.

Abstract: A rotary tablet press, with a rotor driven by a driving motor, which has a die plate as well as an upper and a lower guiding for upper and lower punches, which co-operate with bores of the die plate, a stationary housing closely surrounding the rotor, which constitutes a pressing room, and with at least one ring-shaped sealing arrangement, which seals the housing against a punch guiding, wherein the sealing arrangement has a ring-shaped holder inside the housing, wherein the ring-shaped holder is axially movable between a first and a second position by means of a stationarily arranged lifting device, the sealing arrangement has a first sealing portion, which is continuously in engagement with a first sealing surface of the housing in the first and in the second position, and a second sealing portion which is in engagement with a second sealing surface of the punch guiding with a first sealing force in the first position and is in engagement with the second sealing surface in the second position either with a

Abstract: A device (1) for manufacturing a three-dimensional object by a layerwise solidification of a building material at positions in the respective layers that correspond to the object is provided. The device comprises a machine frame (2, 3, 4, 5) and a building space (10) that is positioned in the machine frame; an energy source (6) that emits a beam (9) for selectively solidifying the building material; and a ventilator (54) that generates an airflow (T) for cooling the energy source (6). There are provided connecting channels (55), which lead the airflow (T) onto a partition wall (56) that is limiting the building space (10).

Abstract: An automated method and system for making painted vehicle body panel skins and vehicle body panels are provided. The method includes transferring a mold having a mold surface from an entrance station to a paint station within a dispensing area. The method further includes applying paint on the mold surface to form a layer of paint on the mold surface at the paint station. The method still further includes spraying curable polyurethane elastomer on the painted surface at a spray station within the dispensing area. The paint and spray stations may be coincident. The method still further includes, after the step of spraying and while the polyurethane elastomer is uncured, transferring the mold with the paint and the uncured polyurethane elastomer from the spray station to at least one accumulator station in a curing area to allow the polyurethane elastomer to completely cure in the mold and form the skin.

Abstract: A dual-filled gum piece is provided having a first cavity filled with a liquid filling and a second cavity filled with a powder filling. The gum pieces are produced by extruding a gum rope having two separate channels respectively filled with liquid and powder, sizing and shaping the gum rope, cooling the gum rope, cutting the rope into discrete gum pieces, and finally cooling the gum pieces. The gum pieces optionally can be coated with a hard coating. In other aspects for single- and dual-filled gums, a process for making the gum pieces employs a rope sizer that reduces the diameter of the gum rope and shapes it to have a non-round cross-section, and a multi-story cooling tunnel having individually motor-driven conveyors.

Abstract: A portable clean molding apparatus for receipt of molded articles ejected from a mold machine. The apparatus includes a receiving chamber having a first interior space and a selectively openable first door, a secondary chamber joined to the receiving chamber and having a second interior space and a selectively openable second door, and an air filtration cover unit installed over the receiving and secondary chambers so as to provide a low-particulate, positive airflow into the first and second interior spaces. The apparatus further includes at least one vent communicating with the second interior space so as to allow the airflow to exit the secondary chamber and at least one chute communicating with the first interior space so as to allow the airflow to exit the receiving chamber, the chute being located adjacent to the mold machine for the transfer of molded articles to the receiving chamber.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a system for thermally treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing. The system of the invention comprises a plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations for removing uncured photopolymer from the imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element. The flexographic plates produced in the apparatus of the invention are especially suited for use in printing newspapers and other publications.

Abstract: This invention pertains to a system for thermally treating a photosensitive element to form a relief structure suitable for flexographic printing. The system of the invention comprises a plurality of consecutively arranged blotting stations for removing uncured photopolymer from the imaged surface of the photosensitive printing element. The flexographic plates produced in the apparatus of the invention are especially suited for use in printing newspapers and other publications.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus and a corresponding method for producing a continuous foamed extrudate product in which the extrusion and initial expansion of the foamed extrudate is conducted within a chamber under a partial vacuum. The foamed extrudate is then removed from the chamber through an orifice submerged within a liquid baffle. The dimensions of the foamed extrudate are monitored as it approaches the orifice and, if necessary, the effective sizing of the orifice is adjusted through the movement of a pair of side gates and a single vertical gate arranged external the orifice to match opening to the foamed extrudate and impede the flow of liquid into the chamber through the orifice.