Abstract: A powder spray gun includes a powder flow path inlet and a powder flow path outlet, the powder flow path inlet being connectable in a first configuration to a dilute phase powder pump and in a second configuration to a dense phase powder pump, wherein the powder spray gun comprises a spray nozzle that is the same for the first and second configurations. The powder flow path is provided by a powder tube that extends through the gun, with the powder tube having a first diameter at an inlet portion of the spray gun and a second diameter at an outlet portion of the spray gun, with the second diameter being greater than the first diameter. The powder flow path may also include a conical transition portion, and a member for adding air to the powder flow.

Abstract: In one example, a melter has a housing, a heater, a vent, and a filter medium. The housing defines a receiving space that supports adhesive therein. The heater heats the receiving space of the housing to melt the adhesive. The melter defines an adhesive inlet therein that receives adhesive carried by a transport supply gas into the receiving space. The vent extends through a wall of the melter and permits the transport supply gas to escape from the melter. The filter medium is supported in the vent to capture particulates from the transport supply gas escaping the receiving space, and is positioned relative to the receiving space such that heat from the receiving space causes the particulates captured by the filter medium to melt and fall into the receiving space.

Abstract: A nozzle includes a pattern shim having a plurality of first slits and a plurality of second slits, an adhesive shim having a plurality of first holes, a gas shim, a head body having an adhesive outlet and an adhesive distribution groove communicating with the adhesive outlet, and a face plate. Adhesive ejection ports are formed at openings of the plurality of first slits, and gas discharge ports are formed at openings of a plurality of second slits in such a manner that the gas discharge ports are located on both sides of each of the adhesive ejection ports. The plurality of first holes communicate with the adhesive distribution groove. The plurality of first holes are formed in such a manner that distances of the first holes from the corresponding discharge ejection ports become shorter as distances of the corresponding first holes from the adhesive outlet become longer.

Abstract: A melt system that includes a melt unit. The melt unit includes a reservoir and a melter. The melter is configured to expose solid adhesive to a temperature sufficient to form a molten adhesive, which is deposited into the reservoir. The melt unit includes a hopper disposed above the melter and for holding a supply of the solid adhesive. The hopper has an access door disposed on a wall of the hopper that is movable between a closed position where the hopper is closed and an open position where an internal chamber of the hopper is accessible to receive the solid adhesive. The hopper and the solid adhesive in the hopper are thermally isolated from the reservoir.

Abstract: A dispensing system for jetting a material onto a substrate is disclosed. The dispensing system includes a plate defining a first surface, a second surface opposite the first surface in a first direction, and at least one slot that extends through the plate from the first surface to the second surface, and an actuator assembly that contains a piezoelectric element and is operatively coupled to the needle. The dispensing system also includes at least one fastener that extends through the actuator assembly and the at least one slot, where the at least one fastener is configured to selectively engage the plate such that 1) in a disengaged configuration, the at least one fastener is movable within the slot and the actuator assembly is movable relative to the plate, and 2) in an engaged configuration, the at least one fastener is not movable within the slot and the actuator assembly is not movable relative to the plate such that a stroke length of the needle is adjusted.

Abstract: A spray nozzle assembly is provided with an electrode, a wear resistant member, and a compliant sleeve. The wear resistant member supports the electrode and is supported by the compliant sleeve. For coating operations that use abrasive powder such as porcelain enamel, the wear resistant member may comprise ceramic. The compliant sleeve may be made of an elastic material such as plastic, which allows one end of the compliant sleeve to receive an end of a glass powder tube. The wear resistant member may be in the form of a ceramic spider. The electrode may be installed in-line with a powder flow path defined by the powder tube, which extends through a spray gun body.

Abstract: Methods of dispensing fluid are disclosed. A first applicator is positioned above a first dispense site at a first dispense region of a first electronic substrate by moving the first applicator using a primary positioner. A second applicator is simultaneously positioned above a first dispense site at a second dispense region of the first electronic substrate by moving the second applicator together with the first applicator using the primary positioner and moving the second applicator relative to the first applicator using a secondary positioner. It is then determined that the first or the second dispense region is misaligned relative to the other of the first or the second dispense region.

Abstract: Systems and methods for enhanced hot melt liquid dispensing system management are disclosed. In an example method for determining an operating instruction for a hot melt liquid dispensing system having an applicator and a heater, the operating instruction is determined based on a filtered applicator parameter value associated with gun cycle counts of the applicator and a filtered heater parameter value associated with duty cycle values of the heater. The filtered applicator parameter value is determined based on historic applicator parameter values that are updated according to a current applicator parameter value. The filtered heater parameter value is determined based on historic heater parameter values that are updated according to a current heater parameter value.

Abstract: An image sensor includes a pixel array that includes pixel array circuitry; and a read path that includes read path circuitry. The image sensor includes one or more of a capacitive element and a capacitive enable circuit, a temperature sensor, a number of pixel types, and/or selectable pixel characteristics.

Abstract: Systems and methods for improved liquid dispensing system communications are disclosed. In an example method for communicating control data between a plurality of component of a liquid dispensing system, a controller of a first component of a liquid dispensing system publishes a control data message to a composite controller associated with the plurality of component. Based on a classification of the control data message, a second component is determined to be a subscriber for the control data message. The composite controller then transmits the control data message to a controller of the second component.

Abstract: An extrusion die has first and second die bodies that define an extrusion cavity therebetween. The extrusion cavity has an inlet, a primary manifold that extends from the inlet along a flow direction, and an outlet that defines an elongate slot. In some examples, cavity has an intermediate chamber that extends from the primary manifold along the flow direction, the intermediate chamber having a back line and a front line that taper away from one another as they extend outwards towards opposing ends of the die. The primary manifold has a front end portion that is defined between opposing inner surfaces, at least one of inner surface tapering towards the other as it extends along the flow direction. In some examples, the inner surface has first and second curved portions that curve to provide a smoother transition from the primary manifold to a downstream chamber of the extrusion cavity.

Abstract: In one example, an application system has a material supply system, a plurality of dispensers, a plurality of pumps, and a controller. The supply system can supply the liquified material to the pumps. The pumps can pump the liquified material to the plurality of dispensers, and the dispensers can dispense the liquified material onto a substrate. The controller can receive, for the pumps, measures of electrical current drawn by the pumps. The controller can determine an average electrical current by averaging the measures of the electrical current drawn by the pumps. The controller can generate, for each of one or more of the pumps, a metric based on the average current, wherein the metric is indicative of how soon the pump is likely to fail. Maintenance and/or replacement of the pump can then be scheduled based on the metric.

Abstract: The invention relates to a die assembly for a pelletizing apparatus, the die assembly having a pressure regulating device that has a base member, a flow channel, and an annular channel. The base member has a fluid inlet side and a fluid outlet side. The flow channel is formed in the base member to provide a fluid-conducting connection between the fluid inlet side and the fluid outlet side. The annular channel section is connected to the flow channel in a fluid-conducting manner and formed in the region of the fluid outlet side. The invention is characterized by a flow cross-section regulating element for influencing a flow cross-section of the annular channel section. The regulating element is movable relative to the annular channel section and/or the flow channel.

Abstract: A flexible bag dispenser includes a port configured to transfer a liquid material, a seal that seals the flexible bag dispenser so as to prevent the liquid material from discharging through the seal, and at least one vent configured to permit gases entrapped in an interior space of the flexible bag dispenser to discharge therethrough to the exterior of the flexible bag dispenser. An inner surface defining the vent may be tapered. An inner edge of the seal may be tapered toward the first end of the flexible bag dispensing container. The vent may be defined by a malleable tube disposed in the seal or by a bleeder valve. A method of forming a flexible bag dispenser according to one example includes sealing a flexible bag of the flexible bag dispenser and forming at least one vent in the seal.

Abstract: Inspection devices and methods for inspecting an adhesive pattern on a substrate are disclosed. The inspection device includes at least one sensor having a heat sensor head for detecting a pattern of the adhesive bead, and a controller. Reference data representing a desired adhesive pattern is initially provided to a controller. A predetermined tolerance range for the desired adhesive pattern is also provided to the controller. An adhesive bead is discharged onto a substrate from a nozzle. A pattern of the discharged adhesive bead is then detected by the sensor when the substrate moves. Signals representing the detected pattern are received from the sensor at the controller. Finally, the signals representing the detected adhesive pattern are compared to the tolerance range of the desired adhesive pattern.

Abstract: An applicator system for applying a material to a substrate is disclosed, the applicator system having a nozzle assembly that includes a nozzle having a nozzle head. The nozzle assembly also includes a baffle plate including a cutout that extends through the baffle plate, where the baffle plate is received by the nozzle head such that the nozzle head and the baffle plate define a cavity. The nozzle assembly further includes a cover plate attached to the nozzle head such that the cover plate secures the baffle plate within the nozzle head, where an outlet passage is defined between the baffle plate and the cover plate, the outlet passage being fluidly connected to the cavity through the cutout of the baffle plate.

Abstract: A cap for sealing a cartridge includes a cap body, a plug, and a biasing member. The cap body includes a cap wall and an annular wall extending from the cap wall. The annular wall defines a channel within and includes a retention member having a barb, a stop spaced apart from the barb, and a base extending circumferentially about a portion of the annular wall from the barb to the stop. The barb, the stop, and the base define a retention channel. The plug is positioned within the channel of the cap body. The plug includes a plug wall and a plug member extending from the plug wall. The biasing member is positioned within the channel of the cap body between the plug wall and the cap wall. The biasing member is configured to provide a biasing force to bias the cap wall away from the plug wall.

Abstract: A system and method for forming a seal member onto a substrate from a material is disclosed. The system includes a mold comprising an ultraviolet transmissible material, the mold having a first portion and a second portion operatively coupled to the first portion, the first portion having a first cavity, a second cavity, and a channel extending from an outer surface of the mold to the second cavity. The first cavity has a first shape that is complementary to a first side of the substrate and the second cavity has a second shape that is complementary to the seal member. The system also includes an applicator in fluid communication with the channel, where the applicator is configured to provide the material to the second cavity through the channel, and an ultraviolet irradiation device configured to irradiate the mold with ultraviolet light to cure the material when the material is provided to the second cavity, such that the seal member is formed on the substrate.

Abstract: An adhesive dispensing system for applying liquid adhesive to a substrate using different nozzles with the same manifold is disclosed. The adhesive dispensing system includes a manifold having a body, a first clamp configured to engage the body of the manifold, a second clamp configured to engage the body of the manifold, and a nozzle. The first and second clamps secure the nozzle to the body of the manifold. The body of the manifold has a first contact surface that engages the first clamp and a second contact surface that engages the second clamp and the nozzle, where the second contact surface is angularly offset from the first contact surface.

Abstract: A metering distribution assembly and a coating system. The metering distribution assembly includes a volumetric cavity pump that comprises a flow passage plate having flow passages, a nozzle plate with a flow passage, a gear fixing plate attached between the flow passage plate and the nozzle plate, and a gear set located in an aperture of the fixing plate. The gear set has a fluid inlet and a fluid outlet on a side of the gear set opposite to the fluid inlet. The fluid inlet is in fluid communication with the flow passages of the flow passage plate, and the fluid outlet is in fluid communication with the flow passage of the nozzle plate. A part of the flow passages of the flow passage plate, which is in direct fluid communication with the fluid inlet, extends in a direction parallel to a rotation axis of the gear set.