Abstract: A method of operating a machine tool apparatus, including: causing a tool mounted on the machine tool apparatus to work on a workpiece, during the working of the workpiece by the tool, at least one sensor monitoring the tool, machine tool apparatus and/or workpiece, for one or more signals indicative of the condition of the tool; and using the output of the one or more sensors to automatically configure when and/or how the tool and/or workpiece is inspected by at least one inspection device, the output of which is used to determine whether or not to keep using the tool.

Abstract: Provided are an elastic composite non-woven fabric and a manufacturing equipment and a manufacturing method thereof, wherein the elastic composite non-woven fabric manufacturing equipment includes an upper feed roller, an upper shrink roller, an upper bonding roller, upper fins, an middle feed roller, an winding roller, a lower feed roller, a lower shrink roller, a lower bonding roller, and lower fins. Wherein, two elastic non-woven fabrics shrink inward by the shrink roller and enter the gaps among the fins and grooves and teeth of the bonding roller to form regular wavy folds; the two pre-shrunk elastic non-woven fabrics are bonded to the upper and lower surfaces of the elastic material in a flat state by the aligned and adjacently disposed teeth of the bonding roller, thereby forming an elastic composite non-woven fabric.

Abstract: A method to manufacture an elastic laminate is disclosed. Thermoplastic Elastomeric Material (TEM) is selected from a polymer supply and fed into an extruder. The TEM film is extruded by the extruder by passing the TEM polymer through an extrusion die head to form a TEM film layer on a carrier web provided by a carrier supply. The TEM film layer is allowed to solidify on the carrier web, thereby forming a first laminate. The first laminate is stored in a first storage prior to being delivered to a delamination unit, which delaminates the first laminate by separating the TEM layer from the carrier web. The delaminated TEM layer is stretched at least in its Machine Direction (MD) in a stretching station via a plurality of web guide means. The stretched TEM layer is positioned between a first envelope web and optionally a second envelope web prior to being delivered to a bonding unit, which connects them to form a second bonded laminate.

Abstract: A method to manufacture an elastic laminate is disclosed. Thermoplastic Elastomeric Material (TEM) is selected from a polymer supply and fed into an extruder. The TEM film is extruded by the extruder by passing the TEM polymer through an extrusion die head to form a TEM film layer on a carrier web provided by a carrier supply. The TEM film layer is allowed to solidify on the carrier web, thereby forming a first laminate. The first laminate is stored in a first storage prior to being delivered to a delamination unit, which delaminates the first laminate by separating the TEM layer from the carrier web. The delaminated TEM layer is stretched at least in its Machine Direction (MD) in a stretching station via a plurality of web guide means. The stretched TEM layer is positioned between a first envelope web and optionally a second envelope web prior to being delivered to a bonding unit, which connects them to form a second bonded laminate.

Abstract: A powder bed fusion apparatus and method includes a build platform for supporting a powder bed onto which layers of a powder can be deposited, a scanner for scanning an energy beam over each layer to fuse selected regions of the powder bed and a gas flow circuit for passing a flow of gas over the powder bed. The gas flow circuit includes a filter assembly including a filter housing through which the gas flows, the filter housing containing a granulate, preferably powder, filter medium for filtering particles from the gas flow. The powder filter medium may correspond to powder used to form the powder bed such as being of the same material as the powder used to form the powder bed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-layered elastic air-permeable material structure, including an elastic cloth and an elastic film, wherein the elastic cloth is constituted of polylactic acid, has a plurality of penetrating air vents, and has a weft-direction stretchability. The elastic film is constituted of a thermoplastic elastomer material, and it also has a plurality of penetrating air vents. An upper surface of the elastic film is entirely or partially adhered to a lower surface of the elastic cloth. In particular, the elastic film has an air permeability of 17-25 cc/sec per square centimeter, and the multi-layered elastic air-permeable material structure has an air permeability of 7-10 cc/sec per square centimeter. The present invention has the advantages of weft-direction stretchability and air permeability and is suitable for applying to close-fitting clothing or diapers to improve comfort and prevent sultriness and moisture.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating functional nanostructures (e.g., nanowires/nanofibers) via chemical vapor deposition polymerization of paracyclophanes or substituted paracyclophanes onto and through a structured fluid, such as a film of liquid crystals, on a substrate. A one-step process is provided that does not require the use of any solid templates, nor does it require any volatile solvents, additives or catalysts. The resulting nanowires/nanofibers can be in the form of aligned nanowires/nanofibers arrays supported on any solid material, in the form of nanofibers mats supported on porous materials, or as individual free-standing nanowires/nanofibers. By using chiral liquid crystals, chiral nanofibers can be fabricated. The functional nanowires/nanofibers can contain one or more type of surface reactive groups that allows for post surface chemical modifications on the nanowires/nanofibers. Such nanostructures can be used in a range of different applications, including in biomedical applications.

Abstract: An elastic non-woven fabric, manufactured by bonding a pre-stretched elastic film and elastic cloths, includes an elastic film with a stretch range of 0-300% and two elastic cloths each with a stretchability of 150-300%. While at the second natural width, the two elastic cloths are respectively bonded to upper and lower surfaces of the elastic film pre-stretched to a first stretched width. By bonding the two elastic cloths to the elastic film after stretching the elastic film in advance, the elastic non-woven fabric of the present invention can have high stretchability and high tensile strength and thus will not have serious wrinkles on the surfaces thereof and will not be easily torn broken. Because the stretchability of the elastic non-woven fabric is greatly improved, the user can use a smaller cutting width to divide each cylindrical master-roll into more cylindrical sub-rolls, thereby improving the production efficiency.

Abstract: An elastic non-woven fabric with bicomponent elastic composite fibers, manufactured by randomly paving bicomponent elastic composite fibers as a layer and hot-rolling. The bicomponent elastic composite fiber includes an inner core fiber of SBS, SEBS, TPO or TPS and a sheath outer layer of PP or PE covering on an outer surface of the inner core fiber. A ratio of a thickness of the sheath outer layer to a radius of the inner core fiber is 1:9 to 9:1. The bicomponent elastic composite fiber has a linear density of 0.5-5 deniers, a stretchability of 300-600%, and a deformation rate of 0-25% after being stretched to 400%. The present invention has the advantages of good elasticity, good stretchability, good dyeability, acid and alkali resistance, quick-drying and non-absorbency, antibacterial and deodorizing, and light and soft texture properties, thereby can avoid cold and sticky feel and will not cause reflection.

Abstract: A bidirectional elastic air-permeable material, including: a unidirectional elastic cloth (10) having a plurality of penetrating air vents (12) and a weft-direction stretchability; and a bidirectional elastic film (20) constituted of a thermoplastic elastomer material, having also a plurality of penetrating air vents (22) and proper stretchability in both weft and warp directions; wherein an upper surface of the bidirectional elastic film (20) is entirely or partially adhered to a lower surface of the unidirectional elastic cloth (10). In particular, the bidirectional elastic film (20) has an air permeability of 17-25 cc/sec per square centimeter, and the bidirectional elastic air-permeable material has an overall air permeability of 7-10 cc/sec per square centimeter. The bidirectional elastic air-permeable material has the advantages of bidirectional stretchability and air permeability and is suitable for applying to close-fitting clothing or diapers to improve comfort and prevent sultriness and moisture.

Abstract: A bicomponent elastic fiber composite material, which has a linear density of 20-150 deniers, a stretchability of 300-600%, and a deformation rate of 0-25% after stretching to 400%. The bicomponent elastic fiber composite material includes an inner core fiber and a sheath outer layer, wherein the inner core fiber includes a polystyrne copolymer material of a styrene-butadiene block copolymer (SBS), a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS) or a thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer (TPO), or includes a thermoplastic polystyrene elastomer (TPS). The sheath outer layer includes polypropylene (PP) or polyethylene (PE). Thereby, the present invention can realize zero pollution while recycled and reused. In addition, the present invention has excellent properties of elasticity, dyeability, acid and alkali resistance, quick-drying and non-absorbency, antibacterial and deodorizing, and has a soft texture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a multi-layered elastic air-permeable material structure, including an elastic cloth and an elastic film, wherein the elastic cloth is constituted of polylactic acid, has a plurality of penetrating air vents, and has a weft-direction stretchability. The elastic film is constituted of a thermoplastic elastomer material, and it also has a plurality of penetrating air vents. An upper surface of the elastic film is entirely or partially adhered to a lower surface of the elastic cloth. In particular, the elastic film has an air permeability of 17-25 cc/sec per square centimeter, and the multi-layered elastic air-permeable material structure has an air permeability of 7-10 cc/sec per square centimeter. The present invention has the advantages of weft-direction stretchability and air permeability and is suitable for applying to close-fitting clothing or diapers to improve comfort and prevent sultriness and moisture.

Abstract: Methods are provided for fabricating functional nanostructures (e.g., nanowires/nanofibers) via chemical vapor deposition polymerization of paracyclophanes or substituted paracyclophanes onto and through a structured fluid, such as a film of liquid crystals, on a substrate. A one-step process is provided that does not require the use of any solid templates, nor does it require any volatile solvents, additives or catalysts. The resulting nanowires/nanofibers can be in the form of aligned nanowires/nanofibers arrays supported on any solid material, in the form of nanofibers mats supported on porous materials, or as individual free-standing nanowires/nanofibers. By using chiral liquid crystals, chiral nanofibers can be fabricated. The functional nanowires/nanofibers can contain one or more type of surface reactive groups that allows for post surface chemical modifications on the nanowires/nanofibers. Such nanostructures can be used in a range of different applications, including in biomedical applications.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an elastic composite fabric, includes a combining step, where an elastic outer layer is disposed onto a top side of an elastic nonwoven fabric which has characteristics to prevent penetration of a filling material, a fiber density of 0.8 to 5.0 denier and a weight of 8 to 100 g/sqm (±40%), and a first cloth body is disposed onto a bottom side of the nonwoven fabric, wherein the first cloth body is an elastic outer layer or elastic nonwoven fabric with a fiber density of 0.8 to 5.0 denier and a weight of 8 to 100 g/sqm (±40%); and a filling step: filling the filling material within several filling spaces between the elastic outer layer and the elastic nonwoven fabric or within several filling spaces between the elastic nonwoven fabric and the first cloth body in order to obtain the elastic composite fabric.

Abstract: A measurement system has a surface sensing device mounted on an articulating probe head, which in turn is mounted on a coordinate positioning apparatus. The surface sensing device is moved relative to a surface by driving at least one of the coordinate positioning apparatus and probe head in at least one axis to scan the surface. The surface sensing device measures its distance from the surface and the probe head is driven to rotate the surface sensing device about at least one axis in order to control the relative position of the surface sensing device from the surface to within a predetermined range in real time.

Abstract: A method of calibrating an articulating probe head comprising the steps of measuring an artifact of known dimensions with the workpiece sensing probe mounted on the articulating probe head, in which the articulating probe head is unlocked. An error functional map is generated corresponding to the difference between the measured and known dimensions of the artifact. Subsequent workpieces are measured with the articulating probe head unlocked and the corresponding correction applied. The true dimensions of the artifact may be determined by measuring it with a probe mounted on an articulating probe head in which the axes of the articulating probe head are locked. A mechanical lock is provided to lock the axes of the articulating probe head.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods that allow for personalized data to be embedded in a primary account number associated with a consumer device. In one embodiment, a consumer device comprises a body and personalized data embedded into a primary account number, associated with the body. The primary account number includes a bank identification number and the bank identification number and the personalized data overlap.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods that allow for personalized data to be embedded in a primary account number associated with a consumer device. In one embodiment, a consumer device comprises a body and personalized data embedded into a primary account number, associated with the body. The primary account number includes a bank identification number and the bank identification number and the personalized data overlap.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention are directed to apparatuses, systems, and methods that allow for personalized data to be embedded in a primary account number associated with a consumer device. In one embodiment, a consumer device comprises a body and personalized data embedded into a primary account number, associated with the body. The primary account number includes a bank identification number and the bank identification number and the personalized data overlap.

Abstract: A measurement system has a surface sensing device mounted on an articulating probe head, which in turn is mounted on a coordinate positioning apparatus. The surface sensing device is moved relative to a surface by driving at least one of the coordinate positioning apparatus and probe head in at least one axis to scan the surface. The surface sensing device measures its distance from the surface and the probe head is driven to rotate the surface sensing device about at least one axis in order to control the relative position of the surface sensing device from the surface to within a predetermined range in real time.