An additive manufacturing apparatus and method having a flexible delivery system for delivering pellets from a stationary material receiving area to a movable discharge pump. The flexible delivery system includes a flexible tube, an air compressor and an air-material separator. The air compressor is connected to an end of the flexible tube to direct controlled compressed air through the flexible tube. The air-material separator has a material receiving chamber which receives the pellets from the flexible tube through a material receiving opening. The material receiving chamber extends to a nozzle feeding opening and a nozzle feeding tube. The material receiving chamber has an exhaust opening through which the compressed air is vented out of the air-material separator.

An apparatus for treating molded objects all having a predetermined object length in a treatment station has first and second transversely spaced conveyor strands extending longitudinally in a travel direction into the treatment station for displacing the object in the travel direction into the treatment station. Respective first and second holding bolts are supported by the respective strands and secured in respective ends of the objects with the objects extending transversely between the strands. A plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely extending support elements are fixed to and longitudinally displaceable with the first strand. The first bolts are supported on the elements that each have a transverse length equal to at least 30% of the length of the first holding bolt between the respective end of the respective molded object and the first conveyor strand, or 10% of the length of the molded objects, or 30 mm.

An apparatus for treating molded objects all having a predetermined object length in a treatment station has first and second transversely spaced conveyor strands extending longitudinally in a travel direction into the treatment station for displacing the object in the travel direction into the treatment station. Respective first and second holding bolts are supported by the respective strands and secured in respective ends of the objects with the objects extending transversely between the strands. A plurality of longitudinally spaced and transversely extending support elements are fixed to and longitudinally displaceable with the first strand. The first bolts are supported on the elements that each have a transverse length equal to at least 30% of the length of the first holding bolt between the respective end of the respective molded object and the first conveyor strand, or 10% of the length of the molded objects, or 30 mm.

Format change method for a thermoforming machine and a thermoforming machine. A station of the machine includes an upper tool and a lower tool, at least one of the upper and lower tools being suitable for moving in a substantially vertical actuating direction during the operation of the machine. In the method, the upper tool is supported on the lower tool and both tools are subsequently withdrawn from the station and are replaced with new tools. When withdrawing the upper and lower tools from the station and when introducing the new tools therein, the tools are moved simultaneously and jointly in a replacement direction different from the actuating direction.

A device for manufacturing and/or treating components such as flexible tubes from prefabricated tubular bodies includes at least means for supporting the components and means for moving the components in line with a plurality of work stations. The device includes transport means along a main closed path for a plurality of satellite turrets rotatingly mounted on the transport means. The satellite turrets include means for holding a plurality of components, and each satellite turret is rotated by a predetermined angle around its rotation axis when the satellite turret reaches at least one predetermined point of the main path.

Disclosed herein is a polarized lens film production apparatus, which may include a humidification heat treatment part which is configured to transfer a film engaged to a ring-shaped fixing jig and heat-treat it under a humidification environment and elongate the exposed film at a center portion of the fixing jig; a forming part which is able to form at a predetermined curvature the elongated film by inserting a forming jig into the fixing jig which is configured to fix the film; a heat treatment part which is configured to harden the film by means of a heat treatment, while transferring the fixing jig configured to fix the film and the forming jig engaged to the fixing jig; and a cutting part which is provided to remove unnecessary portions by cutting the film, thus obtaining a polarizing lens film having a predetermined curvature.

Methods for conveying granular material from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the material when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow regulator connected to the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow regulator, and a second conduit connecting the material supply to the receivers.

Apparatus and methods for conveying granular material from a supply to receivers that retain and dispense the material when needed by process machine include a vacuum pump, an air flow limiter connected to the vacuum pump, a first conduit connecting the receivers to the air flow limiter, and a second conduit connecting the material supply to the receivers.

A post-moulding station is described which is used in the manufacturing of a wind turbine blade. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.

A post-moulding station is described which is used in the manufacturing of a wind turbine blade. A blade shell forming part of a wind turbine blade is initially moulded in a blade mould, the blade shell subsequently transferred to a post-moulding station which allows for various post-moulding operations to be carried out on the blade shell away from the mould, thereby increasing the productivity of the blade mould in the manufacturing process. The post-moulding station may be operable to perform the closing of first and second blade shells to form a wind turbine blade, and may be formed from an adjustable structure which can provide relatively easy access to the contained blade shell for working thereon. Accordingly, the manufacturing equipment may be of reduced cost, combined with an increase in the overall productivity of the manufacturing system.