A machine and method of forming an article generally comprising extruding a molten bead of thermoplastic material along x, y and z axes in forming an article consisting of a strata of such material, and passing a roller over each applied portion of such molten bead to compress such bead portion, enhancing the fusion of engaging plies of such extruded material.

Bonded polymeric film laminates comprising core polymer film layers individually coated on at least one side with a heat fusible polymer layer and fusion bonded together by the application of heat and pressure at a temperature at which each heat fusible polymer coating bonds together adjacent core polymer film layers, where the melting point or softening temperature of the heat fusible polymer is at least 3° C. below that of the core layer polymer, and the lamination temperature is at or above the melting point or softening temperature of the heat fusible coating polymer, where the heat fusible polymer coating layers are thinner than the core polymer film layers, where the coated core polymer film layers are uniaxially stretched by 2× to 40×, and the stretched coated core polymer film layers are cross-plied. Methods for forming the laminates, coated films from which the laminates are formed, and articles formed from the laminates are also disclosed.

A manufacturing method contemplates performing vacuum-assisted resin infusion to enclose an elongated core within a cured composite laminate without employing a mold. Not relying upon an external mold enables the process to be efficiently performed for core shapes that are manufactured in low volumes. Typical resin infusion processes utilize flow media that induces bag bridging during vacuum draw in order to provide gaps facilitating resin flow. However, popular flow media also tends to impart directional aggregate forces during vacuum draw, which forces can deform the core since no mold is being used. To avoid unequal and non-dispersed directional forces from deforming the elongated core, a flow media is employed that is configured to disperse and/or reduce such forces. Some such flow media may be knitted so as to allow overlapping strands to slide over one another. Other flow media may ensure that strands are interleaved so that no one strand or group of strands is disposed outwardly of other strands along a substantial length of the strands, thus dispersing bag bridging forces in several directions and avoiding directional aggregate forces. However, such flow media may have inhibited resin flow relative to popular high-flow flow media, and thus new strategies have been developed to ensure appropriate wetting of fibrous reinforcement. An adjustable brace can also be employed to restrain the elongated core from deflecting during application of vacuum and/or resin infusion.

Apparatus for producing a three-dimensional object layer by layer using a powdery material which can be solidified by irradiating it with an energy beam, said apparatus comprising: a working area onto which layers of powdery material are to be placed; a powder storage unit, where said base surface is supporting a supply of powder in said powder storage unit; a powder distribution member, a pivoted powder pushing device for bringing a portion of powder from said base surface to a position between said distribution member and said working area, said distribution member further being arranged to be moveable towards and across the working area so as to distribute the portion of powder onto the working area, wherein a first portion of said pivoted powder pushing device is movable under said distribution member. An associated method and computer program product are also provided.

A structural member including a lightweight core, one or more skins, and a crosslinking nanolayer interposed therebetween that results in significant mechanical strength in the structure. The core is a polymer of reduced density by way of included voids, such as an open or closed cell foam, honeycomb, or corrugated structure. The core polymer has a lower density and may have a higher softening or melting temperature than the polymer skin materials. The core may be discontinuous at the interface with the skin such that only a small percentage of the core surface is actually in contact with the skin compared to the overall area of the interface. The skin may be a thermoplastic layer that attaches to the core material. The skin may be a composite material including non-thermoplastic reinforcements. The crosslinking nanolayer is covalently bonded to the surface of the core material and provides molecular compatibility with the skin material.

An adjustable distributor apparatus (10) for dispensing a foam forming mixture comprising a main body (20) and adjustment plate, the main body featuring at least one inlet, one channel, and one outlet, the inlet, channel and outlet in fluid connection such that a fluid may pass through the inlet into the channel and exit from the channel through the outlet, and the outlet being coupled with at least one adjustment plate (40), the adjustment plate featuring at least a first face, a second face opposing the first face, and an outlet hole, enabling a seal between either the outlet of the main body or the second face of a second adjustment plate, and the outlet hole extending from the first face to the second face by way of a fluid connection through the adjustment plate.

A composite which comprises a first layer of a fibre reinforced polymer and a second layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, between which is an intervening layer comprising an array of thermoplastic islands.

First, a composite preform 70 including a preform 10a and a plastic member 40a in close contact with the outer surface of the preform 10a is made by preparing the preform 10a made of plastic material and arranging the plastic member 40a to surround the outer surface of the preform 10a. Subsequently, the composite preform 70 is heated and inserted in a blow molding die 50 and undergoes blow molding in the blow molding die 50, by which the preform 10a and the plastic member 40a of the composite preform 70 are inflated integrally and a composite container 10A is obtained.

A flexible packaging laminate has built-in opening/reclose and tam per-evidence features by forming the laminate from an outer structure joined in face-to-face relation to an inner structure. Score lines are formed in both structures to enable an opening to be formed through the laminate by lifting a flap or the like out of the plane of the laminate. The score line through the outer structure defines a larger opening than the score line through the inner structure, such that a marginal region of the outer structure extends beyond the edge of the opening portion of the inner structure. A pressure-sensitive adhesive is used to re-adhere the marginal region to an underlying surface of the inner structure adjacent the opening through the laminate. The outer score line includes at least one tab positioned within a heat seal region of the laminate.

A method for preventing detachment of a three-dimensional object from a printing tray of a printing apparatus is disclosed. The method includes printing a carpet of building material below and around the base of a three-dimensional object to be printed; and printing said three-dimensional object. The portions of the carpet that protrude out of the boundaries of the base of the three-dimensional object are coated with one or more layers of support material to help keep the carpet flexible and adhesive in texture.