A forming device for gathering the width of a traveling web is disclosed. The forming device includes opposing arrays of flute-forming bars that can be interlaced to define therebetween a longitudinal flute-forming labyrinth effective to reduce the width of a web traveling therethrough by a preselected take-up ratio. The flute-forming bars are curved beginning at an entry end of the forming device such that they converge in a lateral direction as they proceed in the machine direction. In this manner, individual elements of the web traveling between the respective arrays in the machine direction follow contour lines along the curved bars or between adjacent ones of the curved bars so that no such element crosses any flute-forming bar in the cross-machine direction as the web travels and is fluted. A corrugating die for introducing a near-net shape to the intermediate-fluted web is also disclosed, as are a corrugating line incorporating these operations and methods for its operation.

The invention relates to a method for providing a tire with an informative label. The method comprises supporting a tire, supplying a banding material to the tire and wrapping it in a loop around a part of the tire, holding the banding material at the neck of said loop, and connecting opposed areas of the banding material at said neck to form a label wrap. The invention further relates to an apparatus for carrying out the method and to a tire provided with the label. The informative label is easily removed by a mechanic and shows an improved processability and printability. The informative label further does not leave any adhesive or other residuals on a tire.

A tool for fixing a protective textile sleeve about an elongate member contained therein and method of use thereof is provided. The tool includes a clamp assembly having opposed clamp members attached to one another for pivotal movement relative to one another between an open state and a closed state. The clamp members have clamping surfaces, wherein at least one of the clamping surfaces has at least one outlet. A fluid source is arranged in fluid communication with the at least one outlet, and a heat source is configured to heat fluid from the fluid source to create steam. The steam is dispensed outwardly from the at least one outlet to cause an adhesive on the sleeve to become activated to bond with an adjacent abutting surface.

In a material web which is printed in a digital printing station and moved in an advancement direction, a first material-web strand, which is formed by at least one printed material-web portion, is combined with a second material-web strand, which is formed by two printed material-web portions, by folding. The two material-web strands are connected to one another by an adhesive. Subproducts are then severed from the thus interconnected material-web strands by cross-cutting. These subproducts comprise a first printed sheet, severed from the first material-web strand, and a second printed sheet, connected to the first printed sheet and severed from the second material-web strand. The subproducts are then positioned one upon the other to form a stack, the subproducts being connected to one another by an adhesive in the region of the subsequent folding line. The stacked subproducts are then folded about a folding line to form an end product.