An apparatus for producing endless 3-D printed belts using in papermaking and an apparatus for producing endless 3-D printed belts laminated to a substrate for additional strength and dimensional stability during use.

A manufacturing process converts a standard flat belt conveyor belt into a new, positively driven, pitch differential belt. A strip of thermoplastic material having a physical characteristic, such as melting temperature, that differs from the physical characteristic of the thermoplastic material comprising the conveyor belt, is applied to the drive side of a commercially available conveyor belt and machined to create a plurality of teeth, or drive bars, of any desired geometry that is configured to engage with the with sprockets or drums of the drive mechanism on the conveyor. The strip and/or drive bars can also be made by additive manufacturing, such as by 3D printing. Two ends of the resulting belt segment are cut to length and spliced, preferably with finger joints, to make a continuous loop using an industry standard hot-plate vulcanizer with a custom fitting called an alignment mold. The melting temperature of the belt and the strip/teeth are chosen to be far enough apart so that the belt may be spliced without melting the teeth. The alignment mold is a silicon pad that has recesses shaped to conform to the geometry/pitch of teeth so that the teeth retain their integrity and shape during the splicing process.

A manufacturing process converts a standard flat belt conveyor belt into a new, positively driven, pitch differential belt. A strip of thermoplastic material having a physical characteristic, such as melting temperature, that differs from the physical characteristic of the thermoplastic material comprising the conveyor belt, is applied to the drive side of a commercially available conveyor belt and machined to create a plurality of teeth, or drive bars, of any desired geometry that is configured to engage with the with sprockets or drums of the drive mechanism on the conveyor. The strip and/or drive bars can also be made by additive manufacturing, such as by 3D printing. Two ends of the resulting belt segment are cut to length and spliced, preferably with finger joints, to make a continuous loop using an industry standard hot-plate vulcanizer with a custom fitting called an alignment mold. The melting temperature of the belt and the strip/teeth are chosen to be far enough apart so that the belt may be spliced without melting the teeth. The alignment mold is a silicon pad that has recesses shaped to conform to the geometry/pitch of teeth so that the teeth retain their integrity and shape during the splicing process.

The present invention discloses a rubber composition comprising, in parts by weight, 100 parts of a rubber matrix, 1.5 to 9 parts of a crosslinking agent, 0.2 to 9 parts of an assistant crosslinking agent, 40 to 170 parts of a reinforcing filler, 6 to 93 parts of a plasticizer and 3 to 25 parts of a metal oxide. The rubber matrix comprises a branched polyethylene with a content represented as A, in which 0<A100 parts, an EPM with a content represented as B, in which 0B<100 parts, and an EPDM with a content represented as C, in which 0C<100 parts. The present invention provides a rubber composition which is excellent in heat resistance and mechanical properties and is useful in a cover rubber of a conveyor belt.

The present invention discloses a rubber composition comprising, in parts by weight, 100 parts of a rubber matrix, 1.5 to 9 parts of a crosslinking agent, 0.2 to 9 parts of an assistant crosslinking agent, 40 to 170 parts of a reinforcing filler, 6 to 93 parts of a plasticizer and 3 to 25 parts of a metal oxide. The rubber matrix comprises a branched polyethylene with a content represented as A, in which 0<A100 parts, an EPM with a content represented as B, in which 0B<100 parts, and an EPDM with a content represented as C, in which 0C<100 parts. The present invention provides a rubber composition which is excellent in heat resistance and mechanical properties and is useful in a cover rubber of a conveyor belt.

Provided are a method for setting the embedding depth of loop coils in a conveyor belt which can enhance the durability of a loop coil without testing a large number of samples, and a method for manufacturing a conveyor belt in which the loop coil is embedded. A two-dimensional or three-dimensional FEM analysis model of an actual conveyor belt is prepared, and the appropriate embedding depth of the loop coils in the actual conveyor belt, i.e., the rubber thickness between the core layer and the loop coils is set on the basis of at least one of a principal stress or a deformation amount occurring in the loop coil in the analysis model when a falling object having predetermined specifications is dropped from above an upper cover rubber in the analysis model onto the upper cover rubber.

Provided are a method for setting the embedding depth of loop coils in a conveyor belt which can enhance the durability of a loop coil without testing a large number of samples, and a method for manufacturing a conveyor belt in which the loop coil is embedded. A two-dimensional or three-dimensional FEM analysis model of an actual conveyor belt is prepared, and the appropriate embedding depth of the loop coils in the actual conveyor belt, i.e., the rubber thickness between the core layer and the loop coils is set on the basis of at least one of a principal stress or a deformation amount occurring in the loop coil in the analysis model when a falling object having predetermined specifications is dropped from above an upper cover rubber in the analysis model onto the upper cover rubber.

Apparatus comprising a process belt includes a woven rectangular planar structure with opposed longitudinal ends that are joined together to form an endless belt. The exemplary woven planar structure includes metal and glass warp fibers that extend in the longitudinal direction, and metal and/or glass weft fibers which extend transversely of the warp fibers. The diameter of the glass warp fibers is substantially greater than the diameter of the metal warp fibers which causes the outer surfaces of the glass fibers to extend outwardly of the metal warp fibers on the outer surface. This configuration causes items engaged with the outer surface to be operatively engaged with only the glass warp fibers. In exemplary arrangements a coating comprised of fluoropolymer extends on the fiber surfaces which comprise the entire outer surface of the planar structure and the belt.

The present invention provides a means for improving peeling durability of a tubular article to be produced and properties thereof at the time of use while having high productivity in a method for producing a tubular article. The present invention relates to the method for producing a tubular article including: continuously coating at least two coating solutions for forming a polyimide resin layer to form a stacked coating film, the two coating solutions each including a solvent-soluble polyimide; and a solvent having a vapor pressure at 25 C. of 10 kPa or more and 19 kPa or less.

The present invention provides a means for improving peeling durability of a tubular article to be produced and properties thereof at the time of use while having high productivity in a method for producing a tubular article. The present invention relates to the method for producing a tubular article including: continuously coating at least two coating solutions for forming a polyimide resin layer to form a stacked coating film, the two coating solutions each including a solvent-soluble polyimide; and a solvent having a vapor pressure at 25 C. of 10 kPa or more and 19 kPa or less.