A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a nozzle configured to discharge multiple fiber strands oriented transversely adjacent each other relative to a travel direction of the head. The head may also include a matrix supply separately associated with each of the multiple fiber strands.

A method for the production of a heat-generating element includes placing in which at least two electrical conductor elements, provided with through holes, onto a film provided with an adhesive mass, pressing the conductor elements against the films such that the mass is forced into the through holes. At least one PTC element is subsequently placed onto one of the conductor elements, and then the other of the conductor elements, together with the film adhering thereto, is placed opposite to the one of the conductor elements onto the PTC element. The invention further relates to a heat-generating element with a PTC element and electrical conductor elements connected thereto in an electrically conductive manner for energizing the PTC element with a different polarity and an electrical insulation that is provided on the outer side thereof with a film and an adhesive mass applied thereto. At least one of the conductor elements is provided with through holes and the mass is at least in part contained in the plane of the conductor element.

A manufacturing process for an active grille shutter arrangement including in-mold assembly of an active aero hinge modular frame that allows for the joining of multiple components that are to be assembled directly out of the molding process tooling. These components could be the vane end pivots, vane end stops, drive linkages, frame end stops, etc. Final assembly of the system is facilitated by geometrical considerations and molding material considerations in the in-mold assembly (IMA) design.

A thermal roller (1) includes: a cylindrical body (2) extending along a longitudinal direction (X-X), the cylindrical body (2) including at least one inner tubular element (3) and at least one outer tubular element (4) that is concentrically arranged around the inner tubular element (3), the inner tubular element (3) includes an outer diameter d and the outer tubular element 4 includes an inner diameter D, being D>d; two hubs (6), each arranged at one end of the cylindrical body (2); at least one heat-exchange chamber (10) realized between the inner tubular element (3) and the outer tubular element (4). The roller includes: a coating layer (11) for the inner tubular element (3) made of plastics, and at least one helical channel (13) between the coating layer (11) and the outer tubular element (4). The helical channel (13) is realized at least partially in the coating layer (11).

A method for fabricating a porous ceramic heating body, and a method of fabricating a heating body. The method for fabricating includes, in sequence, mixing, ball-milling, defoaming, molding, and drying, pore-forming agent discharging, sintering, and electrode leading. The whole method is simple, and by using a box furnace to sinter the green body under an oxidizing atmosphere and normal pressure, the fabricated ceramic heating body is heated uniformly and the heating efficiency is high.

A composite heater may include a base additively manufactured from a first matrix material, and a heating element additively manufactured adjacent the base from a second matrix material and an electrically and thermally conductive fiber that is at least partially encased in the second matrix material. The composite heater may also include a control mechanism configured to selectively complete a circuit between a power supply and the electrically and thermally conductive fiber.

A method for manufacturing a heating mat for a motor vehicle. The method includes the following steps: providing a heating ply having a deformable structure and two heating elements inserted into the structure, said two heating elements being separated by a deformation area of the structure; stacking the heating ply between an upper layer and a lower layer, wherein at least one of the heating ply and the upper and lower layers includes a thermoformable material; assembling the stack by at least one fastening rod; and thermoforming the stack thus assembled, so as to secure the heating ply and the upper and lower layers into a single piece; and stretching the deformation area in the stacking direction.

In manufacturing an electrothermal heater mat, there is provided a preform which comprises a laminated stack of dielectric layers which are made of thermoplastic material and include a central layer or group of layers which include(s) reinforcement and first and second outer groups of layers which do not include reinforcement. The preform includes a heater element and the preform has a first configuration. The preform is then heated to a temperature (e.g. 180 C.) between the glass-transition temperature of the thermoplastic material and the melting point of the thermoplastic material, and the heated preform is formed into a second configuration which is different to the first configuration so as to produce the heater mat.

An electric air heating device for a vehicle, specifically a motor vehicle, preferably a private car or a heavy goods vehicle, including at least a first heating element around which the air to be heated flows, wherein the first heating element comprises a preferably electrically-insulating substrate and at least one electrically-conductive carbon-based coating, specifically a polymer coating.

An electrical liquid heating device, in particular water heating device, preferably for a motor vehicle, including at least a first conductive layer, in particular a first metal layer, a second conductive layer, in particular a second metal layer, and a polymer layer which contains a polymer component and a conductive carbon component and is arranged between the first and the second conductive layer, wherein liquid channels for conducting the liquid, in particular water, being heated are provided which extend from a first side of the polymer layer facing the first conductive layer to a second side of the polymer layer facing the second conductive layer.