An automated process is provided for debundling carbon fiber tow that includes feeding a carbon fiber tow into a chopper. The carbon fiber tow is cut to form lengths of chopped tow portions. The lengths of chopped tow portions are distributed on a moving conveyor. The lengths of chopped tow portions are exposed to a first plasma discharge from a first plasma source on the moving conveyor to create debundled carbon fibers. Alternatively, the carbon fiber tow is exposed to the first plasma discharge prior to being cut into lengths. A system for applying chopped fibers to a sheet of molding compound includes a chopper for cutting a carbon fiber tow into lengths of chopped tow portions. A conveyor belt receives the lengths of chopped tow portions. At least one plasma generating source is arrayed across of the conveyor.

A method and apparatus for preparing a plurality of coated binder units are disclosed. A coated binder is divided into a plurality of coated binder units by applying a pair of dividing elements to the coated binder and applying a welding element.

The present invention is directed to a floor panel that is processed on roll equipment, whereby a decorative design consisting of elongated striations is printed with the elongated striations oriented in an across-machine direction. The decorative design is printed on a print layer and is subsequently laminated to a substrate layer. The laminated flooring material is then cut such that the elongate sides of the panels are cut in the across machine direction. This results in a floor panel with greater dimensional stability on the elongate side.

A multilayer protective covering can protect a surface from lightning strikes. The covering includes a bottom conductive layer affixed to the surface and having a first opening that is aligned with a grounding connection so that the grounding connection is exposed through first opening and not in contact with the bottom conductive layer. The covering also includes a dielectric layer affixed to the bottom conductive layer and having second opening aligned with the grounding connection so that the grounding connection is exposed through second opening and not in contact with the dielectric layer. The covering additionally includes a top conductive layer affixed to the dielectric layer and covering the grounding connection. The top conductive layer directs electrical current from a lightning strike on the surface to the grounding connection.

An apparatus for sealing or tying products, comprising a housing with at least a first tape dispenser and a star wheel, a slot defined by or through the housing, wherein the star wheel extends at least partly in said slot, wherein the star wheel comprises a series of first cells and a series of second cells, the first and second cells being intermittently disposed in the star wheel, each cell being open to a periphery of the star wheel and two opposite sides thereof, wherein an urging device is provided having at least one edge portion for urging at least one product to be tied into one of the cells, especially a first cell.

An apparatus for joining substrate portions includes substrate portions being positioned such that the substrate portions overlap at an overlap area. The substrate portions each have a melting temperature and an outer surface. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrate portions. A jet of the heated fluid is directed from a fluid orifice onto the substrate portions at the overlap area. The heated fluid penetrates at least one of the outer surfaces of the substrate portions. The substrate portions are at least partially melted using the heated fluid. The substrate portions are compressed using a pressure applying surface adjacent the fluid orifice to join the substrate portions together at the overlap area.

A method of joining substrate portions includes positioning the substrate portions such that the substrate portions overlap at an overlap area. The substrate portions each have a melting temperature and an outer surface. A fluid is heated to a temperature sufficient to at least partially melt the substrate portions. A jet of the heated fluid is directed from a fluid orifice onto the substrate portions at the overlap area. The heated fluid penetrates at least one of the outer surfaces of the substrate portions. The substrate portions are at least partially melted using the heated fluid. The substrate portions are compressed to join the substrate portions together at the overlap area.

The present invention includes recognizing, as positions of outermost circumferential cells, positions each of which is calculated from an average cell pitch of usual cells and each of which is present on an inner side from a circumference of an end face of a honeycomb structure; disposing, on the basis of the recognition, virtual perforation regions at positions on a sheet which correspond to the outermost circumferential cells to be plugged, each of the virtual perforation regions being divided into a plurality of squares; and performing perforation processing of perforating at least one of a plurality of squares in each of the virtual perforation regions. Positions and a number of squares to be perforated in each of the virtual perforation regions are individually set in accordance with each of the positions of the outermost circumferential cells to be plugged to which each of the virtual perforation regions corresponds.

A method for preparing a sapphire lens includes the following steps: sequentially forming an ink layer and a coating film layer on one surface of a large polymeric membrane; laser-cutting the obtained large polymeric membrane to form two or more small polymeric membranes that are as thick as the large polymeric membrane; laminating the surface of the small polymeric membrane that does not contain the ink layer and the coating film layer to one surface of a sapphire sheet, such that an adhesive layer is formed between the small polymeric membranes and the sapphire sheet, wherein the sapphire sheet has a thickness of 0.3 to 1.5 mm, and the polymeric membrane has a thickness of 0.02 to 0.2 mm; and pressing the obtained sheet material to remove bubbles, thereby obtaining a sapphire lens.

A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade shell part is described. Fiber mats and a root end insert are laid up in a mould part in a layup procedure by use of an automated layup system. The fiber mats are laid up by use of a buffer so that the fiber mats may continuously be laid up on the mould surface, also during a cutting procedure. The root end insert is prepared in advance and mounted on a mounting plate. The root end insert is lowered onto the mould by use of the mounting plate and a lowering mechanism. After the wind turbine blade shell has been moulded, the mounting plate is removed.