A method and associated system are provided for cutting and placing individual nose wires in a facemask production line. A continuous wire is supplied from a supply source to a cutting station in the facemask production line where the continuous wire is cut into individual nose wires having a defined length. A first web is conveyed to a vacuum conveyor, and the individual nose wires are deposited from the cutting station onto the vacuum conveyor such that the nose wires are drawn by vacuum against the first web at a defined spacing and orientation. With the vacuum conveyor, the first web and attached nose wires are conveyed to a folding station wherein the first web and nose wires are combined with a second web such that the nose wires are encapsulated between the first and second webs.

Wire buffer systems that can buffer one or more wires are described. The wire buffer system can include a buffer tube. The buffer tube can include entry passages, exit passages, an outer cylinder, and an inner cylinder. The inner cylinder can be fixed in a position coaxial with the outer cylinder. Flexible wire guides can be coupled to the entry passage. The flexible wire guide can extend in a spiral around the inner cylinder and exit the buffer tube through the exit passage. The wire buffer systems can further include measurement systems. The measurement systems can include time-of-flight (TOF) sensors, linear rails, and carriages.

A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming device is provided. The system includes a treatment unit including at least a first and a second print head each being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated; and a control unit configured to determine if a maintenance sequence is to be performed on at least the first print head, and if so schedule said maintenance sequence on at least the first print head. A method is further provided.

A system for in-line treatment of thread for use with a thread consuming device is provided. The system includes a treatment unit including at least a first and a second print head each being configured to dispense one or more coating substances onto the at least one thread when activated; and a control unit configured to determine if a maintenance sequence is to be performed on at least the first print head, and if so schedule said maintenance sequence on at least the first print head. A method is further provided.

A festoon device includes a frame, which extends vertically, an upper pulley, which is rotationally supported by an upper part of the frame, and a lower pulley, which is rotationally supported by the frame below the upper pulley and is selectively moved up and down. The frame rotationally supports two auxiliary pulleys, which are arranged at a position closer to the frame than the upper pulley and the lower pulley. The festoon device is configured such that a wire is looped about the upper pulley and the lower pulley after being looped about the auxiliary pulleys.

A festoon device includes a frame, which extends vertically, an upper pulley, which is rotationally supported by an upper part of the frame, and a lower pulley, which is rotationally supported by the frame below the upper pulley and is selectively moved up and down. The frame rotationally supports two auxiliary pulleys, which are arranged at a position closer to the frame than the upper pulley and the lower pulley. The festoon device is configured such that a wire is looped about the upper pulley and the lower pulley after being looped about the auxiliary pulleys.

A method and system are provided for cutting and placing individual nose wires in a facemask production line. A continuous wire is supplied from a source to a cutting station in the production line. At the cutting station, the wire is engaged with a set of driven feed rollers that advance the wire at a first speed to a cutting roller, wherein the wire is cut into individual nose wires. The individual nose wires from the cutting roller are then engaged by a set of delivery rollers to deposit the individual nose wires onto a running carrier web. The delivery rollers are independently driven relative to the feed rollers and cutting roller such that the nose wires from the cutting roller are initially accelerated and transported away from the cutting roller at a second speed that is greater than the first speed and then decelerated and moved onto the carrier web at a third speed that is less than the first speed.

Accumulation-type thread feeder including: a body, which bears a rotary drum on which turns of thread from a spool are wound; a tension sensor for detecting value of tension of exiting thread and a detector for detecting thread quantity accumulated on the drum; a light-reflecting element on the drum or functionally associated therewith, such light generated by light a generator borne by a support arranged alongside the drum, the support associated with a detector to detect light reflected by the reflecting element, the reflected light varying as a function of the quantity of thread wound on the rotary drum, the detection allowing detection of such thread quantity. The detector is a light-sensitive member directly receiving the light reflected by the reflecting element along the entire surface of the drum, the member allowing determination of thread density on the drum.

A composite placement machine has a simplified fiber delivery path from a creel to a lay-up table. A carriage is mounted for motion in the Y-axis along the length of an overhead beam. A composite placement head having a shiftable compaction roller is supported by the carriage. A stationary creel at one end of the overhead beam forms a band of composite material having a width that extends in the X-axis. A lay-up table is mounted for motion in the X-axis and rotary motion about a C-axis that is perpendicular to the X and Y-axes. The motion of the head in the Y-axis, the shiftable compaction roller, and the motion of the lay-up table X-axis and the C-axis allows the head to apply composite material to the lay-up table in both Y-axis directions in any orientation without twisting the band of composite material relative to the X and Y-axes.

An elongated element (10) is transferred from a second (full) spool (13) to a first (empty) spool (14). A gripper (16) is positioned on the elongated element (10). The gripper (16) catches the elongated element (10) and the elongated element (10) is cut between the gripper (16) and the second spool (13) thereby leaving a leading end (19). Thereafter the gripper (16) is positioned with the leading end (19) at the level of the first empty spool (14). The gripper (16) is rotating around the axis of the first spool (14) to form first windings to fix the elongated element (10) on the first spool (14). The method allows full automation and assures the use of the wound element (10) until its final end.