A coating system includes a support fixture sized to be partially inserted into one or more openings of a component and a spray nozzle segment device comprising a housing configured to receive a slurry. The device is disposed radially outward of a central axis of the component and is shaped to extend circumferentially about at least part of the central axis of the component. The housing comprises plural delivery nozzles configured to spray the slurry onto a surface of the component. The device is operably coupled with the support fixture such that the fixture maintains a position of the device within the component when the support fixture is partially inserted into one or more openings of the component.

A method of controlling application of material onto a substrate is provided. The method includes ejecting an ultraviolet (UV) curable material through a plurality of micro-applicators in the form of atomized droplets. At least one UV light source is positioned adjacent to the plurality of micro-applicators and the atomized droplets are irradiated with UV light by the at least one UV light source and curing of the atomized droplets is initiated. The atomized droplets are deposited onto a surface of the substrate and a UV cured coating on the surface is formed thereon. The UV curable material may include a photolatent base catalyst such that the atomized droplets deposited onto the surface continue to cure after being irradiated with the at least one UV light source. The at least one UV light source can include a UV light ring, a UV light emitting diode, and the like.

An apparatus is disclosed for coating a surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises at least one spray head for directly or indirectly applying to the surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounding the spray head(s) and defining an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing having a rim adjacent the surface that is configured to prevent egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum the sprayed fluid and particles suspended in the sprayed fluid. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the surface, so as to leave only a substantially single particle layer adhering to the surface on exiting the apparatus.

An atomizing spray nozzle device includes plural inlets that receive different phases of materials of a coating. The device also includes an atomizing zone housing portion fluidly coupled with the inlets and shaped to mix the different phases of the materials into a mixed phase slurry. The device also includes a plenum housing portion fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing portion along the center axis of the device. The plenum housing portion includes an interior plenum that is elongated along the center axis of the device. The plenum is configured to receive the mixed phase slurry from the atomizing zone. The device also includes one or more delivery nozzles fluidly coupled with the plenum. The one or more delivery nozzles provide one or more outlets from which the mixed phase slurry is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as a coating on the target object.

A head is disclosed for use with a manufacturing system. The head may have a housing configured to discharge a tubular structure reinforced with at least one continuous fiber and having a three-dimensional trajectory, and a cure enhancer operatively connected to the housing and configured to cure a liquid matrix in the tubular structure during discharge. The head may also have a nozzle configured to discharge a fill material into the tubular structure, and a wand extending from the housing to the nozzle.

A powder-rubbing apparatus comprises: a rotatable rubbing roll having a rotational axis; a substrate path; an oscillating mechanism for oscillating the rotatable rubbing roll along the rotational axis; and a powder coating die comprising an inlet port in fluid communication with an outlet port disposed adjacent to the substrate path. The substrate frictionally contacts the rotatable rubbing roll within a rubbing zone. A dispenser for dispensing gas-borne powder is in fluid communication with the inlet port of the powder coating die. The dispenser is aligned such that at least a portion of a gas-borne powder dispensed from the powder coating die is deposited directly onto at least one of the rotatable rubbing roll or the substrate and conveyed into the rubbing zone. A method of using the powder-rubbing apparatus and a powder-rubbed web preparable thereby are also disclosed.

An atomizer for applying a coating includes a nozzle plate, an actuator, and an acoustic focusing device. The nozzle plate defines at least one aperture. The actuator is configured to oscillate to form pressure waves within a fluid to eject the fluid from the nozzle plate. The acoustic focusing device focuses the pressure waves toward the apertures.

An apparatus for coating a donor surface that is movable relative to the apparatus with a layer of metallic particles or particles having a metal-like appearance and reflectivity, the particles adhering more strongly to the surface than to one another. The apparatus comprises an application device to apply to the donor surface a fluid stream within which the particles are suspended, a housing surrounds the application device forming an interior plenum for confining the fluid stream, the housing prevents egress of particles from a sealing gap defined between the rim of the housing and the surface to be coated, and a suction source connected to the housing to extract from the plenum excess fluid and particles. In operation, the suction source extracts substantially all particles that are not in direct contact with the donor surface, leaving substantially a single particle layer adhering to the donor surface upon exiting the apparatus.

An apparatus and method for treating a surface with a jet having a multiplicity of particles, including a mixing chamber with an inlet for a stream of propellant gas, the mixing chamber being designed to mix the stream of propellant gas with the multiplicity of particles, and a nozzle, which adjoins the mixing chamber and is connected to it in terms of flow and which has an outlet for the stream of propellant gas, a nozzle cross-sectional area of the nozzle as it progresses from the mixing chamber at first being reduced in size to a minimum nozzle cross-sectional area and then being increased in size again, the inlet having an inlet cross-sectional area, and an area quotient between the minimum nozzle cross-sectional area and the inlet cross-sectional area lying in the range from 10 to 300.

An atomizing spray nozzle device includes an atomizing zone housing that receives different phases of materials used to form a coating. The atomizing zone housing mixes the different phases of the materials into a two-phase mixture of ceramic-liquid droplets in a carrier gas. The device also includes a plenum housing fluidly coupled with the atomizing housing and extending from the atomizing housing to a delivery end. The plenum housing includes an interior plenum that receives the two-phase mixture of ceramic-liquid droplets in the carrier gas from the atomizing zone housing. The device also includes one or more delivery nozzles fluidly coupled with the plenum chamber. The delivery nozzles provide outlets from which the two-phase mixture of ceramic-liquid droplets in the carrier gas is delivered onto one or more surfaces of a target object as the coating on the target object.