An apparatus for melting and dispensing thermoplastic material is provided that includes an un-heated hopper having an inlet for receiving particles of a thermoplastic material and an outlet for discharging the particles and a heated manifold including at least one cavity formed therein and having an inlet and an outlet the inlet communicating with the outlet of the hopper for receipt of the particles from the hopper. The hopper is disposed external of the heated manifold. The heated manifold is effective for melting the particles into molten thermoplastic material therein. The apparatus further includes a pump having an inlet in fluid communication with the cavity. An outlet of the pump is in fluid communication with an inlet of a dispenser and an outlet of the dispenser is effective for dispensing the molten thermoplastic material therethrough.

In an apparatus for treating a wafer-shaped article, a spin chuck is configured to hold a wafer-shaped article of a predetermined diameter. A non-rotating plate is positioned relative to the spin chuck such that the non-rotating plate is beneath and parallel to a wafer-shaped article when positioned on the spin chuck. A fluid dispensing nozzle passes through the non-rotating plate and terminates in a discharge end positioned above and adjacent to the non-rotating plate. The discharge end comprises a horizontal gas discharge nozzle configured to distribute gas radially outwardly across an upper surface of the non-rotating plate.

A method of applying a marking onto a metrological scale. The method includes locating one or more markings on the scale substrate in a provisional state; checking whether the one or more markings located on the scale substrate are acceptable; and finalizing the one or markings which are acceptable so as to transform the one or more markings into a finalized state.

A method of applying a marking onto a metrological scale. The method includes locating one or more markings on the scale substrate in a provisional state; checking whether the one or more markings located on the scale substrate are acceptable; and finalizing the one or markings which are acceptable so as to transform the one or more markings into a finalized state.

An apparatus includes a hopper configured to receive a plurality of solder microspheres, and a moveable singulation device positioned proximate to and below the hopper. The moveable singulation device is configured to receive the plurality of solder microspheres from the hopper as the plurality of microspheres exit the hopper. The movable singulation device includes a plurality of holes, with each of the plurality of holes configured to receive a single solder microsphere of the plurality of solder micro spheres. The apparatus further includes a piezoelectric vibration device configured to provide ultrasonic vibrations to the singulation device, thereby preventing agglomeration of the plurality of solder microspheres in the hopper.

Systems for producing, applying and evaluating coating compositions are disclosed. An automatic color matching system includes an automatic coating component dispenser, a container, a mixer for mixing the components of the coating composition and a solvent, an automatic pressurization station to apply pressure to the mixed coating composition, and a robotic arm to transport the container to and from the mixer. A coating composition dispensing system includes a computer to provide a target formulation for a coating composition, an automated component dispenser containing the components of the coating composition, a container positionable adjacent to the component dispenser to receive the components of the coating composition, and an automated component sensor to measure the amounts of each of the components dispensed into the container. The computer is programmed to store data corresponding to the measured amounts of each of the components, and amounts of components contained in the coating compositions may be monitored, along with processing parameters when the coating compositions are applied to various substrates. The characteristics of a produced sample coating may be compared with the characteristics of a target or reference coating to determine if they are sufficiently matched.

Systems for producing, applying and evaluating coating compositions are disclosed. An automatic color matching system includes an automatic coating component dispenser, a container, a mixer for mixing the components of the coating composition and a solvent, an automatic pressurization station to apply pressure to the mixed coating composition, and a robotic arm to transport the container to and from the mixer. A coating composition dispensing system includes a computer to provide a target formulation for a coating composition, an automated component dispenser containing the components of the coating composition, a container positionable adjacent to the component dispenser to receive the components of the coating composition, and an automated component sensor to measure the amounts of each of the components dispensed into the container. The computer is programmed to store data corresponding to the measured amounts of each of the components, and amounts of components contained in the coating compositions may be monitored, along with processing parameters when the coating compositions are applied to various substrates. The characteristics of a produced sample coating may be compared with the characteristics of a target or reference coating to determine if they are sufficiently matched.

A liquid photocurable adhesive coating device, a method for coating a liquid photocurable adhesive with a liquid photocurable adhesive coating device, and a method for coating a liquid photocurable adhesive are provided. The liquid photocurable adhesive coating device, including: a coating head, configured to coat a liquid photocurable adhesive; a precuring light source, fixed on the coating head and configured to precure the liquid photocurable adhesive coated by the coating head while the coating head is coating the liquid photocurable adhesive.

A liquid photocurable adhesive coating device, a method for coating a liquid photocurable adhesive with a liquid photocurable adhesive coating device, and a method for coating a liquid photocurable adhesive are provided. The liquid photocurable adhesive coating device, including: a coating head, configured to coat a liquid photocurable adhesive; a precuring light source, fixed on the coating head and configured to precure the liquid photocurable adhesive coated by the coating head while the coating head is coating the liquid photocurable adhesive.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.