A support may include a hollow metallic tube extending over an axis and may include two opposing ends. The tube may include a plurality of sections disposed along the axis. A first section may be disposed at an end of the tube and include a first inner diameter, a first outer diameter, and a first wall thickness. A second section may be separated from the first section via a first transition zone. The second section may include a second inner diameter, a second outer diameter, and a second wall thickness. A third section may be disposed remote from the first section and be separated from the second section via a second transition zone. The third section may have a third inner diameter, a third outer diameter, and a third wall thickness. The wall thickness, inner diameter and outer diameter may vary along the tube between the plurality of sections.

A support may include a hollow metallic tube extending over an axis and may include two opposing ends. The tube may include a plurality of sections disposed along the axis. A first section may be disposed at an end of the tube and include a first inner diameter, a first outer diameter, and a first wall thickness. A second section may be separated from the first section via a first transition zone. The second section may include a second inner diameter, a second outer diameter, and a second wall thickness. A third section may be disposed remote from the first section and be separated from the second section via a second transition zone. The third section may have a third inner diameter, a third outer diameter, and a third wall thickness. The wall thickness, inner diameter and outer diameter may vary along the tube between the plurality of sections.

Provided are apparatuses for the infusion of one or more additives into the surface of a linear substrate. The apparatuses include a processing barrel having an infusion chamber defined therein as well as a linear substrate inlet and a linear substrate outlet. The processing barrel also includes an infusion fluid inlet and an infusion solution outlet in fluid communication with the infusion chamber. The infusion chamber is dimensionally reconfigurable, optionally during an infusion process.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a lightweight sheet-metal component with varying wall thicknesses, characterized by the following method steps: extruding a lightweight metal to form a profile with a non-planar profile cross section, wherein the wall thicknesses of the profile cross section differ from one another in at least two regions, cutting the profile to length into profile pieces, widening the profile pieces, forming the flattened profile piece into a three-dimensional shaped sheet-metal component, wherein the sheet-metal component has at least two regions with wall thicknesses that are different from one another.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a lightweight sheet-metal component with varying wall thicknesses, characterized by the following method steps: extruding a lightweight metal to form a profile with a non-planar profile cross section, wherein the wall thicknesses of the profile cross section differ from one another in at least two regions, cutting the profile to length into profile pieces, widening the profile pieces, forming the flattened profile piece into a three-dimensional shaped sheet-metal component, wherein the sheet-metal component has at least two regions with wall thicknesses that are different from one another.

An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.

An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.

An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.

An apparatus and method for modifying an aspect of an exterior polymer material or polymer type material of a linear substrate with a fluid. The apparatus include a variable exposure gap within which the linear substrate is exposed to the fluid. The width of the exposure gap is varied with the speed of the linear substrate traversing the exposure gap to maintain a constant exposure time of the linear substrate with the modifying fluid.