Various systems, methods and apparatus for locating emitters embedded in tubing are disclosed herein, as well as forming outlets in said tubing and confirming the placement accuracy of such outlets. In one form, an emitter locator is disclosed having: a housing defining a generally enclosed space and having an inlet located in a first side of the housing and an outlet located in a second side of the housing positioned opposite the inlet; a cutter positioned within the generally enclosed space between the inlet and outlet; a first optical instrument located proximate the inlet; a second optical instrument located proximate the outlet; and a controller connected to the cutter and first and second optical instruments, the controller configured to detect a tubing target area desired for placement of an outlet opening in tubing that passes through the inlet and cut the tubing target area to form the outlet opening therein.

A process for operating an axial skinning apparatus for continuous manufacture of skinned ceramic honeycomb parts, including: determining the physical process parameters of the apparatus including: the rheology of the flowable skin cement; the geometry of the part to be skinned; and the geometry of the annulus gap of the skinning chamber; and calculating a plurality of dimensionless pressure gradient values (Lambda ()) according to the formula (1): $\begin{array}{cc}=\frac{\left(P\right)R}{2mL}{\left(\frac{R}{V}\right)}^n& \left(1\right)\end{array}$ where P, P, R, V, L, and m and n are as defined herein; plotting a plurality of manifold pressures versus a plurality of part velocities; and selecting at least one operating window based on the skin quality of a plurality of preliminarily skinned parts.

A skinning apparatus and a method of skinning a porous ceramic. The apparatus includes an axial skinning manifold. The axial skinning manifold includes a curved adaptive pipe to flow cement in a circumferential direction from an inlet at a first position and through an adaptive opening along an inner bend of the curve through a land channel disposed along the inner bend. The land channel emits the cement at a constant velocity from a land opening extending proximate the first position to a second position spaced apart from the first position. The land outlet emits cement at a constant velocity around the outer periphery of the porous ceramic to dispose a uniform skin thereon as the porous ceramic moves axially relative to the land outlet.

A skinning apparatus and a method of skinning a porous ceramic. The apparatus includes an axial skinning manifold. The axial skinning manifold includes a curved adaptive pipe to flow cement in a circumferential direction from an inlet at a first position and through an adaptive opening along an inner bend of the curve through a land channel disposed along the inner bend. The land channel emits the cement at a constant velocity from a land opening extending proximate the first position to a second position spaced apart from the first position. The land outlet emits cement at a constant velocity around the outer periphery of the porous ceramic to dispose a uniform skin thereon as the porous ceramic moves axially relative to the land outlet.

An irrigation tube having outlets extending along the length of the tube in a spaced relationship and finely-divided silica or iron oxide particles dispersed in the tube thereby increasing a surface hardness of the tube to deter rodent, worm or insect damage, the silica particles further can include an odor repellant located within the particles.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a combined polymeric structure are disclosed. The apparatus includes an extruder body (110), a die (120) configured to receive flowing polymeric material from the extruder body (110) and a motion unit. The die includes a hollow inner die (122), a protecting sleeve (124) located within the inner die (122) and an outer die (125) located at an exit (128) end of the hollow inner die (122). The motion unit is configured to cause bidirectional translational motion of the hollow inner die (122) relative to the outer die (125).

A compressible biomass carrier for use in fluid treatment systems is disclosed. The biomass carrier includes an extruded circumferential mesh-like structure and elongated elements positioned in a space confined by the circumferential mesh-like structure and at least some of the elongated elements are joined to an inner portion of the mesh-like structure.

Silicone-containing light fixture optics. A method for manufacturing an optical component may include mixing two precursors of silicone, opening a first gate of an optic forming device, moving the silicone mixture from the extrusion machine into the optic forming device, cooling the silicone mixture as it enters the optic forming device, filling a mold within the optic forming device with the silicone mixture, closing the first gate, and heating the silicone mixture in the mold to at least partially cure the silicone. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing an optical component may include depositing a layer of heat cured silicone optical material to an optical structure, arranging one or more at least partially cured silicone optics on the layer of heat cured silicone optical material, and heating the heat cured silicone optical material to permanently adhere the one or more at least partially cured silicone optics to the optical structure.

Silicone-containing light fixture optics. A method for manufacturing an optical component may include mixing two precursors of silicone, opening a first gate of an optic forming device, moving the silicone mixture from the extrusion machine into the optic forming device, cooling the silicone mixture as it enters the optic forming device, filling a mold within the optic forming device with the silicone mixture, closing the first gate, and heating the silicone mixture in the mold to at least partially cure the silicone. Alternatively, a method for manufacturing an optical component may include depositing a layer of heat cured silicone optical material to an optical structure, arranging one or more at least partially cured silicone optics on the layer of heat cured silicone optical material, and heating the heat cured silicone optical material to permanently adhere the one or more at least partially cured silicone optics to the optical structure.

Silicone-containing light fixture optics. A method for manufacturing an optical component including an inner optical component and an outer optical component. The method may include providing a first optical component; providing a material that comprises silicone; moving the material through an extrusion die to form a second optical component on the first optical component to form a continuous length of extruded optic. The first optical component can be one of the inner optical component or the outer optical component, and the second optical component can be the other of the inner optical component or the outer optical component and different from the first optical component. The method may further include curing the continuous length of extruded optic; and cutting the continuous length of extruded optic at a desired length to form the linear optic.