An apparatus and method for manufacturing a workpiece using optical dimensioning. The apparatus comprises a tool configured to alter at least one feature of the workpiece. An imaging system is coupled to the tool and defines an optical axis. The imaging system is configured to capture a plurality of images of the at least one feature of the workpiece. A controller comprises one or more processors. The controller is configured to analyze the plurality of images to determine measured dimensions of the at least one feature of the workpiece. The controller is further configured to define a three-dimensional path for operating the tool by applying a predefined modification to the measured dimensions of the at least one feature of the workpiece.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system may comprise a frame; and an additive component(s) configured to couple to the frame. The additive component(s) may comprise a first extrusion unit, a second extrusion unit, and/or a third extrusion unit. The 3D printing system may be a portion of a hybrid computer numerical control (CNC) machining/3D printing system and configured to manufacture a 3D component autonomously from start to finish. The additive component(s) may comprise a heating system including a hot-air blower.

A printhead a supplying portion with a supplying opening of a filament; a melting portion to melt a filament supplied; a discharging portion having a discharging opening to discharge the melted filament. A heat insulating portion between the supplying portion and the melting portion are integrally formed to effectively suppress heat in the melting portion conducting to the supplying portion even when the melting portion is heated to high temperature, to maintain the temperature of the supplying portion to an appropriate temperature, and to efficiently utilize heat by the melting portion as a result of heating the melting portion.

In the manufacture of extruded polymers there are a number of surface defects referred to as sharkskin, snakeskin and orange peel which all generally relate to the rheology of the polymer melt. A severe form of surface defect is “melt fracture” which is believed to result when the shear rate at the surface of the polymer is sufficiently high that the surface of the polymer begins to fracture. That is, there is a slippage of the surface of the extruded polymer relative to the body of the polymer melt. The surface generally can't flow fast enough to keep up with the body of the extrudate and a fracture in the melt occurs generally resulting in a severe loss of surface properties for the extrudate. A polymer extension process is disclosed wherein these undesirable surface defects are eliminated.

One or more embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for applying a mixture of a first compound and a second compound, the apparatus comprising a first extruder for processing a first compound and a second extruder for processing a second compound, wherein the outlet from the first extruder is in fluid communication with a first channel of a housing, and the outlet from the second extruder is in fluid communication with a second channel of the housing, wherein a gear pump is positioned in each channel, wherein a nozzle is in fluid communication with an outlet of the first channel and an outlet of the second channel, and a coextruded continuous strip is produced. The ratio of the first compound to the second compound may be adjusted instantaneously.

One or more embodiments of the present invention provide an apparatus for applying a mixture of a first compound and a second compound, the apparatus comprising a first extruder for processing a first compound and a second extruder for processing a second compound, wherein the outlet from the first extruder is in fluid communication with a first channel of a housing, and the outlet from the second extruder is in fluid communication with a second channel of the housing, wherein a gear pump is positioned in each channel, wherein a nozzle is in fluid communication with an outlet of the first channel and an outlet of the second channel, and a coextruded continuous strip is produced. The ratio of the first compound to the second compound may be adjusted instantaneously.

An integral geogrid includes a plurality of interconnected, oriented strands having an array of openings therein that is produced from a coextruded multilayer polymer sheet starting material. By virtue of the construction, the coextruded multilayer sheet components provide a crystalline synergistic effect during extrusion and orientation of the integral geogrid, resulting in enhanced material properties that provide performance benefits to use of the integral geogrid in soil geosyuthetic reinforcement.

An integral geogrid includes a plurality of interconnected, oriented strands having an array of openings therein that is produced from a coextruded multilayer polymer sheet starting material. By virtue of the construction, the coextruded multilayer sheet components provide a crystalline synergistic effect during extrusion and orientation of the integral geogrid, resulting in enhanced material properties that provide performance benefits to use of the integral geogrid in soil geosyuthetic reinforcement.

A method for making a compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 has the steps of co-extruding a barrier strip 9 of non-sealant elastomeric material with a plurality of projecting linear extending walls 9c and a sealant strip 11 wherein the sealant strip 11 is formed on one side of the barrier strip 9 filling the space between the plurality of projecting walls 9c to form a plurality of linearly extending rows of sealant 11 across the transverse width of the co-extrusion to form the compartmentalized sealant strip and barrier assembly 10. The step of co-extruding may further include the step of: forming the projecting walls 9c on an inclined angle relative to a plane perpendicular to the width of the assembly 10. The step of co-extruding further has the step of forming the barrier strip 9 with lateral edges 9a and 9c that extend beyond the lateral outermost sealant strips 11 on each side of the assembly 10, the lateral edges 9a, 9b being bonding surfaces to seal the sealant strip and barrier assembly 10 into an uncured rubber layer when assembled into an unvulcanized tire 2.

A mixer gun system includes a holder cap configured to separately store components in separate chambers. The components are selectively releasable through channels fluidly communicating with the separate chambers. The components are constituent materials for a bone cement mixture. A body forms a mixing chamber and is configured to receive the holder cap. The mixing chamber includes an opening corresponding with the channels for the separate chambers. A piston is disposed within the mixing chamber. A plunger is coupled to the piston and is configured to be biased toward the mixing chamber such that when the components are released into the mixing chamber a pressure developed by a biased motion of the plunger and piston infuses the components to form bone cement. Upon resetting the plunger and the piston, the bone cement is dispensed from the mixing chamber by the same biased motion. Methods of use are disclosed.