A paint roller manufacturing system and method are described. In an embodiment, an inner strip of material and an outer strip of material are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. The inner strip of material and the outer strip of material each comprise material that results in a final paint roller which shrinks by less than 2.5 percent of the final paint roller axial length, or which has shrinkage that varies by less +/0.1%, upon hardening and setting. An adhesive is applied to at least a portion of the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. A length of fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube, and compression is applied to the paint roller tube while advancing the paint roller tube in a direction parallel to the mandrel. A precision measuring or sensing device is used to control a cutting device causing the cutting device to cut the advancing paint roller tube into pre-selected lengths prior to the paint roller tube hardening and setting.

A method for manufacturing a rolled retraction cord is provided. The method comprises the steps of: (A) preparing the sheet, the sheet comprising a first side edge and a second side edge opposite to each other; (B) placing the sheet on a first surface of a first forming member; (C) contacting the first side edge of the sheet with a second surface of a second forming member, the first side edge of the sheet sandwiched between the first surface of the first forming member and the second surface of the second forming member; and (D) applying a force via the first surface or the second surface to the sheet, and rolling the sheet from the first side edge to the second side edge to obtain the retraction cord. With this method, a rolled retraction cord with a smooth surface and enhanced ductility is capable of being provided.

Systems and methods for making and/or using a hybrid laminate composite tube structure. The methods comprise: wrapping a plurality of lamina layers around a male cylindrical tool (e.g., mandrel); treating the lamina layers with heat/pressure to form the hybrid laminate composite tube structure; and assembling a structure by adhesively bonding the hybrid laminate composite tube structure to a metallic fitting. The lamina layers comprise: at least one first lamina layer formed of a first material having a first CTE; and at least one second lamina layer formed of a second material different from the first material and having a second CTE different than the first CTE. The hybrid laminate composite tube structure has at least one property that is different in the axial direction than the hoop direction. An axial CTE of the hybrid laminate composite tube structure is tailored to provide a net zero CTE for the assembled structure.

A method of manufacturing a tank includes: a winding step of winding a fiber impregnated with thermosetting resin before curing on a liner; a shape changing step of making the shape of the liner larger than the shape thereof at the time of the winding step, the shape changing step being performed after the winding step; and a curing step of heating and curing the thermosetting resin while the shape of the liner is increased by the shape changing step.

In an embodiment, a paint roller manufacturing system and method uses a fabric-coating applicator to apply a fabric adhesive onto a portion of a perforated paint roller cover fabric material having a plurality of perforations through which adhesive may flow, and into the plurality of perforations and into interstitial spaces of the fabric material, to yield a length of coated fabric. An inner strip and an outer strip are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. A strip-coating applicator is used to apply a strip adhesive to the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. Simultaneously with the step of applying the strip adhesive to the outer strip, a portion of the coated paint roller fabric material is received at the outer strip and the length of coated fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube.

A balloon wrapping apparatus and a balloon wrapping method are disclosed by which a balloon can be accurately positioned in relation to a pleating section and to a folding section. The balloon wrapping apparatus for wrapping a balloon of a balloon catheter provided with the balloon at a distal portion of an elongated shaft includes: a pleating section having a plurality of blades aligned with space parts therebetween in a circumferential direction, and forms the balloon with wing shapes projecting in radial directions by clamping the balloon in the space parts by moving rotationally the blades; and a folding section having a plurality of blades aligned in a circumferential direction, and that folds the wing shapes formed in the balloon in the circumferential direction by moving rotationally the blades; and a support base that supports a part of the shaft which part is on a proximal side of the balloon.

A preform-charge fixture creates a preform charge, which is a partially consolidated assemblage of preforms that can be efficiently transferred to a mold to create a finished part in a molding process, such as compression molding. In the illustrative embodiment, the preform-charge fixture includes peripheral cleats that are movable towards a central cleat to create a small gap therebetween that receives and constrains preforms in a desired position. The fixture also includes clamps, which are operable to engage an uppermost layer of preforms in the gap and apply a slight amount of downward pressure thereto to assure that the preforms are properly seated. The fixture also accommodates an energy source that heats the preforms so that, in conjunction with downforce applied by the clamps and/or gravity, the preforms can be tacked together, forming the preform charge.

A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement and a common support layer to which the continuous fibre reinforcement is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.

Plastic pipes and a continuous production device and method for a glass fiber reinforced tape polyethylene composite pipe is provided. The main structure of the production device includes a first extruder, an inner pipe die, a vacuum sizing box, a first cooling spray box, a first tractor, a first winding machine, a first heater, a second winding machine, a second heater, an automatic tape replacing manipulator, an outer pipe extruder, an outer pipe extrusion die, an outer pipe cooling shaping die, a second cooling spray box, a second tractor, a meter counter, a fixed length cutting machine and finished pipe racks. The process of the production method totally includes four steps: inner pipe extrusion molding, continuous winding of the composite tape, outer pipe extrusion cladding, and cutting and warehousing, thus realizing the continuous on-line production of the glass fiber reinforced tape polyethylene composite pipe.

In an embodiment, a paint roller manufacturing system and method uses a fabric-coating applicator to apply a fabric adhesive onto a portion of a perforated paint roller cover fabric material having a plurality of perforations through which adhesive may flow, and into the plurality of perforations and into interstitial spaces of the fabric material, to yield a length of coated fabric. An inner strip and an outer strip are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. A strip-coating applicator is used to apply a strip adhesive to the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. Simultaneously with the step of applying the strip adhesive to the outer strip, a portion of the coated paint roller fabric material is received at the outer strip and the length of coated fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube.