Disclosed is an automated method (54) which includes directing rays from a source (34) to a tube (38) disposed between relatively movable first and second sealing plates (20, 32), capturing an image (70) of at least a portion of the tube (38) by an image capturing device (26), and transferring the captured image (70) to a processing device (24). The method (54) also includes determining a plurality of tube parameters by the processing device (24) based on the captured image (70), using an image processing technique and determining a plurality of sealing parameters from a database (44) by the processing device (24) based on the determined plurality of tube parameters. Additionally, the method (54) includes controlling the drive unit (22) and a heater (36) by the processing device (24) influenced by the determined plurality of sealing parameters, to respectively compress the tube (36) and perform heat sealing of the tube (38).

Exclusion devices for anatomical structures, and related instruments and related methods, are disclosed. An application instrument for an exclusion device may include an end effector including a head configured to be disposed distally on a shaft, a stationary jaw fixedly disposed on the head and configured to releasably couple to a first clamping portion of an exclusion device, the exclusion device being biased in a closing direction, and a movable jaw movably disposed on the head and configured to releasably couple to a second clamping portion of the exclusion device. The movable jaw may be movable relative to the stationary jaw to reconfigure the exclusion device from a closed configuration to an open configuration. The movable jaw may be oriented generally parallel to the stationary jaw when the exclusion device is in the open configuration and the closed configuration.

Exclusion devices for anatomical structures, and related instruments and related methods, are disclosed. An exclusion device may include a first clamping portion, a second clamping portion opposing the first clamping portion, and/or a biocompatible fabric cover at least partially sheathing the first clamping portion and/or the second clamping portion. The cover may be generally tubular and/or may define a relaxed circumference when the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion are in a closed configuration. At least a portion of the cover may be configured to stretch to a stretched circumference of about 2× to about 3× the relaxed circumference when the first clamping portion and the second clamping portion are reconfigured from the closed configuration to an open configuration.

Exclusion devices for anatomical structures, and related instruments and related methods, are disclosed. An exclusion device for an anatomical structure may include a first beam, a second beam, and/or at least one spring operatively coupled to the first beam and the second beam to exert a closing force on the first beam and the second beam and bias the first beam and the second beam in a closing direction. The spring may be operatively coupled to the first beam by a crimp connection.

The present disclosure provides assemblies, systems and characterization methods of welded joints for thermoplastic components. More particularly, the present disclosure provides assemblies, systems and characterization methods of welded joints for thermoplastic components (e.g., thermoplastic-based fiber-reinforced composites) utilizing visualization agents (e.g., pigments and/or fluorescent agents). The present disclosure provides for assemblies, systems and characterization methods of welded joints for thermoplastic components and/or thermoplastic-based composites with enhanced visualization, sufficient for qualitative and quantitative assessment of the welded interconnected areas.

Build material handling unit (2) for a powder module (3) for an apparatus for additively manufacturing three-dimensional objects, which apparatus is adapted to successively layerwise selectively irradiate and consolidate layers of a build material (4) which can be consolidated by means of an energy source, wherein the build material handling unit (2) is coupled or can be coupled with a powder module (3), wherein the build material handling unit (2) is adapted to level and/or compact a volume of build material (4) arranged inside a powder chamber (5) of the powder module (3) by controlling the gas pressure inside the powder chamber (5).

A lightweight, flame-retardant, multilayered composite structure having at least the following components: a thermoplastic foam core having two opposing surfaces; a thermoplastic adhesive film on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the foam core, one or more composite layer(s) on each adhesive film. The composite layer(s) is/are composed of reinforcement fibers embedded in a thermoplastic polymer or thermoset resin matrix. Adhesive bonding is effectuated by the interleaving thermoplastic adhesive film interposed between the thermoplastic foam core and the adjacent composite layer. The thermoplastic adhesive film is formed of a thermoplastic polymer composition having a T.sub.g of at least 20° C. lower than the T.sub.g of the foam core material.

Methods for assessing fiber and bundle orientations and mechanical properties of fiber reinforced composite materials using Thermal Digital Image Correlation (TDIC) are disclosed. In some examples, the method comprises exposing the composite material to a temperature change; imaging the composite material at a plurality of time points before, during and/or after the temperature change; and assessing the characteristic of the composite material based on the imaging. In others, temperature changes naturally occur during the cooling process after manufacturing can be employed for this method such as compression molding process, injection molding process, resin transfer molding processes and its variants.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling welding. One embodiment is a method for controlling welding. The method includes initiating induction welding by operating an induction coil along a weld interface of a first composite part comprising a matrix of thermoplastic reinforced by fibers, in order to join the first composite part to a second composite part, determining a measured magnetic field strength at a location distinct from the induction coil, and determining a welding temperature at the weld interface of the first composite part based on the measured magnetic field strength.

This apparatus for manufacturing a laminate comprises: a first sheet transporting device for transporting a first sheet; a water supply device for supplying an aqueous medium to the surface of the first sheet coated with a silane coupling agent and/or the surface of a second sheet coated with a silane coupling agent; and a laminating device for attaching the first sheet and the second sheet which have been supplied with the aqueous medium.