Principles and embodiments of the present invention relate generally to thermoplastic polyurethane materials having controlled and improved stiffness and/or flexibility, and methods to prepare them. The thermoplastic polyurethanes described herein having superior stiffness and softening properties may be fabricated into film, tubing, and other forms of medical devices. The thermoplastic polyurethanes comprise: an aromatic diisocyanate excluding non-aromatic diisocyanates; at least one polyglycol; and a chain extender comprising at least one side-chain branching diol and excluding linear diols.

A fabric coated or impregnated with an elastomeric material may include a polyurethane dispersion layer combined with a sealant. The fabric may be applied in such a fashion so as to enable the elimination of solvent or fluid that is associated with the elastomer. The polyurethane dispersion layer generally comprises an elastomeric material dispersed or dissolved in a liquid medium, such as, but not limited to, water. At the same time, the integrity of the elastomeric composite which is formed from the dispersion and sealant layers may be maintained in order to minimize the presence of air voids and pockets. It has thus been realized that in doing so the performance of the self-sealing volume is dramatically improved. This method of construction usually may be accomplished without significantly adding to the weight or thickness of the volume and without affecting the outer dimension of the self-sealing volume.

A glass-polymer laminate structure includes a flexible glass substrate having a thickness of no more than about 0.3 mm. A polymer layer is laminated to a surface of the flexible glass substrate having a coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) that is at least about 2 times a CTE of the flexible glass substrate. The polymer layer is laminated to the surface of the flexible glass substrate after thermally expanding the polymer layer to provide the flexible glass substrate with an in-plane compressive stress of at least about 30 MPa along a thickness of the flexible glass substrate.

A container made by blow molding out of crystallisable polymers having regular sequence of variations in molecular pre-alignment/orientation between different locations of the cross-section of the preform.

A method and apparatus for feeding a plurality of tread bands in a process for building tyres for vehicle wheels. Each tread band initially includes, on a side thereof, a service fabric. The tread bands are initially arranged at different heights. The method includes positioning a first auxiliary conveyor belt of an auxiliary collection device including a plurality of juxtaposed auxiliary conveyor belts at a first height corresponding to the height of a first tread band, then, proceeding with the removal of the service fabric from the first tread band while the first tread band is transferred onto the first auxiliary conveyor belt. The method also includes positioning at least one second auxiliary conveyor belt of the auxiliary collection device at at least one second height corresponding to that of at least one second tread band.

Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.

3D fabrics have multiple layers including an outer dimensional layer of traditional fabric and a liner layer integrated with outer layer. The 3D fabrics have variable depth, typically ranging from between about 0.25 inches to about 2.0 inches. The 3D fabrics are produced from a molding process that creates the outer dimensional layer while adhering it to the liner layer. The 3D fabrics have unique visual properties which make them desirable for a variety of applications.

A method is disclosed for making a duct assembly including an internal component part such as a silencer is disclosed. The duct assembly may be made in a blow-molding operation in which first and second duct parts are formed from a single parison as a combined part that is then split apart to receive a component part in a housing and subsequently closed by a closure part. Alternatively, the first and second housing parts may be separately formed and a component part may be inserted into a housing defined by one or both of the first and second duct parts. The first and second duct parts may be joined and sealed by injection molding a ring over telescopically assembled ends of the first and second parts.

A method for operating a forming device for forming plastic preforms into plastic containers, wherein in a working mode of the apparatus, the plastic preforms are transported by means of a plurality of forming stations along a predefined transport path, and by loading with a fluid medium are expanded into plastic containers, wherein to expand the plastic preforms, blow-moulding devices are used, inside which the plastic preforms are expanded into plastic containers, wherein in a change mode, at least one of the blow-moulding devices is removed from the apparatus and/or one of the blow-moulding devices is arranged on a blow-mould carrier of the apparatus, wherein to change the blow-moulding devices, a change device is used which has a gripper device for gripping the blow-moulding device. According to the invention, in a working mode, the forming device is operated in a first protected area which is not accessible to a machine operator, and the change device is arranged at least partially in a second protected area which is accessible for the machine operator for at least part of the time in working mode, wherein a connection can be created between the first protected area and the second protected area.

According to one implementation, a preform shaping apparatus includes at least one mold and at least one pin. The at least one mold is a mold for placing and shaping a laminated body of fiber sheets which is a material of a fiber reinforced plastic. The at least one pin prevents the fiber sheets from being misaligned by stinging the laminated body of the fiber sheets with the at least one pin. Further, according to one implementation, a preform shaping method for producing a preform includes: placing a laminated body of fiber sheets, which is a material of a fiber reinforced plastic, on at least one mold; shaping the laminated body of the fiber sheets; and preventing the fiber sheets from being misaligned by stinging the laminated body of the fiber sheets with at least one pin.