A laminating apparatus includes workpiece transport units, a vacuum laminating device and a flat press device. The flat press device includes a ball screw having a screw shaft and supporting a first one of a pair of pressing elements, a servomotor connected to the screw shaft of the ball screw, a gap measuring device (linear scale) for measuring a distance between the first pressing element and the second pressing element, and a pressing gap control system for moving the first pressing element to a position in which a predetermined gap is defined between the first pressing element and the second pressing element to stop the first pressing element at that position. The pressing gap control system changes the RPM of the servomotor, based on information on the distance between the first and second pressing elements which is provided from the gap measuring device.

A sheet laminator including a thermal pressure roller, a power cutoff device, a mover, a power line, and circuitry. The thermal pressure roller pair includes first and second rollers, and first and second heaters, to form a nip region to press and convey a two-ply sheet. The power cutoff device detects a change in temperature of at least one of the first or second roller, and cuts off a power to at least one of the first or second heater. The mover relatively moves the second roller away from the first roller. The power line couples the power cutoff device to the mover. The circuitry is to cause the power cutoff device to cut off the power line, and cause the mover to relatively move the second roller away from the first roller, in response to the power cutoff to at least one of the first or second heater.

The present invention relates to a rolling device including a stationary first assembly (110), comprising at least one first rolling cylinder (110), and a movable second assembly (120), comprising at least one second rolling cylinder (122). The second assembly (120) is movable along at least one degree of freedom relative to the stationary first assembly (110) such that the axis (X2) of the second cylinder (122) is movable relative to that of the first cylinder (110) so as to control the distance between the cylinders (110, 120). Said rolling device is characterized in that it includes: a resilient contact means (130) that exerts a first force on the movable assembly (110), said resilient contact means (130) being configured so as to give way when the reaction force exerted by the movable assembly (110) on these latter is greater than a predetermined threshold force; and a control means (160) that exerts, on the movable assembly (110), a second force having a component essentially opposite the force exerted by the resilient contact means (130).

A method and wet lamination station for lamination of a barrier film or sheet to a bulk layer of paper or paperboard or other cellulose-based material, the bulk layer being provided with going-through holes.

An automated conveyor system extends a continuous layer of plastic onto a moving conveyor. A pair of damming strips may be applied to the continuous layer of plastic as the conveyor advances. A liquid material may be sprayed between the damming strips and electronic assemblies may be robotically picked and placed onto the continuous layer of plastic between the damming strips and on top of the liquid material. Additional liquid material may be sprayed on top of the electronic assemblies as the conveyor moves. A continuous top plastic layer may be extended on top of the electronic assemblies, while a roller compresses the electronic assemblies between the top plastic layer and bottom plastic layer. A transparent clamp holds a portion of the compressed sub-assembly in place while the sub-assembly is cured. A sheering station sheers the sub-assembly as the conveyor indexes.

A method may include pressing a mat including a blend of paper and plastic fragments by applying a pressure to the mat using a heated press such that the mat is compressed to a first thickness, where the pressure is greater than a critical pressure threshold such that at least a portion of a moisture content of the mat is in a super-heated liquid state. The method may include maintaining the pressure on the mat above the critical pressure threshold until at least a portion of the plastic fragments of the mat are melted. The method may include decreasing the pressure on the mat below the critical pressure threshold such that the mat expands to a second thickness greater than or equal to a target thickness, and such that the portion of the moisture content of the mat in the super-heated liquid state is converted to steam.

An optical device includes a shaped layer, an optical function layer, and an embedding resin layer. The shaped layer has a structure forming a concave section. The optical function layer is formed on the structure, and partially reflects incident light. The embedding resin layer is made of energy beam curable resin, the embedding resin layer having a first layer having a first volume, and a second layer formed on the first layer, the second layer having a second volume, the concave section being filled with the first layer, a ratio of the second volume to the first volume being equal to or larger than 5%, the structure and the optical function layer being embedded in the embedding resin layer. In the optical device, at least one of the shaped layer and the embedding resin layer has light transmissive property, and an entrance surface for the incident light.

An apparatus and method for fabricating a panel from a molten composite material, and a panel product fabricated accordingly. Two platens in spaced relation define a gap which decreases uniformly from first ends of the platens toward second ends of the platens. Molten composite material is moved through the decreasing gap to compress the material between the platens. Cooling drums cool the composite panel shortly after extrusion. A mesh is rolled into a surface of the extruded panel; the screen remains partially exposed on the panel surface to provide a panel surface amenable to the application of adhesives.

The present invention relates to substrates and composites having dynamic, reversible micron-level luminal surface deformation including texture or geometric instabilities, e.g., surface wrinkling and folding. The surface deformation and its reversal to the original surface form or to another, different surface form, is effective to reduce or prevent surface fouling and, more particularly, in certain applications, to reduce or prevent unwanted platelet adhesion and thrombus formation. The substrates and composites include a wide variety of designs and, more particularly, biomedical-related designs, such as, synthetic vascular graft or patch designs.

A method for manufacturing a lightweight compounded uni-directional cloth is presented, includes: providing two uni-directional cloths, and each of the uni-directional cloths has a yarn layer and an adhesive film layer; hot pressing the two uni-directional cloths with the yarn layers facing each other to form a semi-finished product, the yarn directions of the two yarn layers being not parallel; and heating the semi-finished product, and peeling off the adhesive film layer on one side of the semi-finished product to obtain a lightweight compounded uni-directional cloth. A system for implementing the above-mentioned method is also presented.