The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for forming a composite structure, preferably for use in an absorbent structure used within the personal hygiene industry, such as for instance feminine hygiene garments, baby diapers and pants and adult incontinence garments. The present invention preferably provides a method and apparatus for depositing and positioning particulate materials in a desired pattern onto a moving carrier layer. The method allows accurate forming of a pattern of particulate material clusters at high production speed having improved attachment properties, with reduced raw material usage and relative low cost. The present invention foresees in the need for improved thin, flexible, lightweight absorbent structure having optimal absorption, distribution and retention.

A pre-lubricated stock sheet and a method and system for making the same are described. The pre-lubricated stock is generally in a coil wound form. The stock sheet can have opposing first and second sheet surfaces joined together by opposing side edges and opposing ends. Typically, the first and second sheet surfaces are substantially smooth and planar, wherein the sheet has 3 mg/foot.sup.2/side to about 200 mg/foot.sup.2/side of a solid lubricant having a melting temperature from about 80 to 212 degrees Fahrenheit. Moreover, the opposing side edges usually are substantially free of the solid lubricant. In some configurations, the stock sheet is an aluminum stock sheet, more particularly an aluminum can stock sheet. Furthermore, the lubricant can be in some configurations a food grade lubricant, that is qualifies a low volatile organic compound under one or more of municipal, state and federal governing authorities.

Provided is a substrate transport roller (2a) capable of ensuring a broad temperature-control region on a substrate, without reducing substrate transport quality. This substrate transport roller (2a) is provided in a film-forming device (1) for executing a film-forming process on the surface of a film substrate (W), transports the film substrate (W) by rotating around a center axis, and is equipped with: a center-section segment (13a) positioned in the center section in the axial direction extending along the center axis, and having a first outer-circumferential surface; end-section segments (12a, 12b) positioned on both sides on the outside in the axial direction of the center-section segment (13a), and each having a second outer-circumferential surface which contacts the substrate (W) and has a larger diameter than that of the first outer-circumferential surface; a center-section-rising-falling-temperature-medium mechanism for changing the temperature of the center-section segment (13a); and a both-end-section-rising-falling-temperature mechanism for changing the temperature of each of the end-section segments (12a, 12b) independently from the center-section segment (13a).

Provided is a substrate transport roller (2a) capable of ensuring a broad temperature-control region on a substrate, without reducing substrate transport quality. This substrate transport roller (2a) is provided in a film-forming device (1) for executing a film-forming process on the surface of a film substrate (W), transports the film substrate (W) by rotating around a center axis, and is equipped with: a center-section segment (13a) positioned in the center section in the axial direction extending along the center axis, and having a first outer-circumferential surface; end-section segments (12a, 12b) positioned on both sides on the outside in the axial direction of the center-section segment (13a), and each having a second outer-circumferential surface which contacts the substrate (W) and has a larger diameter than that of the first outer-circumferential surface; a center-section-rising-falling-temperature-medium mechanism for changing the temperature of the center-section segment (13a); and a both-end-section-rising-falling-temperature mechanism for changing the temperature of each of the end-section segments (12a, 12b) independently from the center-section segment (13a).

A mixing valve for mixing two coating agent components (e.g. master batch and hardener) to form a multi-component mixture, with two coating agent inlets for supplying the two coating agent components and with two coating agent valves for controlling the coating agent flow through the two coating agent inlets, as well as with a coating agent outlet for discharging the multi-component mixture in a specific outflow direction. At least one of the coating agent valves is formed as a rotary slide valve having two plane-parallel valve discs which are rotatable relative to each other about an axis of rotation.