A method and an apparatus for forming annular doses provides a flow of plasticised material supplied by an extruder which passes through a channel that is first cylindrical and then annular. The material exits from an annular outlet in front of which a cutting element passes that separates an annular dose of material. The dose is deposited on a surface of a capsule having a capacity to adhere to the dose that is greater than the cutting element. The surface and the cutting element are distanced from one another in such a manner that the annular dose remaining adhering to the capsule is detached from the element. Detachment can be promoted by a flow of air.

A method and an apparatus for forming annular doses provides a flow of plasticised material supplied by an extruder which passes through a channel that is first cylindrical and then annular. The material exits from an annular outlet in front of which a cutting element passes that separates an annular dose of material. The dose is deposited on a surface of a capsule having a capacity to adhere to the dose that is greater than the cutting element. The surface and the cutting element are distanced from one another in such a manner that the annular dose remaining adhering to the capsule is detached from the element. Detachment can be promoted by a flow of air.

A moulding installation and method for moulding food products from a pumpable foodstuff mass are described. A revolving mould drum is provided with multiple mould cavities and a mass feed member is arranged at a fill position to transfer foodstuff mass into passing mould cavities. The foodstuff mass forms a food product in the mould cavity. A pressurized air food product ejection system includes air ducts in the mould drum that extend to the cavities and at least a portion of the surface delimiting a mould cavity is air permeable. The ejection system further includes a pressurized air source to feed pressurized air at a regulated ejection air pressure thereof to the air ducts. A controller is adapted to input at least one target parameter related to filling of the mould cavities with the foodstuff mass via the mouth of the mass feed member. The controller is adapted to automatically set an ejection air pressure by the pressurized air source on the basis of the inputted target parameter.

A filling apparatus comprises a filling material reservoir and a filling chamber that is connected to the filling material reservoir with a filling opening configured to dispense filling material into cavities in the rotary press. A first rotatably driven stirrer blade wheel with one or more stirrer blades and a second rotatably driven stirrer blade wheel with one or more stirrer blades are arranged in the filling chamber. The first rotatably driven stirrer blade wheel has at least one of a different geometry, a different direction of rotation, or a different rotary speed, than the second rotatably driven stirrer blade wheel.

A method to form a part in an additive manufacturing system includes providing a melt pool configured to retain and dispense an electrically resistive consumable material and an array of channels in fluid communication with the melt pool. The method includes providing an array of channels in fluid communication with the melt pool, where each of the array of channels have a hollow electrically conductive nozzles wherein each of the array of nozzles is coupled to a distal end of one of the array of channels such that the consumable material can flow from the melt pool to each of the nozzles. The method includes providing a grid spaced from of the array of nozzle array wherein the grid defines a uniform ground potential, wherein the ground potential of the grid is substantially the same as a potential of the part being printed and the consumable material spaced from the grid. A plurality of drivers is in electric communication with the array of nozzles wherein each of the drivers is configured to modulate a voltage of a single nozzle of the array of nozzles wherein a difference in voltage from the array of nozzles to the ground potential allows passage of droplets of the consumable material to be ejected from each nozzle and pass through the grid, whereby electrostatic distortions of a drop from each nozzle selectively launches drops of support in response to changes of the potential of a nozzle by its driver such that consumable material is deposited in a layer by layer manner to form a portion of a mold for a part. The method includes depositing molten part material within the mold.

A method for material handling and mold filling is provided which directs the flow of molten plastic material from an extruder and allocates the molten material to a plurality of nozzles through the use of independently operated, variable valves. The method therefore provides independent streams of molten plastic material having variable temperatures and flow rates or volumes to particular sections or regions of the mold. This independent temperature or flow of molten plastic material facilitates the complete, rapid and accurate filling of the molds, reducing turbulence and other temperature or flow-related imperfections in the finished components. A method of using a multiphase material handling system is also disclosed for expeditious sequential and simultaneous filling and pressing of the mold and extracting the completed component from the system.

A machine for moulding dough for oven-baked products, of the rotary-moulding type, which is characterized by the configuration with which the conveyor belt (8) runs over the moulding roll (2) and preferably also in that it envisages two feed rolls (4A, 4B) opposed to one another positioned above the moulding roll (2).

A food forming device includes a mold plate and pushers. The mold plate includes n first forming holes and n second forming holes provided alternately in a circumferential direction of the mold plate, n being an integer of two or more. The mold plate intermittently rotates to a first rotation position and to a second rotation position. In the first rotation position, the first forming holes are respectively connected with the discharge holes while lower openings of the second forming holes are obstructed by the bottom plate. In the second rotation position, the second forming holes are respectively connected with the discharge holes while lower openings of the first forming holes are obstructed by the bottom plate. The pushers push out the foodstuffs from the first forming holes or the second forming holes to discharge the foodstuffs as formed food products every time the mold plate intermittently rotates.

The present disclosure provides method and systems for printing a three-dimensional (3D) object. A method for 3D printing may comprise providing a mixture comprising (i) a polymeric precursor, (ii) a photoinitiator configured to initiate formation of a polymeric material from the polymeric precursor, and (iii) a photoinhibitor configured to inhibit the formation of the polymeric precursor. The method may comprise exposing the mixture to (i) a first light to cause the photoinitiator to initiate formation of the polymeric material, thereby to print the 3D object, and (ii) a second light to cause the photoinhibitor to inhibit the formation of the polymeric material. During printing of the 3D object, a ratio of (i) an energy of the second light sufficient to initiate formation of the polymeric material relative to (ii) an energy of the first light sufficient to initiate formation of the polymeric material may be greater than 1.

Described herein is a method for filling seal caps and a corresponding automated device for filling seal caps.

The method for filling seal caps includes carrying out the filling of the seal caps using an automated process, wherein positioning a filling unit and/or positioning the seal caps by means of movement in an XYZ coordinate system as well as filling the seal caps is automated, and wherein the seal caps are positioned on a support plate.