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 extrusion 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 extruding the filament from the extrusion nozzle.

A method is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The method may include directing a continuous reinforcement into a print head, and coating the continuous reinforcement with a first matrix component inside of the print head. The method may further include coating the continuous reinforcement with a second matrix component, discharging the continuous reinforcement through a nozzle of the print head, and moving the print head in multiple dimensions during the discharging. The first and second matrix components interact to cause hardening of a matrix around the continuous reinforcement.

A dosing device for dosing plastic material, comprising an extrusion head that has a dispensing opening commonly called a die and a punch extending into the dispensing opening, coaxially thereto, for continuously extruding a plastic material in the form of a tubular or annular body, and a cutter for separating a dose of said plastic material in the form of a tubular or annular section. The cutter includes at least two elements having at least one cutting edge extending on either side of the dispensing opening and secured to a driver for symmetrically moving the at least two elements in relation to a longitudinal axis of the extruded tubular body until the tubular body is severed by said at least two elements in order to form a dose.

A method for applying a sealant to the surface of an object includes forming an annular dose of synthetic plasticised material supplied from an extruder, depositing the dose on the surface of object and compression forming the dose to form a seal. The extruder includes an annular outlet which is opened and closed to deposit successive doses. Each dose that exits the annular outlet is separated from a supply of plasticized material in the extruder.

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.

An apparatus is disclosed for forming annular doses of synthetic plasticised material supplied from an extruder, in which the doses are applied to a surface of a capsule and the seals of the capsules are then compression-formed. The apparatus includes one tubular wall that has a longitudinal axis and is axially movable for closing an annular outlet from which the synthetic plasticised material exits with a component that is normal to the longitudinal axis. The tubular wall has a cutting edge that shears the plasticised material during the closing movement in order to separate the annular dose, formed outside the outlet, from the material that remains inside the outlet.

An apparatus for forming an opening device on a receiving portion of a sheet packaging material for packaging pourable food products comprises a molding unit having a first and a second mold selectively set in an open configuration, in which they are spaced from one another to allow feed of the packaging material therebetween, and in a closed configuration, in which they cooperate with faces of the packaging material and delimit a closed mold cavity housing the receiving portion of the packaging material and adapted to be filled with molten plastic material to define, when the plastic material sets, the opening device. The apparatus further comprises feeding device to feed molten plastic material to the molding zone in the open configuration of the first and second mold, and pressing device exerting pressure on the dose to force it to fill the mold cavity and to form the opening device.

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.