The forming apparatus comprises a feed path for continuously feeding a continuous tow material along a transport direction, a forming device connected to a downstream end of the feed path and adapted to form the continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod. The forming device comprises a tubular element adapted to allow the continuous tow material to pass through the tubular element to form the continuous tubular rod and a steam generator adapted to generate overheated steam. The steam generator is in fluid connection with the tubular element to provide overheated steam to the continuous tow material. The forming device further comprises several fluid conduits to provide overheated steam from the steam generator to several injection sites arranged along a length of the tubular element, wherein at least one fluid conduit of the several fluid conduits comprises a temperature control unit including a temperature sensor and a temperature influencer.

The forming apparatus comprises a feed path for continuously feeding a continuous tow material along a transport direction, a forming device connected to a downstream end of the feed path and adapted to form the continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod. The forming device comprises a tubular element adapted to allow the continuous tow material to pass through the tubular element to form the continuous tubular rod and a steam generator adapted to generate overheated steam. The steam generator is in fluid connection with the tubular element to provide overheated steam to the continuous tow material. The forming device further comprises several fluid conduits to provide overheated steam from the steam generator to several injection sites arranged along a length of the tubular element, wherein at least one fluid conduit of the several fluid conduits comprises a temperature control unit including a temperature sensor and a temperature influencer.

Wood scrap and binder components forming raw material (1) of a pallet block are prepared in accordance with predetermined mechanical properties of the pallet block to be produced with a mass equal to the predetermined mass of the finished pallet block. The prepared components are mixed and fed into a press mould (3) of a press die (2), pressed to size, and the binder is cross-linked applying heat externally by the aid of the side walls (11) of the press mould (3) and at the same time internally by applying heat to the central region of the pallet base material (1) via a central forming mandrel (14) conducting hot steam into the pressed the pallet block, thereby promoting the cross-linking of the pallet base material's binder in short time. The invention also relates to an apparatus implementing the method.

Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.