The present invention relates to a method and device for manufacturing artificial marble. According to the present invention, artificial marble having a stripe pattern similar to that of natural stone, such as striato, may be provided.

A 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours. The 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method including at least one of one or more pairs of shapeable and flexible dual-temperature bands and a rotating assembly that rotates the one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to impart a twist to the thermoplastic composite.

A method of forming a retaining device with hooks, wherein: a molding strip is provided that presents an inside face and an outside face, and that has a plurality of cavities, each cavity defining a stem extending from the outside face towards the inside face and including an end forming a head that extends from the stem towards the inside face of the molding strip; the molding strip is positioned on rotary drive means, the inside face of the molding strip being arranged to bear against the drive means; and molding material is dispensed against the outside face of the molding strip.

A method of forming a retaining device with hooks, wherein: a molding strip is provided that presents an inside face and an outside face, and that has a plurality of cavities, each cavity defining a stem extending from the outside face towards the inside face and including an end forming a head that extends from the stem towards the inside face of the molding strip; the molding strip is positioned on rotary drive means, the inside face of the molding strip being arranged to bear against the drive means; and molding material is dispensed against the outside face of the molding strip.

A flexible laminated sheet manufacturing method includes thermocompression-bonding an insulation film formed of a liquid crystal polymer onto a metal foil between endless belts to form a flexible laminated sheet. The thermocompression bonding includes heating the flexible laminated sheet so that the maximum temperature of the sheet is in the range from a temperature that is 45° C. lower than the melting point of the liquid crystal polymer to a temperature that is 5° C. lower than the melting point. The thermocompression bonding also includes slowly cooling the flexible laminated sheet so that an exit temperature, which is a temperature of the sheet when transferred out of the endless belts, is in the range from a temperature that is 235° C. lower than the melting point of the liquid crystal polymer to a temperature that is 100° C. lower than the melting point.

Methods include providing a plurality fabric material layers, applying a plastisol layer between each fabric material layer forming plurality fabric material layers thereby creating a belt carcass, pressing the fabric material layers together with the plastisol layer(s) at a pressure of at least 5 psi to produce a preformed fabric carcass while heating the preformed fabric carcass while heating the preformed fabric carcass to a temperature which is within the range of about 360° F. to about 450° F. for a period of at least 6 minutes, disposing a thermoplastic elastomer polyvinyl chloride alloy composition onto the upper and lower surfaces of the fabric carcass, pressing the thermoplastic elastomer polyvinyl chloride alloy composition onto the upper and lower surfaces of the fabric carcass, and splicing opposing distal ends of the belt in a stepped splice configuration. The layers may be devoid of covering strips of lattice fabric disposed adjacent an abutment of any proximally positioned fabric layer.

A method of forming a retaining device with hooks, wherein: a molding strip is provided that presents an inside face and an outside face, and that has a plurality of cavities, each cavity defining a stem extending from the outside face towards the inside face and including an end forming a head that extends from the stem towards the inside face of the molding strip; and the molding strip is positioned on rotary drive means, comprising at least two rollers, the inside face of the molding strip being arranged to bear against the drive means.

A method of forming a retaining device with hooks, wherein: a molding strip is provided that presents an inside face and an outside face, and that has a plurality of cavities, each cavity defining a stem extending from the outside face towards the inside face and including an end forming a head that extends from the stem towards the inside face of the molding strip; and the molding strip is positioned on rotary drive means, comprising at least two rollers, the inside face of the molding strip being arranged to bear against the drive means.

A method for controlling the thickness of a continuous elongated element made of elastomeric material, applied according to coils wound on a forming support, includes: advancing a head end of the continuous elongated element toward the forming support; subjecting, during the advancement, the continuous elongated element to a first stretching with a first stretch coefficient before applying on the forming support; and subjecting, during the advancement, the continuous elongated element to a second stretching with a second stretch coefficient during the application on the forming support. During the first stretching, a span of the continuous elongated element adjacent to the head end is stretched with a supplementary stretch coefficient greater than the first stretch coefficient, in a manner so as to confer, also to the span adjacent to the head end, a stretch and a section similar or substantially equivalent to those of the rest of the continuous elongated element.

An apparatus and method for consolidating a pipe that has been wrapped with reinforcing tape, is provided. The apparatus comprises two or more pipe consolidation devices, each having a first end, a second end, and comprising: first and second support members arranged at the first end and having a gap therebetween; and an optional third support member at the second end. Each device further comprises a peripheral band that extends around the first, second, and optionally the third support members and is substantially unsupported in the gap between the first and second support members. The apparatus additionally comprises a mounting plate having a central aperture, and two or more of the devices mounted on the mounting plate such that the first end of each device is arranged bearing against a pipe extending through the central aperture. A method of manufacturing reinforced pipe is also provided.