Extruded seals including a sealing portion with a honeycomb profile and method for making extruded seals with honeycomb profiles. An extrusion tool is provided with a first and second plate connected together. The first plate has a plurality of pins, which are vented to form a honeycomb profile. The second plate has a profiled opening receiving the plurality of pins and forming the overall shape of the part, including the outermost surfaces of the part. The pins serve as mandrels for extruded molten material to flow around. Varying the pin configuration and dimensions changes the honeycomb profile. The honeycomb structure is provided in the sealing portion of the extrusion. The honeycomb profile is formed by itself, co-extruded with a rigid or semi-rigid structural member, or applied to the rigid or semi-rigid structural member after the structural member is formed.

A method of manufacturing an extrusion die (102, 152, 302). The method comprises providing the extrusion die (102, 152, 302), the extrusion die (102, 152, 302) having a plurality of die pins (154, 316) defining a plurality of slots (156, 320), the plurality of die pins (154, 316) having an initial die pin width and an initial die pin depth and the plurality of slots having an initial slot width (Ws) and an initial slot depth (Ds), providing a micro-milling machine (104) with a spindle (122), providing a micro-cutting tool (120) coupled to the spindle (122), mounting the extrusion die (102, 152, 302) proximate the micro-cutting tool (120), and removing material from one or more die pins (154, 316) using the micro-cutting tool (120), the micro-cutting tool (120) making one or more cutting passes against the one or more die pins (154, 316) to remove the material. Micro-milling apparatuses and further methods are provided, as are other aspects.

A method of manufacturing an extrusion die (102, 152, 302). The method comprises providing the extrusion die (102, 152, 302), the extrusion die (102, 152, 302) having a plurality of die pins (154, 316) defining a plurality of slots (156, 320), the plurality of die pins (154, 316) having an initial die pin width and an initial die pin depth and the plurality of slots having an initial slot width (Ws) and an initial slot depth (Ds), providing a micro-milling machine (104) with a spindle (122), providing a micro-cutting tool (120) coupled to the spindle (122), mounting the extrusion die (102, 152, 302) proximate the micro-cutting tool (120), and removing material from one or more die pins (154, 316) using the micro-cutting tool (120), the micro-cutting tool (120) making one or more cutting passes against the one or more die pins (154, 316) to remove the material. Micro-milling apparatuses and further methods are provided, as are other aspects.

Embodiments herein include compositions, extruded articles, and methods of making the same. In an embodiment, an extruded article is included. The extruded article can include an extruded segment comprising a first composition. The first composition can include a polymer resin, particles and fibers. The fibers can be disposed within the first composition exhibiting a substantially non-aligned directional orientation. In an embodiment, an extruded article is included having a first portion comprising a first composition having a first fiber orientation and a second portion comprising a second composition having a second fiber orientation. The first composition can include a polymer resin and fibers. The second composition can include a polymer resin, particles and fibers. The fibers of the second composition can be oriented more randomly than the fibers of the first composition. Other embodiments are also included herein.

A system for delivering and applying a flowable mixture to an article (311-313) is disclosed. The system includes a mixture delivery system (200) and a skinning system (300). The mixture delivery system (200) includes a mixer (220) configured to mix a dry material and a fluid to produce the flowable mixture, and a pump (235) configured to pump the flowable mixture to a delivery line. The skinning system (300) receives the flowable mixture from the mixture delivery system (200) through the delivery line. The skinning system (300) includes a skinning pipe (310) configured to apply the flowable mixture to the article (311-313) and a manifold (305) that supports the skinning pipe (310). The skinning system (300) also includes an article feeding mechanism (315) configured to push the article (311-313) into the skinning pipe (310). The skinning system (300) includes a transfer system (320) configured to hold the article (311-313) and move the article (311-313) out of the skinning pipe (310).

In a process for manufacturing a catalytic converter component, a ceramic unit is used that has been prepared by extruding green ceramic product through a die to form an extrusion having a honeycomb substrate structure in which tubular passages extend along the extrusion, the passages bounded by walls dividing adjacent passages from one another. The unit is obtained by cutting off a length of the extrusion and curing and firing it. The process further comprises flowing insulation material from one end of the unit into selected ones of the elongate passages, vaporizing a moisture content of the insulation material to form pores and curing the insulation material by using microwave irradiation to solidify the pores. The passages are selected so that the cured insulation material forms an internal thermal insulating barrier between a core zone of the unit and a radially outer zone of the unit.

Method and extrusion die (1030) for producing a three-dimensional polymeric strand netting, wherein a plurality of the polymeric strands (1070a, 1070b, 1070c) are periodically joined together in a regular pattern at bond regions throughout the array, wherein a majority of the polymeric strands (1070a, 1070b, 1070c) are periodically bonded to at least two (three, four, five, six, or more) adjacent polymeric strands, and wherein no polymeric strands are continuously bonded to a polymeric strand. Three-dimensional polymeric strand netting described herein have a variety of uses, including wound care, tapes, filtration, absorbent articles, pest control articles, geotextile applications, water/vapor management in clothing, reinforcement for nonwoven articles, self bulking articles, floor coverings, grip supports, athletic articles, and pattern coated adhesives.

A web. The web includes an array of discrete polymeric tubes; a plurality of spacer segments between at least a plurality of adjacent polymeric tubes; wherein polymeric tubes are hollow polymeric tubes; wherein the web is a continuous web.

A web. The web includes an array of discrete polymeric tubes; a plurality of spacer segments between at least a plurality of adjacent polymeric tubes; wherein polymeric tubes are hollow polymeric tubes; wherein the web is a continuous web.

A floor and wall covering plank includes sequentially, from bottom to top, a waterproof substrate, an adhesive layer, a veneer layer, a paint protective layer, a UV protective layer. The plank may further include optionally one or more of a padding layer and veneer layer below the waterproof substrate. The edges of the planks are routed to form a click locking system, squared or angled edges, or a tongue and groove configuration for assembling different planks together to form a floor or a wall covering. The waterproof substrate includes, in weight percentage, about 20-50% polymer material such as vinyl containing thermoplastics resin, about 20-50% calcium carbonate filler, and about 3-20% of the wood flour. A method is provided to make the floor and wall covering plank. The method includes extruding the waterproof core substrate.