An automated fiber placement (AFP) and in-situ fiber impregnation system includes a feeder, a resin dispenser, and a compaction roller. The feeder feeds a tow of fiber from a fiber supply toward a forming tool. The resin dispenser deposits resin onto the forming tool in front of the compaction roller. The compaction roller moves over the tow along the forming tool so as to press the tow onto the resin such that the compaction roller impregnates the resin into the tow a direction away from the forming tool via compaction forces immediately after the resin is deposited by the resin dispenser.

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 multiple pairs of shapeable and flexible 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 creating a topsheet for an absorbent article is disclosed. The method includes the steps of: obtaining a pre-cursor web of material, the pre-cursor web of material having a first surface and an opposing second surface, wherein the pre-cursor web of material is a composite or laminate web having a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer is a film and the second layer is a nonwoven material having a plurality of fibers; forming a first plurality of apertures having sidewalls extending in a first direction from the pre-cursor web of material; forming a second plurality of apertures having sidewalls extending in a second direction from the pre-cursor material, wherein the first direction and the second direction are different; and forming a plurality of embossments in the pre-cursor web of material, wherein the embossments are oriented in a third direction opposite the first direction.

Polyvinyl acetal films with less blocking tendency and which allow for escape of gas during laminating to form laminated composities are prepared by a process for embossing a film comprising plasticized polyvinyl acetal with a roughness Rz on at least one surfaces of 20 to 100 m by the steps of a. extruding of plasticised polyvinyl acetal to a film with a stochastic roughness of the surfaces of Rz =1 to 70 m, b. embossing at least one surface of the film obtained in step a) with channels having a depth of 5-50 m, a width of 10-200 m and a pitch of 50-2500 m, wherein c. the surface roughness of the elevations between the channels is at most 20% lower as obtained in step a).

A disposable absorbent having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, is described herein. The topsheet is a two layer composite or laminate web having a first layer and a second layer. The composite or laminate has a first plurality of apertures and a second plurality of apertures, wherein the first plurality of apertures have sidewalls that extend in a first direction, wherein the second plurality of apertures have sidewalls that extend in second direction that is different than the first direction, and wherein the composite or laminate also includes a plurality of embossments which extend in a third direction opposite the first direction.

A method for producing a length-adjustable steering shaft having a hollow shaft in which a toothed shaft is received so as to be axially telescopic. The toothed shaft has a toothing with teeth on an external circumference that extend in the axial direction and which engages in a form-fitting manner in an inner toothing of the hollow shaft. A sliding layer of thermoplastic plastics material is at least in portions attached between the inner toothing and the toothing. In order to enable an improved fastening of the sliding layer to the toothing, prior to attaching the sliding layer, form-fitting elements which for forming a form-fitting connection that is effective in the axial direction are brought to engage with the sliding layer are configured in the region of the toothing of the toothed shaft or the inner toothing of the hollow shaft.

A decorative member that is a three-dimensional molding article includes a sheet, a lens portion, and an image-forming portion. The sheet has a light-transmitting property and has a first sheet surface that is curved. The lens portion is provided on the first sheet surface so as to curve along the curved surface. The lens portion has a plurality of protruding lenses disposed in parallel. A minimum value of widths of the lenses is in a range of 25.4 m or more and 508.0 m or less. The image-forming portion is provided on a second sheet surface, and an image is formed on the image-forming portion. The curved surface has a first region to a third region having different normal directions and has a shape in which one of the normal directions of the respective regions is inclined to a plane including the other two normal directions.

A method of forming a corrugated fluoropolymer tube is disclosed. The method comprises the step of providing a tube comprising extruded fluoropolymer without corrugations or convolutions disposed on a mandrel. The mandrel has a first cylindrical portion and a flaring portion that extends to a second cylindrical portion, the second portion having an outer diameter which is larger than an outer diameter of the first portion. The method also includes the step of moving the tube on a longitudinal axis along the mandrel thereby forcing an outer surface of the tube into flights disposed at a pitch angle on a plurality of thread rollers which are rotating, the plurality of thread rollers adjacent to and circumferentially distributed around the flaring portion and/or second cylindrical portion of the mandrel, wherein external force is exerted on the outer surface of the tube to form corrugations having adjacent peaks and roots.

A thermoplastic baling strip comprises an elongate band of thermoplastic material said elongate band having sufficient flexibility to be formed into a knot; the elongate band having an outer surface formed with a set of surface undulations extending along its main length. The plurality of surface undulations operate in use to grip a surface to which said strip surface contacts. The use of undulations extending along the length of the strip enable the strip to be reliably tied in a knot, without releasing or coming undone when transported. Complete bales can be fed into an incinerator without the need to remove the baling strip, which burns on incineration.

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.