Materials and methods of making have been developed for mass production of thermoplastic microfluidic chips. An elastomer diaphragm with a stress relieving feature can be used in microfluidic valves, pump diaphragms, and diaphragm micropumps. An optimized pump chamber design for complete fluid displacement and chamber geometry are provided. Microfluidic pressure regulators use a pneumatically actuated elastic membrane in a back-pressure regulator configuration. Microfluidic accumulators store pressurized fluid in a microfluidic chip. Removable caps for cell culture and a quick release top are described. Methods to incorporate hydrogels and ECM scaffolds have been developed. Electro pneumatic manifolds connect and control of multiple microfluidic devices vertically or on a rotary mechanism.

In one method, a piece of nonwoven PET or PP fabric is formed into a tote bag using a bag forming device. Seams of the tote bag are ultrasonically welded using an ultrasonic bag welding device. The ultrasonic bag welding device includes at least one sonotrode. In another method, BOPP film is received and a full-color graphic is printed on the BOPP film for each tote bag using a printer. The printed BOPP film is received from the printer and nonwoven PP or PET fabric is received from a roll of nonwoven PP or PET fabric using a laminator. The printed BOPP film is laminated to the nonwoven PP or PET fabric. The printed BOPP film laminated to nonwoven PP or PET fabric is received from the laminator and a finished version of each tote bag is produced using an ultrasonic bag welding device.

The present invention relates to a self-punching functional element that is adapted for punching into a workpiece, in particular into a sheet metal part. It comprises a head part forming a flange and having a contact surface for contact with the workpiece; and a punching section that extends away from the head part, in particular from the contact surface, and that is in particular arranged coaxially to a central longitudinal axis of the functional element. The punching section has a peripheral punching edge at its free end for punching through the workpiece and surrounds a cavity in a peripheral direction, said cavity having an opening defined by the punching edge. An inner wall of the punching section facing the cavity has at least one elevated slug securing portion projecting radially inwardly into the cavity, in particular wherein the elevated portion has the form of a rib extending in an axial direction.

Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

A seam structure of protective clothing that is capable of being formed quickly and has high sealing performance provided includes: a first cloth including a first side surface and a second side surface opposite to each other; a second cloth welded to the first cloth and including a first surface and a second surface opposite to each other, wherein the first surface is abutted against and welded to the first side surface to form a first welding portion; a sealing cloth including a first sealing section and a third sealing section, wherein the first sealing section is abutted against and welded to the second side surface of the first cloth to form a second welding portion, and the third sealing section is abutted against and welded to the second surface of the second cloth to form a fourth welding portion.

A film pasting tool is used to paste one surface of a film on a member-to-be-pasted at a predetermined position. The tool comprises a flexible tabular body, a first adhesive part, a front surface thereof being adhesive, provided on one surface of the body, and a second adhesive part, a front surface thereof being adhesive, provided on a part of a region other than a region where the first adhesive part is provided out of one surface of the body. An other surface of the film is pastable on the front surface of the second adhesive part, and when the other surface of the film is pasted on the front surface of the second adhesive part, the front surface of the first adhesive part is exposed in such a manner that the front surface of the first adhesive part is pastable on the member-to-be-pasted.

An apparatus and method for applying discrete segments to a continuous web includes feeding a first continuous web to a roller, the first continuous web comprising one or more layers, feeding a second continuous web to a vacuum anvil, cutting the first continuous web into a plurality of discrete segments via interaction of the roller with at least one cutting element selectively positionable adjacent the roller, transferring each of the plurality of discrete segments from the roller onto the second continuous web at a first location and via a vacuum pressure from the vacuum anvil, and bonding each of the plurality of discrete segments to the second continuous web at a second location downstream from the first location in a machine direction, each of the plurality of discrete segments bonded to the second continuous web via interaction of the vacuum anvil with a bonding device positioned at the second location.

The invention relates to a method for applying a material (30) to a fiber composite component within an application region (13) of the fiber composite component, the fiber composite component being produced from a fiber composite material having a fiber material (11) and a matrix material (12), the method comprising the following steps: —providing at least one monofilament woven fabric (20), in which a plurality of or all threads each consist of a single filament, —arranging the at least one monofilament woven fabric (20) on a fiber preform (10) in the application region (13), which fiber preform is formed from the fiber material (11) of the fiber composite material, —curing, in a common process step, the matrix material (12) of the fiber composite material, which matrix material embeds the fibers material (11) of the fiber preform (10), and a matrix material (12) embedding the monofilament woven fabric (20), thereafter the matrix material (12) of the fiber preform (10) and the matrix material (12) of the monofilament woven fabric (20) being at least partially cured, —tearing off the monofilament woven fabric (20) integrally bonded to the fiber preform (10), and —applying the material (30) in the application region (13) after the monofilament woven fabric (20) has been torn off.

A method of anchoring a connector in a heterogeneous first object that includes a first building layer and, distally of the first building layer, an interlining layer. The method includes providing the first object and the connector, which includes thermoplastic material in a solid state; contacting the connector with the first building layer; applying a first mechanical pressing force to the connector until the first building layer is pierced by the connector and a distal portion of the connector reaches into the interlining layer; applying a second mechanical pressing force and mechanical vibration to the connector until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material is flowable and penetrates structures of the first object, and a distally facing abutment face of the head portion abuts against the metal profile in a region next to the opening; and letting the thermoplastic material resolidify to yield a positive-fit connection.

A fencing material includes a border material including a first polymer and having an interior surface; and a mesh material having a front and a back, a portion of at least one of the front and the back being bonded to the interior surface of the border material.