The invention relates to a method for calibrating adjusting means (120) for adjusting a nozzle slot (112) of a discharge nozzle (110) for a film track (FB) on a flat film machine (100), comprising the following steps: specifying a calibration position (KP) for the adjusting means (120), performing a controlling intervention to change the adjusting position (SP) of the adjusting means (120), acquiring the reaching of the calibration position (KP) of the adjusting means (120).

In a tool unit comprising a tool holder and at least one tool, the tool holder being designed for holding the tool and for guided displacement of the tool in an axial direction from a rest position to a working position and back, the tool holder comprises a control region with a control profile, and wherein a control pin is designed to interact with regions offset in the axial direction in the control profile.

A printed structure including a plurality of overlying layers of elongate polymeric filaments stacked on a surface of a substrate. The elongate polymeric filaments are stacked on each other along their lengths to form a liquid impermeable, self-supporting wall. The liquid impermeable self-supporting wall forms a wall angle of about 30° to about 90° with respect to a plane of the surface of the substrate.

A method and apparatus for forming extruded shapes having at least a hollow portion using a hydrodynamic nozzle, a curable fluid, and a core fluid.

A system for depositing a composite filler material into a channel of a composite structure includes an end-effector configured to extrude a bead of the filler material into the channel. The filler material can comprise a first group of relatively long fibers, a second group of relatively short fibers and a resin. A drive system is configured to move the end-effector relative to the channel, and a position sensor is configured to detect the position of the bead relative to the channel. A controller is configured to operate the drive system in response to the detected position and to operate the end-effector to heat and compress the filler material so as to orient the longer fibers in a substantially longitudinal direction relative to the channel and the shorter fibers in substantially random directions relative to the channel when the bead is extruded into the channel.

A color 3D printer and its method of use are disclosed. The color 3D printer uses a number of chambers to dye a filament to a given color. This colored filament is then extruded, pursuant to an associated 3D model of an object, to produce varying colored physical objects, on demand, with the use of a single filament and a single print head. Further, the color 3D printer features a waste management apparatus which provides a number of ways to dispose of waste fluid.

A method of additive manufacturing of an object may include directing laser energy from a laser to a region for material deposition, extruding material using an extruder at the region of material deposition, sensing temperature within the region of the material deposition, and electronically controlling the laser energy using the temperature so as to sufficiently heat the region for material deposition prior to extruding the material to increase strength of the object. The method may include hardening or freezing extruded material through cooling in real-time.

An apparatus includes an extruding device configured to dispense a dielectric material though an orifice, a wire feed device configured to feed a conductive wire through the orifice, and a cutting device configured to sever the wire. It also includes an electronic controller configured to control the extruding device, the wire feed device, and the cutting device. The electronic controller commands the extruding device to dispense the dielectric material though the orifice, the wire feed device to feed the wire through the orifice, and the cutting device to sever the wire, thereby forming a dielectric substrate encasing a plurality of wires. The electronic controller further commands the extruding device to form an opening defined in the substrate in which plurality of electrically conductive wires is exposed and a location feature on the substrate located with a positional tolerance less than or equal to 1 mm relative to the opening.

An additive manufacturing system configured to a 3D print using a metal wire material includes a drive mechanism configured to feed the metal feedstock into an inlet tube and a liquefier. The liquefier has a chamber configured to accept the metal feedstock from the inlet tube. The metal feed stock is heated in the chamber such that a melt pool is formed in the chamber. The liquefier has an extrusion tube in fluid communication with the chamber, the extrusion tube having a length (L) and a diameter (D) wherein the ratio of length to diameter (L/D) ranges from about 4:1 to about 20:1. The system has a platen with a surface configured to accept melted material from the liquefier, wherein the platen and the liquefier move in at least three dimensions relative to each other. The system includes a regulated source of pressurized inert gas flowably coupled to the liquefier and configured to place a controlled positive pressure onto the melt pool sufficient to overcome the resistance of the extrusion tube such that a part may be formed by the extrusion of the liquidus metal along toolpaths defined by the relative motion of the liquefier and the platen.

An extrusion device includes a material inlet for feeding an extrusion material into the extrusion device; a material outlet, which is arranged opposite the material inlet along an axis, in order to expel the extrusion material from the extrusion device; a material guidance system for guiding the extrusion material from the material inlet to the material outlet; a body, which is arranged on the axis, is movable along the axis, passes through the material outlet and is designed in such a way that, as the body moves along the axis, a cross-sectional area through which the extrusion material is expelled from the material outlet changes; a drive device, arranged along the axis, for moving the body along the axis; a cooling line system for guiding coolant. Here, a first part of the cooling line system is arranged in the interior of the body and is suitable for guiding the coolant along the axis, a second part of the cooling line system is suitable for guiding the coolant out of the body away from the axis and for conducting said coolant around the drive device, and a third part of the cooling line system is suitable for guiding the coolant outwardly into a discharge line for the coolant at an incline to the axis. The second part of the cooling line system adjoins the first part of the cooling line system, and the third part of the cooling line system adjoins the second part of the cooling line system against a flow direction of the extrusion material from the material inlet to the material outlet.