A method for producing an elongated article with a sheath. The sheath is extruded with a predetermined wall thickness in an extrusion unit. Following the extrusion unit in a feeding direction, a part of the still moldable material is built up with the aid of a molding unit during a molding process such that a molded part forms integrally on the sheath. The molding unit is moved according to the following working cycle: the molding unit is accelerated from a starting position in the feeding direction, then it is advanced in the direction of the elongated article and the molded part is formed, the molding unit is withdrawn from the elongated article, and the molding unit is decelerated and moved from an end position, counter to the feeding direction, back in the direction of the starting position.

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.

An apparatus (100) for depositing a radius filler (102), made of a homogeneous material, into a groove (104), formed in a workpiece (106) comprises a chassis (110), first means (120) for extruding the radius filler (102) along an extrusion axis (112), second means (130) for providing the homogeneous material to the first means (120), and third means (140) for compacting the radius filler (102) in the groove (104). The apparatus (100) also comprises a first sensor (150) configured to provide first-sensor output. The apparatus (100) further comprises a controller (180), operatively coupled to the first means (120), the second means (130), and the first sensor (150). Based on the first-sensor output, the controller (180) is configured to determine the first geometric characteristics of the groove (104). In addition, based on the first geometric characteristics, the controller (180) is configured to control second geometric characteristics of the radius filler (102), extruded by the first means (120), as the tool center point (122) is moved relative to the groove (104).

Automatic process control of additive manufacturing. The system includes an additive manufacturing device for making an object and a local network computer controlling the device. At least one camera is provided with a view of a manufacturing volume of the device to generate network accessible images of the object. The computer is programmed to stop the manufacturing process when the object is defective based on the images of the object.

A system for manufacturing a catheter includes at least first and second controllable rate material feeders that feed at least first and second materials into a temperature-controlled mixer to form a compound material that varies in flexibility and/or strength with the respective first and second materials and material feed rates. An extruder extrudes the compound material onto a rotating and translating mandrel to thereby form a variable stiffness profile along a length of the catheter that depends on respective rates of rotation and translation of the mandrel.

A die and method for extruding an extrudable material to form an extruded member is described. In one embodiment, the die comprises a barrier member comprising a plurality of feed channels that extend through the barrier member. Furthermore, the die incorporates a passage forming member extending from the barrier member substantially in the direction of extrusion. The feed channels are arranged with respect to the passage forming member to allow the extrudable material to substantially flow about the passage forming member to form a corresponding passage in the extruded member.

A method of manufacturing a pneumatic tire has a winding step of forming a rubber ribbon winding body constructing a tread rubber by spirally winding a rubber ribbon obtained by co-extruding a first rubber and a second rubber which are different in hardness. The first rubber is mainly arranged in a first area by making a cross sectional area ratio of the first rubber greater than that of the second rubber. The second rubber is mainly arranged in a second area by making the cross sectional area ratio of the first rubber smaller than that of the second rubber. The cross sectional area ratio of the first rubber becomes progressively smaller in a part of the first area as the second area approaches. The rubber ribbon retains an interface boundary between the first rubber and the second rubber to at least a part of the second area.

Three-dimensional printer fabrication is improved by receiving a digital model of an object specifying two or more different build materials, prioritizing the different build materials with a ranking, identifying exclusive locations where a surface layer of the object has one of the build materials, generating an external structure for the object according to one or more design rules, matching a first build material of the external structure to a second build material of the object at each of the exclusive locations, the matching based on at least one shared property of the materials, generating tool instructions for fabricating the object and the external structure, the tool instructions including one or more selections between the first build material and the second build material based upon the ranking and the matching, and controlling the three-dimensional printer according to the tool instructions to fabricate the object and the external structure.

A process for the production of a glass fiber reinforced polymer tape includes a) unwinding from a package of at least one continuous glass multifilament strand; b) applying the impregnating agent to the continuous glass multifilament strands to form the impregnated continuous multifilament strands; c) applying a sheath of thermoplastic polymer around said multifilament strand to form a sheathed continuous multifilament strand, d) providing the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands obtained in step c), e) placing the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands in parallel alignment in the longitudinal direction, f) grouping the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein steps e) and f) are performed such that the sheathed continuous multifilament strand can be consolidated and g) subsequently consolidating the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands to form a tape, wherein the tex number of the glass multifilament strand is in the range from 520 to 980, and the amount of the at least one continuous glass multifilament strand in the composition is from 55 to 70 wt % on the basis of the total weight of the composition. The tape produced from the process has improved mechanical performance and low warpage when made into laminates.

A method aspect of the present invention for preparing a continuous thermoplastic filament having a plurality of segments is provided. The method may comprise supplying thermoplastic filaments, and may comprise guiding the thermoplastic filaments alternatingly and sequentially into position to be cut, with respective filament guide components. The method may further comprise cutting each of the thermoplastic filaments into segments by a filament cutting component. Each of the segments may have a forward end and a trailing end. The method may yet further comprise guiding and aligning the forward end of one segment into contact with the trailing end of another segment. The method may also include heating and joining the forward end of the one segment to the trailing end of the other segment to form the continuous thermoplastic filament.