A method and apparatus for mechanically deforming a substrate assembly. The substrate assembly may be advanced in a machine direction at a first velocity toward a bonder apparatus. The bonder apparatus may rotate about an axis of rotation and include a support surface between each of a first and a second member. The first member and the second member may be separated by a repitch angle. The second member may be repositioned such that the first member and the second member are separated by a product angle. The first member may receive a leading portion and second member may receive a trailing portion of the substrate assembly and each member may rotate at the first velocity. The leading portion and the trailing portion are separated by a product arc length, which may be equal to a process product pitch. The substrate assembly may then undergo one or more processes such as bonding, cutting, and/or scoring.

A hydroformed composite material includes an expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer having a loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer was created, and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed composite material includes a formed film layer that includes a plurality of extended cells containing continuous fibers and/or fibrils of the expanded spun bonded nonwoven layer.

Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method can include providing a precursor web that includes a plurality of fibers and transferring the precursor web to a forming surface having a plurality of forming holes. The method can also include directing a plurality of pressurized fluid streams of entangling fluid in a direction towards the precursor web on the forming surface to move at least some of the fibers into the plurality of forming holes to create a fluid entangled web. The method can further include removing the fluid entangled web from the forming surface such that the at least some of the fibers moved into the plurality of forming holes provide a plurality of nodes. The plurality of nodes can have an anisotropy value greater than 1.0 as determined by the Node Analysis Test Method.

An absorbent structure is disclosed. The absorbent structure includes a first fibrous layer having a first surface and a second surface and a second layer having a first surface and second surface. The first fibrous layer is substantially planar and the second absorbent layer includes voids within the layer. The absorbent structure first fibrous layer and the second layer exhibit a structural integrity substantially equal to an absorbent structure without voids.

A hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven has a first substantially planar surface on one side thereof and a second surface on an opposite side thereof. The second surface includes a plurality of protuberances in a pattern. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web has an average loft of at least about 1.3 times greater than an original average loft of an original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web from which the hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web was created and an air permeability of at least about 1.2 times greater than an original air permeability of the original unexpanded spun bonded nonwoven web. The hydroformed expanded spun bonded nonwoven web includes bicomponent fibers combining a polymer with PLA in a ratio of polymer/PLA within a range of about 20/80 to 80/20.

Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. An absorbent article can include an absorbent body and an outer cover. The absorbent article can also include a fluid-entangled nonwoven material. The absorbent body can be disposed between the fluid-entangled nonwoven material and the outer cover. The fluid-entangled nonwoven can include a first surface and a second surface. The nonwoven material can also include a plurality of nodes extending away from abase plane on the first surface towards the absorbent body. The nonwoven material can further include a plurality of openings extending from the first surface to the second surface through the fluid-entangled nonwoven material. Individual openings of the plurality of openings can be disposed between adjacent nodes of the plurality of nodes.

Absorbent structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment, an absorbent structure may comprise a first layer, a second layer, and a mixture of particles and adhesive between the first layer and the second layer, wherein the particles are disposed at greater than 400 gsm and less than 600 gsm, wherein the adhesive is disposed at greater than 4% and less than 6%, by weight, of the weight of the particles, wherein the adhesive forms a three-dimensional mesh network comprising network adhesive filaments with the particles immobilized within the mesh network, and the network adhesive filaments extending substantially throughout a three-dimensional space defined by the network adhesive filaments and the particles, the structure having a Gray Level % Coefficient of Variability value (GL % COV) of less than or equal to 34.5, according to the Pad Uniformity Test Method.

Absorbent structures and methods of manufacture are disclosed. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing an absorbent structure may comprise directing a stream of particles toward a material layer, spraying the stream with a first adhesive, the first adhesive contacting the stream at a first contact point, spraying the stream with a second adhesive, the second adhesive contacting the stream at a second contact point, depositing the particles, first adhesive, and second adhesive onto the material layer, and separating the mixture of the particles, adhesive, and the material layer into individual absorbent structures, each absorbent structure produced having particles disposed in an amount equal to 500 gsm and adhesive disposed in an amount equal to 7% by weight, of the weight of the superabsorbent particles, and having Wet Pad Integrity values greater than or equal to 20, according to the Wet Pad Integrity Test Method.

Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a nonwoven material comprising a plurality of fibers can include a first surface and a second surface. The first surface can be opposite from the second surface. The nonwoven material can include a plurality of nodes extending away from a base plane on the first surface. At least a majority of the plurality of nodes have an anisotropy value greater than 1.0 as determined by the Node Analysis Test Method.

Three dimensional nonwoven materials and methods of manufacturing such materials are disclosed. In one embodiment, a nonwoven material comprising a plurality of fibers may comprise a first surface and a second surface, the first surface being opposite from the second surface, and an apertured zone. The apertured zone may comprise a plurality of nodes extending away from a base plane on the first surface, a plurality of connecting ligaments interconnecting the plurality of nodes, wherein a majority of the plurality of nodes include at least three connecting ligaments connecting to adjacent nodes, and a plurality of openings providing a percent open area for the apertured zone of the nonwoven material from about 10% to about 60%, as determined by the Material Sample Analysis Test Method.