A method for producing a film having a fine irregular pattern intermittently includes feeding a film to be processed intermittently from upstream side to the vicinity of the surface of a die having a fine irregular pattern, transferring the pattern to the surface of the film by pressing the film against the surface of a die, stripping the processed film on which a pattern is formed from the surface of a die, and then feeding a new film to be processed to the die, wherein the processed film is stripped from the surface of a die by gripping and moving the processed film to the upstream side, and then the processed film is fed by a length of intermittent feed to the surface of a die while preventing the processed film from creasing.

A guidance and maintenance machine (100) includes a guide roller (102) and an application roller (104), each having a plurality of respective grooves (102a, 104a) defined on a respective circumferential surface (102b, 104b). The guidance and maintenance machine includes at least one preparation comb (200) having a support (202) with an upper surface (202d) from which a plurality of teeth (204) extend. The teeth, with a predetermined uniform height, are aligned in parallel along a length of the support and are positioned at a pitch between them in correspondence with corresponding grooves (102a) of the guide roller (102) so that the comb (200) feeds filaments (50) from a supply creel (304), where the filaments are stored, to the guide roller (102) at a predetermined pitch positioning outside the guide roller.

A guidance and maintenance machine (100) includes an upper guide roller (102) and a lower guide roller (104), each guide roller (102, 104) having a plurality of circumferential grooves (102a, 104a) defined on a respective circumferential surface (102b, 104b). At least one preparation comb (200), provided in correspondence with each guide roller (102, 104), has a support (202) with an upper surface (202d) from which a plurality of teeth (204) extend. The teeth are aligned and parallel along the length of the support. The teeth attributed to the upper guide roller are positioned at a pitch therebetween in correspondence with the grooves of the upper guide roller, and the teeth attributed to the lower guide roller are positioned at a pitch therebetween in correspondence with the grooves of the lower guide roller.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards methods and apparatus for molding-in gaskets that serve as light blockers, within the grooves of a moving planar work material. The gaskets comprise of a hot melt adhesive material that is in a molten state above a particular temperature and gets solidified below a particular temperature. Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed towards a planar work material having grooves that are filled with molded-in gaskets, wherein the gaskets are made up of a hot melt adhesive material. The gaskets made of the hot melt adhesive material bond securely with the panels because of inherent adhesive properties, and provide structural stability to the light panels. Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed towards the use of a hot melt adhesive material as the molding material for molding-in gaskets within the grooves of a planar work material.

A mycological biopolymer material is subjected to treatment in one or more solutions that work to enhance and/or retain the inherent material properties of the material. In one embodiment, the solution is an organic solution; in another embodiment, the solution is an organic solvent with a salt; in another embodiment, the solution is an organic solvent phenol and/or polyphenol; and in another embodiment, a series of such solutions is used.

Exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure are directed towards methods and apparatus for molding-in gaskets that serve as light blockers, within the grooves of a moving planar work material. The gaskets comprise of a hot melt adhesive material that is in a molten state above a particular temperature and gets solidified below a particular temperature. Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed towards a planar work material having grooves that are filled with molded-in gaskets, wherein the gaskets are made up of a hot melt adhesive material. The gaskets made of the hot melt adhesive material bond securely with the panels because of inherent adhesive properties, and provide structural stability to the light panels. Another exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure is directed towards the use of a hot melt adhesive material as the molding material for molding-in gaskets within the grooves of a planar work material.

The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for laminating a substrate (12) with a thermoplastic film (11), the apparatus (1) comprising the following: —a laminating unit (2) for laminating the substrate (12) with the thermoplastic film (11), —a feed device (4) for the thermoplastic film (11) to the laminating unit (2), wherein the feed device (4) for the thermoplastic film (11) has devices (14) for heating a first side (16) of the film (11) and devices (15) for cooling a second side (17) of the film (11), as well as a number of controllably driven rollers (10) via which the film (11) is guided past the devices (14) for heating and the devices (15) for cooling, wherein a tension of the film (11) can be regulated via the speed of the driven rollers (10).

Methods and systems that can produce light weight reinforced thermoplastic articles are described. In some embodiments, a method includes heating and pressing a core layer and then cooling and pressing the core layer to maintain the thickness of the core layer during cooling. Automotive articles, building articles and recreational vehicle articles that can be produced using the methods and systems are also described.

A system for fabricating composite parts efficiently. Pre-impregnated (prepreg) composite material is drawn as a sheet from a roll and fed by advancement rollers into a stamping and molding station in which a piece of the prepreg material is cut, on a mold, from the sheet. Pressure is applied to cause the prepreg material to conform to a surface of the mold, and the prepreg is cured with ultraviolet light. Additional layers of prepreg may be cut and cured on any layers that have already been cured on the mold. The complete part may be removed from the mold with ejector pins. Scrap prepreg may be recycled in a recycling station that separates reinforcing fiber from uncured resin.

A mycological biopolymer material is subjected to treatment in one or more solutions that work to enhance and/or retain the inherent material properties of the material. In one embodiment, the solution is an organic solution; in another embodiment, the solution is an organic solvent with a salt; in another embodiment, the solution is an organic solvent phenol and/or polyphenol; and in another embodiment, a series of such solutions is used.