A slot die assembly for dispensing a fluid onto an article includes an adapter body, a shim package and a die plate. The adapter body includes an adapter conduit configured to receive a fluid. The shim package includes a plurality of shim plates having a shim conduit disposed in fluid communication with the adapter conduit and configured to receive the fluid from the adapter conduit. The shim package further includes a connecting conduit disposed in fluid communication with the shim conduit, a reservoir disposed in fluid communication with the connecting conduit, and a slot disposed in fluid communication with the reservoir. The slot is configured to dispense the fluid onto an article. The die plate is disposed in abutting relationship to the shim package.

A flow path forming device including a first flow path forming member and a second flow path forming member that form a tubular flow path through which a plastic composition is allowed to pass to mold the plastic composition. At least one of a flow path forming surface of the first flow path forming member and a flow path forming surface of the second flow path forming member has a surface roughness parameter RPc of 60 or less.

An assembly for performing an additive manufacturing process includes a first material feed for dispensing a first material, a second material feed for dispensing a second material, a material combiner chamber, a first entry channel fluidly connecting the first material feed and the material combiner chamber, and a second entry channel fluidly connecting the second material feed and the material combiner chamber. The assembly further includes a pen tip for dispensing a material in the additive manufacturing process, the material comprising the first material and the second material, a valve having a rod, a first seal between the material combiner and the pen tip, and a first actuator for moving the rod back and forth along a longitudinal axis to open and close the first seal.

A nozzle for producing material extrusion in a three-dimensional printer includes a shank including an internal flow passage, where the shank is constructed of a first material having a first thermal conductivity. The nozzle also includes a shank barrel mechanically coupled to the shank. The shank barrel is constructed of a second material having a second thermal conductivity. The first thermal conductivity of the first material is different from the second thermal conductivity of the second material to create a first heat break between the shank and the shank barrel, where the first heat break reduces heat transfer between the shank and the shank barrel.

A honeycomb body (300) including a plurality of radially-extending walls (322) intersecting with a plurality of circumferentially-extending walls (324), the plurality of radially-extending walls (322) and the plurality of circumferentially-extending walls (324) form a plurality of circumferential zones (334A, 334B, 334C) of cells (308). The plurality of circumferential zones (334A, 334B, 334C) of cells (308) includes a first zone of cells (334A) including two or more first rings of cells (330) and having a first cell density, and a second zone of cells (334B) including two or more rings of cells (330) having varying cell densities across the two or more rings of cells. Other structures and extrusion dies are disclosed.

A sizer for cooling an extrudate, which includes a clad core and a housing. The clad core includes an extrusion channel which accommodates the extrudate, and a core vacuum port in fluid communication with the extrusion channel. The housing includes a cooling channel and a housing vacuum channel. The cooling channel does not exist in the clad core and is adapted to circulate a coolant through the housing.

A nozzle assembly for a printer head of a 3D printer includes at least two conduit portions, with each conduit portion including an interfacing surface having a recessed channel that is non-linear. The recessed channels cooperate with one another to define a serpentine path, in response to the interfacing surfaces of the associated conduit portions being engaged to one another. The serpentine path extends from a feed opening to a discharge opening for moving a filament therethrough. The nozzle assembly further includes a heating element connected to the conduit portions for transferring heat to the filament disposed in the serpentine path to fully melt the filament without caramelizing or burning the filament.

An apparatus for additively manufacturing an article comprises a heat block, a nozzle configured to receive a feed material in operable communication with the heat block, and a radiator configured to transfer heat from the heat block to an external environment by thermal radiation. Related tools for additively manufacturing a material in a vacuum, and related methods are also disclosed.

A sizer for cooling an extrudate, which includes a core and a housing. The core includes an extrusion channel which accommodates the extrudate, a core cooling channel, and a core vacuum channel in fluid communication with the extrusion channel. The housing includes a housing cooling channel and a housing vacuum channel. The core cooling channel is in fluid communication with the housing cooling channel, and the core vacuum channel is in fluid communication with the housing vacuum channel.

A die for extrusion molding includes an extrusion port configured to extrude a plastic composition, and a plastic flow channel configured to cause the supplied plastic composition to flow to the extrusion port. The plastic flow channel includes a supply flow channel, and an extrusion flow channel. The supply flow channel is configured to be supplied with the plastic composition. The extrusion flow channel has an upstream end coupled to the supply flow channel, and downstream end having the extrusion port. In the extrusion flow channel, a flow channel cross-sectional area perpendicular to the flow direction of the plastic composition in the extrusion flow channel gradually changes to the extrusion port, and an inner wall surface of a flow channel has a protruding surface protruding toward an inside of the flow channel in a cross section including an extrusion central axis and parallel to the extrusion central axis.