The present invention discloses a system and a method for manufacturing fittings and connections for biaxially-oriented plastic tubes in an integral way from straight preformed tubes, with the possibility of adjusting and distributing the thicknesses as well as adjusting the specific stretching in the different areas of the fittings, allowing them to be reinforced or optimized during the method itself and without causing an increase in the production time or an increase in the raw material used, such that it allows for the manufacture of fittings of different geometric shapes (curves, tapers, couplers, branches, etc.)

The present invention discloses a system and a method for manufacturing fittings and connections for biaxially-oriented plastic tubes in an integral way from straight preformed tubes, with the possibility of adjusting and distributing the thicknesses as well as adjusting the specific stretching in the different areas of the fittings, allowing them to be reinforced or optimized during the method itself and without causing an increase in the production time or an increase in the raw material used, such that it allows for the manufacture of fittings of different geometric shapes (curves, tapers, couplers, branches, etc.)

The disclosure relates to a biaxially oriented pipe made of a polymer composition comprising a propylene-based polymer, wherein the pipe is made by a process comprising the steps of: •a) forming the polymer composition having a melting temperature Tm (° C.) into a tube, •b) heating the tube such that the tube has a drawing temperature Td (° C.) and •c) stretching the tube of step a) in the axial direction and in the peripheral direction at Td to obtain the biaxially oriented pipe, wherein Td is equal to or higher than Tm, wherein •i) the propylene-based polymer comprises (A1) a heterophasic propylene copolymer, wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer consists of (a1) a propylene-based matrix, wherein the propylene-based matrix consists of a propylene homopolymer and/or a propylene copolymer consisting of at least 70 wt % of propylene monomer units and at most 30 wt % of ethylene and/or α-olefin monomer units, based on the total weight of the propylene-based matrix and (a2) a dispersed ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, wherein the sum of the total amount of propylene-based matrix and total amount of the dispersed ethylene-α-olefin copolymer in the heterophasic propylene copolymer is 100 wt %, wherein the amount of (a2) with respect to the propylene-based polymer is 2.0 to 30 wt % or ii) the propylene-based polymer comprises (B) a random copolymer of propylene and a comonomer which is ethylene and/or an α-olefin having 4 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein when the pipe has an outer diameter of less than 40 mm, the propylene-based polymer comprising (B) has a comonomer content of 0.1 to 3.8 wt % based on the propylene-based polymer.

The invention relates to a biaxially oriented pipe made of a polymer composition comprising a propylene-based polymer, wherein the propylene-based polymer comprises A) a heterophasic propylene copolymer, wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer consists of (a1) a propylene-based matrix, wherein the propylene-based matrix consists of a propylene homopolymer and/or a propylene copolymer consisting of at least 70 wt % of propylene monomer units and at most 30 wt % of ethylene and/or α-olefin monomer units, based on the total weight of the propylene-based matrix and (a2) a dispersed ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, wherein the sum of the total amount of propylene-based matrix and total amount of the dispersed ethylene-α-olefin copolymer in the heterophasic propylene copolymer is 100 wt %, wherein the amount of (a2) with respect to the propylene-based polymer is 2.0 to 30.0 wt %.

The invention relates to a biaxially oriented pipe made of a polymer composition comprising a propylene-based polymer, wherein the propylene-based polymer comprises A) a heterophasic propylene copolymer, wherein the heterophasic propylene copolymer consists of (a1) a propylene-based matrix, wherein the propylene-based matrix consists of a propylene homopolymer and/or a propylene copolymer consisting of at least 70 wt % of propylene monomer units and at most 30 wt % of ethylene and/or α-olefin monomer units, based on the total weight of the propylene-based matrix and (a2) a dispersed ethylene-α-olefin copolymer, wherein the sum of the total amount of propylene-based matrix and total amount of the dispersed ethylene-α-olefin copolymer in the heterophasic propylene copolymer is 100 wt %, wherein the amount of (a2) with respect to the propylene-based polymer is 2.0 to 30.0 wt %.

A catheter has a catheter tube made of plastic with a closed catheter tip. At least one passage opening is formed in a section of a sheath wall adjacent to the catheter tip. The passage opening merges into the outer sheath wall of the catheter tube via rounded edge regions. The result is a catheter whose insertion into a body cavity is facilitated.

The invention relates to a biaxially oriented pipe made of a polymer composition comprising a propylene-based polymer, wherein the propylene-based polymer comprises a random copolymer of propylene and a comonomer which is ethylene and/or an a-olefin having 4 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein the propylene-based polymer has a comonomer content of 0.5 to 3.8 wt % based on the propylene-based polymer.

The invention relates to a biaxially oriented pipe made of a polymer composition comprising a propylene-based polymer, wherein the propylene-based polymer comprises a random copolymer of propylene and a comonomer which is ethylene and/or an a-olefin having 4 to 10 carbon atoms, wherein the propylene-based polymer has a comonomer content of 0.5 to 3.8 wt % based on the propylene-based polymer.

The continuity of a functional layer of a web (32, 60, 78) is assessed by forwarding the web, detecting (42, 63) the presence of the functional layer and a discontinuity and/or a thin region in the functional layer, and generating a signal in response to the discontinuity and/or thin region. The functional layer comprises a detectable component (360) in a thermoplastic composition. The detecting is carried out by a machine vision system capable of detecting the detectable component (360) in the functional layer. The detectable component (360) can be active or passive. Also included are systems for carrying out the process.

A parison tube former utilizes a radial compression heater to heat a very specific portion of a preform tube for stretching. The heater has a plurality of compression dies that form a central cavity for receiving the preform tube. The working surfaces of the compression dies close down onto the outer surface of the preform tube to heat the tube via conduction, which more accurately and precisely heats the preform tube. A first stretched portion of the preform tube is produced by stretching the preform tube after heating. A second portion of the preform tube is then located within the central cavity and is also heated by the radial compression heater and stretched to produce a second stretched portion of the preform tube and an unexpanded portion of the preform tube, or balloon portion of the parison tube.