A baffle for sealing a vehicle structure, comprising a carrier with an interior body portion characterized by a plurality of spaced-apart members, providing voids, and an expandable material, that may also have openings, disposed on the carrier which, upon expansion, fills a vehicle cavity and covers the interior body portion and each of the voids.

In order to achieve high product quality and process reliability in a process for manufacturing an endless profile strand of soft plastic and/or rubber material fed to a supply storage for a sealing profile, edge protection profile or the like on a motor vehicle, it is provided that the manufacturing process be divided into two process sections which are carried out on two manufacturing lines that can be operated independently of one another.

A mandrel for a molding process. The mandrel includes a first portion that has a first draft surface and a second draft surface. A second portion and a third portion are included. The second portion has a third draft surface and the third portion has a fourth draft surface wherein the first draft surface engages the third draft surface and the second draft surface engages the fourth draft surface. A channel extends along a length of the mandrel at an interface between the first, second, and third portions such that the second portion does not contact the third portion.

A method of assembling a seal includes presetting a spring in a core material and performing a lost core molding process with the spring being preset in the core, which provides for more exact manufacture, leading to lighter weight, higher performance and ability to make complex designs.

A mandrel for a molding process. The mandrel includes a first portion that has a first draft surface and a second draft surface. A second portion and a third portion are included. The second portion has a third draft surface and the third portion has a fourth draft surface wherein the first draft surface engages the third draft surface and the second draft surface engages the fourth draft surface. A channel extends along a length of the mandrel at an interface between the first, second, and third portions such that the second portion does not contact the third portion.

Methods of fabricating seal caps using three-dimensional printing are disclosed. The seal caps are useful for sealing fasteners.

A method for detecting irregularities on a material strand made of an elastomeric material comprises the steps of: (a) providing a material strand which defines a longitudinal axis along which the material strand is to be conveyed; (b) bringing a detection element in contact with the material strand, wherein at least one of the detection element being movably mounted in a direction of deflection transverse to the longitudinal axis and a force can act on the detection element in a force direction, (c) setting up a relative movement between the detection element and the material strand along the longitudinal axis; and (d) detecting at least one of a deflection of the detection element in the deflection direction and a force acting on the detection element in the force direction, so as to detect irregularities in the material strand.

In order to achieve high product quality and process reliability in a process for manufacturing an endless profile strand of soft plastic and/or rubber material fed to a supply storage for a sealing profile, edge protection profile or the like on a motor vehicle, it is provided that the manufacturing process be divided into two process sections which are carried out on two manufacturing lines that can be operated independently of one another.

Disclosed is a sealing element and a method of manufacture. The sealing element has a sealing surface for providing a seal against a contact surface. A sintered PTFE film is coupled to the elastomeric body, and defines the sealing surface, which is of particular suitability for a dynamic seal. The sealing film comprises a lubricious particulate material.

It is disclosed a method for the production of a sealing module (1) for a pipe or a cable, the sealing module having a hollow body (10) and a plurality of inner layers (11a-11h) superimposed one to the other provided within said body (10), the layers (11a-11h) being removable one from the other to define the size of the cross-section of a housing (14) extending between two opposite surfaces (S1, S2) of the sealing module to house cables or pipes of different sizes, wherein said plurality of layers (11a-11h) are made of a thermoplastic material, or both said body (10) and said plurality of layers (11a-11h) are made of a thermoplastic material. It is also disclosed an apparatus for the production of a sealing module, and a sealing module made of thermoplastic material.