Provided are a material feeding mechanism, a multi-material unit and a 3D printing system. The material feeding mechanism includes a main body, an unloading clutch assembly connected to the main body, and a driver assembly configured to drive the unloading clutch assembly to be switchable between a first position relative to the main body and a second position relative to the main body. In the first position, the unloading clutch assembly is drivingly coupled to a reel to rotate the reel under driving of the driver assembly to wind a wire around the reel. In the second position, the unloading clutch assembly is drivingly separated from the reel.

A reel system that includes a drum that receives a coil of flexible pipe. A first flange that removably couples to a first side of the drum. A second flange that removably couples to a second side of the drum. The first flange and the second flange secure the coil of flexible pipe to the drum.

A welding or additive manufacturing wire drive system includes a spindle. First and second welding wire spools are mounted on the spindle. The spools include a flange, a mounting hub, a barrel, and a wire electrode wound on the barrel. At least two drive rolls simultaneously draw first and second wire electrodes from the spools. A clutch disk is mounted on the spindle and has respective frictional surfaces in contact with one or both of the flange and mounting hub on the spools to frictionally engage the spools. The clutch disk allows the spools to slip relative to each other during an operation of the at least two drive rolls such that the spools rotate at different speeds while the wire electrodes are drawn from the spools.

A device that pulls out an optical fiber includes: a bobbin support that supports a bobbin rotatably about a rotation axis; a first pulling out unit that holds a first end of the optical fiber, pulls out a first portion of the optical fiber wound around the bobbin from a side of the first end in a state where the bobbin rotates in a predetermined direction, and returns a part of the first portion to the bobbin in a state where the bobbin rotates in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction; and a second pulling out unit that holds a second end of the optical fiber after the first pulling out unit pulls out the first portion from the side of the first end, and pulls out a second portion of the optical fiber wound around the bobbin from a side of the second end.

A device that pulls out an optical fiber includes: a bobbin support that supports a bobbin rotatably about a rotation axis; a first pulling out unit that holds a first end of the optical fiber, pulls out a first portion of the optical fiber wound around the bobbin from a side of the first end in a state where the bobbin rotates in a predetermined direction, and returns a part of the first portion to the bobbin in a state where the bobbin rotates in a direction opposite to the predetermined direction; and a second pulling out unit that holds a second end of the optical fiber after the first pulling out unit pulls out the first portion from the side of the first end, and pulls out a second portion of the optical fiber wound around the bobbin from a side of the second end.

A cable supply system includes a cable supply device supplying a cable, a cable buffer device storing a portion of the cable supplied from the cable supply device, and a control device controlling a cable storage amount of the cable buffer device. The control device controls the cable storage amount of the cable buffer device according to a cable supply speed of the cable supply device such that a cable output speed output from the cable buffer device is equal to a predetermined speed.

Techniques for implementing a pipe deployment system that includes a pipe reel, in which the pipe reel includes reel ends and a reel drum and the pipe reel enables a pipe segment to be wrapped on the reel drum. The pipe deployment system includes a brake assembly with a brake wheel having a shaft socket keyed with flat inner surfaces, and a shaft adapter assembly, which includes an adapter head to be coupled between the pipe reel and the brake assembly. The adapter head includes an adapter shaft keyed with flat outer surfaces, in which the adapter shaft matingly interlocks with the shaft socket and is to be partially inserted through a reel end of the pipe reel, and a rotation control pin coupled to the adapter shaft, in which the rotation control pin is to be inserted between adjacent reel spokes in the reel end of the pipe reel.

A modular spool storage device is configured to store a length of line, which is configurable between an assembled operational configuration and a disassembled transport configuration. In the assembled operational configuration, the device includes a ring with a U-shaped cross-section. The ring includes multiple ring sections, each ring section having two end faces, each end face being provided with at least one ring connector allowing the assembly of the ring by interconnection of the ring connectors of the multiple ling sections in circumferential direction from the disassembled transport configuration to the assembled operational configuration. The dimensions of a ring section fit into or correspond to that of an ISO shipping container so as to be transportable as or by an ISO shipping container.

Disclosed is a system for feeding welding wire for welding-type applications. The system includes a welding wire feeder and a separate wire source including a wire source housing. The wire source is connectable to and disconnectable from the wire feeder.

A cable dispensing vehicle comprising: a frame; at least one pair of ground contact wheels supporting the frame and for travelling over ground; opposed drum arms coupled to the frame for supporting a spindle for a drum of cable; and a cable shield fast with the frame and extending between a drum supported by the drum arms and the ground in use; wherein cable dispensed from an underside of the drum is shielded from the ground by the cable shield.