Abstract:
A rodstock barrel drive having a first and second roller gears, each having a toothed section and a gripping surface section, such that the teeth of the roller gears intermesh, causing rotation of one of roller gear to rotate the other roller gear in the opposite direction, so as to draw a rodstock through a space between the gripping surfaces of the pair of roller gears, a ring gear which engages with one of the pair of roller gears, a drive gear which engages with the ring gear, and one or more idler gears which engage with the ring gear, all within a housing, the drive gear being connected to, and rotated by, a motor, which causes the rodstock to be drawn through the roller gears, wherein all the gears are all positioned within, and oriented parallel to, a common plane.
Abstract:
A method for fabricating a composite material assembly includes: a) providing an assembly system, b) laying down a first module on a first mold, the first module comprising a first laminate covering a first laminate support structure, c) laying down a second module on a second mold, the second module comprising a second laminate covering a second laminate support structure and extending over the at least one removable insert, d) removing the at least one removable insert from the second mold, and e) assembling the first mold with the second mold while overlapping a section of the second laminate extending over the at least one removable insert over the first laminate.
Abstract:
A three-dimensional image forming system according to the present invention includes a conveyance path along which a heat-expandable sheet is conveyed, a heating unit which heats the heat-expandable sheet by irradiating the heat-expandable sheet with light, a detection sensor which detects that the rear end of the heat-expandable sheet comes close to the heating unit by the conveyance of the heat-expandable sheet along the conveyance path, and a control unit which increases the conveying speed of the heat-expandable sheet whose rear end is detected when the detection sensor detects that the rear end of the heat-expandable sheet comes close to the heating unit.
Abstract:
An optical printing positioning system is set forth. The system includes a cavity for retaining an optical surface having an inner surface dimensioned and configured to maintain and to constrain an optical surface disposed therein when the optical surface undergoes a printing process.
Abstract:
End of arm tooling system and a method for manufacture is provided. The end or arm tooling system provides automated material handling, part manipulation, pre-forming and transferring of a pre-impregnated carbon fiber material. A robot is connected to end of arm tooling for automated material handling and transfer operations from at least a lower preform tool system where light compression is applied to a molding press. The end or arm tooling system includes a cured silicone membrane as well as vacuum and air blow off, allowing for robotically preforming, picking up and dropping-off pre-impregnated carbon fiber materials which are notoriously sticky and difficult to handle.
Abstract:
Composite structure fabrication systems and methods. The systems include a plurality of ply carriers, each of which is configured to support at least one ply segment, and an elongate forming mandrel, which defines an elongate ply forming surface that is shaped to define a surface contour of the composite structure. The systems further include a carrier transfer device, which is configured to selectively convey a selected ply carrier from a ply kitting area to an intermediate location, and a forming machine, which is configured to deform the selected ply carrier and a respective ply segment over a selected portion of the elongate ply forming surface. The forming machine further is configured to separate the selected ply carrier from the respective ply segment and return the selected ply carrier to the carrier transfer device. The methods include methods of operating the systems.
Abstract:
Methods for manufacturing fabric-reinforced weatherstrip include incorporating a fabric application step into a process for making coated substrates. In one embodiment, a strip of the fabric from a roll of material may be applied directly onto a coating after it has been applied in a coat die to a foam profile, while the coating is still in the molten state. Alternatively, a fabric application plate may be attached to an upstream side of coating die with a fabric feed channel cut into the plate. The fabric follows the channel to contact and mate with the foam profile. The fabric applicator plate may be configured so as to exert pressure on only the part of the product where the fabric is being applied. Ultrasonic welding techniques may also be employed.
Abstract:
A method and apparatus are used to pre-consolidate and de-bulk a thermoplastic composite ply stack prior to full consolidation and forming to the final part shape. Pre-consolidation and de-bulking is achieved by heating the ply stack to a temperature below the melting point of the thermoplastic in order to soften the plies, and then compress the ply stack.
Abstract:
An apparatus for heating plastics material pre-forms includes a conveying device which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-set conveying path (P). A plurality of holding elements for holding the plastics material pre-forms and a plurality of screening elements for screening off heat are arranged on the conveying device. The apparatus has a plurality of carrier units on which at least parts of the holding elements and at least parts of the screening elements are arranged and these carrier units are capable of being removed from the conveying device jointly with the parts of the holding elements and screening elements which are arranged thereon.
Abstract:
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.