Abstract:
A reinforced pipe or hose comprises a tubular body (36) extruded from plastics or rubber material and braid reinforcement. The reinforcement is produced by applying one or more flexible reinforcing filaments (68), via guide means (70), to the external surface of the extruded tubular body (36) which is advanced relative to the guide means whilst the guide means is rotated about the body and simultaneously reciprocated parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body. The pitch of the resulting windings is computer-controlled with reference to the rate of rotation of the guide means (70) and rate of advance of the body (36) so that oppositely directed windings are applied with generally equal pitch angles and a braid reinforcement is provided having a pattern parallelogram configuration.
Abstract:
Apparatus and process for the manufacture of paint rollers, wherein in said apparatus cylindrical tubular matrix rods (10) are automatically, individually and sequentially carried throughout the apparatus and rotatively driven, in order to receive a covering strip (812), which is helically applied onto the heated surface of each matrix rod (10). The apparatus allows the covering to be automatically and continuously processed along the matrix rods (10), which are sequentially fed. Upon the completion of the covering of each matrix rod (10), said rod is separated from the immediately anterior rod, through the automatic cut of the covering at the junction point of both rods, said rod being then released from said apparatus.
Abstract:
The application of the 3D cameras during the profile bending process on the bending machine with three and four rollers provides controlled management, regulation of control as well as correction of the bending process, where the application of the 3D cameras (1) and (2) provides a three-dimensional view of the bending process and each point of interest on the machine (3) and on the profile (4) is defined dimensionally and in space. Utilizing the 3D cameras (1) and (2) during the bending process the profile (4) is detected, thus implementing a feedback loop between the computer (7) controlling the bending process and the profile (4) bent on the machine (3). The feedback loop created with the application of the 3D cameras (1) and (2) provides information regarding the profile (4) bending process on the machine (3) and based on this information the computer (7) is able to manage, regulate and correct initiated profile (4) bending process in order to receive desired output at the end of the bending process, that is, the profile (4) bent to the predetermined angle, radius or diameter.
Abstract:
A printing sleeve for a flexographic printing process is prepared by spirally winding successive adhesive coated tapes (40, 42) onto a forming mandrel (22) such that the outer tape covers the seam in the previous layer, providing heat to the thermoplastic adhesive layers at the initial contact point between two tapes, providing sufficient tension to ensure consolidation, and advancing the resultant printing sleeve off the mandrel by means of a drive belt (60).
Abstract:
An annular preform (18) for a clutch friction facing is wound from an impregnated filament (11) on a rotating face plate (17) and held and consolidated by a non-rotating tailstock pressure plate (20) through which the filament passes to the face plate. To ensure that the leading end of the filament is properly attached to the rotating plate and laid down in the proper (lobed) pattern against centrifugal and shear forces and that subsequently deposited filament adheres to itself when consolidated by tailstock pressure from rollers (29') etc. thereof, the tailstock pressure plate also carries temperature controlled sliding plate (32) which can heat (or cool) the rotating preform to optimise the sticking properties of the filament and augment or counter heat generated by frictional rubbing against the preform.
Abstract:
To maintain tension on a fiber tow (24) as it travels between a supply spool (38) and a fiber placement head (22) in a computer controlled fiber placement machine (10), closed tension loop servo control tow velocity feed forward controls spool rotation which provides closed loop tension control while varying rotation in anticipation of expected tow movement due to tow payout resulting from commanded movements of the placement head (22). Gain scheduling based on spool radius is also provided. Additionally, a compliant roller (42) reduces tension dips and spikes from disturbances on the tow, and an inner velocity loop, along with the closed tension loop, provides more effective control of tow tension. The servo control is reconfigurable into an open or pseudo-closed loop mode with a safety low power supply which slowly reels-up slack tow after tow threading and maintains low tension on the tow to hold it in the machine during servicing.
Abstract:
A method of manufacture of a product from a composite material is described, the method comprising winding a material (14) onto a mandrel (10), monitoring the material (14), as it is wound onto the mandrel (10), to ascertain at least one dimension of the material (14) being wound, and monitoring the mandrel (10) as the material (14) is wound thereon to ascertain the weight of the material (14) being wound, and controlling the winding of the material onto the mandrel (10) to take into account variations in the material (14) being wound using the at least one dimension and the weight values derived during the monitoring. An apparatus suitable for use in the method is also described.
Abstract:
Spiral wound plastic pipe is produced on the hollow tool (A) that rotates and is heated from outside during the production. Around the heated tool is wound hot plastic in one or more layers that are mutually unified and make the spiral pipe (21) that is being produced. The continuous production process requires permanent heating the tool and monitoring its working temperature. The temperature is presently monitored by the machine operators by common or laser reading instruments. Such measuring is not precise enough. Therefore, the product quality depends on the operator's personal discretion and experience. This problem is solved by the system for automatic monitoring and control of production and finishing of spiral wound plastic pipes. The system comprises: tool working temperature measuring unit (C), fitted on the tool, and the unit warning about the measured temperatures deviating from the preset ones (D), located separate from the tool (A). The unit (C) is fitted on every tool (A). The Unit (D) simultaneously follows and warns about the deviations at the pipe production and finishing machines, and at the same time orders the finishing machine, once the pipe male end is finished and the pipe cooled down, to activate the tool diameter decreasing mechanism (3), to enable removing of the pipe from the tool. The unit (D) may simultaneously monitor the production and finishing processes on several separate production lines, with light and sound alarms.
Abstract:
An apparatus for controlling the width of a band of continuous fibers includes a controller coupled to one or more width adjusting devices for changing the orientation of the width adjusting devices. The apparatus may further include a width detection system that provides a width detection signal to the controller. The width detection system may include an optical sensor.