3m Innovative Properties Company

Pentti K Loukusa

Robert B Secor

Robert A Yapel

William J Kopecky

Jennifer L Trice

Kristopher K Biegler

Keith R Bruesewitz

Paul C Thomas

Rebecca A Shipman

Terence D Neavin

Merlin J Steffen

Jayshree Seth

Patrick Darby Hyde

Craig E Hamer

Michael C Martin

David D Nguyen

Gregory D Kostuch

Kurt W Oster

Todd L Peterson

Jeffrey M Imsande

Garth V Antila

Nicholas F Galassi

Tobias Holtkamp

Dustin J Renville

Arnd Ehlers

Robert Heinz

Ralf Durdel

Charles W Taylor

Leonard D Cprek

Brandon A Rehkamp

Ethan B Secor

Articles with thin caliper melt coatings of high molecular weight, high viscosity materials and methods of making such coatings.

Articles with thin melt coatings and methods for making same

A method of controlling a slot die comprises, while continuing to pass the extrudate through the fluid flow path and out the applicator slot, changing the position of the actuators with the controller to either increase the cross-directional thickness of the fluid flow path adjacent each of the actuators or substantially close the fluid flow path adjacent the actuators, and after changing the cross-directional thickness of the fluid flow path adjacent each of the actuators, while continuing to pass the extrudate through the fluid flow path and out the applicator slot, repositioning each of the actuators with the controller according to the set of discrete settings to resume operating the slot die with the actuators positioned according to the set of discrete settings.

Slot die position adjustment and return to baseline

A system comprises a slot die including an applicator slot extending about a width of the slot die, wherein the applicator slot is in fluid communication with a fluid flow path through the slot die, and a plurality of actuators spaced about the width of the slot die, wherein each actuator in the plurality of actuators is operable to adjust a cross-directional thickness of the fluid flow path at its respective location to provide a local adjustment of fluid flow through the applicator slot. The system further comprises a controller configured to set the position of each actuator according to one of a plurality of discrete settings for operation of the slot die. The controller is further configured to, using fluid dynamics and a digital model of the die, predict a set of discrete settings from the plurality of discrete settings corresponding to a preselected cross-web profile for the extrudate.

Slot die position adjustment control

A method of controlling a slot die comprises positioning actuators of the slot die with a controller according to a first set of discrete settings, operating the slot die by passing an extrudate through the fluid flow path and out the applicator slot with the actuators positioned according to the first set of discrete settings, and while passing the extrudate through the fluid flow path and out the applicator slot, changing the positions of the actuators with the controller to create patterned features in the extrudate.

Slot die position adjustments to facilitate patterned products

The invention is a contact die for dispensing of flowable material on a substrate. The contact die includes at least one die block including a first internal passage. A die lip portion is disposed on the die block having a lateral dimension. A first plurality of orifices is disposed through the die lip portion proximate to each other and in communication with the internal passage to dispense flowable material as a single strip on the substrate. A first edge is disposed on one lateral side of the first plurality of orifices to direct the flowable material.

Die lip for strip coating

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Hanover, MN, United States of America

Pentti K Loukusa