Abstract: A method for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank including: a) inserting a plastic parison including two distinct parts into an open two-cavity mold; b) inserting a core, bearing at least part of a reinforcing element configured to create a link between the two parison parts, inside the parison; c) pressing the parison firmly against the mold cavities, for example by blowing through the core and/or creating suction behind the cavities; d) fixing the part of the reinforcing element to at least one of the parison parts using the core; e) withdrawing the core; f) closing the mold, bringing its two cavities together to grip the two parison parts around their periphery to weld them together; g) injecting a pressurized fluid into the mold and/or creating a vacuum behind the mold cavities to press the parison firmly against the mold cavities; and h) opening the mold and extracting the tank.

Abstract: A bead-forming apparatus and method for its use are described. The bead-forming apparatus includes a base with a pair of legs extending from a top surface. First ends of the legs couple to respective eccentric elements. The eccentric elements removeably and rotatably couple to a platen. Second ends of the legs are rotatably and slideably mated with a gear train disposed within the base. The legs are slideably translatable into the base and the gear train maintains a rotational orientation of the legs and the eccentric elements coupled thereto. The platen is thus moveable through a circular path defined by the rotation of the eccentric elements and legs. As such, a plug of moldable material placed between the base and the platen and in contact with the platen, is formed into a double-cone shape by movement of the platen through the circular path.

Abstract: Methods for processing glass using select wavelength radiation in a convective environment, broadly referred to as “Local Temporary Annealing”, “LASER Edge Strengthening” and “LASER Enhanced Thermal Strengthening.” Local Temporary Annealing allows strengthened glass to be brought to a neutral stress state so daughter units can be cut from strengthened glass and other processes usually only performed on annealed glass. LASER Edge Strengthening allows surface compression to be thermally imparted to the edges of a whole sheet or daughter units cut from annealed glass, or modification of residual edge stress profiles in strengthened glass to produce stable, strengthened edges. LASER Enhanced Thermal Strengthening allows surface compression to be imparted to a sheet of annealed glass whilst maintaining reduced surface temperatures so the glass has superior geometric stability and surface compression can be imparted at levels not conventionally possible.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank including: a) inserting a plastic parison including two distinct parts into an open two-cavity mold; b) inserting a core, bearing at least part of a reinforcing element configured to create a link between the two parison parts, inside the parison; c) pressing the parison firmly against the mold cavities, for example by blowing through the core and/or creating suction behind the cavities; d) fixing the part of the reinforcing element to at least one of the parison parts using the core; e) withdrawing the core; f) closing the mold, bringing its two cavities together to grip the two parison parts around their periphery to weld them together; g) injecting a pressurized fluid into the mold and/or creating a vacuum behind the mold cavities to press the parison firmly against the mold cavities; and h) opening the mold and extracting the tank.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a plastic fuel tank including: a) inserting a plastic parison including two distinct parts into an open two-cavity mold; b) inserting a core, bearing at least part of a reinforcing element configured to create a link between the two parison parts, inside the parison; c) pressing the parison firmly against the mold cavities, for example by blowing through the core and/or creating suction behind the cavities; d) fixing the part of the reinforcing element to at least one of the parison parts using the core; e) withdrawing the core; f) closing the mold, bringing its two cavities together to grip the two parison parts around their periphery to weld them together; g) injecting a pressurized fluid into the mold and/or creating a vacuum behind the mold cavities to press the parison firmly against the mold cavities; and h) opening the mold and extracting the tank.

Abstract: A reverse molded, plant-on decorative panel component comprises a panel portion lying on a first plane, a skirt portion, and a contoured portion. The skirt portion has a first surface adapted to be exteriorly disposed and an opposite second surface adapted to be interiorly disposed in order to be adhesively secured to a planar surface. The contoured portion extends outwardly from and surrounds the panel portion and interconnects and is integral with the panel portion and the skirt portion. The skirt portion extends peripherally about the contoured portion.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for positioning, holding and moving formed adhesive elements (40) to a heated bonding part (42) are disclosed. The apparatus includes a hopper (12) movably positioned over a matrix plate (14). The matrix plate includes a nesting matrix (18) defined by formed adhesive element-receiving apertures (22). An ejector system (20) is fitted beneath the matrix plate and includes a body (24) having a vacuum chamber (26) with an air inlet (28) and an air exhaust (30). The chamber is fluidly continuous with the apertures formed in the matrix plate (14). The ejector system includes a lifting body to which ejector stamps (34, 34?) and an inlet shut off shaft are attached. Channels for the ejector stamps are formed in the body of the ejector system. The ejector stamps are movably fitted in the apertures and the channels. In operation, the hopper (12) slides over the matrix and deposits formed adhesive elements into the apertures (22), then slides away.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite article is described that includes a step of impregnating a reinforcing fabric with a semi-aromatic polyester composition in the molten state, having a melt viscosity ? of 20 Pa·s to 200 Pa·s. The reinforcing fabric can be maintained at a temperature of plus or minus 50° C. relative to the melting temperature of the polyester.

Abstract: An optical cable for communication includes at least one retaining element blocked with respect to the water propagation as well as a process for manufacturing such an optical cable. The optical cable includes, in addition to the retaining element, at least two transmission elements housed within the retaining element and a water swellable yarn housed within the retaining element. The water swellable yarn is selected according to the following equation: V w V TF = k V t + R ( I ) in which Vw is the volume of the water swellable yarn after swelling upon contact with water; VTF is the total free volume in the retaining element; k is a constant?180; R is a constant?1.4; and Vt is the free volume per each transmission element. Advantageously, the optical cable is water-blocked and the water swellable yarn does not induce microbending effects on the transmission elements.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods of stretch-forming pre-preg material are provided. In one example embodiment, a variable material stretch-forming apparatus comprises a stretch-forming assembly configured to stretch-form at least one section of a sheet of pre-preg material to a longer length than at least one other section of the sheet of pre-preg material before the sheet of pre-preg material is applied to a tool.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method for producing a part comprising at least one layer of fiber-reinforced composite material. Said method encompasses at least the following steps: a) the at least one layer of polymerizable fiber-reinforced composite material is arranged in a shape that has a base and a plurality of elevations; b) at least one mold is placed so as to be in contact with at least one elevation, said mold having a microwave-sensitive material at least on one contact surface towards the at least one elevation; c) the at least one elevation is polymerized by irradiating the at least one mold with microwaves. The mold used has a stable three-dimensional shape and has a contact surface for the part. At least the contact surface is made of microwave-sensitive material.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a three-dimensionally deformable, sheet-like reinforcing structure, wherein material attenuations are incorporated into a sheet-like, cellular base material, distributed over an area of the base material, by means of cutting or sawing, said material attenuations sub-dividing the base material into a plurality of material cells which are delineated from each other by the material attenuations but are still connected to each other.

Abstract: A shape-restoring device and a restoring method for distorted filmstrips are proposed for restoring filmstrips that are distorted due to vinegar syndrome. During the implementation of the method, the air compressor is started such that pressure reaches 0.6-0.9 MPa; three-way valves are regulated so as to introduce pressure into film-clasping cylinders and pressing-plate cylinders via diverter valves; the cylinder spindles of the film-clasping cylinders move the upper collets fixedly connected therewith, for fixing filmstrips; the cylinder spindles of the pressing-plate cylinders move the pressing plate fixedly connected therewith such that the binding underlay on the lower surface of the pressing plate contacts the heating plate; in this way, pressuring, heating and restoring are carried out. Through steps of pressing, heating, fixing filmstrips, shape-restoring and transporting the distorted filmstrips under the pressure of 0.5-0.8 MPa and the temperature of 80-90° C.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method by which a structure, e.g. a microstructure, is formed into a surface comprising a nanostructure during the fabrication of the structure. The method of fabrication of the structure is preferably embossing, and the invention thus describes methods by which a nanostructure is protected from being destroyed by the embossing process.

Abstract: A method is for impregnating a high voltage insulation of a winding bar (10), the winding bar (10) having a conductive bar (1) around which layers of insulating mica tape defining said high voltage insulation are wrapped. The method includes enclosing the winding bar (10) in a flexible sleeve (3), applying a vacuum in the flexible sleeve (3) to extract the gases contained in the insulating mica tape, supplying an impregnating resin into the flexible sleeve (3) to impregnate the mica tape (2), and curing the resin. The impregnating resin is supplied into the flexible sleeve (3) at a pressure less than 1.5 bar.

Abstract: A process for producing a sheet-shaped prepreg includes: a fiber bundle introduction step in which tape-shaped reinforcing fiber bundles are disposed in a multilayer arrangement in the thickness direction and introduced into a die to which a molten thermoplastic resin has been supplied; a fiber bundle thickness reduction step in which each of the tape-shaped reinforcing fiber bundles is widened by means of spreading to reduce the thickness; a resin impregnation step in which the tape-shaped reinforcing fiber bundles are impregnated with the molten resin in the die; and a lamination step in which the plurality of resin-impregnated tape-shaped reinforcing fiber bundles are laminated in the die.

Abstract: In a pressure vessel which is formed by blow molding a plastic liner with a mouth member fitted on a blow pin, a rotational torque is prevented from being applied between the mouth member and the blow pin when removing the blow pin. A parison is placed around the mouth member which is fitted on the blow pin, and is blow molded with a die assembly placed around the parison so that a vessel shaped plastic liner is formed. An engagement structure which is provided between the mouth member of the pressure vessel and the blow pin includes a ball moveably received in a radial through hole of the peripheral wall of the blow pin, and a release groove formed on an inner circumferential surface of the mouth member and having a prescribed depth. When the blow pin is introduced into the mouth member until the ball and the release groove oppose each other, the ball moves radially outward and becomes partly received by the release groove to engage the mouth member with the blow pin.

Abstract: Nano imprint lithography templates for purging of fluid during nano imprint lithography processes are described. The templates may include an inner channel and an outer channel. The inner channel constructed to provide fluid communication with a process gas supply to a region between the template and a substrate during the nano imprint lithography process. The outer channel constructed to evacuate fluid and/or confine fluid between the active area of template and the substrate.

Abstract: A method for processing a headliner, comprising the steps of forming a headliner having an edge, removing excess material from at least a portion of the edge to define a trimmed edge portion and sealing off at least a portion of the trimmed edge portion.

Abstract: A method of making a twist-on wire connector including a method of making a sealant containing twist-on wire connector by in situ formation of a shell around the coil wherein a sealant may be injected into a cavity in the coil prior to removing the shell from the mold to form a ready-to-use sealant containing twist on wire connector without further steps outside the mold.