Abstract: A method is provided for producing an SMC component provided with a unidirectional fiber reinforced. The method includes: a) a blank of a unidirectional fiber reinforced is laid on the tool surface of a lower part of a preform tool, b) the preform tool is closed by moving a preform upper part and the preform lower part of the preform tool towards each other, thus forming the unidirectional fiber reinforced; c) the unidirectional fiber reinforced is pre-cured in the preform tool by heating; d) the removed unidirectional fiber reinforced together with at least one nondirectional SMC semi-finished product are laid in a press tool, onto the tool surface of a press tool lower part; e) the press tool is closed, wherein a press tool upper part and the press tool lower part of the press tool are moved towards each other to mold together the unidirectional fiber reinforced and the at least one non-directional SMC semi-finished product; and f) the produced SMC component is fully cured by heating.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for curing curved cylinder-like workpieces (e.g., in the shape of a half or full barrel) made of composite material, such as nacelle honeycomb core composite sandwich structures. These methods enable tailored curing of composite nacelle structures, to significantly reduce capital cost and fabrication cycle time. In lieu of an autoclave or oven, a pressurized ring-shaped cure volume is defined by a partitioned enclosure that mimics the cylinder-like shape of the composite nacelle structure with only limited clearance (e.g., a partitioned enclosure comprising inner and outer concentric cylinder-like walls). A tool (e.g., a mandrel) and at least one composite nacelle structure supported thereon are placed in the cure volume for curing. Integrally heated tooling, optionally in combination with other heating methods, such as infrared heaters, is utilized to provide the temperature profile necessary for cure.

Abstract: A valve gate assembly having an actuator assembly configured to simultaneously control a plurality of valve pins to regulate flow of a liquid resin to a mold cavity of an injection molding apparatus is configured to allow fast and easy removal of the actuator assembly from the pins simultaneously by providing a valve plate having a plurality of slots or pockets for receiving and releasably holding a corresponding one of the pins.

Abstract: An injection mould comprises first and second relatively movable mould halves defining at least one mould cavity between them, a first of the halves having a sprue through which moulding material is injected, a runner leading from the sprue to at least one gate into the or each mould cavity.

Abstract: Some implementations herein described improvements to concrete products and processes for producing concrete products that may provide a positive environmental impact and that can be stronger relative to the percent of cement used. Particular examples include improvements to zero-slump to near-zero-slump concrete mixture design, material storage and handling, batching, mixing, sequencing and curing processes, as well as forming and curing techniques.

Abstract: A slide piece driving mechanism includes a side surface guiding portion, a shaft portion, and stopper releasing element. The side surface guiding portion is disposed at a movable side mold to guide a side surface of a slide piece to be slidably movable. The shaft portion of a stopper is disposed at the side surface guiding portion. When the slide piece reaches an upper end position, the shaft portion engages with a stopper hole of the slide piece to prevent the slide piece from falling from the upper end position due to own weight. The stopper releasing element releases the engagement of the shaft portion of the stopper with the stopper hole to allow the slide piece from falling from the upper end position due to its own weight.

Abstract: An apparatus is disclosed for performing an additive manufacturing operation to form a structure by processing a photopolymer resist material. The apparatus may incorporate a laser for generating a laser beam, and a tunable mask for receiving the laser beam which has an optically dispersive element. The mask splits the laser beam into a plurality of emergent beams each having a subplurality of beamlets of varying or identical intensity, with each beamlet emerging from a unique subsection of illuminated regions of the mask. A collimator collimates at least one of the emergent beams to form a collimated beam. One or more focusing elements focuses the collimated beam into a focused beam which is projected as a focused image plane on or within the resist material. The focused beam simultaneously illuminates a layer of the resist material to process an entire layer in a parallel fashion.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of controlling a step of a process carried out by a machine. The invention is characterized in that a sensor is used to measure a variable characteristic with an exponential course for a step, and with the aid of several consecutive measurements of the characteristic variable a time constant of the exponential change is determined, and the step is ended after it has been carried out for a period of time corresponding to a predetermined multiple of the time constant.

Abstract: A feeder for an extruder includes a feed flow passage extending in an axial direction from a feeder inlet to a feeder outlet, and an axially extending rotatable screw provided in the feed flow passage. Rotation of the screw draws a feedstock in a direction of flow to the feeder outlet. The feeder inlet has an inlet passage that overlies the screw. The inlet passage has a width in a plane transverse to the axial direction, and the width decreases in the direction of flow.

Abstract: A low compressive force filament drive system for use with an additive manufacturing system includes a plurality of drives spaced from each other. Each drive includes a first rotatable shaft and a second rotatable shaft engaged with the first rotatable shaft in a counter rotational configuration. The filament drive system includes a pair of drive wheel, each fixedly attached to a shaft and comprising a groove about a circumference having a substantially smooth surface and positioned on opposing sides of a filament path with a gap therebetween so as to frictionally engage a filament provided in the filament path. The drive includes one or more bridge shafts, wherein each bridge shaft is configured to rotatably couple the adjacent drives of the plurality of drives, wherein the shafts are configured to be directly or indirectly driven by a motor.

Abstract: There is provided a method of manufacturing a composite molded body that can increase a processing speed and a joining strength in a different direction. The method of manufacturing a composite molded body in which a metal molded body and a resin molded body are joined, includes the steps of: continuously irradiating a joint surface of the metal molded body with laser light at an irradiation speed of 2,000 mm/sec or more by using a continuous-wave laser; and arranging, within a mold, a portion of the metal molded body including the joint surface irradiated with the laser light in the preceding step and performing injection molding of a resin forming the resin molded body, or performing compression molding in a state where a portion of the metal molded body including the joint surface irradiated with the laser light in the preceding step and a resin forming the resin molded body are made to contact with each other.

Abstract: Articles of wear having one or more textiles that include a low processing temperature polymeric composition and a high processing temperature polymeric composition, and methods of manufacturing the same are disclosed. The low processing temperature polymeric composition and the high processing temperature polymeric composition can be selectively incorporated into a textile to provide one or more structural properties and/or other advantageous properties to the article. The textile can be thermoformed to impart such structural and/or other advantageous properties to the article of wear. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Abstract: Three-dimensional objects are formed by photo-curing a liquid polymer by exposure to a radiation in a space between a sheet transparent to the radiation and a supporting plate. On a side of the sheet facing towards the photo-curing liquid polymer, a membrane is arranged. The membrane is transparent to the radiation and covered by a layer of liquid lubricant. The membrane is displaceable with respect to an area in which said liquid polymer is undergoing curing by exposure to the radiation, which radiation (e.g., at 410 nm) may be provided by a collimated light source composed of an array of light emitting diode (LED) sources, an array of baffles, and an array of lenses. The baffles limit beam widths of each individual LED source in the array of LED, and the array of lenses is located one focal length from said array of LED sources.

Abstract: A modular barrel and screw assembly for use in injection molding including a barrel having a barrel body, a separate barrel injection portion and a separate barrel end cap, with the barrel end cap being removably connected to the barrel injection portion and the barrel injection portion being removably connected to the barrel body, and a screw assembly having a screw tip assembly removably connected to a screw portion, wherein an injection chamber having a shot volume is defined by the barrel injection portion, the barrel end cap and the screw tip assembly. The modular barrel and screw assembly enables servicing of the barrel injection portion, barrel end cap and/or screw tip assembly without requiring removal of the barrel body, and enables use of a plurality of alternative corresponding separate barrel injection portions, separate barrel end caps and tip assemblies that provide a plurality of different shot volumes.

Abstract: A method for additive production of a component, which includes the additive construction of the component on a component platform having an opening, wherein, during the first part of the additive construction of the component an auxiliary structure is produced additively around the opening of the component platform. The method further includes the introduction of a device through the opening into a cavity defined by the auxiliary structure, wherein, during a second part of the additive construction, following the first part of the additive construction, properties of the component to be produced are influenced and/or measured by the device. A component is produced by the method and an apparatus for the additive production of the component, includes the component platform having the opening and the closure.

Abstract: A system for overmolding an encapsulation at a perimeter region of a glass window panel includes a mold having a fixed part and a first movable part, and a second movable part. Each of the fixed part and the second movable part has a seal disposed thereat. The fixed part and the first and second movable parts cooperate to receive and support a glass window panel and to define a seal cavity. The second movable part includes an elastomeric or rubber or VITON strip that engages a surface of the glass window panel during overmolding of an encapsulation at the perimeter region of the glass window panel.

Abstract: A shaping device that shapes a 3D object, including: a discharging head that discharges an ultraviolet curing type ink as a material of shaping; an ultraviolet light source; a main scanning driving unit; a sub-scanning driving unit, a flattening roller serving as a flattening unit, and a controller, where the controller causes the inkjet head to carry out the main scanning operation for plural times with respect to each position in a plane orthogonal to a layering direction, and when an integrated light amount of the ultraviolet ray irradiated per unit area in one main scanning operation is defined as a unit area light amount, the unit area light amount in some main scanning operations is made smaller than the unit area light amount in the other main scanning operations in the plural times of main scanning operations carried out with respect to each position.

Abstract: A 3D printer head comprises a chamber that is configured for receiving liquid or solid print material through an inlet. The chamber has an outlet opening on one surface, and a spiral feed screw is associated with the chamber and is configured for supplying the outlet opening with print material that passes from the inlet into the chamber, by coupling the spiral feed screw or the chamber to a drive that is configured for rotating the spiral feed screw or the chamber in such a way that the spiral feed screw rotates at a distance from the surface of the chamber and relative thereto. The spiral feed screw has at least one conveyor that is configured for conveying print material between a radially outwardly situated inlet area and a radially inwardly situated outlet area, toward the latter, and at least one discharge conveyor that is arranged and configured for conveying print material, together with gas present therein, away from at least one section of a radially outer border zone of the outlet area.

Abstract: Method of three-dimensionally printing an article onto a surface.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing fiber optic connectors includes precision molding optical ferrule assemblies around optical fibers for use in the connectors. The optical ferrule assemblies are over-molded in two-parts: a ferrule and a hub. The ferrule is molded around a coated section of fiber and a fiber tip is formed (e.g., using a laser) at a stripped section of the optical fiber at a location axially spaced from the ferrule. The fiber is pulled into the ferrule to align the tip and the hub is formed to complete the ferrule assembly.