Abstract: The present disclosure provides a method of measuring a true shear viscosity profile of a molding material in a capillary and a molding system performing the same. The method includes the operations of: determining a setpoint temperature of the molding material before injecting into the capillary; obtaining an initial shear viscosity profile at the setpoint temperature with respect to a shear rate of the molding material; fitting an initial temperature profile with respect to the shear rate according to the initial shear viscosity based on Cross William-Landel-Ferry model; fitting a first shear viscosity profile and a first temperature profile with respect to the shear rate according to the initial temperature profile based on the Cross-WLF model; and setting the first shear viscosity profile as the true shear viscosity profile when a difference between the first temperature profile and the initial temperature profile is not greater than a threshold.

Abstract: A molding system includes a molding machine, a mold disposed on the molding machine, a processing module, and a controller operably communicating with the processing module. The molding machine includes a barrel, a screw moving within the barrel, a driving motor driving the screw to move a molding material. The mold has a mold cavity with a die swell structure for being filled with the molding material. The processing module simulating a filling process of the molding material based on a molding condition including a predetermined screw speed for the molding machine, wherein simulating the filling process of the molding material comprises simulating a die swell effect of the molding material in the die swell structure by taking into consideration of an effective factor, a shear viscosity, an extension viscosity, a shear rate, and a molecular orientation effect of the molding material.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an core product includes heating the resin pellet at a temperature higher than 25° C. for 24 hours or longer, the resin pellet being formed of a thermosetting resin composition including epoxy resin, a curing agent, accelerator, and a release agent. The method includes holding a core body having a resin formation region, which is a region in which a resin is to be formed by injection of a melted resin, between a pair of holding members, and disposing the heated resin pellet in a resin pot formed in at least one of the pair of holding members. Additionally, the method includes melting the resin pellet in the resin pot and injecting the melted resin into the resin formation region through a resin channel extending from the resin pot in communication with the resin formation region, and curing the melted resin injected into the resin formation region.

Abstract: There is disclosed a method (400) of ejecting a molded article (310, 312) from an injection mold (100). The method (400) comprises: during a second portion of the mold opening cycle of the injection mold (100), the second portion occurring later in time relative to a first portion of the mold opening cycle of the injection mold (100): controlling velocity of at least one of: (i) the moveable mold half (102, 502) relative to the stationary mold half (104, 504), (ii) the ejector (230) relative to the moveable mold half (102, 502); and (iii) an ejector actuator linked to the core insert (112, 114, 512, 514); and (iv) a stripper actuator that is linked to the stripper sleeve (116, 516); the controlling executed such that the molded article (310, 312, 506) is ejected from the molding component with a substantially zero departure-velocity along the first axis of operation.

Abstract: In order to improve the consistency of molded products as viscosity shifts throughout a run, a controller of an injection molding machine executes a calibration cycle in accordance with a mold cycle. The controller analyzes a plurality of sensed melt pressure values during the calibration cycle to determine one or more calibration metrics. The controller then uses the calibration metrics when executing each mold cycle of the run. More particularly, during each mold cycle of the run, the controller detects a plurality of sensed melt pressures prior to and during a fill phase of the mold cycle and compares the plurality of sensed melt pressures to the one or more calibration metrics to predict cavity pressure for a pack and hold phase of the mold cycle. The controller then adjusts a set point pressure for the pack and hold phase based on the predicted cavity pressure.

Abstract: A method for duplex printing a three-dimensional structure by depositing droplets of printing ink at least partially side by side and one above the other, including: depositing droplets of printing ink in a first printing step in order to build up an intermediate first pre-structure, depositing droplets of printing ink in a second printing step in order to build up an intermediate second pre-structure on at least one side of the first pre-structure, rotating the first pre-structure and arranging the first pre-structure on a support structure in a rearrangement step between the first and the second printing step, wherein an extension of the first pre-structure is arranged on a carrier substructure of the support structure and a main body of the first pre-structure is arranged on an deformation-control substructure of the support structure. The teachings further relate to a duplex printed three-dimensional structure as well as a duplex printer.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method includes removing material from a sheet to create a plurality of individual layer segments formed, placing at least two first layer segments adjacent to each other at the same height to form a first layer having a hollow interior, the at least two first layer segments defining a first portion of an exterior of a part, and placing at least one second layer segment above the at least two first layer segments to form a second layer having a hollow interior, the at least one second layer segment defining a second portion of the exterior of the part. The method includes attaching the first layer to the second layer and removing material from the first layer and from the second layer to form the part having a continuous surface that extends along the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for micro-molding articles. The system melts and pre-pressurizes thermoplastic material to a first level, within a plasticizing barrel. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to a second level, within a hot runner. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to an ultra-cavity packing pressure within a valve gate nozzle.

Abstract: A method for rapid manufacturing of three dimensional discontinuous fiber preforms is provided. The method includes the deposition of a polymeric material containing fibers on a surface to form a tailored charge for compression molding. The reinforced polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or a reactive polymer with viscosity low enough to allow flow through an orifice during deposition, yet high enough zero shear viscosity to retain the approximate shape of the deposited charge. The material can be deposited in a predetermined pattern to induce the desired mechanical properties through alignment of the fibers. This deposition can be performed in a single layer or in multiple layers. The alignment is achieved passively by shear alignment of the fibers or actively through fiber orientation control or mixing. The fibers can be of the desired material, length, and morphology, including short and long filaments.

Abstract: A liquid blow molding device and a liquid blow molding method are configured to supply pressurized liquid to a preform mounted to a mold to mold the preform into a shape along a cavity of the mold, and includes a blow nozzle fitted into a mouth portion of the preform, a plunger pump configured to supply pressurized liquid to the preform through the blow nozzle and a controller configured to control operation of the plunger pump. The controller controls operation of the plunger pump by position control in which a plunger of the plunger pump is moved from an original position to a predetermined final position with a predetermined operating force.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system includes a build chamber housing a recoater and a sintering laser. A build plate is moveable within the build chamber to accommodate growth of a part formed by the recoater and the sintering laser. At least one powder evacuation cavity at least partially surrounds a build volume of the build chamber. The build volume of the build chamber is defined between the build plate and the recoater and is configured to hold a sintered part and unsintered powder during an additive manufacturing build in the build chamber.

Abstract: Systems and processes for thermoforming an article and for preparing an article for thermoforming are disclosed. The system for thermoforming can include one or more heating stations and a cooling station. The system for thermoforming can further include an article movement mechanism that can couple to an article and rotate the article inside a heating chamber, inside a cooling chamber, or both. The system for preparing an article for thermoforming can include a vessel that comprises a port, and a negative pressure generation system coupled to the port. The system for preparing an article for thermoforming can further include a compression material that forms an interior portion for receiving an article. The negative pressure generation system can cause the compression material to expand to allow for insertion of the article into the interior portion of the compression material.

Abstract: A method for producing a reinforcing component from different materials, wherein, in a first step, the component is produced in a first mould by plastics injection-moulding with foaming of the plastics material used and by reducing large cross sections of the component by insert parts of the same plastics material, wherein, in a second step, at least one type of fibre is wound around the component, and wherein, in the third method step, the component as a whole is overmoulded with plastic of a second plastics material in a second mould.

Abstract: Surface micro-texturing has been proven an effective way to reduce friction and wear for tribological applications. There is provided a low cost hot sintering method to apply micro-texturing on an advanced bearing polymer material. First, one face of the mold was micro-textured using a micro-casting method. Second, the cured Aromatic Thermosetting coPolyester (ATSP) powder was filled in the mold. Next, the filled mold was placed in a hot press for a hot sintering process. Finally, the textured bulk ATSP was cooled. The micro-textured ATSP bulk material was machined and compared with plain untextured material. The micro-textured material could effectively reduce friction at speeds lower than 2.46 m/s: 14% reduction in average.

Abstract: A prepreg preparation device and a prepreg preparation method using the same are disclosed. According to an embodiment of the present invention, the prepreg preparation device comprises: a flow path-type impregnation part for impregnating, with a resin, a reinforced fiber transferred along a flow path; and a box-type impregnation part for impregnating, with the resin, the reinforced fiber transferred through a box-type space by passing through the flow path-type impregnation part.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a semifinished product or component is disclosed in which a metal support embodied as a split strip is covered with at least one prepreg containing a thermally cross-linkable thermosetting matrix with endless fibers, the thermosetting matrix of the prepreg is pre-cross-linked by means of heating, and the metal support covered with the pre-cross-linked prepreg is formed into a semifinished product or component by means of roll forming. In order to enable plastic deformation in fiber-reinforced regions of the metal support, it is proposed that during the pre-cross-linking of the thermosetting matrix of the prepreg, its matrix is transferred into a viscosity state that is higher than its minimum viscosity and prior to reaching its gel point, the prepreg is formed together with the metal support.

Abstract: A flat laminate element made of thermoplastic is hot-formed in a two-stage method. In a first stage, the flat laminate which includes film(s) and/or panels(n) is placed on a flat frame-shaped pallet and is heated to a forming temperature in a heating zone between two flat heat screens in a contactless manner. The edge zone of the hot flat laminate element lies on the pallet such that the laminate piece cannot be clamped in a first laminate direction but rather can be slide on the pallet in this direction. Two non-flat rigid contours which are identical or largely identical act on two opposing parallel laminate edge sections uniaxially and perpendicularly to the laminate plane and only in the first laminate direction, i.e. monodirectionally, and shape the entire heated laminate element into a monodirectionally molded blank.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for micro-molding articles. The method comprises melting and pre-pressurizing thermoplastic material to a first level, within a plasticizing barrel. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to a second level, within a hot runner. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to an ultra-cavity packing pressure within a valve gate nozzle.

Abstract: The present invention is a method of producing a coating liquid-impregnated reinforcing fiber fabric 1b, including allowing a reinforcing fiber fabric 1a to pass substantially vertically downward through the inside of a coating section 20 storing a coating liquid 2 to provide the reinforcing fiber fabric 1a with the coating liquid 2; wherein the coating section 20 includes a liquid pool and a narrowed section which are in communication with each other; wherein the liquid pool has a portion whose cross-sectional area decreases continuously along a running direction of the reinforcing fiber fabric 1a, wherein the narrowed section has a slit-like cross-section and has a smaller cross-sectional area than the top side of the liquid pool, and wherein the vertical height of the portion whose cross-sectional area decreases continuously in the liquid pool is 10 mm or more.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing apparatus is adapted to produce a solid object from a liquid resin and includes a vat, a lifting platform, an optical pickup head, and a planar scanning module mounted with the optical pickup head and operable to move the optical pickup head on a two-dimensional plane. The optical pickup head includes a focusing unit that has a first laser source for producing a laser beam, at least one first objective lens, and a first collimator lens disposed between the first laser source and the at least one first objective lens, such that the laser beam passes through the first collimator lens and the at least one first objective lens to strike and cure the liquid resin during movement of the lifting platform away from the vat.