Abstract: A ceramic honeycomb structure comprising large numbers of cells partitioned by porous cell walls, the cell walls having (a) porosity of 50-80%, and when measured by mercury porosimetry, (b) a median pore diameter being 25-50 ?m, (c) (i) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of 20 ?m or less being 25% or less of the total pore volume, (ii) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of more than 20 ?m and 50 ?m or less being 50% or more of the total pore volume, and (iii) a cumulative pore volume in a pore diameter range of more than 50 ?m being 12% or more of the total pore volume.

Abstract: A polymeric tubular conduit including a polymeric tubular conduit wall having an outer tubular layer coaxially overlaying an inner tubular layer which defines a continuous tubular passage along a polymeric tubular conduit length of the polymeric tubular conduit; whereby the outer tubular layer, the inner tubular layer, or combinations thereof, include an amount of antimicrobial agent. The amount of antimicrobial agent can be sufficient to kill or inhibit growth of microorganisms in contact with a corresponding polymeric tubular conduit wall external surface, polymeric tubular conduit wall internal surface, or combinations thereof, of the polymeric tubular conduit wall.

Abstract: In an example of a three-dimensional (3D) printing method, a ceramic build material is applied. A liquid functional material, including an anionically stabilized susceptor material, is applied to at least a portion of the ceramic build material. A sintering aid/fixer fluid, including a cationically stabilized amphoteric alumina particulate material, is applied to the at least the portion of the ceramic build material. The applied anionically stabilized susceptor material and the applied cationically stabilized amphoteric alumina particulate material react to immobilize the anionically stabilized susceptor material, thereby patterning the at least the portion of the ceramic build material.

Abstract: An optical fiber production method includes: drawing an optical fiber preform in a drawing furnace; and cooling the optical fiber. The optical fiber is passed through a plurality of annealing furnaces while the optical fiber is cooled. While the optical fiber is cooled, temperatures of the annealing furnaces are set such that the temperature difference is within a range between and including an upper limit and a lower limit of a temperature difference between a temperature of the optical fiber and a fictive temperature of glass constituting a core of the optical fiber at which an increase of a transmission loss of the optical fiber when the fictive temperature of the glass is decreased is less than 0.001 dB/km.

Abstract: There are provided a powder slush molding machine that preheats a mold using the transfer time of the mold and may be reduced in size, and a powder slush molding method using the powder slush molding machine. There are provided a powder slush molding machine and a powder slush molding method using the powder slush molding machine. The powder slush molding machine includes: a mold heating portion that heats a mold so that the temperature of the mold is set to a value equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature; a powder slush portion that sprays a molding resin, while powdering the molding resin, to mold a sheet-like material having a predetermined thickness on the inner surface of the heated mold; a mold cooling portion that cools the mold so that the temperature of the mold is equal to or lower than a predetermined temperature; a mold working portion that separates the cooled sheet-like material from the mold; and a transport device that moves the mold between the respective portions.

Abstract: A method for producing an acoustic attenuation panel from a composite material with a ceramic oxide matrix is provided that includes draping a plurality of plies having fibrous reinforcements including fibers of ceramic material in a mold to define a first skin, depositing blocks made of fugitive material on the first skin such that a space between two blocks is defined, and draping a second plurality of plies on a surface formed by the blocks such that a second skin is defined. Rounded corners of the blocks define radii for connecting the first and second skins with walls of a honeycomb core of the acoustic panel. The method further includes using a liquid medium to infiltrate the skins and spaces with a precursor of a ceramic phase, removing the liquid medium by evaporation or polymerization, and sintering to consolidate the ceramic oxide material and removal the fugitive material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for shaping a glass sheet comprising the steps (i) heating the glass sheet to a temperature suitable for shaping; (ii) depositing the glass sheet on a first bending tool for supporting the glass sheet thereon, the glass sheet being in a first position relative to the first bending tool; (iii) contacting an edge portion of the glass sheet such that the glass sheet is moved to a second position relative to the first bending tool; and (iv) shaping the glass sheet on the first bending tool. Positioning devices for moving a hot glass sheet during the method of the invention are described. A glass shaping line for carrying out the method is also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a forming material for three-dimensional (3D) printing, a forming method for 3D printing, and a formed object, wherein, while being based on an amorphous glass powder shaped irregularly, the forming material for 3D printing ensures excellent flowability and sinterability such that it enables the formation of high-quality products at high speed. The forming material for 3D printing consists of a parent glass powder in the form of an unmelted powder irregularly shaped by crushing amorphous glass; and a spherical nanopowder that has an average particle diameter equal to or less than 1/50th of the average particle diameter of the parent glass powder and is mixed in such a way that it can be disposed on a surface of the parent glass powder to enhance the flowability of the irregularly shaped parent glass powder during the formation of an object by 3D printing.

Abstract: Provided herein are 3D printing systems including, but not limited to, 3D printing systems that can, in some aspects, be configured to print multi-materials and/or 3D structures having micro-scale features. In some aspects, the 3D printing system can include a jethead, wherein the jethead can include a body portion, one or more printing material dispensers that are each coupled to one or more feedstock material reservoirs and the body portion, and at least one cleaning unit configured to clean a printed object, a printing platform, a component of an x axis cartridge, or any combination thereof. Also provided herein are scanning projection optical micro-sterolithography systems that can be configured to allow for printing micro-scale features in large scale 3D objects.

Abstract: The pneumatic tire comprises a tread portion 2 provided with first sipes 25 and second sipes 26 and having a first tread half portion 21 and a second tread half portion 22. The first sipes 25 are smoothly continued from a crown land region 10 in the second tread half portion 22 to a shoulder land region 13 in the first tread half portion 21 through a crown main groove 3 and a shoulder main groove 5. The second sipes 26 extend from the crown land region 10 in the second tread half portion 22 toward a second tread edge Te2.

Abstract: A tire is provided with a tread that includes first and second sectors and grooves. The second sectors are formed of a rigid reinforcing compound. Each of the first and second sectors has a contact face intended to contact a road surface when the tire is in use. Each groove includes sidewalls and a bottom, and extends from an end of an adjacent contact face. A depth P of each groove is measured in a radial direction between its bottom and a position corresponding to a radial height of the adjacent contact face. At least one of the second sectors has a contact face that includes a recess having a depth p of less than 2 mm, as measured in a radial direction from a surface of the recess to a position corresponding to a radial height of an adjacent first sector.

Abstract: A 3-dimensional PDMS cell sorter having multiple passages in a PDMS layer that follow the same path in a DEP separation region and that are in fluid communication with each other within that region. The passages may differ in width transverse to the flow direction within the passages. Flat plates may sandwich the PDMS layer; each plate may have a planar electrode used to generate a DEP field within a sample fluid flowed within the passages. The DEP field may concentrate target cells or particulates within one of the passages within the DEP separation region. The passages may diverge after the DEP-separation region, leaving one passage with a high concentration of target cells or particulates. Techniques for manufacturing such structures, as well as other micro-fluidic structures, are also provided.

Abstract: A moldable green-body composite includes milling silicon nitride powder with a solvent and adding a surface modifier to the milled slurry to modify a surface of the silicon nitride particles. A polysiloxane in a solvent and a binder are also added to create a green body slurry. The solvents may be polar or non-polar solvents. A sintering aid, such as yttria-alumina, may be added to the slurry as well. A reduced density silicon nitride ceramic is made from the moldable green-body composite by molding the moldable green-body composite in a mold and curing at a curing temperature to convert the moldable green-body composite to a converted composite. The converted composite can then be sintered to form a reduced density silicon nitride ceramic that has a smooth surface finish and requires no post machining or polishing. The reduced density silicon nitride ceramic may also have very good dielectric properties.

Abstract: A process for producing gaskets by curing a liquid molding material applied over a plate by a dispenser, wherein in order to improve accuracy in the cross-sectional shape and/or height of the gaskets, the process comprises the steps of: using a dispenser to coat the upper surface of a plate with a liquid molding material, and form a coating layer extending endlessly in a prescribed pattern; and overlapping a molding jig on the plate, the molding jig having in a lower surface a molding groove extending endlessly in a prescribed pattern corresponding to the coating layer, correcting the cross-sectional shape of the coating layer to a cross-sectional shape that corresponds to the molding groove, and curing the coating layer.

Abstract: A forming device for producing moulded bodies by selectively hardening powder material to form connected regions, including a process chamber having a powder inlet and a powder outlet. A powder supply apparatus is connected to the powder inlet for providing powder material to the process chamber. A powder recovery apparatus is connected to the powder outlet for receiving and recycling excess powder material from the process chamber. The powder supply and powder recovery apparatuses form a subassembly designed as an interchangeable module. The interchangeable module includes input and output connection interfaces connection-compatible with connection interfaces of the powder inlet and powder outlet. Excess powder is fed from the process chamber through the powder outlet to the powder recovery apparatus via an input interface of the interchangeable module.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a composite material part includes injecting under pressure a slurry containing a powder of refractory ceramic particles into a fiber texture; and draining the liquid of the slurry that has passed through the fiber texture, while retaining the powder of refractory ceramic particles within the texture to obtain a fiber preform filled with refractory ceramic particles. The injection tooling includes a porous material mold including an internal housing in which the fiber texture is placed, the slurry being injected into the fiber texture via an injection port in the injection tooling and leading into the internal housing of the mold. The tooling includes a rigid material enclosure in which the porous material mold is held while the slurry is injected under pressure and while the liquid of the slurry is drained, the liquid of the slurry being discharged via a vent present in the enclosure.

Abstract: A motorcycle tire comprises bead portions each having an axially outer surface provided with a profile which comprises a radially inner portion and a radially outer portion. The radially inner portion is located axially outward of a bead core and extending substantially linearly in the tire radial direction. The radially outer portion is smoothly continued from the radially inner portion and extends radially outwardly to a sidewall portion, while inclining toward the axially outside. When an axial width between the bead portions is adjusted to coincide with a rim width between rim flanges, and an axial center of the axial width coincides with an axial center of the rim width, and further the tire rotational axis coincides with the rotational axis of the wheel rim, then at least a part of the radially outer portion of the profile protrudes axially outwardly from a profile of the inner surface of the rim flange.

Abstract: Apparatus and method of forming connector brackets for irrigation laterals along a prefabricated lay-flat pipe and lay-flat pipe with such connector's brackets, wherein an opening is formed at one wall of the premanufactured pipe, a separation means is positioned inside the pipe opposite the opening while separating the one wall from the second wall of the pipe, and an injunction molding is performed into a mold cavity, in order to form the bracket affixed to the one wall of the prefabricated pipe and around the opening.

Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus for conditioning molten glass. The apparatus includes a connecting tube assembly having a conduit for conveying the molten glass, the conduit including at least two flanges and a sealing member disposed between the at least two flanges around an outer peripheral region of the flanges, thereby forming an enclosed volume between an outer wall of the conduit, the at least two flanges and the sealing member. An atmosphere within the volume may be controlled such that a predetermined partial pressure of hydrogen or a predetermined partial pressure of oxygen may be maintained within the volume. A current may be established between the at least two flanges to heat the conduit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for producing a silicon carbide-containing body (100), characterized in that the process has the following process steps: a) providing a mixture (16) comprising a silicon source and a carbon source, the silicon source and the carbon source being present together in particles of a solid granular material; b) arranging a layer of the mixture (16) provided in process step a) on a carrier (12), the layer of the mixture (16) having a predefined thickness; and c) treating the mixture (16) arranged in process step b) over a locally limited area with a temperature within a range from ?1400° C. to ?2000° C. according to a predetermined three-dimensional pattern, the predetermined three-dimensional pattern being selected on the basis of the three-dimensional configuration of the body (100) to be produced. Such a process allows simple and inexpensive production even of complex structures from silicon carbide.