Abstract: A process for forming a mat containing a fiber filler including providing one or more sources of extended length fiber; feeding the one or more sources of extended length fiber simultaneously to an automated cutting machine to produce chopped tow fibers; separating the chopped fiber tow into individual chopped fibers that form a fiber filler; coating the fiber filler with a binder; depositing the fiber filler on a first sheet of thermoplastic; covering the fiber filler with a second sheet of thermoplastic to form a stack; and moving the stack to a treatment chamber to form a fiber mat.

Abstract: A method for indirect additive manufacturing of an object, the method comprising: (i) separately feeding a powder from which said object is to be manufactured and either a difunctional curable monomer according to Formula (I) or an adhesive polymer binder into an additive manufacturing device; (ii) dispensing selectively positioned droplets of said difunctional curable monomer or adhesive polymer binder, from a printhead of said additive manufacturing device, into a bed of said powder to bind particles of said powder with said difunctional curable monomer or adhesive polymer binder to produce a curable preform having a shape of the object to be manufactured; and, in the case of the difunctional curable monomer, (iii) curing said curable preform to form a crosslinked object.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a tableware article having a thermal-transfer printed pattern includes the following steps. Firstly, a PET resin composition including 3 to 15% by weight of an inorganic filler is provided. Next, the PET resin composition is granulated to obtain plastic granules. Then, the plastic granules are molded into the tableware article and the tableware article is post-crystallized. Finally, a thermal transfer printed pattern is printed on a surface of the post-crystallized tableware article.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing three-dimensional (3D) objects is provided. The method includes generating a plan for printing a plurality of 3D objects in a 3D printing medium at least in part by identifying an unprinted area of the 3D printing medium for insertion of a cooling device and determining where at least some of the plurality of 3D objects are to be printed in the 3D printing medium such that none of the at least some of the plurality of 3D objects, when printed, intersect the identified unprinted area for the insertion of the cooling device. The method further includes printing, using a 3D printer, the at least some of the plurality of 3D objects in accordance with the plan and, after the printing, inserting the cooling device into the unprinted area of the 3D printing medium and cooling the 3D printing medium using the cooling device.

Abstract: A mold unit (30) defines an elongate cavity (70) and has an injection inlet port (90) for a viscous material at one end of the cavity and an injection outlet port (92) at the other end of the cavity. The mold unit includes a gas vent formed by a gap (G2) between two parts of the mold unit. The gap extends continuously or intermittently in the length direction of the the mold unit, while penetrating through the mold unit in the thickness direction such that it provides fluid communication between an interior space and an exterior space of the cavity. The gap is shaped such that, although gasses pass through, the viscous material does not pass due to fluidity resistance of the viscous material resulting from its viscosity. As a result, the gas vent acts to block leakage of the viscous material while permitting degassing of the viscous material.

Abstract: Silicone compositions are described for the production of negative molds that include a silicone elastomer. The molds can be used in the production of molded articles.

Abstract: A method for making continuous encapsulated linear lighting is disclosed. In this method, a PCB is placed within a channel, and the channel is dammed by one or more stoppers. The dammed segment is filled and then caused or allowed to cure. The stoppers are then removed from their initial positions and moved along the channel. If one runs out of channel before the desired length of linear lighting is achieved, a second piece of channel is abutted to the previous segment of channel, the PCB is laid into it, and a segment is dammed, filled, and cured. The process continues iteratively until the desired length is achieved or more channel is required. The PCB may initially be cut to the full desired length and applied to the channel piecewise as needed.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a polyimide-based film and a polyimide-based film manufactured thereby and, particularly, to a method for manufacturing a polyimide-based film and a polyimide-based film manufactured thereby, wherein the polyimide-based film is useful as a cover substrate for a flexible electronic device since flexure characteristics thereof, represented by yield elongation, are excellent.

Abstract: Various methods and systems are provided for manufacturing a radiation shielding component of an imaging apparatus. In one embodiment, the radiation shielding component may be manufactured by infiltrating metal particles with a binder solution and then curing the binder solution impregnated with the metal particles. In another embodiment, the radiation shielding component may be printed with metal powder, infiltrated with a binding agent, and then cured to polymerize the binding agent.

Abstract: Batch mixtures comprising alumina trihydrate for forming ceramic honeycomb bodies comprised of cordierite and methods of manufacturing honeycomb bodies from such batch mixtures are provided.

Abstract: A method of repairing a through-hole formed in a structure having at least one composite material includes filling at least a portion of the through-hole with a potting compound, inserting a portion of a cartridge heater into the through-hole, and curing the potting compound with the cartridge heater.

Abstract: Methods of producing a carbon matrix composite are provided which include preparing a carbon matrix composite precursor comprising at least one carbon-based reinforcement material and a cured thermoset polymer matrix comprising a chemical composition in accordance with Formula I where n and m are integers, at least one of R1 or R2 comprises an aromatic moiety, and X is selected from the group consisting of CH2, NH, O, S, SO2, and combinations thereof. The methods further include heating the carbon matrix composite precursor in air to a first processing temperature of between 300° C. and 500° C. to form a carbon matrix composite intermediate, and heating the carbon matrix composite intermediate in nitrogen to a second processing temperature of between 900° C. to 1650° C. and holding at the second processing temperature for at least 1 hour in an inert gas environment to form the carbon matrix composite.

Abstract: The present invention is a method that enables continuous injection molding of a thermosetting resin composition and reuse of an unnecessary part produced during the molding. The method includes injecting a thermosetting resin composition into a mold while a curing reaction of the resin composition is incomplete. The thermosetting resin composition is then cooled in the mold until becoming semi-cured and removed as a semi-cured product from the mold. The semi-cured product is separated from the unnecessary part and separately heated to progress a thermosetting reaction of the thermosetting resin composition. The unnecessary part may be used as a reworked raw material by regrinding the unnecessary part and mixing it with a fresh thermosetting resin composition. Then, a resultant mixture is used to perform a new injection molding.

Abstract: Land vehicles, modular systems for forming monocoques of land vehicles, and methods of forming monocoques of land vehicles using modular systems are disclosed. In certain embodiments, the land vehicles are provided as delivery vehicles and/or utility vehicles. A land vehicle includes a monocoque supporting a plurality of wheels to permit movement of the vehicle relative to an underlying surface in use of the land vehicle.

Abstract: Methods for forming a unitized crucible assembly for holding a melt of silicon for forming a silicon ingot are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods involve a porous crucible mold having a channel network with a bottom channel, an outer sidewall channel that extends from the bottom channel, and a central weir channel that extends from the bottom channel. A slip slurry may be added to the channel network and the liquid carrier of the slip slurry may be drawn into the mold. The resulting green body may be sintered to form the crucible assembly.

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 system comprises a fully automated fabrication cell (20) for forming overmolded oral care implements. The cell (20) includes a cluster of process stations (21) including injection molding machines operable to first form oral care implement preforms and then overmold the preforms with an overlay to create fully formed oral care implement bodies. In one example, the overlay may be a flexible elastomeric or rubber material while the preform may comprise a more rigid plastic material. Transfer of the preforms and bodies between the process stations (21) is fully automated and performed by a computer-operated robot (40) having a jointed articulated arm. A grasping tool (60) disposed on an end of the arm (42) releasably engages and transports a plurality of preforms and/or bodies simultaneously. The tool provides two different methods for engaging and holding the toothbrush skeletons/bodies. A programmable controller (130) automatically controls the robotic arm (42)'s operation and movement.

Abstract: Methods for forming a unitized crucible assembly for holding a melt of silicon for forming a silicon ingot are disclosed. In some embodiments, the methods involve a porous crucible mold having a channel network with a bottom channel, an outer sidewall channel that extends from the bottom channel, and a central weir channel that extends from the bottom channel. A slip slurry may be added to the channel network and the liquid carrier of the slip slurry may be drawn into the mold. The resulting green body may be sintered to form the crucible assembly.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a molded part includes inserting melt into a cavity of a first tool part, and the first tool part and a second tool part are moved away from one another during or after the insertion of the melt by moving a second mold clamping plate relative to a first mold clamping plate such that in the first tool part or in the second tool part clearance space of a first or second cavity portion of the cavity is created, and a gap is formed between the first tool part and the second tool part. Melt is further inserted into the clearance space of the cavity, and the gap is bridged by an at least already partially solidified section of the melt. A holding force is transmitted from the second tool part to the first tool part through the partially solidified section of the melt bridging the gap.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a process for producing a cured 3D product comprising the following steps: (a) providing a form negative mould of the 3D product comprising of one or two formed plastic sheets as obtained by thermoforming corresponding with the shape of the 3D product; (b) adding a liquid curable composition to the mould such that the inner surface of the mould is covered by the curable composition; and (c) solidifying the curable composition wherein a solidified layer or body is formed having the shape of the 3D product; wherein the cured 3D product is a radiation cured 3D product; and wherein the step (c) a radiation curable composition is solidified by radiation through the plastic sheet of the mould to form a solidified layer having the shape of the 3D product.