Abstract: The present invention discloses polymer surfaces with T-shaped microstructure and their fabrication method and applications. The polymer surfaces with the T-shaped microstructure are characterized in that T-shaped microposts arrange orderly on them, and nanobulges arrange orderly on the top surfaces of the micronails of the T-shaped microposts. A flexible insert is designed and manufactured according to the geometry of the T-shaped microposts, and nanogrooves are manufactured on the cavity surface of an injection mold according to the geometry of the nanobulges on the top surfaces of the micronails. The flexible insert is mounted on the injection mold cavity. An injection molding machine is used to inject the molten polymer into the injection mold cavity. Then the polymer surfaces with the T-shaped microposts, on the top surfaces of the micronails of which the nanobulges arrange orderly, are molded.

Abstract: An impression chamber (1) for a 3D printer (6) adapted to receive a high performance plastic filament (19) and including a print head (7) and a printing bed (8), wherein the impression chamber (1) includes a thermally insulated plate (2) and a polyimide film (3) attached to the plate (2) for delimiting a printing space (20). The plate (2) is dimensioned to have a surface (2a) equal or larger than the major surface of the piece (5) to be printed, and the film (3) is dimensioned to surround the printing bed (8). The plate (2) is provided with a first through-hole (15) for allowing the passage of at least part of the print head (7), so that the plate (2) is moved by the movement of the print head (7) and the film (3) is dragged by said movement providing a flexible impression chamber (1).

Abstract: Provided is a tire vulcanizing method enabling an optimum vulcanization operation for each tire by measuring the temperatures of the inner surface and the outer surface of a tire until the demolding timing without damaging the tire and by determining the vulcanized state of the tire accurately based on the measured temperature data to efficiently produce uniformly vulcanized tires especially under conditions where the temperature of a mold fluctuates. During vulcanization of a tire G, the temperatures of the inner surface and the outer surface at a plurality of principal portions representing the tire G are measured, and the demolding timing is determined according to the equivalent degree of vulcanization indicating the degree of progress in crosslinking reaction calculated based on the temperature data measured.

Abstract: Different sized, first and second domes are stacked, one atop the other on the surface of a rib or tread block of a tire. The lower, first dome spans a larger area of the tread. In one embodiment, the first dome covers the entire tread block or extends laterally across a rib. The upper, second dome is located on top of the first dome and spans only a portion of the first dome. The domes are either concentric or offset, or can be elliptical with the major axes of the ellipses oriented such that the major axes are optimized for a specific tread block or rib geometry. The major axes of the ellipses may be oriented parallel to or perpendicular to an axis of stiffness of the tread block or rib.

Abstract: A movable platen according to the present invention includes: a mold clamping platen 42 having a projecting portion 62 in a mold closing direction-side surface; a mold mounting platen 44 mounted to the projecting portion 62 of the mold clamping platen 42; and a guide mechanism 50 fixed to the mold clamping platen 42 and supporting the mold mounting platen 44. Only the mold clamping platen 42 is fixed to the guide mechanism 50, while the mold mounting platen 44 is not fixed but placed on platen surface support portions 52.

Abstract: A method and system for fabricating a composite structure is disclosed. A composite preform (10) has an upper surface (14) and an opposing lower surface (15). The upper and lower surfaces (14, 15) each define a preform major surface. A heat sink (120) is located in proximity to one of the preform major surfaces so as to extend across only a portion (16) of the composite preform (10). A resin is cured in the composite preform (10) to form the composite structure. The resin cures exothermically. During curing of the resin, heat is conducted away from the portion (16) of the composite preform (10) into the heat sink (120).

Abstract: An undercut processing mechanism includes: a molding core for forming an undercut portion; an inclined pin slidable in a first direction inclined relative to a die opening direction of a molding die during the removal of a molded product from the die; and a guide rail for guiding the movement of the inclined pin. The inclined pin has a slide block movable in contact with the guide rail. The guide rail is so formed as to contact the slide block over the entire stroke of the inclined pin so that the first direction of movement of the inclined pin may be regulated, and is also so formed as to have a shape of a high bending rigidity in a particular direction of the slide block.

Abstract: Embodiments described in this application relate generally to a system, an apparatus and/or methods for manufacturing electrodes by infusion electrolyte into compacted electrode materials. In some embodiments, a working electrode materials can be produced using an infusion mixing and manufacturing process. In some embodiments, a single-sided finished electrode can be produced directly from a dry powder mixture using an infusion mixing and manufacturing process. In some embodiments, a double-sided finished electrode can be produced directly from a dry powder mixture using an infusion mixing and manufacturing process. The electrodes produced by an infusion mixing and manufacturing process generally perform better than those produced by non-infusion processes.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a ceramic matrix composite structure. A core having an ordered structure is fabricated of a preceramic polymer and pyrolyzed. Facesheets, either uncured or cured, are placed on the core (with a bonding layer of preceramic polymer resin if the facesheets are cured) and the assembly is cured and pyrolyzed. The pyrolyzed assembly is re-infiltrated with preceramic polymer resin and re-pyrolyzed. The cycle of re-infiltration and re-pyrolyzation is repeated until the mass gain per cycle stabilizes.

Abstract: A method of coextruding polymeric materials into multiple layers of desired thickness to form a tubular workpiece. The method includes conveying a first polymeric material through a main extruder and a second polymeric material through a coextruder. The second polymeric material has dispersed therein an amount of electrically conductive particles effective to impart electrical conductivity to the tubular workpiece. The method further includes simultaneously extruding the first polymeric material and the second polymeric material through a coextrusion die to form the tubular workpiece. The tubular workpiece is extruded in the form of one or more outer layers having the first polymeric material and one or more inner layers comprising the second polymeric material. A tubular workpiece prepared by the method of coextruding polymeric materials into multiple layers of desired thickness.

Abstract: Methods for manufacturing at least a portion of an upper for an article of footwear that include thermo-forming a pattern on the upper. The methods may include disposing a skin for forming an upper over and inflatable bladder and disposing a mold insert between the skin and a surface of a mold cavity. The mold insert may include a mold pattern including surface features formed in the mold insert. The inflatable bladder may be inflated such that the skin is pressed against the mold insert within a heated mold cavity to form a pattern on an exterior surface of the skin and cause the skin to take on the shape of at least a portion of an upper. In some embodiments, the surface features may be disposed in a gradient pattern configured to provide varying degrees of one or more characteristics to different areas of an upper.

Abstract: A three-dimensional product manufacturing robot using a material constituted by plastic formable materials may be provided that includes: a head supply unit which includes an inlet into which the material is introduced; a transformer unit which includes a plurality of rollers guiding a moving direction of the material transferred from the head supply unit; and a head unit which discharges outwardly the material transferred from the transformer unit. As a result, the tension of a tow, i.e., a raw material can be adaptively controlled and the tow moving within the three-dimensional product manufacturing robot can be prevented from being solidified, cured or degraded. Also, the head unit can rotate precisely within a limited distance. Also, the rotation of the head unit does not accompany the rotation of the tow. That is, while the wheel assembly controls the rotation of the head unit, the tow which passes through the inside of the head unit can be discharged to the outside without rotation.

Abstract: The cassette mold type injection molding machine controls a first temperature control circuit to supply a heat medium having a heating temperature from a first heating device to a matrix supply path, controls a second temperature control circuit to supply the heat medium having a cooling temperature from a second heating device to the core cavity supply path, and performs cassette mold cool down control in which a bypass control valve is controlled to connect a bypass path and a main body supply path, such that a second heating device or a core cavity supply path is connected to a main body supply path, and thus the heat medium having the heating temperature is supplied to the matrix and the heat medium having the cooling temperature is supplied to a cassette mold main body and a core cavity portion.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet support that can be used to obtain a thermal transfer image-receiving sheet that maintains its gloss and that has excellent handleability and high condition uniformity while preventing the formation of air bubbles in an adhesive layer. A resin is supplied to one side of a substrate, which is passed between a cooling roller A and a rubber roller A. A porous film is stacked on another side of the substrate through a resin, and the substrate is passed between a cooling roller B and a rubber roller B. The cooling rollers A and B have surfaces with a ten-point average roughness (Rz) of 5 to 30 ?m and 0 to 20 ?m, respectively. The rubber rollers A and B have a rubber hardness (durometer (Type A)) of 60 to 95 and 50 to 80, respectively.

Abstract: An apparatus for producing a microporous plastic film comprising a pattern roll having large numbers of high-hardness, fine particles; an anvil roll opposing the pattern roll; a conveying means for passing a plastic film through a gap of both rolls; a stationary frame rotatably supporting one of both rolls; a pair of laterally arranged movable frames rotatably supporting the other roll; and a pair of laterally arranged carriages to each of which each of the movable frames is fixed; at least one of the carriages moving in a running direction of the plastic film to generate positional difference between a pair of the movable frames, so that the center axes of both rolls are relatively inclined to each other.

Abstract: A system and corresponding method for additive manufacturing of a three-dimensional (3D) object to improve packing density of a powder bed used in the manufacturing process. The system and corresponding method enable higher density packing of the powder. Such higher density packing leads to better mechanical interlocking of particles, leading to lower sintering temperatures and reduced deformation of the 3D object during sintering. An embodiment of the system comprises means for adjusting a volume of a powder metered onto a top surface of the powder bed to produce an adjusted metered volume and means for spreading the adjusted metered volume to produce a smooth volume for forming a smooth layer of the powder with controlled packing density across the top surface of the powder bed. The controlled packing density enables uniform shrinkage, without warping, of the 3D object during sintering to produce higher quality 3D printed objects.

Abstract: Provided is an injection molding method for resin that contains reinforcing fiber, the method being capable of easily eliminating uneven distribution of added components. The injection molding method is provided with: a plasticizing step for supplying resin pellets P and added components to a cylinder equipped with a screw 10, which has a rotating axis as the center is capable of rotating normally and in reverse, and generating molten resin by rotating the screw 10 in the normal direction; and an injecting step for injecting the molten resin M comprising the added components into a cavity. In the plasticizing step, a reverse rotation operation for reversing the rotation of the screw 10 is performed or a screw-stopping operation of stopping the normal rotation of the screw 10 is performed with a prescribed timing and for a prescribed period.

Abstract: Spacecraft including a spacecraft bus. An additive manufacturing system of the spacecraft bus including at least one extruder for delivering feedstock to print an object outside of the spacecraft bus. A sensor for determining a pose of the spacecraft bus relative to an astronomical body. At least one processor in communication with the additive manufacturing system and the sensor, controls an operation of the additive manufacturing system as a function of the pose of the spacecraft bus, to manufacture the object outside of the spacecraft bus.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein produce products by adding material on an existing object. Printing onto existing objects may be used to repair/rebuild/fix the existing objects. Other embodiments print on a lateral edge of an object. A print-head unit may be implemented that can horizontally rotate to produce the product by adding layers of materials on the existing object.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a protective film forming resin agent to be used for laser processing including a water-soluble resin, and particulates of a metal oxide which are dispersed in an aqueous solution of the resin and a section of which has an elongated shape having a major axis and a minor axis orthogonal to the major axis. The particulates of the metal oxide the section of which has the elongated shape having the major axis and the minor axis orthogonal to the major axis are dispersed in the aqueous solution of the resin. When the aqueous solution is applied to a workpiece to form a protective film on the workpiece and then the workpiece is subjected to laser processing, therefore, absorbance of a laser beam in the protective film is enhanced, so that processing efficiency is enhanced.