Abstract: A system for manufacturing a space-based component while on orbit around the Earth. The system includes a spacecraft body and a solar collection device mounted thereto for collecting solar energy from the sun that is converted into heat. The system includes a manipulator device that moves a solar refinery to a position to collect space debris, where the manipulator then moves the solar refinery to location that uses the heat to melt constituent elements in the debris. The solar refinery also includes a collection element capable of separately collecting the heated elements. The system also includes a fabrication module that is operable to obtain solid, molten or vaporized elements from the collection element and fabricate the space-based component therefrom.

Abstract: An abnormality detection device for detecting an abnormality of a movable part provided in an injection molding machine includes: a through hole formed in the movable part or in an adjacent member arranged adjacent to the movable part; and a microphone installed inside the through hole to collect sound generated by the movement of the movable part.

Abstract: A forming station for a thermoform packaging machine, wherein the forming station comprises a forming tool upper part and a forming tool lower part that are each configured for cooperating so as to thermoform a film positioned between the forming tool lower part and the forming tool upper part. The forming station includes a first change bar that is adapted to be releasably attached to a reception area of the forming tool lower part and the first change bar carries a plurality of punches or blades.

Abstract: A method of producing a relief image or mold from a liquid photopolymer resin, said method comprising the steps of: a) placing an image film onto an exposure glass; b) placing a cover film over the image film and drawing a vacuum c) placing substrate material on a bottom glass d) casting a liquid photopolymer resin layer onto the substrate material; d) laminating a flexible polyester sheet onto a backside of the liquid photopolymer resin layer as the liquid photopolymer resin layer is being cast onto the substrate material; and e) exposing the liquid photopolymer resin layer through the image film to selectively crosslink and cure the photopolymerizable resin layer and form a cured relief image, wherein said depth of the cured relief image is less than the height of the cast liquid photopolymerizable resin.

Abstract: Provided is an imprint method that molds an uncured resin applied to a substrate by a pattern portion formed on a mold and cures the uncured resin so as to form the pattern of the resin cured on the substrate. The imprint method includes a step of releasing the pattern portion from the resin such that two opposed boundaries are brought closer to each other to progress peeling while maintaining a parallel state after curing of the resin based on the assumption that the boundary at which the pattern portion is peeled from the resin is linear.

Abstract: A method for applying a layer having a relief on a substrate includes steps of securing the substrate, applying a layer of a curable liquid on the substrate, bringing a mould having a relief being the negative of the relief to be provided on the substrate, into contact with a part of the upper surface of the liquid layer, curing the liquid layer while the mould is in contact with the liquid and separating the mould from the substrate. Initially the mould is brought into contact with the liquid in a bent position while the substrate is kept flat and subsequently the mould is brought into contact over an increasing surface area keeping the mould in a bent position until the complete liquid layer is in contact with the mould.

Abstract: Embodiments of an invention disclosed herein relate to devices, processes, and systems for processing polymers.

Abstract: A feed mechanism for feeding a filament through a print head assembly in an FDM printer. The feed mechanism includes a first oval-shaped track having a plurality track elements extending around the first track and a second oval-shaped track having a plurality of track elements extending around the second track, where the first and second tracks counter-rotate. A space is defined between the first and second tracks that receives the filament in a manner so that the track elements that are in the space contact the filament, where rotation of the first and second tracks in opposite directions causes the filament to be driven through the space and onto the print head.

Abstract: Additive manufacturing systems are disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a sintering device configured to sinter a powder material to form a component, and an actuator coupled to the sintering device. The actuator may adjust a position of the sintering device. Additionally, the system may include at least one computing device operably connected to the actuator and the sintering device. The at least one computing device may control a movement of the sintering device by performing processes including determining an exposure pattern for the sintering device for sintering the powder material based on a geometry of the component. The exposure pattern may include at least one exposure track extending between two sides of the component. The computing device(s) may also perform processes including moving the sintering device, using the actuator, in the determined exposure pattern to sinter the powder material to form the component.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a strip of rubber having discontinuous reinforcer segments includes a conveying step in which a rubber strip is conveyed in a direction DC, and a cutting step in which reinforcers of the strip are cut. The cutting step includes localized heating of each reinforcer using a laser beam from a remote source. A cutting device useable to perform the cutting step includes a conveying device and a cutting head. The conveying device moves the strip in the conveying direction DC past the cutting head. The cutting head includes an emitter from which at least one laser beam is produced to cause localized heating of at least one reinforcer of the strip, in order to cut the at least one reinforcer into discontinuous reinforcer segments. The strip may be conveyed continuously or discontinuously, such that the strip may be moving or immobilized during the cutting step.

Abstract: A layered object manufacturing apparatus includes a nozzle that is provided with a body having an opening from which a laser beam is output and powder of a material is ejected.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object useful as a casting mold is carried out by providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling the build region with a liquid photocurable ceramic resin; irradiating the build region through the optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from the polymerizable liquid and advancing the carrier away from the build surface to form the three-dimensional object from the solid polymer, while also concurrently with the irradiating and/or advancing steps: (i) continuously maintaining a dead zone of polymerizable liquid in contact with the build surface, and (ii) continuously maintaining a gradient of polymerization zone between the dead zone and the solid polymer and in contact with each thereof. The gradient of polymerization zone comprises the polymerizable liquid in partially cured form (e.g.

Abstract: An extrusion device of a three-dimensional printer comprises a housing, a nozzle, a ratchet, an idler and a cooling mechanism. The nozzle is connected with the housing, the ratchet is disposed in the housing, and the idler is disposed adjacent to the ratchet. A thermofusible material is jointly held by the ratchet and the idler, and is guided to be extruded through the nozzle. The cooling mechanism comprises an air pump and an air pipe. The air pipe is partially disposed in the housing and connected with the air pump for guiding the air extracted by the air pump to flow into the housing through the air pipe, thereby reducing an environment temperature inside the housing. Therefore, by disposing the air-guiding cooling mechanism, the advantages of enhancing the cooling effect and the printing quality are achieved.

Abstract: A heating element for flow channel heating or for heating a mould impression and an injection-moulding nozzle incorporating the heating element are disclosed. The heating element has a carrier element which carries a heating conductor with first and second connection pins, and a connection device with an electrical connection cable with first and second conductors. The first and second connection pins end in an insulator. The insulator is arranged at least in certain portions in a receiving sleeve of the connection device, and the receiving sleeve points with a first end in the direction of the carrier element, is fixed with the first end on the carrier element and fixes the insulator in relation to the carrier element. A first crimping sleeve is fixed on the first connection pin and the first conductor, and a second crimping sleeve is fixed on the second connection pin and the second conductor.

Abstract: An 3D printer has a gantry configured to move in a plane substantially parallel to a build plane. The system includes a platen configured to support a part being built in a layer by layer process, wherein the platen is configured to move in a direction substantially normal to the build plane. The system includes a head carriage carried by the gantry wherein the head carriage includes a first support member supporting a retaining mechanism. The retaining mechanism includes at least one member extending from the support member and a camming member rotatably attached to the support member and movable about an axis of rotation. The camming member has arcuate camming surface with an increasing radial distance from the axis of rotation. The system includes at least one print head having a housing with a first side surface configured to engage the at least one member and a second side surface configured to engage the arcuate camming surface.

Abstract: A centrifuge plate is disclosed which is intended for casting housing ends of hollow fiber filter modules and can be rotated around a centrifuge axis. The centrifuge plate includes at least two bearing elements arranged diametrically with respect to the centrifuge axis and provided for supporting a housing of a hollow fiber filter module to be cast, wherein each bearing element is rotatably supported on the centrifuge plate around a bearing axle which is parallel to the centrifuge axis.

Abstract: Devices for sealing and inflating inflatable objects, in particular for sealing and inflating motor vehicle tires, wherein the devices have as a source of compressed gas a compressor unit, which is formed as a reciprocating piston compressor driven by a slider crank mechanism and has a piston moved in an oscillating manner in a cylinder, and wherein the piston and the cylinder delimit a compression chamber and the cylinder is closed on the output side by a cylinder head with an outlet valve.

Abstract: A method of scribing abrasion aesthetics, patterns, images, serial numbers, ply markings and/or other information, such as sizing or care information, on fabric such as denim, before or during the fabric cutting process is provided. The method comprises loading the panel abrasion software, pattern marker software, and fabric scribing software; placing the fabric on a flat surface under at least one laser; laser scribing ply numbers, serial labels, fabric markers, and panel abrasions on the fabric; cutting the fabric into fabric lengths; spreading the pre-abraded and pre-marked fabric lengths on top of each other to create multiple plies in precise alignment; cutting shaped panels along the lines of the pattern marker with a conventional knife, laser, or other appropriate cutting tool; and stacking the abraded, labeled and shaped panels robotically or manually for sewing.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing apparatus is provided, and the three dimensional printing apparatus includes a modeling portion, a powder supplying portion, a powder spreading mechanism, a printing mechanism and a controller. The powder supplying portion is filled with a powder forming material. The powder spreading mechanism is disposed on a first side of the modeling portion, and is configured to transfer the powder forming material from the powder supplying portion to spread the powder forming material on the supporting platform. The printing mechanism is disposed on a second side of the modeling portion which is opposite to the first side, and is configured to eject the glue material. The controller operates in a fast mode according to a fast mode instruction, so as to control the printing mechanism to eject the glue material onto the powder forming material while moving along a first direction with the powder spreading mechanism.

Abstract: A 3D printer has a gantry configured to move in a plane substantially parallel to a build plane, and a platen configured to support a part being built. The platen is configured to move in a direction substantially normal to the build plane. A head carriage is carried by the gantry, and a print head is carried by and retained in the head carriage. A material container has a material container body and a material container cover configured to allow loading of a spool containing a supply of a consumable filament for printing with the 3D printer, the spool mounted on an axle containing a spool chip and electrical contacts. The material container body includes a first and second axle channels configured to accept first and second ends of the axle. The first axle channel has a number of electrical contacts and is tapered to orient the axle to align the axle contacts with the first axle channel contacts.