Abstract: A sticker for spacing wood is extruded from an alloy that includes polycarbonate resin and polysulfone resin. The sticker can have a variety of different configurations, including a top surface that includes contact points that have an area substantially smaller than the area of the top surface, a single or multiple internal longitudinal hallow chambers separated by multiple reinforcing members, longitudinal external grooves that allow airflow, lateral external grooves that intersect the longitudinal external grooves, curved sides for a version where the stickers are placed manually, and substantially straight sides for a version where the stickers are placed by a machine. A method for manufacturing the sticker includes pulling an extrusion with a puller that includes a plurality of teeth that provide a first plurality of lateral grooves running substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the extrusion in a top and bottom surface of the extrusion.

Abstract: An apparatus for melting thermoplastic material is disclosed. The apparatus includes a heated manifold and at least one heating element disposed within the heated manifold. The heated manifold defines a plurality of cavities, a pump supply passage, and a discharge passage. The plurality of cavities are spaced apart from one another, and each receives particles of thermoplastic material from a hopper. The particles of thermoplastic material are melted within the plurality of cavities. The pump supply passage receives molten thermoplastic material from the plurality of cavities and supplies the molten thermoplastic material to a pump. The discharge passage receives pressurized molten thermoplastic material from the pump and is in fluid communication with a dispenser. The heating element transfers heat substantially throughout the heated manifold.

Abstract: Systems are disclosed for curing composite parts within a container, wherein a pressurized environment may be created via a body of water. Disclosed systems may include the container, a heating system, and a mechanism for raising and/or lowering the container within the body of water. The container may include one or more rigid walls, one or more non-rigid walls, and/or one or more port holes extending through one or more of the rigid walls and/or non-rigid walls. Methods of curing composite parts using such systems are also disclosed. Methods may include providing a container having a cavity configured to receive a composite part, thermally coupling a heating system to the container, inserting the composite part into the cavity, submerging the container under a depth of external liquid, flowing a volume of fluid into the cavity, heating the volume of fluid, thereby curing the composite part.

Abstract: A method for slicing a three-dimensional model for printing of a corresponding object by a 3D printer, comprises: obtaining the envelope of the object as polygons, then for each region of a predefined work area within the slicing plane: identifying the closest polygon of said envelope that is positioned above said respective pixel; where no polygon is identified, then marking a corresponding region as a no-print region; if the direction vector of said closest above polygon has a positive component in the Z direction, then marking said corresponding region as a model region; and if the direction vector of said polygon has a negative component in the Z direction, then marking the region as a support region, and printing accordingly. An advantage of the above procedure is that the slicing, and in addition texture mapping, can be efficiently carried out on a graphics card or GPU.

Abstract: Ply wrinkling during hot drape forming of a composite laminate is reduced at corner radii. A tensioning material placed over an uncured composite laminate charge maintains a compressive force on the laminate charge as the charge is formed over a tool.

Abstract: A molding process includes the operation of placing insulation material comprising fibers and binder on the fibers in a mold cavity. The molding process further includes the operation of transferring heat to the insulation material to cause the binder to cure.

Abstract: A method forms a frame of a seat back for a vehicle. The frame includes a first polymeric material and a reinforcing composite layer that includes a second polymeric material and a plurality of fibers impregnated in the second polymeric material. The method includes the steps of supporting the reinforcing composite layer on moveable members in a mold and extending the moveable members relative to the mold to an extended position in the mold. The method also includes the steps of introducing the first polymeric material in a molten state into the mold and into contact with the reinforcing composite layer and displacing the reinforcing composite layer away from the moveable members by introducing the first polymeric material in the molten state between the moveable members and the reinforcing composite layer while the moveable members are in the extended position.

Abstract: A lacrosse head pocket and a related method of manufacture are provided to facilitate consistent, repeatable and/or custom manufacture of lacrosse equipment. The pocket can be constructed from multiple different sections joined with one another, or can be knitted, weaved or otherwise assembled on an automated assembly machine from strands, and/or can be formed as a unitary textile material having regions/sections with different physical and/or mechanical properties. The pocket can be integrally molded within portions of a lacrosse head to eliminate manually constructed connections between the pocket and lacrosse head. The lacrosse head can be integrally molded with a lacrosse handle to provide a one-piece unitary lacrosse stick. Related methods of manufacturing also are provided.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object forming device, for forming a three-dimensional object by an additive manufacturing method, is provided. The three-dimensional object forming device includes: a head unit, having at least one inkjet head provided with at least one nozzle row; and a main scanning drive unit. The head unit has a plurality of nozzle rows, and forms a plurality of laminated ink layers on at least some area. Each of the nozzles in the plurality of nozzle rows discharges an ink droplet to each different position in an operation of forming one of the ink layers; and in an operation of forming at least any two ink layers, laminated successively, ink droplets are discharged in such a way that ink dots formed by the same nozzle are not stacked at the same position.

Abstract: A thermoforming in-lay technique is discussed that uses retractable pins to hold an in-lay piece securely in place in a primary mold. The in-lay piece is fabricated prior to the primary molding process and creates multiple pin receivers in the in-lay that are retractably engaged by the retractable pins when placed into the primary mold. When the primary substrate is formed into the primary mold, the retractable pins prevent the in-lay piece from moving out of position. Once the primary substrate has cooled sufficiently, the pins are retracted allowing the finished primary carrier art to be removed from the primary mold.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to effectively prevent the rust generation on a flange portion and to prevent the deformation of the flange portion due to the filling pressure of a molding material in the manufacture of a sealing device whereby a seal main body comprising a rubber-like elastic material and having a portion that covers both surfaces of the flange portion of a metal reinforcing ring is integrally formed on the reinforcing ring by means of a metal mold. To this end, the flange portion of the reinforcing ring is formed in advance with a shape which is distributed unevenly in the direction opposite the direction in which the flange portion is deformed from its original shape by the filling pressure of the molding material.

Abstract: A method for baking a continuous mat of mineral or plant fibers successively includes application of an aqueous solution, containing a binder diluted in the solution, onto mineral or plant fibers, shaping of the fibers to form a continuous mat on a conveyor in motion, and heating the mat in movement through an oven by a hot air flow at a temperature higher than the curing temperature of the binder. Furthermore, at least partial drying of the mat is carried out before entry into the oven. The at least partial drying includes irradiation of the mat in movement with radiofrequency electromagnetic waves whose frequency lies between 3 MHz and 300 GHz.

Abstract: A pleatable nonwoven material is provided, including thicker form-giving fibers and thinner fibers determining the filter effect, wherein the thinner fibers are incorporated largely homogeneously in the thicker fibers running in the direction along the surface of the nonwoven material and a distribution density gradient of the thinner fibers is established perpendicular to the surface of the nonwoven material such that the highest concentration of thinner fibers is in the region of the center or on one of the two outsides, wherein the thicker and thinner fibers are bonded together by solidification from the melted condition and are made from the same material.

Abstract: The method for manufacturing a made-to-measure prosthetic sleeve from a thermoformable preform includes: providing a reduced positive mold corresponding to the copy of the shape of the stump of the residual limb reduced by 3 to 5% of all of the circumferences of the shape of the stump; providing a preform made from a thermoformable elastomer base, the preform presenting an open proximal end, a closed distal end, a uniform wall thickness and a hardness of more than 40 Shore A; placing the preform on the reduced positive mold to form a preform/mold assembly; shaping the preform by heating the preform/mold assembly to a temperature between 60° C. and 150° C.

Abstract: The sheet-like rubber forming device has a die body which has an opening having a predetermined cross sectional shape, and a variable die lip which is arranged in a front side of the die body and can change the height of the opening. The variable die lip is constructed by a first movable body and a second movable body. The die lip control unit controls the variable die lip so as to drive the first movable body in an opening direction from a state in which the first movable body and the second movable body are closed when the forming is started, hold the positions of the first movable body and the second movable body after reaching a predetermined height, and drive the second movable body in a closing direction when the forming is finished.

Abstract: An automatic nut-inserted injection molding system and a method of the same are provided, and the system includes an automatic feeding machine for providing a nut, an air-evacuating device, a robot arm for delivering the nut, and an injection-molding module. The injection-molding module includes a first mold block, a second mold block, an air passage and an air needle. The second mold block is detachably closed with the first mold block for mutually defining a molding cavity. The air needle is partially embedded in the second mold block. The air passage is formed in the second mold block, and respectively connected to the air needle and the air evacuation device.

Abstract: Embodiments of a method and a mold for producing a concrete pipe comprising a basic body made of concrete and a plastic inner pipe for conducting a liquid. The method comprises introducing a mold core into the plastic inner pipe, introducing the plastic inner pipe into an outer mold and pouring concrete into an intermediate space between the outer mold and the plastic inner pipe to form the basic body. After the concrete has solidified, the plastic inner pipe remains as inner formwork in the basic body made of concrete and the mold core is removed.

Abstract: A build platform and methods of fabricating an article with such a platform in an extrusion-type additive manufacturing machine are provided. A platform body 202 includes features 204 that extend outward from the body 202. The features 204 define protrusive areas 206 and recessive areas 208 that cooperate to mechanically engage the extruded material that forms the initial layers 220 of an article when the article is being fabricated by a nozzle 12 of the additive manufacturing machine 10.

Abstract: A compacting and injection mold for a fiber preform is for use in fabricating a turbine engine guide vane out of composite material. The mold includes a shell forming a trough that is to receive the fiber preform and that is closed in leaktight manner by bottom and top covers, compacting blocks arranged inside the trough each having a surface pressing normally against a surface of the fiber preform that is to be compacted, and closure blocks arranged inside the trough. Each closure block has a surface pressing normally against a surface of a compacting block and does not have a surface in contact with the fiber preform.

Abstract: Sound damping structures and methods for additively manufacturing composite structures having sound damping properties. In some embodiments, sound damping structures may be manufactured according to methods that may include selecting a desired sound damping geometry, inputting a three-dimensional computer-aided design model of the geometry into an additive manufacturing machine, and additively manufacturing a three-dimensional sound damping structure corresponding to the computer-aided design model.