Abstract: A composition is provided comprising: a) a curable epoxy resin; and b) 0.01-30% by weight of a polycarbodiimide according to Formula I: R—{—N?C?N—R—}n—N?C?N—R??(I) wherein n is an integer between 0 and 100, and wherein each R is independently selected from aromatic and aliphatic groups which contain between 1 and 24 carbons and which are optionally substituted, typically comprising 0.1-20% by weight of the polycarbodiimide. In some embodiments the present disclosure provides sheet materials made of such cured, uncured or partially cured materials. In some embodiments these compositions may be useful in making surfacing films for composite parts and may demonstrate good paint stripper resistance and microcrack resistance.

Abstract: Devices and methods for manufacturing and using microstructure arrays are described. In the methods, formulation is introduced into cavities of a microprojection array mold by means that include a vacuum to achieve a more efficient and uniform filling of the cavities and/or reduce bubble formation in the cavities.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a handling device includes depositing a single layer of an adhesive on a first surface of a first wafer; depositing an antiadhesive layer on a first surface of a second wafer different from the first wafer; bringing into contact the first wafer and the second wafer, the bringing into contact taking place at the level of the single adhesive layer of the first wafer and the antiadhesive layer of the second wafer; separating the first wafer and the second wafer; the first wafer including the single adhesive layer forming a handling device. The bringing into contact of the first wafer and the second wafer is carried out at a temperature TC such that TC>Tg+100° C. where Tg is the glass transition temperature of the material composing the single adhesive layer of the first wafer.

Abstract: A method and device for thermal activation of tube-shaped packaging sleeves made of cardboard/plastic composite material, wherein a hot gas is applied to the tube-shaped packaging sleeve by a heating device in order to produce the base or the head of the packaging. To achieve even heating for the activation of the contact surfaces with production using simple construction, wherein the energy required for the activation process is used as completely as possible for the heating of the surfaces to be activated, the heating device is placed into effective contact with the surfaces to be activated by the heating device being moved inside the tube-shaped packaging sleeves for activation. The heating device has at least one nozzle element with an outlet opening, the external shape of which nozzle element corresponds to the internal shape of the end of the tube-shaped packaging sleeve to be activated.

Abstract: An example of a piping structure of a tire vulcanizer to which the present invention is applied has a central mechanism 1 of the tire vulcanizer as illustrated in FIG. 1. The central mechanism 1 has a bug head 2, a hydraulic cylinder 3, and exhaust circulation path pipes 4. In addition, the central mechanism 1 has a bladder (not illustrated) which may be expanded and contracted as a vulcanizing medium is supplied into the bladder. One end of the exhaust circulation path pipe 4 is connected to an interior of the bladder, and the two exhaust circulation path pipes 4 are connected to each other through a bypass pipe 5. The other end of the exhaust circulation path pipe 4 is connected to an exterior of the central mechanism 1.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of making a sink comprising: cutting out material that will constitute a bottom of the sink; making a hole for a drain in the bottom of the sink; supporting the edges of the bottom of the sink on a flat support and applying a mechanical force on the rim of the hole for the drain in the bottom of the sink; subjecting the bottom of the sink to a gradual and stepwise heating such that the mechanical force applied deforms said surface; cooling a flat slab; placing additional flat slabs around the first slab, on the sides thereof, to constitute the sides of the sink; externally coating the assembly made with a reinforcement comprising resins, glass fiber, mineral fillers, etc.; and bonding the upper part of the assembly made with the countertop where the sink is located.

Abstract: Installation fittings for use with induction weldable pipe connectors for assembling multi-layer pipe fluid distribution systems. Induction welding pipe connectors including a major central pipe connector section and a minor lateral pipe connector section pair having reduced thickness relative to the major central pipe connector section. Induction welding pipe connectors with integral solder flow barrier for assembling fluid distribution systems. Electromagnetic induction coil reverse action pliers for use with induction weldable pipe connectors for assembling fluid distribution systems.

Abstract: A label application system for applying paper non-pressure adhesive labels to relatively short, round, straight-walled articles is constructed and designed so that labels to be applied to passing articles are delivered to the label application zone on a vacuum conveyor in a short feed orientation, with each label being oriented lengthwise across a width of the vacuum conveyor. At the time of labeling, the label is held stationary on a flat vacuum surface, and the label is applied by spinning the articles past the vacuum surface. As a result, the system is capable of labeling articles at processing speeds of up to or exceeding 800 articles per minute.

Abstract: A tensioning system that can be used with a heater blanket and a vacuum bag for heating a workpiece can include a tensioner including at least one flexible rod. The tensioner can further include an end cap positioned on one or both ends of the flexible rod. The tensioner can be inserted through one or more sleeves attached to the vacuum bag, and each end of the flexible rod can be positioned within a pocket and thereby attached to the vacuum bag. In one implementation, the flexible rod can be rotated relative to the one or more end caps to decrease or increase a length of the tensioner, and the length of the tensioner is thereby adjustable. The tension applied to the vacuum bag can mitigate sealing of a seal of the vacuum bag with a layup mandrel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for making a window in a thin plastic accommodating layer by inserting an insert from a thin plastic supply layer, the method including the following steps: cutting an opening in the accommodating layer according to the shape of the future window, punching the supply layer to produce an insert and inserting the insert into the opening, wherein the punching and at least one first phase of insertion are carried out in a single movement of a single punching and inserting tool, in a direction going from the supply layer to the accommodating layer.

Abstract: Disclosed are a lyocell material for a cigarette filter and a method of preparing the same, wherein a crimped tow is manufactured using a lyocell multifilament including low-strength lyocell monofilaments, and thus the ultimately prepared lyocell material for a cigarette filter can exhibit low strength, thereby increasing processing efficiency during the manufacture of the cigarette filter.

Abstract: An integrating sphere includes twelve pentagonal spherical shells and twenty hexagonal spherical shells. The hexagonal spherical shell includes a first circular spherical shell having a first diameter and six first auxiliary spherical shells formed by cutting the first circular spherical shell. The pentagonal spherical shell includes a first circular spherical shell having the first diameter and five second auxiliary spherical shell formed by cutting a second circular spherical shell having a second diameter.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite part having a curved or radiused corner to avoid wrinkling or bridging of outer-most composite plies during consolidation and cure, including laying up composite material on male or female tooling to form two flanges extending at a first angle relative each other and a curved or radiused corner extending between the two flanges. Then the method may include changing an orientation of one or both of the flanges of the composite material, such that the two flanges extend at a second included angle relative each other. The second included angle is smaller than the first angle. The method may also include a step of consolidating the composite material before, after, or during the step of changing the orientation of the composite material to the second angle, as well as a step of curing the composite material oriented at the second angle.

Abstract: There is provided a copper foil with a carrier particularly suitable for a circuit forming process for removing a carrier after laser drilling and desmear treatment, in detail, a copper foil with a carrier having high heat press resistance (heat resistance) of the carrier, laser drilling performance, corrosion resistance of the carrier against the desmear treatment, corrosion resistance of a release layer against the desmear treatment, and carrier release strength. The copper foil with a carrier comprises a carrier comprising at least one resin selected from polyethylene naphthalate (PEN) resins, polyethersulfone (PES) resins, polyimide resins, and polyphenylene sulfide resins; a silicon layer provided on the carrier, the silicon layer mainly containing silicon; a carbon layer provided on the silicon layer, the carbon layer mainly containing carbon; and an extremely thin copper layer provided on the carbon layer.

Abstract: A method for processing product wafers using carrier substrates is disclosed. The method includes a step of bonding a first carrier wafer to a first product wafer using a first temporary adhesion layer between a first carrier wafer surface and a first product wafer first surface. Another step includes bonding a second carrier wafer to a second product wafer using a second temporary adhesion layer between a second carrier wafer surface and a second product wafer surface. Another step includes bonding the first product wafer to the second product wafer using a permanent bond between a first product wafer second surface and a second product wafer first surface. In exemplary embodiments, at least one processing step is performed on the first product wafer after the first temporary carrier wafer is bonded to the first product wafer before the second product wafer is permanently bonded to the first product wafer.

Abstract: The automation of the assembly of a stack of substrates in the process of forming an object includes a blanking die having a push through plate to drive the blanked sheets onto a set of locating pins, thereby creating a very accurate stack. An image forming device may print and develop images onto a web that is subsequently die cut and stacked onto a curing platen. The die cutter cuts individual sheets out of the web and cuts or pre-cuts alignment holes into each sheet that would be accepted by the curing platen having locating pins corresponding to the alignment holes in the sheet. The die cutting operation includes a tamping device that would accurately transfer the sheets from the die to the curing platen. This stack may then be removed and/or processed to form a 3D object.

Abstract: A system for manufacturing a balloon envelope includes a table component and a sealing component. The sealing component includes a first level and a second lower level. The first level further includes first and second platforms. The first platform can provide a work area for sealing respective first and second sheets of material together to form a sealed edge and the second platform may provide a work area for sealing the second sheet of material and a third sheet of material together. The first, second, and third sheets of material respectively form first, second, and third gores of the balloon envelope. The sealing component may be configured to move along length of the first platform and to apply a heat seal to bond the first sheet of material to the second sheet material and form a sealed edge.

Abstract: A method of forming a three-dimensional object is carried out by: (a) providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, the carrier and the build surface defining a build region therebetween, with the carrier positioned adjacent and spaced apart from the build surface at a start position; then (b) forming an adhesion segment of the three-dimensional object (c) optionally but preferably forming a transition segment of the three dimensional object; and then (d) forming a body segment of the three dimensional object. In each case, the segment can be formed by: (i) filling the build region with a polymerizable liquid, (ii) continuously or intermittently irradiating the build region with light through the optically transparent, and (iii) continuously or intermittently advancing the carrier away from the build surface, to thereby form that segment from the polymerizable liquid.

Abstract: A single-skinned composite lattice sandwich structure includes a face sheet, fiber stringers, and at least one fiber tow arranged in a lattice structure separating the face sheet and fiber stringers. The face sheet and at least the fiber tow(s) forming the lattice may be interfused with a matrix to form a contiguous composite structure. The fiber stringers may be formed of various materials for imparting different structural properties to the sandwich structure, including carbon fiber for tensile strength and lightness, metallic or other rigid material for imparting overall structural rigidity, shape-changing material or actuated material for providing actuated deformation of the structure, and may also include sensors.

Abstract: A delivery sheath includes an outer tubular layer and an initially folded inner tubular layer. When an implant passes therethrough, the outer tubular layer expands and the inner tubular layer unfolds into an expanded lumen diameter. The sheath may also include selectively placed longitudinal support rods that mediate friction between the inner and outer tubular layers to facilitate easy expansion, thereby reducing the push force needed to advance the implant through the sheath's lumen.