Abstract: A method of three-dimensional fabrication of an object is disclosed. The method comprises: forming a plurality of layers in a configured pattern corresponding to the shape of the three-dimensional object, at least one layer of the plurality of layers being formed at a predetermined and different thickness selected so as to compensate for post-formation shrinkage of the layer along a vertical direction. In various exemplary embodiments of the invention spread of building material of one or more layers is diluted at least locally such as to maintain a predetermined thickness and a predetermined planar resolution for the layer.

Abstract: Particular embodiments of the invention include methods and apparatus for molding and/or curing an article. Particular embodiments of such methods include positioning a mold core centrally within mold outer portion to form an annular mold cavity between the mold outer portion and the mold core, the core including an outer ring having an outer surface for engaging the annular article, the outer ring being formed of a material capable of expanding and contracting with changes in temperature. Such methods also include heating the mold outer ring, cooling the core outer ring subsequent to the step of heating, whereby the core outer ring contracts relative to the article, and removing the article from the core outer ring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for forming a profile that contains at least one layer of continuous fibers and at least one layer of discontinuous fibers. Said method allowing the selective control of features to achieve a profile that has increased transverse strength and flexural modulus. The layer of continuous fibers may be formed from one or more continuous fiber reinforced ribbons (“CFRT”) (12) that contain fibers embedded within a thermoplastic polymer matrix, whereby a void fraction and in turn is minimized and flexural modulus is optimized Further, the ribbon (s) are consolidated so that the continuous fibers remain fixed in alignment in a substantially longitudinal direction (e.g., the direction of pultrusion). In addition to enhancing the tensile properties of the profile, the use of such ribbons also allows an improved handability when placing them into the desired position within the pultrusion die.

Abstract: An apparatus for intermittently manufacturing a raw rubber strip comprises a screw extruder, an extruder head having a preforming nozzle, a gear pump therebetween, a pair of calendar rolls, a roll-gap changer for switching between a close state and an open state of calendar rolls, and a controller for controlling the gear pump, the calendar rolls and the roll-gap changer to let the calendar rolls in the open state prior to the stopping of the rotation of the calendar rolls.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an injection molded part, comprising the following steps: a preparing a glass fiber reinforced polyamide-6 composition with a relative viscosity of less than 2.4; b heating a such composition to obtain a viscous liquid; c filling a mold cavity with the viscous liquid with a filling time of at least 0.8 s; d leaving the viscous liquid in the mold under pressure until it cools to form a part; e opening the mold; f ejecting the part; wherein the polyamide-6 composition has a crystallization temperature under hyper DSC conditions of less than 168° C. The invention also relates to an injection molded part a having a maximum wall thickness of at least 2.5 mm; and/or b a part weight of at least 100 g per injection point; wherein the part consists of a glass fiber reinforced semi-crystalline polyamide-6 composition having a relative solution viscosity of less than 2.

Abstract: Disclosed is a waterproofing membrane that comprises a carrier sheet, a pressure sensitive adhesive layer on one surface of the carrier sheet, and a protective coating layer on the adhesive layer. The protective coating layer comprises a highly reflective protective coating layer operative to bond to concrete cast against it, particularly one that is produced from an aqueous coating comprising an acrylic emulsion, a filler, and a white pigment. The pigment volume concentration of the filler plus white pigment is greater than or equal to 40% by volume. The protective coating layer protects the membrane against weather exposure, tolerates foot traffic and strongly adheres to concrete cast against it. The protective coating comprises an acrylic polymer with a unique multi-domain morphology (i.e., at least two distinct polymer domains).

Abstract: A polyimide film, which is produced by the reaction of a tetracarboxylic acid component comprising 3,3?,4,4?-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride as the main component and a diamine component comprising p-phenylenediamine as the main component, is heated at a temperature of from 460° C. to 550° C., and then water or an alkaline aqueous solution is sprayed on a surface of the polyimide film for surface treatment, thereby improving adhesiveness, while maintaining the excellent properties inherent in the polyimide film.

Abstract: A method for controlling an injection process in an open-loop or closed-loop manner in the production of a molded part injects melt mass by at least one injection unit into at least one cavity enclosed by a tool by means of at least one nozzle. The at least one cavity has at least one measuring location, which is coupled to a binary detector, which can change from a first defined state to a second defined state. The binary detector changes the state thereof at the time at which the melt mass arrives at the measuring location. On the basis of the state change of the binary detector, an open-loop or closed-loop control unit controls the injection velocity V of the at least one injection unit in an open-loop or closed-loop manner, the temperature T of the melt mass before the injection, the termination of the injection at the at least one nozzle, and/or the starting of a subsequent process.

Abstract: A method of forming a filter element is disclosed comprising introducing a mixture into a feeder, the mixture comprising a plurality of susceptor particles and a plurality of polymeric binder particles. The mixture is advanced through the feeder and into a die comprising an excitation portion where eddy currents are induced in the susceptor particles by subjecting the mixture to a high-frequency electromagnetic field, the eddy currents being sufficient to elevate the temperature of the susceptor particles to cause adjacent polymeric binder particles to be heated to at least a softening point. The susceptor particles bind with the heated polymeric binder particles in the die to form a coherent mass. The coherent mass is advanced out of the die and cooled to form the filter element.

Abstract: Systems, devices, and methods are described for cooling extruded materials. In certain embodiments, a quench tube is provided that includes an inner wall and an outer wall having a channel therebetween for transporting cooling fluid along the quench tube. A passage within the inner surface of the inner wall receives an extruded material through a nozzle formed at an end of the quench tube that delivers the cooling fluid to the extruded material. The channel may be angled at the nozzle to deliver the cooling fluid at an angle with respect to the quench tube, and the quench tube is configured to extend at least in part within an extrusion die.

Abstract: A method of molding composite plastic sheet material to form a compression molded, deep-drawn article is provided. The method includes placing a heated blank of moldable, composite plastic sheet material over a female die having an article-defining cavity defined by inner surfaces of the die so that the heated blank has a predetermined position and orientation over the cavity. Then an inner portion of the heated blank is forced into the cavity along a substantially vertical axis and against the inner surfaces of the die to obtain deep-drawn material. Outer peripheral portions of the heated blank adjacent the cavity are controllably held with corresponding predetermined holding forces based on the size and shape of the article to resist movement of the outer peripheral portions towards the cavity during the step of forcing wherein the deep-drawn material controllably stretches during the step of forcing without wrinkling, tearing or ripping.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods of using boron-containing additives for crosslinking polysilazane green fibers, which are precursors to silicon carbide fibers. These methods provide a controllable process for crosslinking silicon carbide fibers while providing a simple way for the introduction of boron as a sintering aid into the polymer structure.

Abstract: In a melt molding method of germanium, the germanium which is brought into a molten state is sealed in molding dies in an inert gas atmosphere. The molding dies are temperature-controlled from the outside. While gradually cooling the molding dies at a portion or a plurality of portions thereof up to the whole, the germanium is gradually solidified from a side of the portion or sides of the plurality of portions up to the whole. An external ambient temperature of the molding dies is controlled to decrease gradually while ensuring a temperature below a germanium melting point temperature but higher than an inner temperature of the molding die which is cooled. After solidification of the germanium is completed, cooling of the molding dies is continued, and the external ambient temperature is decreased to mold the germanium.

Abstract: Method for handling material in a pneumatic materials handling system, in which material is input from an input aperture of an input point and is handled with a shaping device, arranged in connection with the input point or in the proximity of it, to be more compact and is transferred onwards, which shaping device is a rotary shaper, which includes a rotatable handling device, which includes an aperture, which is arranged eccentrically with respect to the axis of rotation, and which rotary shaper includes at least one stationary handling device, in which case the material to be handled is conducted into the rotary shaper and/or through it at least partly by means of gravity. The material to be handled is conducted into the rotary shaper and/or through it at least partly by means of suction and/or a pressure difference.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of making a carbon nanotubes fiber by providing a polyethylene terephthalate substrate; contacting the polyethylene terephthalate substrate with a polyvinyl alcohol polymer solution to form a polyvinyl alcohol polymer layer on the polyethylene terephthalate substrate; contacting the polyvinyl alcohol polymer layer with a carbon nanotube solution, wherein the carbon nanotubes solution comprises one or more carbon nanotubes; forming a nanotube layer on the polyvinyl alcohol polymer layer; delaminating the polyvinyl alcohol polymer layer from the polyethylene terephthalate substrate to release a composite fiber layer; stretching the composite fiber layer; and drying the composite fiber layer.

Abstract: A multiple fiber spinning apparatus and a method of controlling the same. The apparatus includes an extruding unit, a spin block unit and a spinning nozzle unit. The extruding unit includes extruders that melt, extrude and transfer polymer materials. The spin block unit includes a gear pump unit which has gear pumps connected to each of the extruders. The gear pumps receive the polymer materials from the corresponding extruders and discharge the polymer materials. The spin block unit further includes a flow passage unit which has flow passages connected to the respective gear pumps. The spinning nozzle unit includes spinning nozzles, each of which is connected to one of the gear pumps of each extruder by the corresponding flow passage, so that each spinning nozzle receives the molten polymer materials and spins the polymer materials into a fiber.

Abstract: Process for manufacturing a thermally insulating material comprising the following steps: a) preparing an aqueous mixture of a solid mineral substance in suspension having a specific surface area S of greater than 5 m2/g; b) adding to the mixture at least one pore-forming agent; c) stirring so as to obtain a homogeneous mixture; d) preforming a substrate from the homogeneous mixture; e) optionally drying the substrate at least partially; f) removing, at least partially, the pore-forming agent; and such that said specific surface area S, expressed in m2/g and measured by BET, and the mean particle diameter Dpm of the pore-forming agents, expressed in micrometers and measured by dynamic light scattering, obey the relation: 1/S<Dpm<50/S.

Abstract: A method for printing three-dimensional parts with an additive manufacturing system, comprising printing successive layers having increasing cross-sectional areas, and printing layers of a three-dimensional part onto the previously printed layers, where a last layer of the previously printed successive layers has a cross-sectional area that is at least as large as a footprint area of the three-dimensional part.

Abstract: This process for manufacturing an object by solidifying a powder (P) includes steps of: a) depositing a powder layer (P) on a working zone (Z); b) compacting this layer; c) solidifying a first zone (7) of the compacted layer using a laser; d) solidifying at least one second zone (11, 12, 13) of the compact layer, this second zone (11, 12, 13) making contact with the zone (7) solidified in step c), under solidifying conditions chosen so that this second solidified zone (11, 12, 13) is less strong than the first solidified zone (7); e) repeating steps a) to d) until the object (1) is obtained; and f), after step e) and when the object (1) is finished, removing the second zones (11, 12) with respect to the first zones (7).

Abstract: A filament drive mechanism for use with an additive manufacturing system, the filament drive mechanism comprising first and second drive shafts engaged with each other and configured to rotate in opposing rotational directions around substantially parallel and fixed axes, where the first and second drive shafts include engagement surfaces substantially aligned with each other for engaging a filament therebetween.