Abstract: A mould for vulcanizing a blank tire has an overall shape that is annular about an axis of revolution and includes a configuration for channelling a heat-transfer liquid in a substantially circular path about the axis. The channelling configuration includes an annular wall around the axis, separating at least two chambers in which the heat-transfer liquid circulates. Furthermore, a downstream end (respectively an upstream end) of one of the chambers has substantially the same angular position with respect to the substantially circular path as the downstream (respectively upstream) end of the other of the chambers. The mould is additionally configured for circulating the liquid in opposite directions in the two chambers.

Abstract: A method for making a denture comprising a base and a plurality of teeth joined thereto. The method comprises forming a first cavity in a block of a denture base material, the first cavity being formed to match the contour of natural teeth as arranged on maxillae or on a mandible; filling the first cavity with a first fluid synthetic tooth material and solidifying the first fluid synthetic tooth material into a first solid synthetic tooth material; removing a portion of the first solid synthetic tooth material to form the plurality of teeth; and removing a portion of the block of denture base material to form the denture base. The steps of the method may be implemented by a computer. An apparatus for making the denture according to certain embodiments of the method, and a denture comprised of a base and artificial teeth are also disclosed.

Abstract: Gel-spinning processes for producing a high tensile strength ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) multifilament yarn comprising ultra-low dtex filaments, include applying a draw ratio DRfluid to fluid filaments obtained by spinning a solution of UHMWPE through a spinneret and into an air gap, is at least 450, wherein DRfluid=DRsp×DRag, the DRsp and DRag being the draw ratios in the spinholes and in the air gap, respectively; and provided that DRag is at least 30. The UHMWPE multifilament yarns produced thereof were characterized by a tensile strength of at least 3.5 GPa and contained filaments having a dtex of at most 0.5. The invention further relates to products comprising said yarns, e.g. fabrics, medical devices and composite and ballistic articles.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing contact lenses using ophthalmic lens molds having a molding surface comprising a thermoplastic polymer, the molding surface having a percent polarity from 3% to 20% and a surface energy from about 25 mN/m to about 40 mN/m to cast mold a polymerizable composition having a surface tension from about 20 mN/m to about 25 mN/m, wherein a surface energy differential of the surface tension of the polymerizable composition less the surface energy of the molding surface less than or equal to zero (0); and silicone hydrogel contact lens bodies so manufactured are described.

Abstract: A molding method of blow-molding a hollow tank body with a built-in component is provided. The method molds the hollow tank body by molding the sheet parisons in the half molds. After the moving cooperation of the half molds, an expanding mechanism of a pre-molding template device, the template half plates and the bases, the half molds are respectively leaned against the closed template half plates, and the sheet parisons are leaned against the half molds by blowing and/or sucking so as to be pre-molded. The tank body is molded after placing the component into it. A pre-molding template device is also provided. An expanding mechanism and the template half plates are mounted on the bases, and the bases are mounted on a rail bracket, the bases are driven by a power device to move on the rail bracket.

Abstract: A method for improving part quality for a printed three-dimensional part, the method comprising moving a print head nozzle along a substantially linear segment of a tool path at a tip height above a previous layer of the three-dimensional part while extruding a flowable material, and producing an extruded road from the extruded flowable material having a road height above the previous layer, where the tip height is greater than the road height due at least in part to draw on the extruded road.

Abstract: A consumable assembly comprising a container portion configured to retain a supply of filament, a guide tube connected to the container portion, and a pump portion connected to the guide tube.

Abstract: A substrate cutting apparatus includes a stage configured to support a substrate, a first laser generator configured to emit a first laser beam toward the substrate, the first laser beam being a short-pulse laser beam, and a beam swing unit disposed on a beam path of the first laser beam, the beam swing unit being configured to swing the first laser beam in a predetermined light irradiating section on the substrate, the light irradiating section on the substrate including at least one of a curved line section and a straight line section.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system for printing three-dimensional parts, the system comprising a heatable chamber with a port, a print foundation, a print head configured to print a three-dimensional part onto the print foundation in a layer-by-layer manner along a printing axis, and a drive mechanism configured to index the print foundation along the printing axis such that, while the print head prints the three-dimensional part, the print foundation and at least a portion of the three-dimensional part pass through the port and out of the heated chamber.

Abstract: A utility truck with arched reinforcing rods incorporated into the base of a plastic truck during molding. The reinforcing rods are held in place in a mold at a predetermined distance above the mold's inner surface by spacers attached to the ends of the rods. Plastic is molded around the rods, with more plastic provided below the rods than above them, so that, when the plastic truck is removed from the mold and allowed to cool, the plastic will contract to a greater extent than the metal rods, causing the base and the reinforcing rods to bow upward, creating a convex arch in the truck's base. The arch provides an inherently strong, bridge-type structure that substantially strengthens the load-bearing capability of the truck, yet requires less reinforcing material than conventional supplemental chassis structures. In another embodiment, caster base mounts are also molded into the bottom of the truck, providing a utility truck with a unitary chassis structure.

Abstract: An improved skin substitute production method is presented that minimizes destruction of the nylon weave netting that comprises the skin substitute at the pore holes of the skin substitute membrane, The skin substitute is comprised of non-biological materials produced with a series of regularly-spaced pores and a nylon weave netting. The top component is a thin (approximately 0.001? thick) silicone elastomer in which pore holes have been vacuum-pulled; physically attached to the silicone elastomer is a fine knitted nylon fabric (12/1, 15/1 denier).

Abstract: A method for detecting an insert object in an injection-molded part pertains to an insert object that is fixedly connected to the injection-molded part during the injection molding by the insert object being placed in a cavity, which is surrounded by a mold wall of a mold, before the beginning of the injection-molding cycle. The mold wall includes at least one temperature or pressure sensor, which records and analyzes at least one measured value at at least one point in time during an injection-molding cycle. On the basis of the analysis, it is established whether an insert object was present at a specific location in the cavity during the injection-molding cycle. Finally, after it is ejected, the injection-molded part is sorted as an accepted part or a rejected part on the basis of the analysis of the measured value.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for manufacturing a crystalline resin film or sheet. This manufacturing apparatus includes: an extruder that melts crystalline resin while supplying it; a gear pump that is provided on the downstream side of the extruder; a die which is provided on the downstream side of the gear pump, and which has a slit-shaped aperture; a cooling apparatus which cools film-shaped or sheet-shaped crystalline resin (A) discharged in a melted state from the die to a temperature which is not less than the crystallization temperature but not more than the melting point; and a pair of pinch rolls that press-roll between them the film-shaped or sheet-shaped crystalline resin (B) which has passed through the cooling apparatus (40), wherein the pair of guide rolls are positioned such that the thickness of the film-shaped or sheet-shaped crystalline resin (B) which has passed through the cooling apparatus is between 1.3 and 8.0 times the thickness of the film or sheet (C, D) after it has been press-rolled.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the preparation of composite molds and methods of preparing the same, wherein the composite molds may be prepared exclusive or inclusive of a plug. Certain composites comprise a substrate, a structural laminate, and a syntactic foam molding product.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing items by the selective fusion of polymer powder layers, particularly rapid prototyping by solid phase sintering a thermoplastic polymer powder by means of a laser, having characteristics of grading and particle distribution is described. Items obtained from such a method are also described.

Abstract: A method for cutting a slab of material including cutting the slab with a cutting tool vibrating at a preselected frequency when the material is in a semi-set state.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for producing thermoformed articles such as food packagings or parts thereof with a mechanical weakening between adjoining functional areas, which, for utilization by a user, can be at least partly separated at the mechanical weakening, in a thermoforming die having an upper die and a lower die, the mechanical weakening being introduced with a three-dimensional extension during the period of time during which the material to be formed is located in the thermoforming die, and a thermoforming die for implementing the process.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing extruded parts having microstructures comprising: a support structure; a hopper carried by the support structure for receiving feedstock; an extrusion chamber operatively associated with the hopper for receiving the feedstock from the hopper and melting the feedstock above a feedstock melting temperature; a die carried by the support structure having die microstructures disposed on an inner surface of the die, the die microstructures having a plurality of microfeatures each having an upper surface and a lower surface, the melted feedstock being forced through the die to produce an extrudate having extrudate microstructures; and, a cooling assembly wherein the extrudate microstructures of the pre-cooled extrudate have larger physical dimensions than that of the extrudate microstructures of the cooled extrudate.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of making provisional and long-term dental restorations, particularly dental veneers, implants, crowns and bridges. A shell or restoration form made of polymerizable material having good dimensional shape-stability in its uncured condition is used to make the dental restoration. A polymerizable material is introduced into the cavity of the shell form. The outer shell and injected polymerizable material are polymerized and bond together to form a hardened crown structure. In one embodiment, the restoration can be fabricated indirectly by a dental laboratory. In another version, a dental practitioner can make the restoration chairside for a patient in a dental office.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, the template treatment method includes a substrate having a principal surface, a first pattern formed on the principal surface and including a plurality of recesses, and a second pattern formed on the principal surface at a position different from the first pattern and including a plurality of recesses. The first pattern contains a first material and the second pattern contains a second material different from the first material. The second pattern is coated with a coating containing a third material different from the first and second materials. The template is cleaned while the second pattern is coated. After the coating is removed, the second pattern is exposed.