Abstract: An automatic electrode supply apparatus configured to automatically supply an electrode in various processes for manufacturing a secondary battery includes a first chuck splicing unit including a splicing portion having a traveling electrode located thereon and a second chuck splicing unit including a splicing portion having a standby electrode located thereon, wherein each of the first and second chuck splicing units includes an edge position control (EPC) sensor configured to measure the position of the edge of a corresponding one of the traveling electrode and the standby electrode in order to prevent distortion or fracture defect of the electrode due to positional deviation between the traveling electrode and the standby electrode, and an automatic electrode supply method using the same.

Abstract: A device for laminating a substrate with a thermoplastic film is described. The device includes a laminator for laminating the substrate with the thermoplastic film and a feeder for feeding the thermoplastic film to the laminator. The feeder includes a heater for heating a first side of the thermoplastic film, a cooler for cooling a second side of the thermoplastic film, and a collector for collecting condensate produced on the coolers.

Abstract: In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a method can include selectively sintering at least a portion of a part and one or more indexing features onto a build plate disposed in a build area of a feedstock powder bed, determining an actual orientation of the part and the build plate relative to a recoater prior to recoating, storing the actual orientation of the part and the build plate relative to the recoater, comparing the actual orientation of the part and the build plate relative to the recoater with a predicted orientation, and recoating the build area with feedstock powder if the actual orientation of the part and the build plate relative to the recoater matches the predicted orientation to achieve a predetermined build quality for a respective layer of the part.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: manufacturing a continuous fibre pre-form net that is shaped to comprise a hub-forming portion 156 and a flange-forming portion, the continuous fibre pre-form net comprising continuous fibre reinforcement and a common support layer to which the continuous fibre reinforcement is secured by being stitched thereto; placing the continuous fibre pre-form net into a mould, the mould being shaped such that the hub-forming portion forms a tubular hub portion which extends along a central axis and the flange-forming portion forms a flange portion which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis; and introducing polymer into the mould so as to form a composite connector comprising the flange portion and the hub portion.

Abstract: A composite-part manufacturing method comprises placing a bladder against a trough surface of a tool that has a tool radius portion elongating between the trough surface and a major surface of the tool, and placing a radius filler in vicinity of the tool radius portion. The method also comprises applying a peel-away ply over the radius filler, and applying at least one material layer on the peel-away ply. The method further comprises after the at least one material layer has been applied on the peel-away ply, moving the peel-away ply away from the bladder and the major surface of the tool and thereby to move the radius filler along with the peel-away ply away from the tool radius portion to form a composite part having a smooth join surface in vicinity of the tool radius portion.

Abstract: Methods and systems for manufacturing a workpiece. The method described herein includes depositing at least a first sheet on a substrate, the first sheet comprising a first part region and a first support structure region separated at least in part by a first void space; and operably positioning a plate with respect to the first sheet so that the first void space forms a channel suitable for carrying a fluid.

Abstract: This disclosure provides various systems and methods for three-dimensional printing in which data describing an object as a plurality of voxels is transferred as a print material to form the three-dimensional object independent of locking. That is, various systems and methods are provided herein in which the three-dimensional printing step is to transfer data representing various voxels into a corresponding physical object via a three-dimensional printer. The first step is repeated until all the voxels are printed without waiting for any of the voxels of print material to lock. Accordingly, the three-dimensional printer can be used to print at least one subsequent object while the first object finishes locking.

Abstract: A method is provided for producing a bonding composition containing copper particles and a second liquid medium. In this production method, the copper particles are produced in a first liquid medium using a wet reduction method, and thus a dispersion of the copper particles is prepared. Subsequently, the first liquid medium in the dispersion is ultimately, finally or eventually replaced with the second liquid medium while the dispersion is kept wet. It is also preferable that the first liquid medium is replaced with another liquid medium one or more times, and the second liquid medium is used in the final replacement. The liquid media are preferably replaced at a temperature of lower than 100° C. The second liquid medium preferably includes one or more of water, alcohol, ketone, ester, ether, and hydrocarbon.

Abstract: Implementations describe systems and methods for manufacturing and performing quality assessment of dental appliances. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a dental appliance comprises receiving, at a holder, a feature of the dental appliance, the feature comprising a first surface having a first shape, wherein the holder holds the feature of the dental appliance at a reference position. The method further includes automatically placing an object against the feature at the reference position using a robot arm, wherein the object comprises a second surface having a second shape that mates with the first shape. The method further includes applying pressure to press the object against the feature of the dental appliance and bonding the object to the feature of the dental appliance while applying the pressure.

Abstract: A curable silicone-(meth)acrylate pressure sensitive composition is curable via hydrosilylation reaction to form a silicone-(meth)acrylate pressure sensitive adhesive with an initial adhesion. When the silicone-(meth)acrylate pressure sensitive adhesive is exposed to actinic radiation, the resulting silicone-(meth)acrylate adhesive has a subsequent adhesion, which is higher than the initial adhesion.

Abstract: A method of assembling together a first part and at least one second part that are made of materials compatible with bonding by molecular adhesion includes a step of pressing a first surface of the first part against a second surface of the second part so as to create molecular bonds at an interface between the parts, and a step of consolidating the interface bonding as created in this way by heat treatment. The consolidation includes a step of emitting a power laser beam towards an impact point forming a portion of the outline of the interface, and a step of moving the impact point along the outline of the interface.

Abstract: A cellular glass system for insulating an outer surface of a fluid carrying or storing vessel, such as a pipe, is disclosed. The system is comprised of segments of cellular glass insulation. A sealant is provided at the interface between adjacent cellular glass segments to seal the system from moisture and thermal intrusion.

Abstract: Provided is a prepreg capable of attaining thermal expansion coefficient reduction and elastic modulus increase without increasing the filling ratio of an inorganic filler therein and/or without using a resin having a low thermal expansion coefficient, and thereby capable of reducing warpage thereof. Specifically, provided is a prepreg containing glass fibers and a thermosetting resin composition, and containing a layer of plural glass fiber filaments aligned to run nearly parallel to each other in one direction. Also provided are a production method for the prepreg, a laminate containing the prepreg and its production method, a printed circuit board containing the laminate, and a semiconductor package having a semiconductor device mounted on the printed circuit board.

Abstract: A machine and a method produce strips from a fiber-reinforced plastics composite material. The machine includes a housing through which fibers pass and in which profiled bars are fixedly or rotatably mounted, which are oriented perpendicularly to the passing direction of the fibers and by which forces can be applied alternately to the top and bottom of the fibers and to their coating with a plastics material in order to impregnate the fibers and to consolidate the plastics material between the fibers. The ratio of the average total contact length of all the profiled bars used in the impregnation in millimeters to the number of profiled bars is between 2:1 and 1:400, preferably between 1 and 1:200 and particularly preferably between 1:10 and 1:100.

Abstract: An injection molding system includes an extruding system, a discharging channel, a molding device including a first and second mold cavities, and a pressure regulating system regulates pressures inside the first and second mold cavities. An injection molding method includes providing a molding device having a first and second mold cavities, a first feeding port in communication with the first mold cavity, and a second feeding port in communication with the second mold cavity; sensing a first pressure in the first mold cavity, and injecting a first gas into the first mold cavity until the first mold cavity is sensed to have a first predetermined pressure; and sensing a second pressure in the second mold cavity, and injecting a second gas into the second mold cavity until the second mold cavity is sensed to have a second predetermined pressure, wherein the first and second predetermined pressures are different.

Abstract: A shoe insole includes an insole body for the stepping of the sole of one human foot. The insole body includes an upper insole layer having a top surface and an opposing bottom surface, a lower insole layer and a bulge. The upper insole layer is cold pressed to form bulges on the upper insole layer corresponding to different areas of the structure of the human foot. Then, the lower insole layer is bonded to the bottom surface of the upper insole layer, and then, perform cold pressing forming. Each bulge has a first convex surface and a first concave surface. The top surface of the upper insole layer integrally raised to form a first convex surface. The bottom surface of the upper insole layer integrally dented corresponding to the first convex surface to form a first concave surface.

Abstract: A record (100) may include a disk (102), an embedded electronic authentication tag (104), a cover (106) between the disk and the electronic authentication tag, and one or more record labels (108A, 108B). The disk, electronic authentication tag, and cover have a spindle hole (114) and a common centerline (116). The electronic authentication tag contains a unique identification code pointing to information regarding the record stored as a non-fungible token. This information may be used to verify the authenticity and ownership of the record. A puck used to create the disk may include segments of different colors so that, when the record is pressed the different segments produce a visual pattern unique to that record. A picture may be taken after pressing, recorded, recorded as part of the information in the non-fungible token, and later used to verify the authenticity of the record.

Abstract: Apparatuses, systems and methods for providing improved intraocular lenses (IOLs), include features for reducing side effects, such as halos, glare and best focus shifts, in multifocal refractive lenses and extended depth of focus lenses. Exemplary ophthalmic lenses can include a continuous, power progressive aspheric surface based on two or more merged optical zones, the aspheric surface being defined by a single aspheric equation. Continuous power progressive intraocular lenses can mitigate optical side effects that typically result from abrupt optical steps. Aspheric power progressive and aspheric extended depth of focus lenses can be combined with diffractive lens profiles to further enhance visual performance while minimizing dysphotopsia effects. The combination can provide an increased depth of focus that is greater than an individual depth of focus of either the refractive profile or the diffractive profile.

Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to a stretchable anti-fogging tape (SAT) that can be applied to diverse transparent materials with varied curvatures for persistent fogging prevention. The SAT comprises three synergistically-combined transparent layers: i) a stretchable middle layer with high elastic recovery to keep transparent materials tightly bound; ii) an anti-fogging top layer to impart hydrophilicity to transparent materials; and iii) an adhesive bottom layer to form robust yet reversible adhesion between transparent materials and SATs. The SAT can be configured to have water condensate form a predominantly continuous film thereon in response to a high humidity environment At least two applications are demonstrated, including the SAT-adhered eyeglasses and goggles for clear fog-free vision, and the SAT-adhered condensation cover for efficient solar-powered freshwater production.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides for a reinforced elastomeric blade having a plurality of laminated layers. The laminated layers can include at least two layers of elastomeric material at least partially separated by a fiber reinforced laminate layer or an embedded metal layer.