Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for dewatering a web comprising microfibrillated cellulose, wherein the method comprises the steps of: providing a suspension comprising between 50 weight-% to 100 weight-% of microfibrillated cellulose based on total dry weight, forming a fibrous web of said suspension on a support wherein said web has a dry content of 1-25% by weight, applying a dewatering felt into direct contact with the fibrous web, conducting said fibrous web, arranged between said dewatering felt and said substrate, through a pressing equipment. The invention further relates to a film produced from said method.

Abstract: Improved injection molding methods and molds, for forming TPU layers, especially thin TPU covers, into golf ball constructions, and having improved number, shape and placement of both the injection gates and the cold slugs within the mold in order to minimize/eliminate damage to dimples strategically positioned close to the parting line of a mold in order to maximize aerodynamic properties of the resulting golf ball.

Abstract: An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a compression mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank between upper and lower mold halves of the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the in-mold coating composition. The in-mold coating composition and the inner portion of the heated blank cure and bond to one another so as to form the coated plastic article.

Abstract: Techniques are described for transferring nanofiber forests using transfer films that either lack a conventional adhesive at the substrate-nanofiber forest interface or that include a diffusion barrier that prevents diffusion of adhesive molecules (or other polymer molecules mobile at ambient temperatures) into the nanofiber forest. These techniques can be applied to single layer nanofiber forests or stacks of multiple nanofiber forest. By selecting the bond strength between the nanofiber forest and the transfer films, the nanofibers can be aligned in a common direction that includes, but is not limited to, perpendicular to a substrate or transfer film.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for additively manufacturing adhesive inlet and outlet ports are presented herein. Adhesive inlet and outlet ports are additively manufactured to include additively manufactured (AM) valves for reducing and/or eliminating sealant leakage and backflow. Robot end effectors are tailored to interface with the AM inlet and outlet ports and to provide an adhesive source and/or a vacuum source. AM inlet and outlet ports enable robust, lightweight, multi-material AM parts connected via adhesive joining.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to methods for making elastomeric laminates that may be used as components of absorbent articles. Aspects of the methods for assembling elastomeric laminates may utilize elastic strands supplied from beams that may be joined with first and second substrates, and may be configured to carry out various types of operations, such as bonding and splicing operations.

Abstract: In a method of producing a resin frame member for a fuel cell, a processing die is used. The method includes a processing step of moving an upper die toward a lower die to thereby form an inclined surface on each of side parts of a resin film. In the processing step, shearing is performed while maintaining a predetermined clearance between the lower processing section and the upper processing section and in a state where each of the side parts is at least partially positioned at a cutout so that each of the side parts is inclined downward toward the inside. The cutout is formed by cutting off an edge part of a placement surface that is positioned on the lower processing section side.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method of additive manufacturing is provided. The apparatus includes a light source configured to emit light between 0 and 500 nm in wavelength. At least one vessel is provided that includes a chamber and a transparent base. The chamber contains a volume of liquid print material. The transparent base being made of Fluorinated ethylene propylene (FEP) or Polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) through which the relevant wavelength can be received into the chamber to cure a portion of the volume of print material through at least one mask, the at least one mask being made of paper, polymer, glass, metal, composites, or laminated substrates, the at least one mask defining a series of patterns associated with layers of a three-dimensional (3D) object, the at least one mask being position-able between the light source and the transparent base, via a mechanism, wherein the at least one mask defines the pattern of the light that is received through the transparent base and into the print material.

Abstract: In one embodiment, an additive manufacturing system includes a dispensing nozzle configured to dispense material to be used to manufacture a component, a barrel to which the nozzle is mounted, the barrel being configured to deliver the material to the dispensing nozzle, a barrel heater that surrounds the barrel, the barrel heater including a heating element configured to heat the barrel heater, the nozzle, and the material contained within the nozzle before it is dispensed from the nozzle, and a supplemental heater configured to heat previously deposited material so as to increase bonding and merging of the material that is being dispensed with the previously deposited material.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a film for bonding including an embossed surface, wherein the embossed surface has a Sku value of 5 or less, wherein the embossed surface has Sk, Spk, and Svk values, and when a total sum of the Sk value, the Spk value, and the Svk value is 100%, a sum of the Sk value and the Spk value is 50% or more, wherein the embossed surface has a Sz value of 30 to 90 ?m, and wherein the film includes a polyvinyl acetal resin and a plasticizer.

Abstract: An element comprising a non-stick surface for substantially cleanly removing a product which is arranged against said non-stick surface. The element comprises a first layer of an pervious material, which is configured to allow a fluid to flow there through. An outer surface of said first layer provides the non-stick surface. The element comprises a second layer of an impervious material, which is configured to substantially block a flow of fluid there through. The second layer is arranged at a side of said first layer opposite to the outer surface. The element comprises ducts or chambers which are arranged in said first layer or in between said first and second layer. Said ducts or chambers are arranged in fluid connection with said pervious material and are configured for feeding a pressurized fluid to the pervious material. At least the first layer is formed using a three-dimensional printing tool.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are for surface finishing of pieces obtained by 3D printing. The piece to be treated and a liquid process plasticizer are heated together in a hermetically sealed treatment chamber up to a working temperature lower than the boiling temperature of the process plasticizer. The air/vapor mixture is maintained in continuous circulation in the chamber to keep the temperature and concentration uniform and to contact the piece with the air/vapor mixture to avoid condensate formation on the piece surface and allow process plasticizer vapors to be absorbed by the piece surface without condensate formation. Vapor exposure time is fixed depending on the desired penetration depth. A chamber has heaters, a ventilator for circulating the air/vapor mixture in the chamber to maintain uniform temperature and concentration conditions. A unit separates the process plasticizer vapors from the air/vapor mixture by condensation. A unit filters the residual air/vapor mixture.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new process for providing a coating layer on a moulded article comprising fibers. In the present invention, a coating dispersion is prepared that comprises microfibrillated cellulose (MFC), a slip aid and at least one hydrocolloid.

Abstract: A photocuring printing system. A developing drum is rotatable and is light-transmissive; the developing drum and a carrier are oppositely arranged and movable with respect to each other; the developing drum has a developing surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed by the developing engine; a feeder and the developing surface are oppositely arranged; during a rotation of the developing drum, a photocurable material provided by the feeder is selectively attracted by the electrostatic latent image to form a material layer on the developing surface; the material layer is applied, by the developing drum, on a forming surface of the carrier or a cured model on the carrier; and a curing light beam emitted by a curing light source passes through a material-laying side of the developing drum to irradiate the material layer between the developing drum and the carrier to form a cured layer.

Abstract: The disclosed microfluidic valves may include a valve body having at least one cavity therein, a gate transmission element separating the cavity into an input gate terminal and an output gate terminal, a gate port configured to convey drive fluid into the input gate terminal, and a fluid channel. The gate transmission element may include a flexible membrane and a plunger coupled to the flexible membrane. The gate transmission element may be configured to move within the cavity to inhibit a subject fluid flow from an inlet port to an outlet port of the fluid channel upon pressurization of the input gate terminal, and to allow subject fluid flow from the inlet port to the outlet port upon depressurization of the input gate terminal. Various other related systems and methods are also disclosed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing a particle foam part. The device comprises a molding tool (3) which delimits a molding chamber (14), wherein at least two capacitor plates (15, 16) are arranged adjacently to the molding chamber, said plates be connected to an RF radiation source. The RF radiation source is designed to dispense RF radiation, and the molding tool (3) has means for controlling the temperature of the molding tool in the region of an inner delimiting surface (19) delimiting the molding chamber (14) and/or for supplying a heating medium to the molding tool region lying against the inner delimiting surface.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming a near-net thermoplastic composite component includes co-spraying a mixture comprising a thermoplastic polymer material and a chopped reinforcing material deposited onto at least one region associated with a tool having a first temperature and defining a near-net component shape. The mixture and adjacent tool is heated to a second temperature while the mixture is on the tool. The first temperature is below the solidification temperature of the thermoplastic polymer material and the second temperature is above the solidification temperature. Then, the mixture is exposed to a negative pressure to promote removal of gases from the mixture and put under compressive force to densify the mixture. The thermoplastic polymer material melts and flows. The tool is cooled to the first temperature and removing the mixture to form the near-net thermoplastic composite component having randomly oriented chopped reinforcement material distributed within a thermoplastic polymer matrix.

Abstract: An injection-compression molding device (1), wherein the rod (3) and the core (5) are connected to each other by means of a joint (20) which allows to have a rigid connection in some steps of an injection-compression molding process, and an articulated connection during the compression step of the injection-compression molding process.

Abstract: In some examples, an additive manufacturing process may be operated by a method that includes depositing a plurality of preliminary layers of build material over a build surface and applying thermal energy governed by closed-loop control to heat the preliminary layers. The method includes analyzing a temperature distribution across a layer of the preliminary layers to map the locations of any hot spots relative to the build surface. The method includes selecting a spray pattern to apply a cooling agent to the mapped locations.

Abstract: A belt for creping a web in a papermaking process. The belt includes a surface onto which the web is transferred during the papermaking process. A plurality of openings extend through the surface, with the openings being arranged in lines that are offset from lines in the machine direction (MD) and cross-machine direction (CD) of the belt. Paper products, such as absorbent sheets, made from the belt have hollow dome regions and connecting regions between the domes, with the domes being arranged in lines that are offset from lines in the MD and CD of the paper products.