Abstract: Provided is a preform member bonding method of bonding a preform member and another member with an adhesive in an RTM process. The preform member bonding method includes increasing viscosity of the adhesive by heat-treating only the adhesive in advance before inserting the adhesive between bonding surfaces of the preform member and the other member.

Abstract: A method of forming a seal about at least a portion of an object comprises placing a form about at least the portion of the object, flowing a viscous substance into the form and about at least the portion of the object, and removing the form from the object by unwinding or unraveling the form to form the seal.

Abstract: A three-dimensional fabricating apparatus includes a fabrication chamber, a flattening member, a surplus powder chamber, and an impact applicator. The fabrication chamber stacks powder in layers and a layered fabrication object in which the powder is bonded together. The flattening member relatively moves with respect to the fabrication chamber to fill the fabrication chamber with the powder. The surplus powder chamber is disposed outside the fabrication chamber, to receive a surplus of the powder having not been filled in the fabrication chamber. The impact applicator is movable with the flattening member to contact and impact on the surplus powder chamber.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing discrete portions (19; 119) comprises: an advancement device for advancing a flexible material (4; 102) along a path (P1); a cutting device (18) positioned along said path (P1) for cutting the flexible material (4; 102) so as to obtain a discrete portion (19; 119), the cutting device (18) comprising a laser source (20) configured to emit a laser beam (21) incident on a rear face (7; 107), opposite a printed front face (5; 105), of the flexible material (4; 102); a retaining device (22) for retaining the flexible material (4; 102) while the cutting device (18) cuts the discrete portion (19; 119) from the flexible material (4; 102).

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a seamless, non-wicking containment bladder includes providing yarn materials, coating the yarn materials with a precursor protective coating, loading the yarn materials into an additive manufacturing process, depositing the yarn materials in pre-selected amounts and locations to form a desired structure, forming and heat-setting, and coating the seamless bladder.

Abstract: The honeycomb structure forming die includes a first die in which a central region on the side of a kneaded material discharging surface has a convex region projecting toward a downstream side in an extruding direction of a kneaded material, a ring-shaped second die, and a reticulated member interposed between the first die and the second die. In the first die, first kneaded material introducing holes are formed and latticed first slits are formed on the side of the kneaded material discharging surface of the convex region, and in the second die, there are formed second kneaded material introducing holes and latticed second slits communicating with the second kneaded material introducing holes, and movement of a kneaded material is performed between the first kneaded material introducing hole and the second kneaded material introducing hole through meshes of the reticulated member.

Abstract: A pultrusion process for making a strip for an elongate reinforcing structure of a wind turbine blade, the process comprising drawing fibres (42) and resin through a pultrusion die (40) in a process direction to form a strip (102); and applying an infusion-promoting layer (110) to a surface of the strip down-stream from the die in the process direction. A pultrusion apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: A tire for an autonomous vehicle includes a pair of sidewalls that extend to a ground-engaging tread. The tread includes a plurality of hexagonally-shaped tread elements, and the tire includes an outer diameter that is at least four times larger than a width of the tread. Selected hexagonally-shaped tread elements may be formed with features to increase traction on icy roads.

Abstract: A porous membrane may be manufactured with a high content of filler material and a polymer binder. After forming the membrane, the membrane may be post processed to reform the polymer binder into a stronger yet still porous membrane. The post processing may include bringing the membrane above the melt temperature of the polymer or by immersing the membrane in a solvent. Photomicrographs show that the structure may change, yet the performance of the material in batteries and other electrochemical cells may remain the same or even improve.

Abstract: A three-dimensional model built with an extrusion-based digital manufacturing system, and having a perimeter based on a contour tool path that defines an interior region of a layer of the three-dimensional model, where at least one of a start point and a stop point of the contour tool path is located within the interior region of the layer.

Abstract: An apparatus for aligning an outlet of an injection unit with an inlet of a mold mounted between platens of a molding machine includes a positioning assembly interconnecting the injection unit to the molding machine. The positioning assembly includes a first translation assembly configured to engender a first movement of the injection unit outlet along a translation plane, and a second translation assembly configured to engender a second movement of the injection unit outlet along the translation plane. The positioning assembly further includes a brake assembly extending between the first translation assembly and the second translation assembly. The brake assembly is configured to selectively create a compressive force between the first and second translation assemblies to maintain the position of the injection unit outlet.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of a carbon fiber article comprises providing a preform mold having a region that is shaped to compliment a shape of a preform part that is to be produced the surface being provided with at least one bore or groove that is connected to at least one conduit that passes through the mold to a manifold, laying a sheet of release material onto the surface covering at least some of the plurality of holes, applying reduced pressure to the manifold to cause the sheet to be sucked down onto the mold surface, laying carbon fiber material into the mold on top of the sheet of release material, applying an increase pressure to the manifold to push the preform free from the mold surface, and removing the preform from the mold.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for performing a three dimensional (3D) printing process. The method involves generating a primary light beam having a wavelength sufficient to initiate polymerization of a photoresin, and patterning the primary light beam into a patterned primary beam. The patterned primary beam may be directed toward an ultraviolet (UV) or visible light sensitive photoresin to initiate polymerization of select areas of the photoresin. The photoresin may be illuminated with a secondary light beam having a wavelength of about 765 nm to stimulate triplet oxygen into singlet oxygen, to thus control oxygen inhibition in additional areas bordering the select areas, to control polymerization inhibition in the additional areas bordering the select areas.

Abstract: The pneumatic tire of this disclosure includes on a tread surface at least one circumferential main groove having a groove width cyclically varying, and a lib-like land portion, wherein: among the lib-like land portions, a lib-like land portion disposed on at least one side of the circumferential main groove is formed in a shape such that: an outline shape of the lib-like land portion has a shape forming a protrusion, a tire widthwise position of the apex being equal on a tire circumference; a widthwise end portion adjacent to the circumferential main groove of the lib-like land portion is located on a side 0.3 mm or more inner than a position of the apex; an area on a tire widthwise end side of the tread surface of the lib-like land portion has a descending area with a width of 3% or more of the width of the lib-like land portion.

Abstract: A modular mold for making a hollow ice brick includes an external mold (1) and a mold core (2). The external mold (1) is a container that is formed by a bottom plate (11) and an enclosure wall (12) and that has an opening at the top thereof. The mold core (2) is located on the bottom plate (11) of the external mold (1). The bottom plate (11) and the enclosure wall (12) of the external mold (1) as well as the mold core (2) are spliced by modular mold sheets (3). The ice making mold adopts a modular design, is spliced by mold sheets and can be quickly assembled, and molds of different shapes and sizes can be formed according to requirements of a user. The formed mold includes the external mold (1) and the mold core (2); after a liquid is added in the external mold (1), a hollow ice brick can be formed when the external mold (1) is placed in a cold place.

Abstract: A metal oxide macroscopic fiber and a preparation method thereof, the method including: adding, as a spinning dope, an anionic metal oxide aqueous colloidal solution into wet spinning equipment, extruding the spinning dope from the spinning equipment into a thread, injecting the extruded thread into a coagulating bath containing a flocculating agent to obtain as-spun fiber, and repeatedly washing the resulted as-spun fiber with deionized water and drying same, thereby obtaining a metal oxide fiber. Said method makes the process simple and controllable, being adaptable to production on a large scale. The prepared metal oxide fiber having special physical and chemical properties is widely applicable in terms of intelligent spinning, biomedicine, energy recycling and conversion, and the field of microelectronic devices and the like.

Abstract: A sheet manufacturing apparatus that shortens the time until the apparatus stops is provided. The sheet manufacturing apparatus has a sieve unit having at least part of material defibrated in a defibration process introduced thereto, moving at a first speed, and passing defibrated material through multiple openings disposed in the main section thereof; and a forming unit forming a sheet using precipitate that past through the openings of the sieve unit; the sheet manufacturing apparatus stopping the sieve unit with defibrated material that was introduced stored inside the sieve unit when production by the sheet manufacturing apparatus stops.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a device for molding a freezable substance and dispensing a stored fluid substance. More specifically, the present disclosure relates to a device that, when assembled, creates a Popsicle®-like frozen confection having a container containing an alcoholic liquid, where the user employs a plunger to drive the alcoholic liquid upward through a lumen in the frozen confection so that the user may simultaneously consume the frozen confection and ingest the alcoholic liquid. The device is a four-piece assembly. The first member is a handle with a plunger disposed at one end. The second member is a flange and a container extending from the flange and receiving at a first end of the container the plunger, the container defining an inner volume to receive and store a fluid substance. The end of the container generally opposite the end receiving the plunger has an orifice. The third member interacts with the second member at the flange.

Abstract: Embodiments of a mold for making a retaining wall blocks are disclosed. The mold enables blocks to be made more quickly by enabling separation of each block from the mold housing when the block is cured sufficiently to enable separation. Once separated, the block can be permitted to fully cure away from the mold housing, while the mold housing is re-used to produce one or more other blocks. In one embodiment, among others, the mold has a movable bottom tray and a mold housing with at least one door. The mold housing has an opening designed to receive and introduce a fabrication material, such as concrete, into the cavity. Once a block is sufficiently cured, it is separated from the mold housing on the tray through the at least one door, and a new tray is inserted in the mold housing to make another block.

Abstract: The present invention provides a die assembly for molding a resin-made insert having a sleeve that is inserted into an intake port of an internal combustion engine. Each sleeve has one inlet and two outlets. The die assembly includes an inner die and an outer die. The inner die includes an inlet side part and an outlet side part. The inlet side part and the outlet side part mold an inner peripheral surface of the sleeve in an assembled state, and are removed in mutually opposite directions. By means of this assembly, a sleeve having a complicated structure and shape can be molded easily.