Abstract: A device to compact parts out of powder material including a top die and a bottom die movable with respect to each other from an open position to a closed position, at least one punch associated with each of said dies for relative movement between the die and associated punch, said bottom die and bottom punch movable to positions defining a cavity substantially within said top die for receiving powder therein, said bottom punch and said top and bottom dies being relatively movable to draw powder down into a portion of said cavity adjacent the bottom die that is formed due to said relative movement, said top and bottom punches being movable toward each other to compact the powder and form the part, said top and bottom dies being separable to eject the part. Relative movement of the top and bottom die and bottom punch may take place during filling of the cavity with powder.

Abstract: The bichromal element spinner apparatus provides the forming of substantially spherical bichromal elements from pigmented molten, but hardenable material compounds which are delivered centrally to a spinning webbed disk through opposite ends of hollow shaft that also spins with the disk. The molten materials are injected into cavities formed between the shaft and the web portions of the disk such that the molten materials are spun outwardly on the opposite surfaces of the disk towards the tip of the disk, where the hardenable materials adhere to each other without mixing, thereby spinning off to bichromal elements. Shrouds attached to the shaft and having no intervening support members over the spinning disk provide quiescent air mass between the disk and the shrouds so as to yield bichromal elements with substantial hemispherical integrity.

Abstract: A method and a multi-platen press for the practice of the process for the manufacture of wood material boards, especially OSB boards, in which an endless mat is formed from a wood chip and binding agent mixture. The mat is introduced between the heated press platens of a multi-platen press, the press platens have steam openings directed at the mat and by steam and contact heat from press platens they are heated, pressed and cured into wood material boards. The mat, formed from a wood chip and phenolic resin mixture, is introduced into the level(s) of a single-stage or multi-stage press and deposited therein. After a light precompression, the introduction of a small amount of steam with a low steam temperature takes place through the press platens only in the cover layers of the mat. The mat is quickly compressed and cured to the end thickness of the board.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making carbon/carbon composite disks for braking applications that employs a continuous feeding of fiber strands into a mold. The fibers are then compressed to form a mat or preform. The fibers are then needled such that the fibers within the mat interlock and extend in various directions. The mat or preform is then subjected to densification processing. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the densification process and/or to speed up the processing time, a filler is added to the preform during the manufacturing process. The fillers are added by way of a dry powder or as a liquid slurry. The filler may be aluminum oxide, boron carbide, silicon carbide, pitch, or a variety of carbonic or noncarbonic performance enhancers.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for the production of spherical particles, whereby a molten prepolymer or precondensate is transformed into droplets by means of a drip nozzle, the droplets are subjected to a countercurrent with a gas in a precipitation column until at least partial crystallization is achieved and are then subjected to an additional post-crystallization phase. In order to economically produce higher quality particles at a high flow rate, the molten prepolymer is transformed into droplets by means of a vibrating nozzle plate and/or direct vibration of the molten prepolymer or polymer and resulting droplets are subjected to an air and gas countercurrent.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of forming particles that involves contacting a solution, which includes a solute and/or other material to be precipitated dissolved or dispersed in a solvent, with a first compressed or liquefied gas at an initial temperature to form a mixture. The mixture is then expanded at a first temperature to form droplets. Depending upon the composition of the droplets and the first temperature, the droplets may be in a solid state or a liquid state. The droplets are then contacted with an extracting fluid at a second temperature to extract the solvent from the droplets. The method can be used to produce micro and nanoparticles suitable for various drug delivery systems.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing press molded bodies having at least two separate layers of material is disclosed. The method comprises providing a pair of cooperating parallel arranged rollers (1, 2) defining a nip (3) therebetween and having cavities defined on their outer surfaces, each cavity on one of the rollers (1, 2) cooperating with another cavity of the other roller (2, 1) to form die means, the axes (4, 5) of the rollers (1, 2) being arranged substantially horizontally, feeding at least two contiguous separate streams of different particulate materials into die means adjacent to the nip (3), so that each die means will be filled with portions of different material and counter-rotating the rollers (1, 2) so that the materials contained in the die means will be compressed into press molded bodies (briquettes) having at least two separate layers of material. An apparatus for the manufacture of press moulded bodies is also disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a prosthetic bone implant made of a hardened calcium phosphate cement having an apatitic phase as a major phase, which includes a dense cortical portion bearing the majority of load and a porous cancellous portion allowing a rapid blood/body fluid penetration and tissue ingrowth.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for making dimensionally stable reconstituted composite products from lignocellulosic material. By treating lignocellulose with high pressure steam to decompose and hydrolyze the hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin fractions of the lignocellulose and using those decomposition products as both a bonding and bulking agent, it converts, under heat and pressure in a molding operation, the treated lignocellulose into molded composite products such as panel boards and molded articles. The composite products thus produced possess good physical and mechanical properties. Specifically, the dimensional stability in terms of the thickness swelling and linear expansion of panel boards such as fiberboards and particleboard, can be minimized to very low levels when the panel boards are made in high density.

Abstract: A thermoplastic composition used to form resin chips is disclosed. The thermoplastic composition comprises a plurality of particles having a density of 2.2 or greater encapsulated within a thermoplastic resin, where the plurality of particles does not offgas when heated to a temperature of 500° F., and where the thermoplastic resin has a Barcol Hardness of 30 or greater.

Abstract: A method for preparing powder granules by a liquid condensation process comprising preparing a slurry by mixing powders, a binding agent and a binding agent soluble solvent, dropping the slurry to a binding agent insoluble solvent to fix the binding agent so that the binding agent can not be released to a surface of a droplet of the slurry, coagulating the droplet by solvent exchange between the soluble solvent inside the droplet and the insoluble solvent at the surface of the droplets, and separating the coagulated droplet from the insoluble solvent, drying it and completely removing a residual solvent.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method for making a porous calcium phosphate article including i) preparing a shaped article from a paste containing a calcium phosphate cement, a pore-forming powder and a setting liquid; ii) immersing the shaped article in an immersing liquid for a period of time so that the pore-forming powder is dissolved in the immersing liquid, creating pores in said shaped article; and iii) removing the resulting porous shaped article from the immersing liquid, wherein the resulting porous shaped article has an improved compressive strength. The porous shaped calcium phosphate article of the present invention may be used as a tissue-engineered scaffold, medical implant or a reinforcing constituent of a composite.

Abstract: Lignocellulosic-based woodfiber-plastic composite products containing a pesticidal amount of calcium borate is resistant to attack by wood destroying fungi and insects. The preferred calcium borates are the calcium polytriborates having a CaO:B2O3 molar ratio of about 2:3 and calcium hexaborates, having a CaO:B2O3 ratio of 1:3. Composites can be produced by combining the calcium borate with particles of the lignocellulosic material and the thermoplastic resin binder, and heating and extruding the resultant mixture through a die to form the composite product.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for producing nanometer-sized particles, the method including the steps of forming of mixture by mixing a first precursor reactant, a second precursor reactant, a surface-stabilizing surfactant, and a high boiling point liquid to form a mixture, forming a mist of droplets of the mixture, heating the droplets to cause a reaction between species of the first and second precursor reactants within the heated droplets, and collecting the nanometer-sized products.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a prosthetic bone implant made of a hardened calcium phosphate cement having an apatitic phase as a major phase, which includes a dense cortical portion bearing the majority of load and a porous cancellous portion allowing a rapid blood/body fluid penetration and tissue ingrowth.

Abstract: An apparatus for scarfing a fibrous web includes a rotatable scarfing roll with vacuum ports and an air moving source in fluid communication with the vacuum ports. The rotatable scarfing roll has a core member which includes a plurality of scarfing elements connected thereto and vacuum ports located therein. A method for scarfing a fibrous web includes providing a rotatable scarfing roll with vacuum ports and reducing scarfing wind by applying vacuum to the vacuum ports. A method for producing absorbent articles includes providing a fibrous web, contacting the fibrous web with a rotatable scarfing roll with vacuum ports to remove a portion of the fibrous web, applying vacuum to the vacuum ports to reduce scarfing wind, and producing an absorbent article with the fibrous web.

Abstract: This invention relates to filtration particulate material for the removal of compounds from fluid streams. More particularly, this invention relates to a composition for filtration particulate material, method of manufacture of the filtration particulate material, filtration particulate material and the use of the filtration particulate material for the removal of compounds from fluid streams.

Abstract: A device for treating powder for a device for producing a three-dimensional object by means of a generative manufacturing process, in particular by means of laser sintering, is provided, having a supply container (1) for the powder with a base (2) and a side wall (3), characterised in that a chamber, which has a wall (4) which is permeable to a fluid medium towards the container interior, is provided in the container (1), and in that a device (9) for supplying a fluid medium into the chamber is provided.

Abstract: A process for the production of a shaped article from a lightweight-aggregate granulate and an inorganic binder has the following process steps: provision of a viscous binder that has been prepared on the basis of diatomite and caustic soda or caustic potash solution, mixing of the binder with lightweight-aggregate granulate, shaping of the lightweight-aggregate granulate binder mixture, and thermal exposure of the lightweight-aggregate granulate binder mixture under foaming and bonding of the lightweight-aggregate granulate particles in a foamed binder matrix to create the shaped article.

Abstract: This invention is for an improved process to formulate polymeric microspheres/nanospheres and encapsulate therapeutic proteins and other useful substances. Non-toxic supercritical or near-critical fluids with/without polar cosolvents are utilized to solubilize biodegradable polymers and form uniform polymer microspheres and nanospheres to encapsulate proteins with controlled-release characteristics.