Abstract: The present invention regards a fiber-reinforced composite molding with an outer (102) structure and an inner structure (106), wherein the outer structure (102) is formed from at least one layer of fibrous reinforcing material and a cured first resin material, and the inner structure (106) is formed from a plurality of layers of fibrous reinforcing material and a second cured resin material, wherein the viscosity of the uncured first resin material is lower than the viscosity of the uncured second resin material and wherein in the composite molding the two cured resin materials are at least partially mixed with each other. It also regards a process for the production of such a fiber-reinforced composite molding.

Abstract: A method of molding a wind-turbine blade in a mold is described. The method includes arranging a number of markers on an interior of the mold; arranging a composite layup in the mold; and assembling and curing the composite layup in the mold such that a negative impression of a marker is formed on a surface of the composite layup, which negative impression facilitates correct positioning of the blade relative to a component in a subsequent assembly step. A mold for molding a wind-turbine blade; a wind-turbine blade molded using such a mold; and a positioning device for positioning a drilling and/or milling tool relative to a root portion of a wind-turbine blade molded using the inventive method are disclosed. A method of manufacturing a wind-turbine blade is also disclosed.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for separating sheets of brittle material are disclosed. According to one embodiment, a separation apparatus for separating a sheet of brittle material includes a first separation cam positioned adjacent to a sheet conveyance pathway and a second separation cam positioned opposite from and downstream of the first separation cam. The first and second separation cams may be rotated such that the contact faces of the separation cams periodically extend across a centerline of the conveyance pathway. Rotation of the first and second separation cams may be synchronized such that at least the portion of the contact face of the first separation cam and at least the portion of the contact face of the second separation cam periodically extend across the centerline of the conveyance pathway at a separation time and periodically do not extend across the centerline of the conveyance pathway at a non-separation time.

Abstract: Sustainable composite materials for interior spaces and related methods of manufacture are provided. In one aspect of the invention, the sustainable composite materials include a load-bearing stud. The load-bearing stud includes a plurality of woven burlap layers impregnated with a magnesium oxide resin. The load-bearing stud is formed by creasing a woven burlap sheet to form multiple foldable panels, wetting the foldable panels with a curable resin, layering the foldable panels to achieve a multi-layered prepreg, pressing the multi-layered prepreg to distribute the resin therethrough, compacting the multi-layered prepreg within a mold cavity having the exterior shape of the load-bearing stud, and curing the multi-layered prepreg, wherein the resin includes a mixture of mono-potassium phosphate and magnesium oxide. The load-bearing stud provides a lightweight, dimensionally stable, and environmentally-friendly composite structure to replace lumber studs and metal studs in building constructions.

Abstract: Components are produced by injecting a thermoplastic melt into a mold, wherein a flat blank of two or more fiber woven or non-crimp fiber fabrics connected at one or both sides thereof with a randomly oriented fiber layer and impregnated with a thermoplastic is heated to above the softening temperature of the thermoplastic, the thus expanded porous blank is laid out adjacent to one of the two inner walls of the mold, the mold is closed, compressing the blank, reopened to a desired width, and thermoplastic melt is injected into the porous core.

Abstract: An improved pultrusion process for preparing composite materials having about 10 percent to about 45 percent by volume of reinforcing fibers so as to produce a composite material having enhanced flexibility as compared with composite materials having a higher percent of reinforcing fibers by volume. Articles of manufacture made from composite material produced by the improved pultrusion process, specifically spinal implants, are also provided.

Abstract: Methods for producing an optical fiber by elongating a silica glass blank or a coaxial group of silica glass components, on the basis of which a fiber is obtained that comprises a core zone, an inner jacket zone enclosing the core zone and a ring zone surrounding the inner jacket zone, are known.

Abstract: Technologies are provided herein for fabricating foamed structures using a three dimensional fabricator. In particular, the present disclosure provides systems and methods of producing foamed structures using foamed materials, lattice foamed materials, and/or layer deposition employing the concept of viscous thread instability.

Abstract: An electronic smoke comprising an inhale detector and a smoke effect generating circuitry. The inhale detector comprises an air-flow sensor which is arranged to detect direction and rate of air flow through the smoke apparatus, and the smoke effect generating circuitry is arranged to operate the smoke effect generating circuitry to generate smoking effect when the air flow direction corresponds to inhaling through the apparatus and the air flow rate reaches at predetermined threshold. Such an electronic smoke alleviates the problem of inadvertent triggering due to environmental vibration or noise or children playing by blowing into the device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for manufacturing a composite material part from a preform of fibers pre-impregnated with resin. The method includes laying the preform on a laying surface of a tool with a peripheral shoulder, covering the preform with a conforming plate delimited by a peripheral edge which extends beyond the peripheral flank of the preform over the entire periphery of the preform, using shims calibrated to position the conforming plate, the shims being arranged between the support surface of the peripheral shoulder and the peripheral edge of the conforming plate, removing the calibrated shims, arranging a seal connecting the conforming plate and the tool all around the preform, and polymerizing the preform.

Abstract: A method for forming a laminate component, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a tool having a molding surface; b) arranging a stack of ply layers on the molding surface of the tool; and c) molding the stack of ply layers over the molding surface in a molding process, wherein the tool has a wrinkle control feature in its molding surface for managing the development of wrinkle in the ply layers during the molding process, and wherein the wrinkle control feature cooperates with the stack of ply layers during the molding process to produce a local surface undulation in a nominal surface of the laminate component nearest the tool to either prevent wrinkling in the ply layers or initiate wrinkling in one or more of the ply layers at a predetermined location. Also, a tool having a wrinkle control feature, and a laminate component so formed.

Abstract: A headset can include a cable structure connecting non-cable components such as jacks and headphones. The cable structure can include several legs connected at a bifurcation. An extrusion process can be used to manufacture legs of a multi-segment cable structure. As material is processed by an extruder, one or more system factors of the extruder can be dynamically adjusted to change a diameter of the resulting leg (e.g., to provide a smooth leg having a changing size). Once the leg is extruded, portions of the leg can be reformed to create undercuts used to connect the legs at a bifurcation region. In some cases, an extrusion process can be used to construct a jointly formed multi-leg cable structure having an integral bifurcation region and split.

Abstract: A composite resin part is fabricated by laying up a composite part on the mandrel mounted on a portable cart. The cart is used to transport the part layup as it is being cured by a heating and air circulation system on-board the cart.

Abstract: A hockey stick blade comprising an elongated fiber-reinforced polymer body having a fiber-reinforced polymer front face element and a fiber-reinforced polymer rear face element. The rear face element is spaced apart from the front face element. The blade also comprises a plurality of elongated longitudinal cavities within the body between the front face element and the rear face element. The longitudinal cavities have curved ends in transverse cross-section. The longitudinal cavities define at least one fiber-reinforced polymer structural member interconnecting the front face element and the rear face element. The at least one structural element is biconcave in transverse cross-section. The hockey stick blade has a neck, a heel and a toe. A method of bladder molding a hockey stick blade is also disclosed.

Abstract: A molding system includes a mold having a base and at least one protuberance extending from the base. The protuberance has an end surface. The system also includes a first photo-catalyst layer on the end surface. The first photo-catalyst layer is configured to at least partially break down a residual layer on a substrate in response to activation of the first photo-catalyst layer by a first radiation.

Abstract: A glass-substrate manufacturing method which includes a forming step and a cooling step. In the forming step, a molten glass is formed into a sheet glass by a down-draw process. In the cooling step, the sheet glass is cooled. The cooling step includes first, second and third coating steps as defined herein.

Abstract: Provided is a method for manufacturing a sheet for a solar cell encapsulant which has stability against yellowing after a crosslinking process and thus good appearance with improved productivity in the sheet manufacture process, specifically to a method for manufacturing a sheet for a solar cell encapsulant characterized by melt-mixing a resin composition with an organic peroxide, a co-crosslinking agent and a silane coupling agent at the degradation temperature of the organic peroxide or less, wherein the resin composition is obtained by melt-mixing EVA resin with an antioxidant, an UV absorber and a light stabilizer at 80-220° C., and forming a sheet from the obtained melt-mixed resin composition.

Abstract: Provided is a porous glass matrix producing burner 10, wherein a third gas jetting opening 17, which is the most outward one of a plurality of gas jetting openings, is clogged by a clogging member 19, and one line or plural lines of gas jetting holes 20 are provided in the clogging member 19 concentrically with respect to the center line of a glass material gas jetting port 11. Hence, there are provided a porous glass matrix producing burner that can have the cross-sectional area of its most outward gas jetting opening changed and can have the flow rate and linear velocity of a combustion improving gas adjusted to thereby suppress diffusion of the combustion improving gas and a combustible gas and improve deposition efficiency, and a porous glass matrix producing method using the porous glass matrix producing burner.

Abstract: Tools for forming a corrugated structure from a pliable blank include a plurality of forming blocks that laterally move relative to each other, a compaction mechanism configured to selectively conform the pliable blank to the forming blocks, and a block translating mechanism configured to reconfigure the tool from a pre-formed configuration to a post-formed configuration, in which the forming blocks are positioned closer together than when the tool is in the pre-formed configuration. Associated systems, methods, and apparatuses also are disclosed herein.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for manufacturing a soundproofing material by finely crushing a discarded car seat, mixing the crushed car seat with polyester fiber, low-melting polyester fiber such as LM PET, polypropylene fiber and hemp, and carding the resulting mixture, and a soundproofing material composition prepared thereby. The disclosed method allows recycling of polyurethane foam of the discarded car seat into a soundproofing material composition having superior appearance quality and soundproofing performance. The disclosed method also prevents generation of excessive static electricity and allows preparation of a soundproofing material with smooth surface.