Abstract: A rotary press comprises a press frame and a rotor arranged thereon. The rotor has a die plate, an upper punch receiver receiving upper punches, a lower punch receiver receiving lower punches, an upper cam that guides the upper punches, and a lower cam that guides the lower punches. A rotor drive can drive the rotor rotationally. Within at least one dosing station, material is filled into receivers of the die plate for pressing. An upper pressing station has an upper pressing roller and a lower pressing station has a lower pressing roller. Coupling means couples at least one drive that operates the rotary press to the rotor such that, with movement of the at least one drive, the rotor is raised out of its operating position and into a removal position where the rotor can be removed out of the press frame in a lateral direction.

Abstract: A head is disclosed for use with a manufacturing system. The head may have a housing configured to discharge a tubular structure reinforced with at least one continuous fiber and having a three-dimensional trajectory, and a cure enhancer operatively connected to the housing and configured to cure a liquid matrix in the tubular structure during discharge. The head may also have a nozzle configured to discharge a fill material into the tubular structure, and a wand extending from the housing to the nozzle.

Abstract: A method for producing, in a composite material, a component that has a re-entrant angle, includes stacking layers of fibers which have been pre-impregnated with a resin so as to obtain a preform and placing the preform in a tooling fixture in order to subject it to a polymerization cycle including a temperature cycle, with a temperature-increase phase and at least one soak at which the temperature is maintained, and a pressure cycle on the outside of the tooling fixture with a pressure-increase phase and a pressure-hold phase, with the layers of pre-impregnated fibers being able to slip against one another when the temperature of the temperature cycle is equal to or higher than a threshold temperature Tf dependent on the resin. The temperature-increase phase includes a soak at a temperature higher than or equal to Tf, the soak beginning before the end of the pressure-increase phase.

Abstract: A three dimensional printer is configured to move at least one printhead from an area where the printhead is forming an object to a position opposite a shaft. The at least one printhead is operated to eject material onto the shaft and the shaft is rotated to enable a light sensor to generate signals indicative of a height of material at a plurality of positions on the shaft. The signals are compared to an expected height of material at each position to identify inoperative inkjets in the at least one printhead.

Abstract: Printer plates for used in connection with three dimensional printing are described. The printer plate can include a plurality of layers. The printer plate can include a base layer that has a first face and an opposite second face. The printer plate can include a first outer layer. The first outer layer can be operatively connected to the first face of the base layer. The first outer layer can have an outer surface that defines a first build surface of the printer plate. The first outer layer can be made of a different material than the base layer. The first outer layer being at least partially made of an uncross-linked methyl methacrylate-based acrylic resin, a reinforced acrylic resin, an acrylic resin impregnated laminate, or polyetherimide. In one or more arrangements, the printer plate can also include a second outer layer operatively connected to a second face of the base layer.

Abstract: A three-dimensional formation apparatus includes a head unit which can discharge liquid in a first direction and a control unit which controls the head unit. The control unit forms a cross section object by discharging the liquid containing a second quantity which is smaller than the first quantity to a changed portion where an outline of the cross section object is simultaneously changed in the second direction and the third direction, in the first cross section object formation process, and executes a filling process of discharging the liquid containing a third quantity which exceeds the first quantity when the third quantity is added to the second quantity to a portion to which the liquid containing the second quantity is discharged, after the first cross section object formation process is executed and before the second cross section object formation process is executed.

Abstract: The pattern complexity and functional value of wrinkled structures can be substantially increased by fabricating the wrinkles on pre-patterned quasi-planar substrates instead of flat substrates. This disclosure presents the methods for fabricating pre-patterned polymeric surfaces that can be subsequently used as the substrates during manufacture of complex wrinkled structures. Pre-patterned substrates are generated by imprinting the pre-patterns onto the substrates during the curing process. Suitability for post-curing use in fabrication of wrinkles is ensured by (i) delayed imprinting that occurs close to but before the gelation point and (ii) gradual alignment of pre-patterns to the direction of stretch that is applied later during manufacture of wrinkled structures.

Abstract: A melt processing plant is provided that includes a melt charger for charging a processing head, in particular a pelletizing head, with melt, in which a diverter valve for discharging the melt during a starting and/or retooling phase is associated to the melt charger upstream of the processing head. A splitter divides the discharged melt into melt portions with the melt channels of the splitter head having at least one step-like cross-sectional enlargement of their inflow portion, a cross-sectional shape different from the outlet cross-section of the discharge channel, and an open orifice region out of the splitter.

Abstract: A manufacturing apparatus employs three-dimensional (3D) printing technology and computer numerical controlled (CNC) positioning technology that creates composite structures of any size. The composite structures exhibit predefined characteristics suitable for different applications. The composite structures consist of plastic sheathing melded together to form bladders, as well as fabric impregnated with one or more resin-based compounds. The composite structures assume any of a myriad of predefined shapes. The composite structures exhibit fire-resistance, water-resistance, water containment, phase-change capability, ballistic protection, low weight, and may further be operable as a solar panel or be electrically conductive. The composite structures are optionally constructed with vias or pathways, through which pipes, electrical conduit, and other building materials may be threaded.

Abstract: In one aspect, 3D printing systems for fabricating 3D soap objects are described herein. Such systems can form 3D soap objects from a particulate material and a fluid binder material based on design data, such as digital design data. In some cases, a 3D printing system comprises a build chamber comprising a build bed, a particulate material distribution device, and a fluid binder material dispenser. The particulate material distribution device can be configured to distribute successive layers of the particulate material on the build bed. The fluid binder material dispenser can be configured to selectively apply the fluid binder material to portions of the successive layers of particulate material in an amount sufficient to consolidate the portions to define cross-sectional portions of the object. In addition, the particulate material comprises a soap component in an amount of about 10 to 100% by weight.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced composite by means of a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding, comprising the steps of placing a fiber material in a mold, placing a flow distribution medium onto the fiber material, and covering the fiber material (1) and the flow distribution medium with a vacuum foil for forming a closed mold cavity between the mold and the vacuum foil is described. It is characterized in using a flow distribution medium with a thickness depending on a pressure gradient over the vacuum foil.

Abstract: A device for producing a 3 dimensional shaped consolidated product. The device includes a rotary drum, defined as a rotary conveyor with a peripheral surface extending in circumferential direction with at least one product shaping area in the form of a cavity on said peripheral surface, the peripheral surface is pervious to air at least in the product shaping area, at least one material feed device to feed a base material into the at least one cavity, a vacuum device designed to generate a negative pressure at least in the at least one cavity, whereby the generated suction is directed towards the interior of the rotary conveyor, and whereby downstream of the material feed device at least one consolidating device is located such that at least a part of the filled cavity is subjected to a consolidating treatment whereby the base material at least partly will adhere to neighboring material.

Abstract: Aspects of the methods and apparatuses herein involve applying fluids onto an advancing substrate. The apparatuses and methods herein may provide for the application of viscous fluids, such as adhesives, in pre-determined patterns to an advancing substrate. The fluid application apparatus may include a slot die applicator and a substrate carrier. The slot die applicator may include a slot opening, a first lip, and a second lip, the slot opening located between the first lip and the second lip. And the substrate carrier may be adapted to advance the substrate past the slot die applicator as the slot die applicator discharges adhesive onto the substrate. In operation, when a first surface of the substrate is disposed on the substrate carrier, the substrate carrier advances a second surface of the substrate past the slot opening of the slot die applicator.

Abstract: A mold for a centrifugal impeller for a turbomachine is provided. The mold comprises at least one annular insert, wherein the annular insert comprises a plurality of aerodynamic vane inserts configured to reproduce an annular assembly of aerodynamic vanes of a finished centrifugal impeller.

Abstract: One example of the present disclosure relates to a form for supporting a volume of a viscous substance encapsulating at least a portion of an object while the viscous substance solidifies to form a seal. The form comprises a non-metallic solidified material; a distal axial opening; a proximal axial opening; and a lateral wall between the distal axial opening and the proximal axial opening. The lateral wall comprises an outwardly facing surface having a surface area, and at least one through lateral opening.

Abstract: A method of filling a mold with a settable material, such as a cementitious mixture, is disclosed. The mold includes a plurality of cavities that open to a top face of the mold, and is suitable for forming building elements, such as pavers, for covering surfaces. The method includes providing an additional volume per unit area of settable material to at least part of selected ones of the cavities, and compacting the settable material in at least part of all of the cavities, including the additional volume per unit area of settable material provided to the selected ones of the cavities, to substantially the same thickness. A mold and a scraper suitable for use in the method are also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for additive manufacturing and three-dimensional printing, and specifically for extruding tubular objects. A print head extrudes a curable material into a tubular object, while simultaneously curing the tubular object and utilizing the interior of the cured portion of the tubular object for stabilizing and propelling the print head.

Abstract: In an embodiment of the disclosure, there is provided a method of fabricating a thermoplastic torque box assembly. The method includes providing a plurality of braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, connecting one or more connector elements to one or more of the braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps, and laying up an inner thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the one or more braided thermoplastic tubular spar caps. The method further includes attaching a plurality of skin panel stabilization elements to the inner thermoplastic facesheet to define four torque box side portions, laying up and attaching an outer thermoplastic facesheet in a continuous manner around the plurality of skin panel stabilization elements, and heating at an effective temperature and an effective pressure the thermoplastic torque box assembly.

Abstract: Methods of forming and/or manufacturing polymeric stents are disclosed. Polymeric stents are also disclosed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional formation apparatus includes a head-unit which can discharge liquid in a first-direction and a control-unit which controls the head-unit. The control-unit forms a hollow on a changed portion where an outline of a cross section object is simultaneously changed in a second-direction and a third-direction towards the inside from the outline of the cross section object in the second-direction or the third-direction, in a first cross section object formation process and executes a filling process of discharging the liquid containing a second quantity which is larger than a first quantity to the hollow so as to come in contact with the cross section object formed in the first cross section object formation process, to fill at least a part of the hollow with the liquid, after the first cross section object formation process is executed and before the second cross section object formation process is executed.