Abstract: A soap recycling assembly for recycling soap pieces into soap bars includes a housing that defines an internal space. A power module and a heater are coupled to the housing and are positioned in the internal space. The heater is selectively operationally couplable to the power module. A first recess is positioned in a top of the housing. A plurality of legs is pivotally coupled to a bottom of the housing. The legs are positioned to reversibly pivot from a stowed configuration to a deployed configuration, wherein the legs are positioned substantially perpendicular to the bottom. The first recess is configured to insert soap pieces. The power module is positioned to couple to the heater to heat the soap pieces to a melt. The power module is positioned to decouple from the heater wherein the melt solidifies to a bar of soap.

Abstract: A polymeric composition includes a diene elastomer; an azodicarboxy compound; and a reinforcing filler comprising silica. The composition is not foamed. A method for preparing a polymeric composition includes mixing in one or more steps: a diene elastomer; an azodicarboxy compound; and a reinforcing filler. The mixing temperature is less than 160° C. in mixing steps in which the azodicarboxy compound is present. In an embodiment, the mixing temperature is kept below the decomposition temperature of the azodicarboxy compound.

Abstract: A three-dimensional printing apparatus includes a projector to project a first image onto a tank and a controller to control the projector. The controller includes an acquirer, an inclination calculator, a vertical and horizontal correction value calculator, a memory, and a corrector. The acquirer projectively transforms the first image, thus acquiring a second image obtained by correction of the first image. The second image includes a projection sub-image. The inclination calculator calculates horizontal and vertical inclinations of the projection sub-image in the second image. The vertical and horizontal correction value calculator calculates a first correction value based on the horizontal inclination, and calculates a second correction value based on the vertical inclination. The memory stores a third correction value. The corrector corrects the brightness distribution of the second image using a fourth correction value calculated based on the first to third correction values.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for producing three-dimensional models, comprising a coater, which includes an ejection opening, at least one print head, which is mounted on a print axis, the ejection opening of the coater being disposed toward the top in the coating direction, and the print head being disposed counter to the coating direction with the opposite orientation on the printing axis behind the coater in the coating direction; the invention also relates to a method for producing three-dimensional models.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint method of molding an imprint material supplied on a shot region of a substrate by a mold having a pattern region in which a pattern has been formed, the method comprising a deformation step of performing, based on information indicating at least one among a shape of the pattern region and a shape of the shot region, deformation of at least one region among the pattern region and the shot region, an estimation step of estimating a moving amount of a mark by the deformation, the mark being provided in the at least one region, and an overlay step of performing, based on the moving amount and detection results of positions of a mark in the pattern region and a mark in the shot region, overlay between the pattern region and the shot region.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint method of forming a pattern on a shot region formed on a substrate by using a mold having a pattern region, the method comprising performing control for deformation of at least one of the pattern region and the shot region in accordance with a deformation amount, obtaining a shift amount between each of a plurality of marks provided on the pattern region and a corresponding one of a plurality of marks provided, on the shot region after the deformation, selecting marks to be used for controlling an overlay between the pattern region and the shot region so as to satisfy a preset condition based on the shift amounts, and performing feedback control for the overlay based on detection results on positions of the selected marks, after the deformation in the performing control for deformation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the changing of material from a starting material to a subsequent material with an extrusion device (10) for the production of extrusion products (100) comprising the following steps: recognition of a change of material requirement, performance of at least one preparation step for the change of material, performance of the change of material after termination of at least one of the preparation steps.

Abstract: In a pultrusion method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite product comprising reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, the following is performed along a path of pultrusion: providing a preform; further downstream, inductively heating the preform to a processing temperature of the thermoplastic matrix material; and, further downstream, introducing the preform into a die and consolidating the preform by means of the die while the preform passes through the die.

Abstract: A device for manufacturing three-dimensional objects using superimposed layers is capable, for each layer to be manufactured, of applying a laser beam treatment to a layer of a pulverulent material or liquid placed in a sintering field. The device includes a galvanometric head able to steer a laser beam toward each point of a maximum sintering zone of the sintering field when the galvanometric head is positioned at a predetermined position. The device further includes limiting elements for limiting the steering of the laser beam to an effective sintering zone situated inside the maximum sintering zone, and movement elements for moving the galvanometric head in a plane parallel to that of the sintering field, allowing the galvanometric head to be positioned at at least two different positions, an effective sintering zone being associated with each position of the galvanometric head. An associated method of manufacturing three-dimensional objects is described.

Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing an optical component having an optical surface includes: injecting a molten resin into a cavity; curing the molten resin to form the optical component; and taking the optical component out from the movable mold by moving the movable mold away from the fixed mold, and piercing a part of the optical surface (first incident surface) of the optical component attached to the movable mold by the protruding pin, and then wherein a tip end face of the protruding pin includes: a first surface; and a second surface having an area smaller than an area of the first surface, and extending continuously from the first surface in a curved form, the second surface being located on at least a part of an outer circumferential edge portion of the tip end face, that is, a tip end in the first direction.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object printing module has been developed. The printing module includes a first processing station configured to perform an operation. The printing module further includes a track configured to guide a cart moved by a motive force in a first direction to the first processing station and to guide the cart moved by the motive force in the first direction from the first processing station. The printing module further includes at least one lead screw disposed parallel to the first direction along the track at the first processing station and configured to engage the cart at the first processing station. The printing module further includes an actuator operatively connected to the at least one lead screw and configured to rotate the lead screw bi-directionally about a longitudinal axis of the lead screw to enable the cart to move along the track at the processing station without the motive force.

Abstract: In manufacturing a contact lens, a contact lens mould arrangement in which the engagement between the mould halves is unconstrained and at least one mould half is sufficiently pliable or flexible that during the curing of the contact lens composition at one mold half may move or flex relative to the other to define a post-cure mould cavity of smaller volume than the pre-cure mould cavity and during which the curvatures of the first and/or second mould surfaces are allowed to change provides a significantly more efficient manufacturing process and enables one mould half to be readily utilized as a blister cup for contact lens packaging.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing composite parts. An expandable tool with a transfer system may be moved on a surface of the expandable tool into an outer mold line tool with a composite material laid up on the outer mold line tool. The expandable tool may be expanded in the outer mold line tool to change the surface from a retracted state to an expanded state. The transfer system may be transferred from the expandable tool with the surface in the expanded state to the outer mold line tool.

Abstract: A three-dimensional printing apparatus is disclosed has one or more troughs for receiving excess deposited particulate. Such troughs may be positioned to receive the excess deposited particulate into a particulate receiving chamber of the trough. An evacuation chamber is located at the bottom of each trough. A partition separates the evacuation chamber from the receiving chamber of the trough. The partition is selectively perforated to permit a desired amount of the particulate to flow into the evacuation chamber from the receiving chamber. The evacuation chamber is connected to a vacuum source to periodically or continuously draw ambient gas from a gas inlet to the evacuation chamber and/or from the receiving chamber through the perforations of the partition and then through the evacuation chamber toward the vacuum source to entrain an amount of the particulate and carry the entrained particulate out of the evacuation chamber.

Abstract: A three dimensional printing apparatus and a printing head module are provided. The three dimensional printing apparatus includes a base, a printing head module and a controller. The base has a carrying surface. The printing head module includes a printing head, a fan and a nozzle guiding cover. The printing head includes a heating element, a feeding channel and a nozzle. The feeding channel connects the nozzle. The nozzle guiding cover is disposed correspondingly to the fan and extended to the nozzle. The nozzle guiding cover includes a nozzle outlet located between the nozzle and the carrying surface. The controller is coupled to the printing head module to control a hot-melt material transmitting to the nozzle, and the heating element is configured to heat the nozzle so the hot-melt material is melted and dispensed on the carrying surface to form a three dimensional object.

Abstract: A method for fabricating an artificial skin system such as skin for use with a robotics assembly. The method includes forming or accessing a digital three dimensional (3D) model of an object. The digital 3D model defines a topography of an exterior surface of the object. The method includes processing the 3D model to generate a 3D model of a core, including defining an exterior surface of the core with a topography that is an inverse copy of the topography of the exterior surface of the object. The method includes fabricating the core based on the core model, whereby the core has an exterior surface corresponding to the exterior surface of the core model. The core is used in dipping processes or injection molding processes to form a skin in which the exterior surface is formed of material that abutted the inverse topography of the exterior surface of the core.

Abstract: A liquefier assembly for use in an additive manufacturing system, which includes a rigid member having a gap, a liquefier tube operably disposed in the gap, one or more heater assemblies disposed in the gap in contact with the liquefier tube, and configured to heat the liquefier tube in a zone-by-zone manner, preferably one or more thermal resistors disposed in the gap between the rigid member and the heater assemblies, and preferably one or more sensors configured to operably measure pressure within the liquefier tube. The one or more heater assemblies may be operated to provide dynamic heat flow control.

Abstract: According to some aspects, an additive fabrication device for forming solid objects within a build region is provided, the device comprising a laser source, an aspheric lens configured to receive light emitted by the laser source and to produce a light beam having a circular cross section at at least one position inside the build region, and at least one mirror configured to be actuated to reflect the light beam toward a selected position within the build region.

Abstract: An apparatus (10) for producing three-dimensional work pieces comprises a carrier (12) adapted to receive a raw material powder (14). The apparatus (10) further comprises an irradiation unit (20) for selectively irradiating electromagnetic or particle radiation onto the raw material powder (14) applied onto the carrier (12) in order to produce a work piece made of said raw material powder (14) by a generative layer construction method. The irradiation unit (20) comprises a radiation source (22) and a plurality of optical elements. A detection device (34) of the apparatus (10) is arranged so as to be capable of detecting an operational parameter of a radiation beam (26) emitted by the radiation source (22) and having passed at least one optical element of the irradiation unit (20).