Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for forming a molded foam article. An example method may include molding a plurality of separate pieces of closed-cell foam by exposure to a temperature cycle within a sealed mold to soften the plurality of pieces sufficiently for physical bonding; and forming a molded foam article with the pieces bonded together without an adhesive, wherein, during the temperature cycle, the mold is unsealed at least once to release gases and/or pressure. In another example, a method includes exposing a filled, sealed mold filled with a plurality of pieces of foamed material to a heating cycle; at a threshold temperature, unsealing the filled, sealed mold until a pressure reduces to within a threshold of atmospheric pressure; and, following the unsealing, cooling the filled mold prior to removing a molded foam article.

Abstract: A multi-arm forming device for space on-orbit composite braiding is provided. Through the rotary movement of a combination of circularly arranged mechanical arm-type laying apparatuses relative to a mold, a plurality of hot press laying heads are controlled together to implement high-efficiency and high-freedom winding and braiding formation of a composite member. The retraction and expansion deformation of the gasbag mold is achieved by inflating and deflating based on design, and the overall device is lightened by switching its structural volume in an operating/non-operating state, thereby achieving the purpose of facilitating the lift-off of rockets and the demolding, repair and weight reduction of winding and braiding structural members for operation in space. Additionally, gas in a gasbag can be used as emergency kinetic energy for the movement and attitude adjustment of the overall device in space. High-quality and efficient winding and braiding formation of composites in space are achieved ultimately.

Abstract: An apparatus for blow-molding plastic containers includes at least one blow-molding station which defines at least one molding cavity which extends around a main axis of extension and further includes at least two lateral bodies and a respective bottom for each molding cavity that is defined by the blow-molding station. The bottom defines a recessed central portion, which is arranged around the main axis of extension, and a lateral containment portion, which has petal-shaped regions which have a substantially radial extension.

Abstract: A thin-walled flexible package is provided with a spout comprising a connection portion and a tube having an outer surface and ending with an outlet mouth. A sacrificial closure is applied to the spout to close the outlet mouth. The sacrificial closure comprises a skirt suitable for sealingly engaging the outer surface of the tube at a sealing region having a sealing distance from the outlet mouth. On the outer surface of the tube there is a circumferential dividing line having a division distance from the outlet mouth. The sealing distance is less than the division distance.

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system may comprise a frame; and an additive component(s) configured to couple to the frame. The additive component(s) may comprise a first extrusion unit, a second extrusion unit, and/or a third extrusion unit. The 3D printing system may be a portion of a hybrid computer numerical control (CNC) machining/3D printing system and configured to manufacture a 3D component autonomously from start to finish. The additive component(s) may comprise a heating system including a hot-air blower.

Abstract: Provided is a useful improvement in a manufacturing method of a CF-SMC using a partially split continuous carbon fiber bundle. The manufacturing method of an SMC of the present invention includes (i) a step of drawing out a continuous carbon fiber bundle (10) from a package, the continuous carbon fiber bundle (10) having a filament number of NK and partially split into n sub-bundles in advance, (ii) a step of chopping the continuous carbon fiber bundle (10) drawn out from the package with a rotary cutter (234) into chopped carbon fiber bundles (20), and (iii) a step of depositing the chopped carbon fiber bundles (20) on a carrier film (41) traveling below the rotary cutter (234) to form a carbon fiber mat (30).

Abstract: A three-dimensional (3D) printing system may comprise a frame; and an additive component(s) configured to couple to the frame. The additive component(s) may comprise a first extrusion unit, a second extrusion unit, and/or a third extrusion unit. The 3D printing system may be a portion of a hybrid computer numerical control (CNC) machining/3D printing system and configured to manufacture a 3D component autonomously from start to finish. The additive component(s) may comprise a heating system including a hot-air blower.

Abstract: Some embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a manufacturing method using nano-imprint lithography for a diffraction grating waveguide of a near-eye display. The manufacturing method includes: manufacturing an imprint lithography template with a diffraction grating waveguide pattern; transferring the diffraction grating waveguide pattern of the imprint lithography template to a transferring template by nano-imprint lithography, so as to obtain a transferring template with a reverse pattern of the diffraction grating waveguide pattern; and transferring the reverse pattern of the diffraction grating waveguide pattern of the transferring template to a waveguide substrate by nano-imprint lithography, so as to obtain the diffraction grating waveguide of the near-eye display.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method includes removing material from a sheet to create a plurality of individual layer segments formed, placing at least two first layer segments adjacent to each other at the same height to form a first layer having a hollow interior, the at least two first layer segments defining a first portion of an exterior of a part, and placing at least one second layer segment above the at least two first layer segments to form a second layer having a hollow interior, the at least one second layer segment defining a second portion of the exterior of the part. The method includes attaching the first layer to the second layer and removing material from the first layer and from the second layer to form the part having a continuous surface that extends along the first layer and the second layer.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a concrete article is disclosed. The method comprises coating a mould or formwork with a release agent; spraying a mortar onto the mould or formwork, thereby forming a layer of mortar; casting concrete into the mould or formwork and onto the layer of mortar; and allowing the concrete to hydrate and harden in the mould or formwork, whereby a concrete article having a mortar skin layer is provided. The invention also provides concrete articles made by the described methods, and concrete structures which comprise the concrete articles. Concrete articles having the mortar skins can be made to have a relatively uniform outward appearance, even if the concrete cast behind the mortar skins may be different, in composition or appearance. Pigments or colorants and other expensive admixtures can be used in the mortar skin composition to greater visual effect, since the use of the mortar skin is less in overall volume compared to the concrete articles as a whole.

Abstract: A method for repairing a composite member includes assembling a composite stack on a surface. The composite stack includes a first book nested with a second book. An adhesive is disposed between the first book and the second book. At least one of the first book and the second book includes a first pattern of slots. The method further includes setting the composite stack to yield a composite repair piece. The method further includes attaching the composite repair piece to the composite member. Also disclosed is a composite repair piece. The composite repair piece includes a first book and a second book. The second book is stacked on top of the first book. An adhesive is disposed between the first book and the second book. At least one of the first book and the second book includes a first pattern of slots.

Abstract: A database 3 is previously set which is related to oxidation induction times Tg indicating the deteriorations of individual resins R based on the combinations of a plurality of oxidation induction conditions X including at least different types of resins R and different heating temperatures TH, when the molding condition is set, oxidation induction time derivation processing is performed such that an oxidation induction time Tg based on oxidation induction conditions X including at least the resin R which is used and the heating temperature TH which is set is determined from the database 3 and assistance processing is performed in which the determined oxidation induction time Tg is compared with a residence time Ts until the molten resin R is charged into a mold 2 that is calculated from the set molding condition and in which when the oxidation induction time Tg is shorter than the residence time Ts, the molding condition is corrected so as to shorten the residence time Ts or to prolong the oxidation inductio

Abstract: A machine and method for compacting a powder material; the machine comprises a compacting device, which is adapted to compact the powder material; a conveyor assembly to convey a layer of powder material, along a portion of a given path, to the compacting device; and an adjusting assembly, which is adapted to change the width of the layer of powder material along the portion of the given path and consequently the thickness of the layer of powder material at its longitudinal edges.

Abstract: An automated production line for the production of ophthalmic lenses comprises: a production line front end (1) comprising: a first injection-molding machine (10) and a second injection-molding machine (12) a casting module (14) comprising a filling station (144) and a capping station (145); a stacking module (15) and a curing module (16); a destacking module (17) and a demolding and delensing module a production line back end (2) comprising: a scalable treatment module (20) comprising a number of liquid baths for a liquid bath treatment of the cured lenses (CL) carried by the treatment carrier tray (200) to obtain the ophthalmic lenses, wherein the number of liquid baths are reduced or increased pending on the number of ophthalmic lenses concurrently produced by the production lines.

Abstract: The method for determining the speed of printing of a fiber and the length of a printed fiber comprises: supplying ink to a nozzle; forming an ink drop at the exit of said nozzle; generating an ink jet carrying a net electrostatic charge; deflecting said ink jet periodically by one or a plurality of jet-deflection electrodes; collecting the ink jet on a substrate repetitively forming a printed motif by means of a continuous fiber; determining the width of the printed motif; calculating the speed of printing of fiber from the frequency of the jet-deflection signal and the width of the printed motif; calculating the length of fiber printed in a time interval from the frequency of the jet-deflection signal and from the width of the printed motif.

Abstract: A fiber forming device is disclosed that is well suited to producing nonwoven webs having excellent barrier properties. In one aspect, the fiber forming device can be used to produce meltblown webs or coform webs. The fiber forming device includes a die head containing multiple rows of polymer nozzles for forming fibers. Air flow paths are positioned on either side of the rows of polymer nozzles. In addition, an air flow path is positioned in between the rows of polymer nozzles. The air flow paths produce an attenuating gas stream that attenuates fibers being produced by the polymer nozzles and directs the fibers onto a forming surface for forming nonwoven webs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide systems and methods for producing a moulded component, for example a component for an automobile, having at least two unidirectional fibre portions. The unidirectional fibre portions are joined together at nodal points in a first step to produce a network of unidirectional fibres with over-moulded nodal points. The network of unidirectional fibres with over-moulded nodal points is then placed in a large mould tool along with a second moulding material. The large mould tool is then closed to produce a part that comprises the network of unidirectional fibres embedded within the second moulding material.

Abstract: A directional air knife, components thereof, and associated methods. The air knife includes a housing that comprises an inlet opening which receives air under pressure into the housing along a first inlet axis. A chamber is defined within the housing and positioned to receive air that passes through the inlet opening along the first inlet axis. A discharge duct is defined by the housing and includes a discharge channel within the discharge duct. The discharge channel is in fluid communication with the chamber which receives the air under pressure. The housing defines an outlet opening through which the air under pressure passes out of the discharge duct. The discharge channel has a second central axis along which the air under pressure flows to the outlet opening and out of the housing. The second central axis is arranged with respect to the first inlet axis at a skew angle.

Abstract: The invention proposes a method for manufacturing a grille for a cascade type thrust reverser, of a jet engine, said method including the following steps: a) manufacturing a first component comprising long fibres, pre-impregnated by a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin; b) manufacturing, together with step a), a series of second components each including discontinuous fibres, pre-impregnated by a thermoplastic or thermosetting resin, step b) being carried out such that the second components are, on the one hand, arranged to transversally with respect to a longitudinal direction of the first component on at least one side of the first component and, on the other hand, spaced from one another according to this longitudinal direction, so as to form a comb-shaped structure, wherein the second components are consolidated to the first component.

Abstract: An adhesive composition for forming an adhesive layer to be in contact with a resin on a surface of a metal, including: a low molecular weight organic compound having two or more nitrogen atoms in one molecule; and at least one metal ion selected from the group consisting of a trivalent aluminum ion and a trivalent chromium ion, wherein the resin is a curable resin, and the adhesive composition is an aqueous solution having a pH of 12 or less and has a concentration of the low molecular weight organic compound of 0.01 to 150 g/L and a molar concentration of the at least one metal ion of 0.005 to 100 mmol/L. The adhesive composition can improve adhesion between surfaces of multiple metals and a resin.