Abstract: According to one embodiment, the steam pressing apparatus generally comprises a substantially rectangular or square-shaped inner chamber (such as an autoclave) and an outer, generally rectangular or square-shaped structure. In one embodiment, the steam pressing apparatus comprises a hydraulic system used to compress and treat a working material with high efficiency, timing and precision. In one aspect, the steam pressing apparatus comprises a structure and system that allows modularity and scalability for manufacturing final products of varying dimensions. Further, the steam pressing apparatus can be designed to respond to computerized instructions relating to the pressure to be applied, steam to be applied, vacuum parameters, timing of the press operation, thickness of the resultant working material, and other informational inputs.

Abstract: The present invention provides an imprint apparatus for molding an imprint material on a target region on a substrate using a mold to form a pattern on the target region, the apparatus comprising a heater configured to deform the target region by heating the substrate, a measurement device configured to measure an overlay state between the target region and the mold, and a controller configured to control the heater such that the overlay state falls within a tolerance.

Abstract: A method for infusing gas into a thermoplastic material includes positioning a sheet of a thermoplastic material into a vertical or substantially vertical position; positioning a sheet of a gas-permeable material into a vertical or substantially vertical position; and winding together the positioned sheet of thermoplastic material sheet and the positioned sheet of gas-permeable material to form a roll of the thermoplastic material interleaved with the gas-permeable material, the interleaved roll having a longitudinal axis oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical position. The method also includes exposing the interleaved roll to an atmosphere of a gas pressurized to infuse the thermoplastic material with the gas, while the longitudinal axis of the interleaved roll is oriented in a vertical or substantially vertical position; and then unwinding the gas-infused interleaved roll, while the longitudinal axis of the interleaved roll remains in a vertical or substantially vertical position.

Abstract: A build platform and methods of fabricating an article with such a platform in an extrusion-type additive manufacturing machine are provided. A platform body 202 includes features 204 that extend outward from the body 202. The features 204 define protrusive areas 206 and recessive areas 208 that cooperate to mechanically engage the extruded material that forms the initial layers 220 of an article when the article is being fabricated by a nozzle 12 of the additive manufacturing machine 10.

Abstract: A method of making a filled large-format imprinted structure includes providing a substrate, locating a curable layer over the substrate, imprinting the curable layer, and curing the curable layer to form a cured layer including a layer surface and one or more imprinted micro-cavities. Each micro-cavity has a micro-cavity depth and a micro-cavity width and one or more ribs extending from the bottom of the micro-cavity toward the top of the micro-cavity. Each rib has a rib width that is less than one half of the micro-cavity width, a rib height that is less than the micro-cavity depth, and each rib separates the micro-cavity into portions, each portion having a portion width less than or equal to 20 microns. A curable material is located in each micro-cavity and cured to form cured material located in each micro-cavity, thereby defining a filled large-format imprinted structure.

Abstract: Technologies for fused filament fabrication using multi-directional layering are disclosed herein. According to aspects of the disclosure, a component may be strengthened using a multi-directional layering manufacturing technique. In some implementations, one or more portions of the component are manufactured in different orientations. In still further implementations, one layer of a component is laid down in a first orientation and a second layer of the component is laid down in a second orientation.

Abstract: An apparatus and method of manufacturing and labeling plastic wares comprising durable acrylic labels that are integrated into a surface of the plastic wares.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a crash pad having a foam layer by injecting and foam-molding a foam liquid between a base and a skin may include a first mold and a second mold which mold the base by injecting molten resin into a base forming space formed in a mold-closed state and a vacuum mold for vacuum-molding the skin, in which when the vacuum mold to which the formed skin may be attached may be mold-closed with the first mold, a foam space may be formed between the skin and the base of the first mold, and an injection channel for injecting the molten resin into the base forming space and a foam liquid injection channel for injecting the foam liquid into the foam space may be provided in the first mold, such that the first mold may be used as a foam mold, together with the vacuum mold.

Abstract: A compacting and injection mold for a fiber preform is for use in fabricating a turbine engine guide vane out of composite material. The mold includes a shell forming a trough that is to receive the fiber preform and that is closed in leaktight manner by bottom and top covers, compacting blocks arranged inside the trough each having a surface pressing normally against a surface of the fiber preform that is to be compacted, and closure blocks arranged inside the trough. Each closure block has a surface pressing normally against a surface of a compacting block and does not have a surface in contact with the fiber preform.

Abstract: A process for making a colored composite pavement structure comprising silylated glass aggregate particles and a polymeric binder composition is disclosed. Systems and methods are also disclosed for providing a colored composite material that cures into a pavement structure. In one embodiment, a colorant concentrate is provided by combining an inorganic colorant with a portion of a first component of a polymeric binder composition. The colorant concentrate can then be combined with the first and second components of the polymeric binder composition to provide a colored polymeric binder composition. The colored polymeric binder composition may then be applied to silylated glass aggregate particles to provide a colored composite material that cures into a pavement structure.

Abstract: A method of forming a film (1) of molten polymer material, by extruding said material in a direction (2) out of a narrow exit slot (3), which is an integral part of a wider die chamber (4) of which the major dimension of extension is parallel with the major dimension of the exit slot (3), characterized in that the molten polymer material is formed into one or more flows generally parallel with said major dimension of the exit slot (3), each said flow being pumped in a re-circulating arrangement from the chamber inlet (7) to the outlet (8) through conduits connecting the inlet to the outlet, while fresh molten polymer material is administered from a reservoir into each re-circulating flow.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a film that comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes having shapes which enable the characteristics thereof to be sufficiently exhibited; and a process for producing the film. The film, which comprises single-layer carbon nanotubes, has portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are densely present and portions where single-layer carbon nanotubes are sparsely present, the dense portions forming a pseudo-honeycomb structure in a surface of the film.

Abstract: A mold for producing a vehicle bumper fascia and methods for releasing the bumper fascia are provided. The mold includes a core mold half having a primary mold core. A first movable mold core is slidingly engaged to the primary mold core. A second movable mold core is slidingly engaged to the first movable mold core. A third movable mold core is slidingly engaged to the second movable mold core. Portions of the primary mold core and the movable mold cores together define cavities for forming the mounting rib, a wing portion, and a wheel well flange of the bumper fascia. Methods of releasing the bumper fascia include the steps of providing the mold, disengaging the movable mold cores from each other and from the primary mold core.

Abstract: In a process for producing regenerated cellulose fibers, in which particles of a flame-retardant solid are incorporated into the fiber, the particles are placed into a mold, the dimension of which in a major axis of the particle is greater than in the two orthogonal minor axes of the particle, and the major axes of the particles in the fiber are aligned in a preferential direction parallel to the spinning direction thereof.

Abstract: A mechanically robust, binder-free, inexpensive target for laser synthesis of carbon nanotubes and a method for making same, comprising the steps of mixing prismatic edge natural flake graphite with a metal powder catalyst and pressing the graphite and metal powder mixture into a mold having a desired target shape.

Abstract: A method of forming a porous sol gel, including a dried porous sol gel, is provided comprising forming a sol gel from a sol gel-forming composition comprising a silane solution and a catalyst solution; and non-supercritically drying the sol gel to provide a dried porous sol gel having no springback. The dried porous sol gel can include dried macroporous or mesoporous sol gels or dried hybrid aerogels. The materials may contain open or filled pores. Such materials are useful as thermal insulators.

Abstract: A method for continuous High Internal Phase Emulsion (HIPE) foam production. A HIPE is produced then extruded onto a belt. After polymerization, a portion of the saturated aqueous phase is removed using a vacuum box. A nip insert is inserted under the vacuum box to raise the vacuum box leading to improved uniformity of the HIPE in the cross direction along the belt.

Abstract: Using a broadband light source and a photomask, surface energy gradients can be directly transferred into polymer films. The Marangoni effect causes high surface energy regions to rise upon heating the film. This leads to the formation of three-dimensional topography that can be locked in by quenching the polymer by cooling.

Abstract: The present invention concerns methods for obtaining high-tenacity aramid yarn, wherein the yarn is made of a copolymer obtained from a mixture of monomers comprising 5-(6)-amino-2-(p-aminophenyl)benzimidazole, an aromatic para-diamine, and an aromatic para-diacid; the method comprising: a) spinning said copolymer from an inorganic acid solvent to produce the aramid yarn; b) washing said yarn with a basic aqueous solution for at least 5 seconds; and c) heating said yarn; wherein the yarn is heated in at least two process steps, characterized in that (i) in a first step the yarn is heated at a temperature of 200 to 360° C. at a tension of at least 0.2 cN/dtex, followed by (ii) a second step wherein the yarn is heated at a temperature of 370 to 500° C. at a tension of less than 1 cN/dtex. In some embodiments, the yarn has an effective polymer cation to sulfur content molar ratio of at least 0.3. In some embodiments, the yarn has a hydrolytic strength retention of the yarn is greater than 60%.

Abstract: In a green honeycomb molded body including a columnar body of the green honeycomb molded body in which a plurality of hexagonal cells mutually partitioned by partition walls are open at an end surface of the columnar body, a center closing jig is inserted into a part of a plurality of cells at the center of the end surface to join partition walls to each other using the center closing jig, thereby closing the cells at the center of the end surface and the outer periphery of the end surface including the plurality of cells is pressed by a cylindrical outer periphery closing jig having an inner peripheral surface with the inner diameter being continuously reduced from one end to the other end, thereby collapsing the cells at the outer periphery of the end surface to close the cells at the outer periphery of the end surface.