Abstract: A variety of thermoplastic parts are provided with precise micro-scale features and long-range macro-scale reproducibility. By combining the advantages of rigid tool molding and soft tooling into a hybrid tooling, complex and challenging microfeatures can be created in thermoplastic parts with remarkable positional accuracy and reproducibility. The parts described herein can demonstrate orders of magnitude smaller inter-part variations and order of magnitude smaller variations with respect to a master part as compared to conventional hard and soft tooling methods. In some aspects, a plurality of thermoplastic parts having precision micro-scale features and reproducible macro-scale dimensions are provided wherein the precision micro-scale features on each part comprise at least one challenging microfeature; and wherein a mean normalized displacement of the micro-scale features is about or less when measured between the parts in the plurality of thermoplastic parts.

Abstract: A rigid fastener, for securing to one another adjacent portions of a cover member made of resiliently deformable material, has an end portion with an outward end section of relatively small outside diameter and an axially adjacent inward section of relatively large outside diameter. The end portion of the fastener is engagable in either of two positions in a corresponding recess formed into at least one of the adjacent portions of the cover piece, affording a high level of holding power in its fully inserted position and affording a low level of holding power in a partially inserted position.

Abstract: A rigid fastener, for securing to one another adjacent portions of a cover member made of resiliently deformable material, has an end portion with an outward end section of relatively small outside diameter and an axially adjacent inward section of relatively large outside diameter. The end portion of the fastener is engagable in either of two positions in a corresponding recess formed into at least one of the adjacent portions of the cover piece, affording a high level of holding power in its filly inserted position and affording a low level of holding power in a partially inserted position.