Abstract: A fabrication apparatus includes a loading unit including a stage onto which powder is supplied, a rotator that rotates while moving to flatten the powder on the stage to form a powder layer, a solidification device that applies a fabrication liquid to the powder layer on the stage to solidify the powder layer to form a fabrication layer, and circuitry. The powder layer includes a first powder layer and a second powder layer. The circuitry causes the rotator to move and rotate to form the first powder layer having a cyclic uneven surface and form the second powder layer on the first powder layer. The second powder layer has an uneven surface that is in phase with the cyclic uneven surface.

Abstract: A layer forming apparatus includes a loading unit including a stage onto which powder is supplied, a rotator that flattens the powder on the stage to form a powder layer, and circuitry. The circuitry causes the rotator to move in a first direction parallel to a surface of the stage and rotate while contacting the powder on the stage to form the powder layer. Further, the circuitry causes the rotator to move in a second direction opposite to the first direction and rotate while contacting surplus powder not on the stage.

Abstract: A powder for solid freeform fabrication includes a first resin particle and a second resin particle, wherein MFR2 is greater than MFR1 and a ratio of MFR2 to MFR1 is from 2 to 5, where MFR1 represents a melt mass-flow rate (MFR) of the first resin particle and MFR2 represents a melt mass-flow rate of the second resin particle.

Abstract: A resin powder contains a resin contains columnar particles, wherein the proportion of the columnar particles having a ratio (L/W) of less than 1 is 50 percent by volume or more in the total volume of the resin powder, where W represents the width in the radial direction of the columnar particles and L represents the length in the axis direction of the columnar particles.

Abstract: A three-dimensional fabrication apparatus includes a fabrication chamber and a roller. Powder is spread in layers in the fabrication chamber. Fabrication layers are formed of the powder bonded together and laminated in the fabrication chamber. The roller flattens the powder in the fabrication chamber. The roller includes a first helical groove region and a second helical groove region. The first helical groove region includes a first groove that moves the powder in the fabrication chamber in a first direction along a longitudinal axis of the roller as the roller rotates. The second helical groove region includes a second groove moves the powder in the fabrication chamber in a second direction opposite to the first direction as the roller rotates.

Abstract: A particle for solid freeform fabrication having a columnar form has end surfaces and a side surface, wherein one of the end surfaces partially covers the side surface.

Abstract: A resin powder contains a resin contains columnar particles, wherein the proportion of the columnar particles having a ratio (L/W) of less than 1 is 50 percent by volume or more in the total volume of the resin powder, where W represents the width in the radial direction of the columnar particles and L represents the length in the axis direction of the columnar particles.

Abstract: Provided is a resin powder for producing a three-dimensional object, wherein the resin powder has a number-average equivalent circle diameter of 10 micrometers or greater but 150 micrometers or less, and wherein a median in an equivalent circle diameter-based particle size distribution of the resin powder is higher than the average equivalent circle diameter.

Abstract: A powder for solid freeform fabrication includes a first resin particle and a second resin particle, wherein MFR2 is greater than MFR1 and a ratio of MFR2 to MFR1 is from 2 to 5, where MFR1 represents a melt mass-flow rate (MFR) of the first resin particle and MFR2 represents a melt mass-flow rate of the second resin particle.

Abstract: A particle for solid freeform fabrication having a columnar form has end surfaces and a side surface, wherein one of the end surfaces partially covers the side surface.

Abstract: A heat exchanger includes a plurality of plate fins including a plurality of flow channels in which a heat medium flows; a plurality of corrugated fins, the plurality of plate fins and the plurality of corrugated fins being arranged alternately; and a reaction portion solidified by crystallization of reaction material slurry filling gaps between the plurality of plate fins and the plurality of the corrugated fins, the reaction material slurry including a reaction material that reversibly reacts with a reaction medium in an exothermic manner and in an endothermic manner to exchange heat with the heat medium.

Abstract: A heat storage and release unit includes a reactant formed body for reacting with a reaction medium to store and release heat; a reaction vessel for accommodating the reactant formed body and exchanging heat with the reactant formed body; a reaction medium flow path structure, connected to the reaction vessel, for supplying the reaction medium to the reaction vessel or discharging the reaction medium from the reaction vessel. The reactant formed body includes a plate-like heat transfer plate that contacts the reaction vessel, heat transfer elements extending from a surface of the heat transfer plate at substantially right angles, and a reactant formed unit that encloses the heat transfer elements in such a way that the heat transfer elements are partially exposed from the reactant formed unit, and the reaction vessel can change form by a pressure difference between the outside and the inside of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A reaction material formed body into which a reaction material reacting with a reaction medium to store or release heat is formed includes first and second opposite surfaces and multiple heat transfer enhancing members extending at least from the first surface to the second surface. At least two or more of the heat transfer enhancing members are oriented in a predetermined single direction.

Abstract: A reaction material for a chemical heat pump includes type III anhydrous gypsum, a magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4. The reaction material for the chemical heat pump structurally changes between a compound including type III anhydrous gypsum, the magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4, and a compound including hemihydrate gypsum, a hydrate of the magnesium compound, and a hydrate of CaxMg1-xSO4 when subjected to heat storage process and heat release process. x is 0<x<1.

Abstract: A reaction material formed body into which a reaction material reacting with a reaction medium to store or release heat is formed includes first and second opposite surfaces and multiple heat transfer enhancing members extending at least from the first surface to the second surface. At least two or more of the heat transfer enhancing members are oriented in a predetermined single direction.

Abstract: A reaction material for a chemical heat pump includes type III anhydrous gypsum, a magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4. The reaction material for the chemical heat pump structurally changes between a compound including type III anhydrous gypsum, the magnesium compound, and CaxMg1-xSO4, and a compound including hemihydrate gypsum, a hydrate of the magnesium compound, and a hydrate of CaxMg1-xSO4 when subjected to heat storage process and heat release process. x is 0<x<1.

Abstract: A disclosed disk clamping mechanism includes a turntable fixed on a rotational shaft of a spindle motor to rotate a flexible thin optical disk, a stabilizer member configured to suppress a run-out of the flexible thin optical disk by an applying aerodynamic force to the rotating flexible thin optical disk so as to stabilize the run-out of the rotating flexible thin optical disk, and a clamper movably supported in a center of the stabilizer member in a direction perpendicular to a surface of the flexible thin optical disk. In the disclosed disk clamping mechanism, the flexible thin optical disk is sandwiched between the turntable and the clamper such that the turntable and the clamper rotate the flexible thin optical member sandwiched in-between.

Abstract: A disk rotating device includes a flexible disk in which information is recordable, a turntable on which the disk is held, a spindle that rotates the disk held on the turntable, and a stabilizer that stabilizes the rotating disk. In the disk rotating device, a rotation transmitting device transmits the rotation of the spindle to the disk via the turntable, and a disk holding device holds the disk so that the disk is elastically deformable from a center of the rotation of the disk in a radial direction of the disk.

Abstract: A data recording/reproduction method for performing a data recording/reproduction process on a flexible optical disk by rotating the flexible optical disk while controlling an axial runout of the flexible optical disk with a stabilizing member that applies an aerodynamic force to the flexible optical disk, and irradiating an optical beam and focusing the optical beam to the flexible optical disk is disclosed that includes the steps of a) generating a first axial runout, b) generating a focus error signal forming an S-curve when the first axial runout is generated, c) determining a position of the optical beam according to the focus error signal, d) generating a second axial runout that is smaller than the first axial runout after step c), and e) conducting at least one of the data recording process and the data reproduction process after step d).

Abstract: A recording/reproducing apparatus is disclosed that includes a spindle motor unit including a spindle on which a flexible recording disk is placed, a stabilizer plate disposed so as to face the recording disk, a torque detection unit configured to detect a drive torque applied to the spindle motor unit, an adjustment unit configured to adjust a gap between the recording disk and the stabilizer plate, and a determination unit configured to determine an optimal gap to be set to the gap based on the drive torque detected by the torque detection unit, in which the adjustment unit sets the optimum gap determined by the determination unit to the gap.