Abstract: A wound laminate obtained by laminating a plastic film composed of an aromatic polycarbonate comprising bisphenol A as an aromatic dihydroxy component, and a protective film composed of an aromatic polyester, using an intervening adhesive having a weak adhesive strength of 3-50 gf (0.0294-0.49 N), and winding the laminate. The wound laminate is used as a transparent protective layer (protective film) for an optical disk to fabricate a film surface side-incident optical disk.

Abstract: A molded disc substrate obtained by injection molding is rotated at high speed before the molded disc substrate has solidified, and a gas is also made to flow in an outward radial direction along a bottom surface of the molded disc substrate while the molded disc substrate is rotating, and the rotation is stopped after the molded disc substrate has solidified. Thus, a disc substrate with little warping is obtained in a short time.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses, in part, a method and apparatus for lens casting in which two molds, preferably formed of plastic, are interconnected or joined together via a ring to form a mold cavity having substantially the same dimensions of the lens to be formed therein. The invention is further directed to compositions and methods used in lens casting. In a first implementation the invention includes a mold having a ring having an interior periphery; a front mold formed of a plastic and having a lens-forming surface, an edge circumscribing the lens-forming surface that is sized to be complementarily received within a portion of the interior periphery of the ring, and a base having dimensions greater than the interior periphery; and a rear mold formed of a plastic and having a lens-forming surface.

Abstract: There are provided a thin wire grid polarizer having a high transmittance, a high quenching ratio and a high degree of polarization, and a method for producing the same at low costs. A fluoridated polyimide thin film 12, a hydrophilic thin film 13 and a hydrophobic thin film 14 are sequentially stacked on a glass substrate 11 to be pressed by a die 1 from the side of the hydrophobic thin film 14 to transfer the fine pattern of groove forming protrusions 3 of the die 1 to the hydrophobic thin film 14 and hydrophilic thin film 13 by the nano-imprinted lithography technique, and then, metal fine wires are caused to grow by plating.

Abstract: A method for bending a perimeter light and a perimeter light for illuminating curved surfaces. One embodiment of a bending method according to the present invention comprises heating a perimeter light to make it pliable. A radius tool is then provided having a curved surface with a shape and radius for the desired bend in the perimeter light. The heated perimeter light is mounted to the radius tool curved surface. The perimeter light is then cooled and removed from the radius tool.

Abstract: The production method for an optical fiber connector includes the steps of: injecting and hardening a first resin (26) into a resin-injection portion (29) of a connector body (22), the first resin (26) being a light hardening resin or a heat hardening resin; forming a pre-lens by further injecting a second resin (27) on the hardened first resin (26), the second resin (27) being the light hardening resin or the heat hardening resin; and forming a lens by hardening the second resin (27). In this way, it is possible to provide a production method for an optical lens by which influences by volume shrinkage of a resin are decreased, a lens surface can be formed with high accuracy and the product can be made with high quality.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing hybrid contact lenses using a mold are provided. The methods include pouring liquefied resin of a substantially rigid material within an inner section, curing the substantially rigid material, pouring liquefied resin of a substantially flexible material within an outer section and curing the substantially flexible material. In some embodiments, a wall disposed between the rigid and flexible materials is angled and/or bent to increase bonding strength between the rigid and flexible sections. The curing steps involve the application of heat, UV light, or a combination of both heat and UV light.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for moulding a lens, between a first mould (2) and a second mould (6) which consists in: machining at least one of the moulds (2) into the shape of the lens to be obtained, before moulding. The invention enables to obtain finer lenses, while limiting the required amount of hardenable material for making the lens.

Abstract: A process for making an optical film includes stretching a polyolefin film in a first direction and stretching the polyolefin film in a second direction different than the first direction forming a biaxially stretched polyolefin film. At least a portion of the stretching of the polyolefin film in the second direction occurs simultaneous with the stretching of the polyolefin film in the first direction. The biaxially stretched polyolefin film has a length and a width and substantially non-absorbing and non-scattering for at least one polarization state of visible light. The biaxially stretched polyolefin film has x, y, and z orthogonal indices of refraction where at least two of the orthogonal indices of refraction are not equal, an in-plane retardance being 100 nm or less and an out-of-plane retardance being 50 nm or greater.

Abstract: An apparatus and method is disclosed for repairing and removing scratches from an optically-read disc, e. g., compact discs (often called “CD's” or “DVD's” such that when refurbished, an optical reader, which uses a laser to read digital information stored on the disc, can read the digital information on the disc without the optical distortion caused by a scratch and like surface imperfection.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are presented for manufacturing transparent mirrored spheroidal mini-balls for solar energy and related applications such as optical switches. For these applications it is imperative to provide accurate specular reflection from the mirror. Various means are described for maintaining the desired mirror flatness and avoiding warping, buckling, etc. of the mirror surface during manufacture. The mini-balls are in the size range of 4 microns (4×10?6 m) to 10 centimeters (10?1 m), and are transparent in at least one hemisphere. They preferably have a reflecting mid-plane mirror, though they can also be mirrored on a flat top of the ball.

Abstract: The method of making an optical lens in accordance with the present invention comprises an optical lens preform producing step of producing an optical lens preform 40 having a plurality of curved surface parts 43 formed parallel to each other, and a pair of flanges 48 formed on both sides of the plurality of curved surface parts 43; a drawing step of drawing the optical lens preform 40; and an optical lens producing step of producing an optical lens 1 by cutting the drawn optical lens preform 40; wherein the plurality of curved surface parts 43 of the optical lens preform 40 drawn by the drawing step function as an optically effective part. In such a method, the form of the optically effective part can be determined in the stage of the preform before drawing, whereby the optically effective part can be processed in a sufficiently large size.

Abstract: An anti-reflection film comprises a transparent support and a low refractive index coating layer. The low refractive index coating layer has a refractive index lower than a refractive index of the support. The low refractive index coating layer has an essentially uniform thickness, while the layer has a surface roughness in terms of an arithmetic mean (Ra) in the range of 0.05 to 2 ?m.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a large double-sided curved Fresnel lens. The method includes a machining step (A) of performing ultra-precise three-dimensional machining on an upper mold and a lower mold to each have an upper transfer surface and a lower transfer surface engaging an upper surface and a lower surface of a thermoplastic resin plate, respectively. Further, the method includes a hot press molding step (B) of pressing the thermoplastic resin plate between the upper and lower molds by a predetermined pressure with the resin plate being held at a temperature higher than a softening temperature thereof and lower than a melting temperature thereof so that the thermoplastic resin plate is curved, and both lens surfaces for the double-sided Fresnel lens are respectively transferred to an upper surface and a lower surface of the thermoplastic resin plate.

Abstract: A polarizer comprising polyvinyl alcohol based films stretched at high stretching ratios stably manufactured: a method for manufacturing including a stretching processing process, a dyeing treatment process, and a boron compounds treatment process to a polyvinyl alcohol film, wherein the stretching processing is performed at least twice so that a total stretching ratio may become 5.5 times or more, and in a second stretching processing or later, wet stretching processing having stretching ratios of 1.2 times or more is performed applying a peripheral velocity difference between a first pinch roll and a second pinch roll, and in the wet stretching processing, a film conveyed out from the first pinch roll is passed on a first guide roll so as to make a holding angle (A) of 120 through 175° on a first guide roll to which the film first contacts.

Abstract: The invention relates to new thermoplastically processible transparent polyamide molding materials based on copolyamides containing diamines and dicarboxylic acids with aromatic cores which exhibit a high index of refraction nD20 over 1.59 and a low density under 1.3 g/cm3. At the same time, a low birefringence, high hardness, and scratchresistance are achieved. The polyamide molding materials are fabricated by means of conventional pressure reactors (autoclaves) according to a modified technique. The granulate that is produced from the inventive molding materials is reshaped by thermoplastic processes like injection molding, particularly in multichamber cavity tools. The invention also relates to the utilization of the inventive molding materials for producing optical lenses.

Abstract: A lens has at least one insert (16, 28), which defines an optical path. For manufacturing the lens, the insert is first bonded to an overmould (36). A polymer (44) is then moulded in a mould (42, 36) formed on one of its faces from the overmould. After moulding, the overmould may be preserved and form part of the lens, if necessary after surface grinding. The overmould may also be separated from the lens; in this case, the lens is machined, removing at least part of the inserts. The lens obtained has an insert in a reproducible position, with an entrance or exit surface inducing no optical distortion.

Abstract: This patent discloses methods for modifying cube corner retroreflective patterns by stretching a cube corner retroreflector. Stretching may either permanent through inelastic stretching usually under heat or elastic stretching using a controlled stretching mechanism.

Abstract: To provide a manufacturing method for an optical pickup in which a movable member carrying an objective lens is supported by a fixed member through a pair of elastic support member groups, which are each made up of a plurality of parallel elastic support members, so as to be movable in focusing and tracking directions. In a suspension unit forming step, two holding members are formed from a synthetic resin by insert molding at different positions of each elastic support member group in a lengthwise direction of the elastic support members, thereby forming a pair of suspension units. In a connecting step, the pair of suspension units are opposed with an arrangement direction of the elastic support members being substantially the same as the focusing direction, and one holding member of each suspension unit is connected to the movable member and the other holding member to the fixed member.

Abstract: Disclosed are a colored contact lens and a method for manufacturing thereof, which forms a lens body by supplying a lens material onto a lower mold, molding a lens body with an upper mold and forms a cut portion and an optical portion by cutting off an upper surface of the lens body, and then forms a lens cover by forming an iris-colored part through printing on the cut portion and then supplying the lens material again onto the lens body, thus enabling mass production of the colored contact lens which does not cause any discomfort.

Abstract: The invention provides an optical filter comprising: a. an organic, solar blind filter dye; and b. a UV-transparent, non-scattering and chemically stable substrate. The substrate may be a UV-transparent nanoporous silica glass solid having pores that are substantially filled with a UV-transparent solvent, which has been selected to dissolve said dye and also to match the refractive index of the nanoporous silica glass solid. Alternatively, the substrate may be a UV-transparent inorganic salt compressed to form a solid body. The invention also provides for methods of making these embodiments and an optical device comprising such an optical filter. The filter provides an efficient solar blind filter that is chemically and dimensionally stable.

Abstract: A micro-shape transcription method has preparing a mold having a transcription face on which a concavo-convex pattern is formed, pressing the transcription face against a base material softened by heating, then forcibly separating the mold from the base material to transcribe a reverse pattern of the concavo-convex pattern to the surface of the base material, wherein when assuming a temperature for pressing the mold against the base material as T1 (° C.), a temperature for separating the mold from the base material as T2 (° C.), thermal expansion coefficients of the mold and the base material as ?a and ?b, and the maximum distance between the transcription center of the transcription face and the concavo-convex pattern as d (mm), the following relations (1) and (2): T1?T2 ??(1) |?a??b|·(T1?T2)·d?4×10?2 ??(2) are simultaneously satisfied.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a front-end optical component of an endoscope realizing resistance to humidity. In the method of manufacturing a front-end optical component in which a lens is mounted on the front end of a metallic lens-barrel provided on the front end of the inserting portion of an endoscope, the configuration is made such that a lens raw material is placed on the front-end side in the lens-barrel, the lens raw material is press-formed in a heat-softened state with a pair of upper and lower shaping dies, thereby tightly joining the outer edge of the pressed lens raw material to the inner peripheral surface of the lens-barrel.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical lens or glass with an identification and/or marking on the front and/or rear surface. The inventive lens or glass with an identification and/or marking on the front and/or back surface is characterized by an identification and/or marking which consists of a plurality of elements, each element causing a spectral dispersion of the incident light and reflected light.

Abstract: The method of making an optical lens in accordance with the present invention comprises an optical lens preform producing step of producing an optical lens preform 40 having a plurality of curved surface parts 43 formed parallel to each other, and a pair of flanges 48 formed on both sides of the plurality of curved surface parts 43; a drawing step of drawing the optical lens preform 40; and an optical lens producing step of producing an optical lens 1 by cutting the drawn optical lens preform 40; wherein the plurality of curved surface parts 43 of the optical lens preform 40 drawn by the drawing step function as an optically effective part. In such a method, the form of the optically effective part can be determined in the stage of the preform before drawing, whereby the optically effective part can be processed in a sufficiently large size.

Abstract: Transparent polyamide molding materials are provided which are characterized in that they have a melting enthalpy between 0 and 12 J/g and the polyamides are constituted of 100 mole-% of a diamine mixture having 10-70 mole-% of PACM [bis-(4-amino-cyclohexyl)-methane] with less than 50 wt.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of shaping optical storage devices (OSD) by placing an OSD between a die set having a male die and female die corresponding to a desired shape and advancing and retracting the die set so as to die-cut the OSD to the desired shape to form a shaped OSD, the shaped OSD products formed therefrom and the die set.

Abstract: A metal ring for an optical element that is served to cover a peripheral side surface of a lens and served to fix the lens to a mounting member by means of soldering is provided with a thin-wall sleeve a diameter of which is expanded toward a peripheral direction by means of pressure received from an optical material disposed inside the metal ring to thereby obtain a final peripheral side surface size, a thin-wall portion having an inside periphery near an extension of an inside peripheral surface of the thin-wall sleeve on one of apertures of the thin-wall sleeve, and a holding portion comprising a flange that projects from an edge of the aperture toward the aperture. A metal ring for an optical element, a method for fabrication of the optical element having the metal ring, and an optical element having a metal ring of the invention employ the abovementioned metal ring.

Abstract: A method of aligning a liquid crystal compound comprising a stretching treatment or rubbing treatment which allows the liquid crystal compound to be aligned in a direction different from the stretching direction or the rubbing direction is provided. A method of aligning a liquid crystal compound characterized in that the method comprises subjecting a polymeric film having hydroxyl groups to a) a stretching treatment and an esterifying treatment, or b) an esterifying treatment followed by a rubbing treatment; and then forming a layer of the liquid crystal compound on the film, so that the liquid crystal compound is aligned in a direction different from the stretching direction in case of a), or the liquid crystal compound is aligned in a direction almost perpendicular to the surface of the rubbed film in case of b).

Abstract: A method of making a colored contact lens comprises printing at least one layer of a colorant onto contact lens using a printing process selected from the group consisting of ink jet printing, electrophotographic printing, thermal transfer printing, and photographic development printing. Printing can be done directly on the contac lens, on a film in a mold where the contact lens is formed, or on a cliché pad. Multiple layers of colorants can be printed onto a contact lens.

Abstract: A cutting method for cutting an optical lens and/or a molding die therefor includes rotating the optical lens and/or the molding die about the optical axis, moving a cutting blade in a direction perpendicular to an optical axis to cut the optical lens and the molding die, and varying the feed pitch of the cutting blade in the direction perpendicular to the optical axis in accordance with the position of the optical lens and/or the molding die in the radial direction.

Abstract: The mold comprises two dies mounted in a sheath to slide along the axis of the sheath and each presenting a forming face facing the other. The two dies and the sheath are provided with intrinsic heat transfer means. A parison or preform of said thermoplastic material is placed between the two dies and the assembly is enclosed in the sheath; the dies and the sheath are heated by their intrinsic heat transfer means up to a forming temperature; The dies are moved towards each other to shape the material by plastic deformation until a predetermined relative position is reached corresponding to the thickness desired for the lens; the dies and the sheath are cooled by their intrinsic heat transfer means down to an unmolding temperature; and the finished lens is extracted from the mold.

Abstract: Aqueous dispersion comprising silicon/titanium mixed oxide powder with a BET surface area of 5 to 500 m2/g which has been prepared by flame hydrolysis and has a titanium dioxide content of 0.5 to 20 wt. %, based on the powder, water and at least one pH-regulating substance which can be removed completely from the reaction mixture on heating, the aqueous dispersion having a solids content of between 40 and 80 wt. %. A green body produced therefrom with a green density of between 40 and 85%. A shaped glass article of optical quality with a coefficient of thermal expansion of not more than 0.5×10?6/K produced from the green body.

Abstract: An apparatus for the automated profiling the edge of successive optical disks, and including an optical disk supply assembly for holding a supply of optical disks to be profiled, a turntable for receiving an optical disk to be profiled, and for reciprocating between an optical disk loading position and an optical disk profiling position. A clamping assembly is provided for clamping the optical disk in a stationary condition to the turntable during movement between the loading position and the profiling position. A profiling cutter profiles the edge of the optical disk into a predefined shape when the turntable is in the profiling position.

Abstract: A film made of a vinylidene-trifluoroethylene or tetrafluoroethylene copolymer is uniaxially drawn to fabricate a uniaxially drawn film. Then, the uniaxially drawn film is thermally treated at a temperature within a temperature range of the Curie temperature through the melting point of the vinylidene-trifluoroethylene or tetrafluoroethylene copolymer for five hours or over, to diffuse the molecular chains of the uniaxially drawn film along the orientation direction and thus, to remove the intertwining between the molecular chains.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polarizing film having a high polarization degree and high transmittance, a process for producing the polarizing film, and a polarizing plate using the polarizing film, and an optical member. In the process for producing the polarizing film, a polyvinyl alcohol-based film is dry-stretched uniaxially, relaxed in an aqueous solution containing iodine or a dichroic dyestuff, and further stretched in an aqueous solution containing a PVA crosslinking agent. It is preferable that the polyvinyl alcohol-based film has a dry-stretch ratio of at least 2, the film after relaxation has a stretch ratio of at least 1.02, and the total stretch ratio is at most 6.5. It is also preferable that the relaxation rate is at most 10% of the dry-stretch ratio.

Abstract: Undesired and unforeseeable shrinkage may occur in a tube of plastic material containing optical fibres following its manufacture, especially during storage when the tube is wound on a reel. As a result, there may be uncontrollable variations of the ratio between length of the tube and length of the optical fibre contained therein (“excess fibre variation”). A method and equipment for limiting the excess fibre variations in a plastic tube, by stretching the tube by a predefined amount during manufacturing are described. The present invention also relates to a plastic tube subjected to a predefined stretching, a cable made of such a tube and the equipment suitable for manufacturing such a tube.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to enable to use a common transfer machine for transferring performs to and for transferring products from a press-forming system for glass having a plurality of press units. The press-forming system for glass has a plurality of press units. A linear moving stage is arranged in the proximity of the press units. A transfer robot is mounted on the linear moving stage. A pallet changer is arranged in the proximity of an end of the linear moving stage. A tray presently in use is mounted on a first mount and a new tray on standby is mounted on a second mount on the pallet changer. The inner space of the tray is partitioned into sections so as to correspond to press units in number. In each section, a plurality of pockets is arranged for storing preforms or products one by one.

Abstract: The invention is concerned with the problem that with known plastic casting moulds, especially those of polypropylene, the lenses produced with these moulds have a slippery surface. The invention solves this problem through the use of polymers which are notable for their very low oxygen permeability.

Abstract: A light guiding plate is manufactured with accuracy and at low cost. This invention comprises a cylindrical roller, which has a heater built-in, rotating while fixing a stamper having a dot pattern formed on its surface, substrate fixing means for reciprocating along a lower portion of the cylindrical roller in accordance with rotation of the cylindrical roller as fixing a resin substrate, and pressing means for pressing the stamper, which is fixed to the cylindrical roller, onto a surface of the resin substrate, which is fixed to the substrate fixing means, with a constant pressure.

Abstract: An improved method is disclosed, for forming a wafer into a complex, curved shape, for use in an optical part. The method includes a step of moving the wafer into contact with a molding surface having a predetermined non-cylindrical, aspheric curved shape, to form the wafer into a corresponding shape. The step of moving is sufficient, by itself, to form the wafer into the desired non-cylindrical, aspheric curved shape, without the need for additional forming steps.

Abstract: An enhanced K-type polarizer includes a molecularly oriented sheet of polyvinylalcohol/polyvinylene block copolymer material having polyvinylene blocks formed by molecular dehydration of a sheet of polyvinylalcohol wherein the molecularly oriented sheet comprises light-polarizing molecules of polyvinylalcohol/polyvinylene block copolymer material varying in length, n, of conjugated repeating vinylene unit of the polyvinylene block, wherein an absorption concentration of each of the polyvinylene blocks in the range of n=19 to 25 is not less than approximately 65% of the absorption concentration of any of the polyvinylene blocks in the range of n=14 or 15, wherein the absorption concentration is determined by absorption of wavelengths from about 200 nm to about 700 nm by the polyvinylene blocks, and wherein the molecularly oriented sheet exhibits a photopic dichroic ratio, RD, of at least approximately 75.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of a cellulose ester film satisfying the relationships, Nx>Ny>Nz, and 0.8≦Rt/R0≦3.5, the method comprising casting a cellulose ester dope containing a solvent of a good solvent and a poor solvent on a support to form a web; peeling the web from the support; transporting the peeled web (step D0); holding the edges in the transverse direction of the web (step A); stretching the resulting web in the transverse direction while applying a tension; reducing the tension in the transverse direction of the web; and drying the stretched web, wherein the residual solvent content of the web is 5 to 90% by weight at the beginning in the step A, and the residual poor solvent content in the residual solvent content of the web is from 15 to 95% by weight at the terminal point in the Step D0.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses are provided for the manufacture of coextruded polymeric multilayer optical films. The multilayer optical films have an ordered arrangement of layers of two or more materials having particular layer thicknesses and a prescribed layer thickness gradient throughout the multilayer optical stack. The methods and apparatuses described allow improved control over individual layer thicknesses, layer thickness gradients, indices of refraction, interlayer adhesion, and surface characteristics of the optical films. The methods and apparatuses described are useful for making interference polarizers, mirrors, and colored films that are optically effective over diverse portions of the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectra.

Abstract: A film of a plastic material fusible with a lens-forming material and having a high light transmissivity is bonded and laminated, with an adhesive, to a polarizing sheet having a polarization coefficient of 99.0% or higher and a light transmissivity of 40% or higher. The resultant laminate is hot-pressed into a shape similar to an aimed lens. The hot-pressed laminate is placed in a lens forming mold cavity, and a lens-forming resin which has been colored or of which light transmissivity has been adjusted to a desired transmissivity is injected into the cavity to thereby form a polarized lens.

Abstract: An optical substrate is provided with a surface of a desired shape by coating the surface with a thin layer of an optical glass and subsequently modifying the shape of the external surface of the layer. In preferred embodiments, the temperature of the substrate is maintained at substantially less than 400° C., the substrate is an optical component other than a simple window, and the refractive index o the optical glass is within 20% of the refractive index of the material providing the surface to be coated. One particular use is when both the substrate (e.g. a non-linear optical layer) and the optical glass are optically transmissive in the near infra-red and/or mid infra-red ranges. The glass layer can compensate for physical imperfections in the surface. It can be polished to optical quality, or provide with detail across the coated surface, e.g. as a “moth-eye” anti-reflection layer, or a diffractive or interference structure.

Abstract: A resin composition having excellent heat resistance and dynamic characteristic and having excellent characteristics as a composition for optical films exhibiting negative birefringence, an optical film exhibiting negative birefringence comprising the resin composition, and a process of producing the optical film are provided. The resin composition comprises (a) 30-95% by weight of a copolymer containing an &agr;-olefin residual group unit and an N-phenyl-substituted maleimide residual group unit and having a weight average molecular weight, as reduced into standard polystyrene, of 5×103 to 5×106; and (b) 70-5% by weight of an acrylonitrile-styrene based copolymer, a weight ratio of an acrylonitrile residual group unit to a styrene residual group unit being 20/80 to 35/65, and having a weight average molecular weight, as reduced into standard polystyrene, of 5×103 to 5×106.

Abstract: A device is disclosed for edge-machining in particular plastic spectacle lenses (L) with two aligned holding shafts (14, 16) rotatable with a controlled angle of rotation (&PHgr;B) about a rotational axis of a workpiece (B) between which the lens may be clamped and a tool spindle (12) by means of which a combination tool (10) may be driven rotationally about a rotational axis of a tool (C) running parallel to the rotational axis of the workpiece. The holding shafts and the tool spindle may be moved with position control towards each other in a first axial direction (X) and optionally parallel to each other in a second axial direction (Z) perpendicular to the first axial direction.

Abstract: Methods of making optical films having continuous phase/disperse phase morphology are disclosed which can control the nature of the disperse phase in such films to yield enhanced optical properties. When used in liquid crystal displays and the like, the films can increase the screen luminance beyond that achievable with known continuous phase/disperse phase optical films.

Abstract: A continuous process for imparting a striking glittering or sparkling appearance to a roll of initially non-glittering cube corner sheeting includes exposing the sheeting to a combination of heat and pressure. The process includes passing the sheeting through an extended heated zone and applying pressure to the sheeting after it has been heated. At least one belt is employed to support or carry the sheeting as the sheeting is passed through the heated zone and as the pressure is applied. In one embodiment the sheeting is sandwiched between a pair of endless belts that pass through the extended heated zone, the nip, and a cooling zone downweb of the nip. The process is particularly advantageous for converting rolls of non-glittering cube corner sheeting into rolls of glittering cube corner sheeting.