Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for producing 3D shaped parts (300), comprising a plurality of construction field tools (500), which are arranged in a movable manner, and at least one layer unit (800) which is arranged in a movable manner.

Abstract: This disclosure describes devices, systems, and methods related to therapy devices including pumps that are operable in multiple operating modes. An exemplary wound therapy device includes a pump configured to be worn by a user and a controller coupled to the pump and configured to transition the pump from operating in a first operating mode to operating in a second operating mode responsive to a pressure of the wound therapy device satisfying a first pressure threshold. The first operating mode is associated with a first drive voltage that is different from a second drive voltage associated with the second operating mode.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an external cooling system for a molten film tube produced by a blown film tubular extrusion process, comprised of a divergent cooling element with a divergent cooling interface containing a cooling gas deflector spaced adjacent to the molten film tube and providing an expelled cooling gas (i) in a path opposing the flow of the molten film tube toward a first exit gap and (ii) in a path with the flow of the molten film tube toward a second exit gap. A minimum gap between the divergent cooling interface and the molten film tube occurs at the first exit gap and/or the second exit gap. Advantageously, the divergent cooling interface is provided with one or more compound angles to maximize stability and cooling efficiency. Additionally, multiple cooling elements can preferably be arranged in a stackable configuration to achieve higher throughput rates.

Abstract: A method of printing a 3D part with an additive manufacturing system includes printing a first portion of the part and pre-heating the first portion of the part along an upcoming tool path to a temperature at or above a material-specific bonding temperature and below a degradation temperature of the material. Material is extruding material onto the first portion along the pre-heated tool path while the temperature along the part surface remains at or above a material-specific bonding temperature and below the degradation temperature of the material thereby forming a newly extruded road. The method includes cooling the newly extruded road along the pre-heated tool path to remove heat imparted by the preheating step such that a thermally stable temperature is reached, wherein the preheating, extruding and cooling is performed in less than ten seconds.

Abstract: A blow molding device is provided in which a preform is injection-molded. The injection-molded preform is temperature-controlled by a temperature adjusting unit, and the temperature-adjusted preform is blow-molded, wherein the temperature adjusting unit has a multistage structure in which an uppermost stage has the highest temperature structure, and the mold surface temperatures of lower stages and other than the uppermost stage are set to be 10° C. or more lower than the glass transition temperature of the preform.

Abstract: A method of making a needle guard includes providing a mold having a portion defining a volume, the volume being a hollow cylinder with non-uniform walls with a pair of slots therein, the slots being open at one end and closed at the other end, the pair of slots having a major portion of constant width. The walls are thicker at the other end than at the one end. The method includes filling the volume with polymer and releasing a molded part from said mold and cooling a molded part resulting from the filling and releasing such that temperature that the widths of the pair of slots is non-uniform after cooling. The needle guard has upper and lower jaws defining a channel and coming together at a hinge. A winged needle can be inserted between the jaws, with the wings of the winged needle passing through slots between the jaws.

Abstract: Plastic profile extrusion system includes an extrusion die that pre-forms a hot, unfrozen plastic profile shape. Cooled calibration device receives the hot plastic in a longitudinal cavity through the calibration device to conductively cool the plastic as it holds the plastic profile to size and dimensions. For plastic parts with channels, inside corners, or other difficult to cool sections, the calibration device would require a metal ridge to hold the shape of that channel or corner as the heat is conducted from the hot plastic through the metal ridge into the body of the calibration device. This invention replaces metal ridges that hold the shape of the plastic profile during cooling in at least part of the calibration device with fluid cooling passages that communicates with the moving portion of the plastic profile and cooling medium to fill the flow passages to extract heat from the plastic material.

Abstract: The invention relates to a pultrusion method for producing fiber-reinforced plastics, to carrying said method out by computer-assisted simulation and to a suitable underlying thermodynamic model.

Abstract: Systems and processes for thermoforming an article and for preparing an article for thermoforming are disclosed. The system for thermoforming can include one or more heating stations and a cooling station. The system for thermoforming can further include an article movement mechanism that can couple to an article and rotate the article inside a heating chamber, inside a cooling chamber, or both. The system for preparing an article for thermoforming can include a vessel that comprises a port, and a negative pressure generation system coupled to the port. The system for preparing an article for thermoforming can further include a compression material that forms an interior portion for receiving an article. The negative pressure generation system can cause the compression material to expand to allow for insertion of the article into the interior portion of the compression material.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to flexible wax compositions and a method of making the same. Described herein is a wax composition containing about 20 wt % to about 45 wt % monoacylglycerides, about 28 wt % to about 40 wt % diacylglycerides, and about 10 wt % to about 45 wt % acylglyceride polymers, which contain one or more dimerized fatty acid residue and a plurality of glycerol moieties. The flexible wax composition described herein has an average creep stiffness of less than about 30 MPa and can be used in candles, paper coatings, box coatings, fruit coatings, broadsizing for OSB, tire and rubber, polyvinyl chloride piping, crayons, and personal care applications.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing method is provided for building a manufacturing object by building of repeating formation of one of a sintered portion or a fused portion by selectively heating a thinly developed powder material within a working region on the basis of drawing data derived from three-dimensional data of the manufacturing object and further formation of a new thin layer on one of the sintered portion or the fused portion. The additive manufacturing apparatus includes one or more channels connecting the inside and the outside of the region, and introduces a fluid into a crack progressing into the un-fused powder material through the channel after completion of building to forcibly cool one of the sintered portion or the fused portion, and the un-fused powder material.

Abstract: A device for the making of a three-dimensional object by means of layer by layer consolidation of a powderlike construction material by electromagnetic radiation or particle beam has a control unit that controls an irradiation device such that the powder particles of the construction material are bonded together at the sites where the radiation impinges on the construction material. A selective heating device is designed so that any given partial surface of the construction field can be heated before and/or after to a plateau temperature, which is significantly higher than the temperature of at least a portion of the construction field outside the partial surface. The control unit actuates the selective heating device such that the partial surface has a predefined minimum distance from the edge of the construction field.

Abstract: An apparatus (1) for handling and cooling plastic preforms comprising a rotatable handling station (2), provided with a plurality of retaining and cooling pins (3) for preforms and adapted to cooperate with an extraction plate (4) adapted to extract the preforms from an injection mold; an aeraulic circuit (5) connected to said station and comprising an aspiration duct (6) for aspirating air from the inside of the station; a delivery duct (7) for sending air to said station; cooling means (8) arranged along the delivery duct for cooling the air sent to said station; aspiration means (9, 19, 29) connected at least to the aspiration duct and to the delivery duct, and wherein switching means are further provided, to pass from a first circuit configuration, in which there is an air passage from the delivery duct to the inside of the station, to a second circuit configuration in which there is an air passage from the inside of the station to the aspiration duct, whereby, in the first configuration, air is blown by

Abstract: An implantable prosthetic valve includes a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame having three commissure attachment posts and four rows of circumferential struts. The rows include a first row, a second row downstream of the first row, a third row downstream of the second row, and a fourth row downstream of the third row and defining an outflow end of the frame. Each row of circumferential struts includes angled struts arranged in a zig-zag pattern. A leaflet structure includes three leaflets forming three commissures, each commissure being connected to one of the commissure attachment posts only at locations along the commissure attachment posts between a first plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the frame and intersects crowns of the third row of struts and a second plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and intersects crowns of the fourth row of struts.

Abstract: The invention relates to a cooling apparatus and a method for cooling a continuous strip, wherein the cooling apparatus comprises a cooling drum and a guiding device for guiding the strip in a plurality of windings around the cooling drum, wherein the guiding device comprises first and second guiding elements, wherein each one of the first guiding elements forms a set with one of the second guiding elements, wherein the first guiding element of the set receives the strip from a first winding in a first winding direction and directs the strip in a first transition direction towards the second guiding element which receives the strip in a second transition direction and directs the strip into a consecutive winding in a second winding direction, wherein the first transition direction is different from the first winding direction and the second transition direction is different from the second winding direction.

Abstract: An implantable prosthetic valve includes a radially collapsible and expandable annular frame having three commissure attachment posts and four rows of circumferential struts. The rows include a first row, a second row downstream of the first row, a third row downstream of the second row, and a fourth row downstream of the third row and defining an outflow end of the frame. Each row of circumferential struts includes angled struts arranged in a zig-zag pattern. A leaflet structure includes three leaflets forming three commissures, each commissure being connected to one of the commissure attachment posts only at locations along the commissure attachment posts between a first plane that is perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the frame and intersects crowns of the third row of struts and a second plane that is perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and intersects crowns of the fourth row of struts.

Abstract: A polyethylene terephthalate bulked continuous filament is manufactured by steps of melt-spinning, multi-step stretching a polyethylene terephthalate chip and a master batch chip for coloring, passing through a texturing nozzle, cooling, and winding and has an elastic modulus of 1.00E+07 to 5.00E+09 Pa at a temperature range of 10° C. to 200° C., the filament being manufactured by steps of melt-spinning a polyethylene terephthalate chip and a master batch chip for coloring, multi-step stretching, passing through a texturing nozzle, cooling, and winding.

Abstract: A component carrier includes (a) a first stack with at least one first electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one first electrically insulating layer structure; (b) a hole formed within the first stack; and (c) a non-deformable solid body closing a portion of the hole and being spaced with respect to side walls of the hole by a gap. A component carrier assembly includes (a) a component carrier as described above; (b) a second stack having at least one second electrically conductive layer structure and/or at least one second electrically insulating layer structure; and (c) a connection piece connecting the first stack with the second stack. Further described are methods for manufacturing such a component carrier and such a component carrier assembly.

Abstract: Computer-implemented methods and apparatus are provided for predicting/estimating (i) a non-equilibrium viscosity for at least one given time point in a given temperature profile for a given glass composition, (ii) at least one temperature profile that will provide a given non-equilibrium viscosity for a given glass composition, or (iii) at least one glass composition that will provide a given non-equilibrium viscosity for a given time point in a given temperature profile. The methods and apparatus can be used to predict/estimate stress relaxation in a glass article during forming as well as compaction, stress relaxation, and/or thermal sag or thermal creep of a glass article when the article is subjected to one or more post-forming thermal treatments.

Abstract: A web of impregnated fibrous material(s) including N individual tapes of fibrous material(s) stacked and/or joined in relation to one another, in which said N tapes adhere to each other and can overlap at least partially. The tapes of fibrous material(s) include continuous fibers impregnated with at least one thermoplastic polymer, and optionally a chain extender. The web has a surface, in cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the fibers, S, that is substantially equal to the sum of the surface, in cross-section perpendicular to the axis of the fibers, of each initial individual tape, denoted Sth, Sth being equal to N×l×Ep, wherein l represents the average width of a tape and Ep represents the average thickness of a tape, N being between 2 and 2000, and the average thickness of each individual tape being less than or equal to 150 ?m.

Abstract: The present invention aims to provide a method for producing a pellet and an apparatus for producing a pellet, including a conveyor belt that conveys a strand formed by melting a composition containing a thermoplastic resin and an additive and then ejecting the molten composition from a feeder, a liquid-spraying device spraying a liquid toward the strand conveyed, a gas-blowing device blowing a gas toward the strand conveyed, a strand cutter cutting the strand conveyed into a pellet, the liquid-spraying device, the gas-blowing device, and the strand cutter being disposed in this order in the conveying direction of the strand, a measurement device measuring a surface temperature of the strand, the measurement device being disposed upstream of the strand cutter in the conveying direction, and an adjustment mechanism adjusting driving of at least one of the liquid-spraying device and the gas-blowing device in accordance with the surface temperature measured.

Abstract: Described are devices and methods for unpacking a three-dimensional object, manufactured in a swap container by layer-by-layer application and selective solidification of a powdery structural material, from the structural material that surrounds the object and has remained unsolidified, comprising a turning device that rotates the swap container from an upright position into an unloading position for discharging the unsolidified structural material, wherein the turning device comprises a drive unit by which the three-dimensional object is displaceable into a removal position relative to the swap container), following the unpacking of the unsolidified structural material.

Abstract: A hot-stamping method may include a three-dimensional cooling mode in which, when a closed-section product placed in an upper mold and a lower mold that are coupled each other is heat-treated under control of a controller, an external cooling water direct spraying operation of directly spraying cooling water onto an external portion of the closed-section product is performed and, simultaneously, an internal cooling water direct spraying operation of directly spraying cooling water into an internal of the closed-section product is performed.

Abstract: A three-dimensional object printer varies the finish in exposed surfaces of a printed object. The printer includes a controller operatively connected to at least two ejector heads, a leveling device, a curing device, and an actuator that is operatively connected to a member to which the at least two ejector heads, the leveling device, and the curing device are mounted. The controller is configured to detect a next layer to be formed being within a predetermined number of layers before an exposed surface is formed, to modify rendered data for the layers within the predetermined number of layers received from the source of rendered data, and to operate a plurality of ejectors in the at least two ejector heads with reference to the modified rendered data to apply a finish to the exposed surface.

Abstract: An injection molding device (1) for producing plastic parts (2) consisting of one or more material components is provided. The injection molding device (1) comprises an injection mold (3) having a center part (5) that is rotatable about a first axis of rotation (4), which center part is arranged between a first and a second mold half and which can be moved relative to said mold halves in a first direction. The center part (5) has cavities (7) on the lateral surfaces (6). A retaining device (10) is used to retain the center part (5) in the injection molding device (1). A transfer device (16) is arranged laterally next to the center part (5) at least in an open position and is used to transfer plastic parts (2) into a storage means (28).

Abstract: A three dimensional object building device includes a generation unit and a movement controller. The generation unit is configured to generate layer information for each layer of a three-dimensional (3D) object from height information and color information, the height information including information on a three-dimensional position of each pixel of the 3D object, information on a diameter of a dot of build material for the pixel, and information on a gap from an ejection surface of a build unit when the build material for the pixel is to be ejected, the color information indicating a color of each pixel of the 3D object. The movement controller is configured to, when build material for a pixel indicated by the layer information is to be deposited, move the build unit to make a gap correspond to a diameter of a dot for the pixel.

Abstract: A blow film line and a method for operating the same relates to improving the flow rate in conventional blow film lines without compromising the production quality. The inner cooling body shows an air outlet path, with a cooling ring being embodied in a height-adjustable fashion, with a controller positioning the cooling ring in a lower area of the inner cooling body for the start-up of the facility. The cooling ring is positioned in the upper area of the air outlet path of the inner cooling body in order to achieve the steady-state production.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for making a three-dimensional electronic, electromagnetic or electromechanical component/device by: (1) creating one or more layers of a three-dimensional substrate by depositing a substrate material in a layer-by-layer fashion, wherein the substrate includes a plurality of interconnection cavities and component cavities; (2) filling the interconnection cavities with a conductive material; and (3) placing one or more components in the component cavities.

Abstract: A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a first thermoplastic material, and a shell portion of a second thermoplastic material that is compositionally different from the first thermoplastic material, where the consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional object, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament.

Abstract: A method of manufacture of a carbon fiber article comprises providing a preform mold having a region that is shaped to compliment a shape of a preform part that is to be produced the surface being provided with at least one bore or groove that is connected to at least one conduit that passes through the mold to a manifold, laying a sheet of release material onto the surface covering at least some of the plurality of holes, applying reduced pressure to the manifold to cause the sheet to be sucked down onto the mold surface, laying carbon fiber material into the mold on top of the sheet of release material, applying an increase pressure to the manifold to push the preform free from the mold surface, and removing the preform from the mold.

Abstract: A consumable filament for use in an extrusion-based additive manufacturing system, where the consumable filament comprises a core portion of a first thermoplastic material, and a shell portion of a second thermoplastic material that is compositionally different from the first thermoplastic material, where the consumable filament is configured to be melted and extruded to form roads of a plurality of solidified layers of a three-dimensional object, and where the roads at least partially retain cross-sectional profiles corresponding to the core portion and the shell portion of the consumable filament.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method of forming an extruded board includes mixing a resin and a foaming agent, melting the mixed resin and foaming agent to form a uniformly colored extrudate, differentially expanding voids formed from the foaming agent within the uniformly colored extrudate by passing the uniformly colored extrudate through a breaker plate, forming a board with the differentially expanded voids and uniformly colored extrudate, and forming lightened portions on an outermost surface of the formed board.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of a component having an internal cavity is described. The method comprises; defining an external geometry of the component, defining a core geometry of the component; and using an additive layer manufacturing (ALM) method, building the component from a plurality of layers laid on a first plane. The core geometry is advantageously designed to suit manufacture of the component using an ALM method which involves local melting of powder in a powder bed to form the layers, permitting easy removal of excess powder from the internal cavity.

Abstract: Polymer compositions containing a polyoxymethylene base polymer that is compounded with a conductive filler, a polyalkylene glycol, and a metal oxide are disclosed that exhibit electrostatic dissipative (ESD) capabilities while also being resistant to degradation upon exposure to aggressive fuels. For instance, the polymer compositions can have a volume resistivity of from about 1 Ohm-cm to about 200 Ohm-cm and a surface resistivity of about 103 Ohms to about 104 Ohms. Further, the polymer compositions can have a strain at break of from about 15% to about 23%. The polymer compositions can be formed into a shaped or molded article such as a connector, filter housing, baffle, flange, reservoir, port, tube, or pipe, etc. for use in fuel systems where uniform increased conductivity and resistance to aggressive fuels are required.

Abstract: A device and a method for producing a preform having a shoulder and base geometry optimized for subsequent stretch blow molding, since the preform cannot be produced according to the conventional injection-molding method. For this purpose, the preform produced in the injection-molding tool is transferred into a conditioning station and is conditioned and cooled in the shaft while no contact is made with the top of the preform and the preform shoulder on account of a special contour of the conditioning receptacle. Due to the reheating of these preform regions they can be mechanically deformed into a new geometry which is advantageous for the blow molding process and thus their wall thickness can also be influenced. In the subsequent blow molding process the deformed preform has the advantage that the plastic material which is distributed better in the bottle results in considerable material savings and higher quality bottles.

Abstract: A cooling plate assembly for an injection molding machine includes a cooling plate and a cooling fluid conduit system in the cooling plate. The cooling fluid conduit system includes a cooling fluid line extending between a cooling fluid inlet and a cooling fluid outlet. A socket is open to a front face of the cooling plate and intersects the first cooling fluid line. A cooling tube is mounted to the cooling plate, and includes a molded-article-receiving nest for receiving and cooling an injection molded article, a spigot received in the socket and blocking the first cooling fluid line, and a cooling tube conduit adjacent the molded-article-receiving nest. The cooling tube conduit extends between a cooling tube fluid inlet connected to the first cooling fluid line upstream of the socket, and a cooling tube fluid outlet connected to the first cooling fluid line downstream of the socket.

Abstract: A system for fabricating an object includes an extruder for one or more deposition materials. The extruder has at least one nozzle with a nozzle tip that includes an exit orifice and has a width that is equal to or larger than a width of the exit orifice. The system also includes a controller coupled with the extruder, the controller configured to apply a correction factor that has been calculated for a path of the nozzle based on a slope of a surface of an object to be fabricated. The correction factor for a positive slope is different from that for a negative slope. The extruder is configured to cause movement of the nozzle along the path to deposit material on the slope of the surface of the object, and the correction factor removes differences in thickness of the deposited material caused by the slope in relation to the path.

Abstract: A method for producing containers (10) filled with liquid, more particularly drinks containers, wherein plastic preforms are shaped into plastic containers (10) by means of a shaping device (2), these plastic containers are transported to a filling device (4) and are filled with a liquid by means of this filling device, wherein, on their transport path between the shaping device (2) and the filling device (4) the containers (10) are cooled, at least partly, by being charged with a liquid medium. According to the invention the containers are transported, at least during filling, within a clean room (20) which is delimited from an environment by means of a sealing device (62).

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for unpacking a component 11, produced by means of an additive manufacturing process, from a particulate material fill 9 of loose, unconsolidated particulate material, which is arranged together with the component 11 in a construction space 5 and surrounds the component 11. In order to unpack the component 11, the particulate material fill 9 surrounding the component 11 is transferred into a fluidized bed, so that the loose, unconsolidated particulate material is fluidized, and the fluidized, unconsolidated particulate material is drained downward off the construction space 5. In addition, a device for use in the method is described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lighting device for vehicles including at least one diffuser body suitable for receiving light emitted by a light source so as to diffuse the light externally to the body. The diffuser body includes a solid matrix of transparent polymer material which incorporates a plurality of bubbles or cavities, wherein the solid matrix performs the transmission of light within the body by subsequent reflections and wherein the bubbles perform the diffusion of light and the extraction thereof outside the body by subsequent refractions.

Abstract: An insulated wire having a conductor, a foamed insulating layer containing a thermosetting resin having cells, coated directly or indirectly onto the outer periphery of the conductor and an outer insulating layer containing a thermoplastic resin having a melting point of 240° C. or higher when the thermoplastic resin is a crystalline resin or a thermoplastic resin having a glass transition temperature of 240° C. or higher when the thermoplastic resin is a non-crystalline resin; electrical equipment using the insulated wire; and a method of producing the insulated wire, containing a step of forming a foamed insulating layer by applying a varnish for forming the foamed insulating layer on the outer periphery of a conductor, by generating foams during baking and a step of forming an outer insulating layer by extrusion-molding a thermoplastic resin composition for forming the outer insulating layer on the outer periphery of the foamed insulating layer.

Abstract: A method for forming three-dimensional objects is disclosed. The method includes printing building material, layer by layer, to form a three dimensional object by depositing building material in layers onto a printing tray to form a three dimensional object and maintaining the uppermost layers being deposited in a flowable state by a temperature control after layers below the uppermost layers are solidified.

Abstract: A system for pre-stretching a preform utilized in forming a container. The system including an oven, a conveyor system configured for transporting preforms through the oven a blow molding station having at least one mold with interior surfaces defining the shape of the container, and a transfer station configured to transfer a preform from the oven into the blow molding station. The system also includes a stretch rod and an actuator. The stretch rod is movable between retracted and extended positions such that, when in the extended position, the stretch rod is positioned interiorly of the preform and the preform is elongated by the stretch rod to form a pre-stretched preform. The stretch rod is located to form the pre-stretched preform prior to the blowing medium being introduced into the preform in the blow molding station.

Abstract: System and method for producing plastic products from a recycled plastic mix of unidentified, unclean and unsorted mixed plastic waste comprises the thermal and mechanical processing of the recycled plastic waste using continuous extrusion foaming, two-phase cooling, continuous metering of the pulling strength and automatic adjustment of the pulling speed and extrusion speed.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to a UHMWPE film having a tensile strength of at least 2.0 GPa, a tensile energy to break of at least 30 J/g, an Mw of at least 500 000 gram/mole, and a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6. The film may be manufactured via a process which comprises subjecting a starting UHMWPE with a weight average molecular weight of at least 500 000 gram/mole, an elastic shear modulus determined directly after melting at 160° C. of at most 0.9 MPa, and a Mw/Mn ratio of at most 6 to a compacting step and a stretching step under such conditions that at no point during the processing of the polymer its temperature is raised to a value above its melting point. The film may be used as starting material in any applications where high tensile strength and high energy to break are important. Suitable applications include ballistic applications, ropes, cables, nets, fabrics, and protective applications.

Abstract: The present invention provides blowing agent introduction systems and methods for introducing blowing agent into polymeric foam processing systems. The methods may involve introducing one or more doses of blowing agent into polymeric material in an extruder during a plastication period of a molding cycle. Prior to introduction, a dose is confined in an accumulator which, for example, has a volume defined between an inlet valve and an outlet valve. A control system may receive inputs related to system parameters (e.g., pressure of polymeric material in extruder, axial position of screw in barrel, whether screw is rotating, and the like) and based on the inputs coordinates operation of the valves to confine and introduce the blowing agent dose(s). The introduction systems may be used in discontinuous plasticating processes, such as injection molding and blow molding, and can be particularly useful in processes that use precise quantities of blowing agent.

Abstract: Compositions of thermoplastic polyesters containing dispersed nanoparticles of fibrous clay are made by polymerizing the polyester precursors in the presence of exfoliated fibrous clay that has not been organically modified. The compositions have good physical properties and can be melt molded into various articles. Many of these articles may be coated (painted) and are especially useful for appearance parts such as visible exterior automotive body parts.

Abstract: A breathable laminate has a liquid-resistant backing film layer having varied vapor permeability that includes breathable thinned localized regions and thicker non-breathable regions, wherein the film layer is co-extensively directly joined with a liquid- and vapor-permeable nonwoven fabric. The breathable laminate can have unidirectional air permeability. The present invention also relates to disposable apparel and absorbent products which incorporate the breathable laminate, and methods of making the breathable laminate.

Abstract: A manufacturing method of biodegradable net-shaped articles includes: (a) preparing a biodegradable mixture; (b) granulating the mixture into plastic grains; (c) baking the plastic grains in an oven at 60° C. to 70° C. for 3 to 4 hours; (d) melting and extruding the plastic grains by a screw-type extruder so as to obtain a net-shaped preform; and (e) cooling and thereby finalizing the net-shaped preform in a cooling bath at 15° C. to 30° C. so as to obtain the net-shaped article.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a foam having Poisson's ratio which varies across a region of the foam in a gradient distribution from a negative value to a positive value includes the steps of: a) providing an open-cell foam; b) applying a compressive force to a localised region of the foam to collapse the foam in the localised region, whilst leaving other regions of the foam un-collapsed; c) heating the foam to a predetermined temperature whilst continuing to apply the compressive force; and d) subsequently cooling the foam whilst continuing to apply the compressive force. A foam having a first region which exhibits a negative Poisson's ratio, a second region which exhibits a positive Poisson's ratio, and an intermediate region located between the first and second regions and across which the Poisson's ratio of the foam varies in a gradient distribution from a negative value to a positive value.