Abstract: The present disclosure generally relates to methods for additive manufacturing (AM) that utilize rail support structures in the process of building objects, as well as novel rail support structures to be used within these AM processes. The rail support structures include a plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls, each wall extending substantially parallel to a direction from the first side to the second side. Adjacent walls of the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls are separated by a portion of unfused powder. An object is formed above the plurality of substantially parallel vertical walls.

Abstract: Systems and methods for electrospinning of core-sheath fibers are provided. The systems and methods achieve optimization of a shear stress that exists at a fluid boundary between core and sheath polymer solutions, by varying certain parameters of an electrospinning apparatus and/or the solutions used therewith.

Abstract: A method for correcting the conicity of a tread strip is described. The method includes the steps of extruding a tread profile having a right hand side, a left hand side and a chimney; measuring the thickness of the tread profile at the right hand side and the left hand side; calculating the mass of the tread on the left hand side and the right hand side; and adjusting the location of the chimney incrementally towards the side which is least in mass.

Abstract: Methods and systems are provided for using optical interferometry in the context of material modification processes such as surgical laser or welding applications. An imaging optical source that produces imaging light. A feedback controller controls at least one processing parameter of the material modification process based on an interferometry output generated using the imaging light. A method of processing interferograms is provided based on homodyne filtering. A method of generating a record of a material modification process using an interferometry output is provided.

Abstract: An additive manufacturing system that retains a print head for printing a three-dimensional part in a layer-by-layer manner using an additive manufacturing technique, where the retained print head is configured to receive a consumable material, melt the consumable material, and extrude the molten material. The system also includes a velocimetry assembly configured to determine flow rates of the molten material, and a controller assembly configured to manage the extrusion of the molten material from the print head, and to receive signals from the velocimetry assembly relating to the determined flow rates.

Abstract: An optical molding apparatus molds an optically molded product by stacking cured layers. Each cured layer is formed by emitting light according to cross-sectional-shape data of the optically molded product onto a surface of photo-curable resin. The optical molding apparatus includes an exposing unit and an exposure control unit. The exposing unit performs exposure on the photo-curable resin for each of small work areas that are defined by dividing an overall work area, which is where an optical molding operation is performed, into a plurality of areas. The exposure control unit controls an exposure condition of the exposing unit for each of the small work areas and allows the exposure to be performed collectively on multiple layers' worth of the photo-curable resin in a predetermined one of the small work areas.

Abstract: The present invention uses a high-gain observer which contains the discrete-time arithmetic expressions derived from a mathematical model of an injection and pressure application mechanism in an electric-motor driven injection molding machine consisting of state equations and outputs an estimate of injection pressure, which is one of the state variables of the above state equations, by using a screw position signal and a servomotor current demand signal or actual motor current signal as inputs. The high-gain observer obtains the exact injection pressure estimate with very small time-lag without using a pressure detector. Thus the estimate of injection pressure fed by the high-gain observer can be adopted as a feedback signal of actual injection pressure for controlling injection pressure.

Abstract: Provided is a nanofiber manufacturing apparatus including an effusing body (115) having an effusing hole (118) which allows the solution (300) to effuse in a given direction, a charging electrode (128) which is conductive and is disposed at a given distance from the effusing body (115), a charging power supply (122) configured to apply a given voltage between the effusing body (115) and the charging electrode (128), and a determining unit (102) configured to determine a flight path of the solution (300) and the nanofibers such that a length of the flight path C is longer than a shortest path length B which is a length of a shortest imaginary path connecting an end opening (119) of the effusing hole (118) and an accumulation part A on which the nanofibers (301) are accumulated.

Abstract: A microencapsulation apparatus is provided which is configured to form co-axial multi-lamellar microcapsules from materials discharged from first and second microsphere dispensers of the apparatus. A method of fabricating and processing microcapsules is also provided which includes forming distinct droplets comprising one or more materials and introducing the droplets directly into a solution bath to form a membrane around the droplets such that a plurality of microcapsules are formed. A microencapsulation system is provided which includes a microcapsule production unit, a fluidized passage for washing and harvesting microcapsules dispensed from the microcapsule production unit and a flow sensor for sizing and counting the microcapsules. In some embodiments, the microencapsulation system may further include a controller configured to simultaneously operate the microcapsule production unit, fluidized passage and flow sensor to process the microcapsules in a continuous manner.

Abstract: This invention discloses the use of one or three cameras equipped with a charge coupled device (CCD) sensor and of laser detectors for characterizing respectively in two or three dimensions, the behavior of an extrudate at the exit of a die, said CCD camera(s) being synchronized with a flash by the laser detectors.

Abstract: A transparent imprint template mold is configured with gratings surrounding the active imprint area. The gratings are fabricated at the same time as the active area and thus accurately define the active area with respect to the gratings. The substrate is positioned in tool coordinates under the template mold. A sensor system generates a beam of optical energy and receives reflected energy only at a specific angular window and is used to locate the template mold. The sensor system is scanned to locate the substrate and the gratings in tool coordinates. In this manner, the relative position of the template mold is determined with respect to the substrate in tool coordinates. The substrate is then accurately positioned with respect to the template mold. The system may be used to track imprinted pattern position relative to the substrate and to determine concentricity of patterns to substrates.

Abstract: An apparatus for formation of a three dimensional object comprising a sealed container; an electron beam subsystem capable of directing energy within said container; a positioning subsystem contained within said container; a wire feed subsystem contained within said container; an instrumentation subsystem electronically connected to said electron beam subsystem, positioning subsystem, and wire feed subsystem; and a power distribution subsystem electrically connected to said electron beam subsystem, positioning subsystem, wire feed subsystem, and said instrumentation subsystem.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling the diameter of a clear extruded molten tube wherein the extruded tube contains a volume of a clear liquid and the level of the liquid is indicative of the tube diameter so the level rises as the tube diameter decreases. A light beam passing through the tube is refracted from a straight line path when the liquid level rises above the level of the beam. The refracting of the beam in turn triggers the introduction of air into the extruded tube to increase the diameter of the extruded, molten tube.

Abstract: A drawing system in which a thickness and degree of orientation of an oriented film or the like is maintained in a uniform manner under a condition of a high speed, shortened is a time required from a time when a molding material is charged in an extruder and drawing started until a time when a film is taken up on a take-up apparatus, and a high quality film or the like is produced at a high speed and besides, a probability for a not-oriented or oriented film or the like to be broken down during drawing is reduced. A thickness and degree of orientation of a film are independently measured in thickness gauges and a film orientation measuring apparatus in a continuous manner after longitudinal drawing or lateral drawing and measured values are input to a computer.

Abstract: The subject of the invention is a device for manufacturing a composite yarn formed by the combination of continuous glass filaments and continuous filaments of a thermoplastic organic substance, comprising, on the one hand, at least one bushing which is fed with glass, the lower face of which is provided with a multiplicity of orifices from which a multiplicity of glass filaments is drawn, and is associated with a coating device and, on the other hand, at least one extrusion head fed with a molten thermoplastic organic substance, the lower face of which is provided with a multiplicity of orifices from which a multiplicity of organic filaments is drawn, the said head being associated with a drawing device comprising at least two drums and with a venturi device which projects the organic filaments into the sheet formed by the glass filaments, and means, common to the bushing and to the extrusion head, which enable the composite yarn to be assembled and drawn, for example by a winding device such as a bobbin win

Abstract: A method for producing a conductive polymeric composition exhibiting PTC behavior. The method includes the steps of: providing a quantity of polymer component having a melting point temperature T.sub.mp, and a quantity of conductive filler component; mixing the quantity of polymer component and the quantity of conductive filler component in a receiving unit at a temperature greater than T.sub.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the selective heat-induced deposition of solid material from gas-phase or super-critical fluids to produce three-dimensional parts by pyrolysis of the fluids. The apparatus involves computer/feedback control of the evolving shape by direct monitoring of the volumetric deposition rate or growth profile, and modifying light beam focal properties, the position and orientation of the deposit relative to the beam foci, and/or the pressure and flow of reactants to the growth zone. The precursor gases may be pressurized and heated to the critical point or beyond, becoming super-critical fluids, without condensation. Growth occurs by diffusion of reactants to the growth zone through a boundary layer over the deposit. One method of growth includes directing a large-area impinging jet of precursor fluid(s) onto a deposit interface, while limiting the reaction zone to a smaller area determined solely by size of the heated zone (through use of a radiant beam, e.g.).

Abstract: The height of the bulge in the glazing roll gap of a supercalender in the extrusion of plates or films of a thermoplastic material smoothed on both sides may be controlled by measuring the location of the edges of the plastic sheet by means of measuring sensors and regulating the speed of the roll or the rate of extrusion of the polymer melt based on the width of the sheet so that the height of the bulge is always kept within tight tolerances.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for extruding thermoplastic tubing of reduced eccentricity, in which tubing is extruded into a vacuum calibration box containing a cooling fluid and a sizing collar. An ultrasonic device for measuring wall thicknesses around the periphery of the tubing is located downstream of the sizing collar. The wall measurements are used to determine a critical parameter, and if this critical parameter is outside of a predetermined range, the vacuum calibration box is moved in the direction of greater wall thickness. After a delay which allows the product of the correction to reach the ultrasonic device, the box is again moved if necessary, until the critical parameter is within the predetermined range.