A plant for the production of slabs from a mixture of agglomerate comprises a station (50) with a mixture distribution unit (52) which pours the mixture onto the inner surface of a slab forming mould (11) present in the station. The mould (11) is provided with a sheet (15) of plastic protective material arranged above the inner surface of the mould and which forms the surface for contact with the mixture which is introduced into the mould by the distribution unit (52). The station comprises air suction means which are coupled/connected to suction ducts (54) which are present in the mould and which emerge with their front end inside the mould in a zone of the mould situated between the inner surface of the mould and the sheet (15), so as to allow the suction of air between the sheet and this inner surface and bring the sheet (15) against this surface by means of a vacuum. A method for the production of slabs is also described.

A composite substrate includes a supporting substrate and a functional substrate that are directly joined together, the supporting substrate being a sintered sialon body.

A composite substrate includes a supporting substrate and a functional substrate that are directly joined together, the supporting substrate being a sintered sialon body.

One illustrative device disclosed herein includes a package and a plurality of individual sections of a moldable material positioned within the package, wherein the plurality of individual sections of the moldable material are adapted to be deformed into a substantially contiguous seal between a first structure and a second structure and wherein the number of the individual sections of the moldable material within the package is selected so as to provide the necessary quantity of the plurality of individual sections of the moldable material so as to form the substantially contiguous seal.

A cutting tool for performing cutting operations on a workpiece when the cutting tool is rotated about a central axis by a machine tool, the cutting tool includes a generally cylindrical body disposed about the central axis. The generally cylindrical body includes a first end and an opposite second end. The cutting tool further includes a cutting portion and a mounting portion. The cutting portion is disposed at or about the first end of the generally cylindrical body and includes a number of cutting edges structured to engage the workpiece during cutting operations. The mounting portion is disposed at or about the opposite second end of the generally cylindrical body and is structured to be coupled to the machine tool. At least a portion of the generally cylindrical body comprises a molded portion formed via a molding process about the cutting portion in a manner that couples the cutting portion to the generally cylindrical body.

A method of fabricating a part out of composite material, includes forming a fiber texture from refractory fibers; placing the texture in a mold having an impregnation chamber including in its bottom portion a part made of porous material, the impregnation chamber being closed in its top portion by a deformable impermeable diaphragm separating the impregnation chamber from a compacting chamber; injecting a slip containing a powder of refractory particles into the impregnation chamber; injecting a compression fluid into the compacting chamber, to force the slip to pass through the texture; draining the liquid of the slip via the porous material part, while retaining the powder of refractory particles inside the texture so as to obtain a fiber preform filled with refractory particles; drying the fiber preform; unmolding the preform; and sintering the refractory particles present in the preform in order to form a refractory matrix in the preform.

A press die for producing a clay roof tile, including a first die half and a second die half, which can move between a pressing position, in which they define a receiving space that represents the form of the finished roof tile, and a filling position, in which they are mutually spaced and the receiving space can be filled with a plastically deformable clay material. At least one of the first and the second die half has at least one depression which represents a projecting part of the finished roof tile; a first compression element is provided at the depression, and movable between an initial position, in which it is retracted in relation to the form of the finished roof tile, and a compacting position, in which some sections of the first compression element represent the surface of the finished roof tile.

A method of preparing a ceramic fabric for use in a ceramic matrix composite includes transforming a ceramic tow from a first tow geometry to a second tow geometry, thereby reducing a first dimension of the ceramic tow and increasing a second dimension of the ceramic tow orthogonal to the first dimension to produce a flattened tow. The method includes weaving or braiding the flattened ceramic tow to form a ceramic fabric.

A pressing device for pressing a layer of ceramic material, comprising: a press (10), provided with a lower pad (11), provided with a pressing surface (11a) facing upwards and arranged below the active portion (3) of a first movable belt (2), and an upper pad (12), provided with a pressing surface (12a) facing downwards and arranged above the active portion (3) of the first movable belt (2); a compactor (20), arranged upstream of the press (10), which comprises a lower presser (21), provided with a pressing surface (21a) facing upwards, which is arranged below the active portion (3) of a first movable belt (2), and an upper presser (22), provided with a pressing surface (22a) facing downwards, which is arranged above the active portion (3) of the first movable belt (2). The pressers (21,22) of the compactor (20) can be activated independently of the pads (11,12) of the press (10).

A pressing device for pressing a layer of ceramic material, comprising: a press (10), provided with a lower pad (11), provided with a pressing surface (11a) facing upwards and arranged below the active portion (3) of a first movable belt (2), and an upper pad (12), provided with a pressing surface (12a) facing downwards and arranged above the active portion (3) of the first movable belt (2); a compactor (20), arranged upstream of the press (10), which comprises a lower presser (21), provided with a pressing surface (21a) facing upwards, which is arranged below the active portion (3) of a first movable belt (2), and an upper presser (22), provided with a pressing surface (22a) facing downwards, which is arranged above the active portion (3) of the first movable belt (2). The pressers (21,22) of the compactor (20) can be activated independently of the pads (11,12) of the press (10).