An imaging table for a mammography apparatus is formed by a planar body and is to be supported in a cantilever state on a body of the mammography apparatus. At least an X-ray irradiation surface in the planar body has at least one of the following configurations (1) and (2): (1) the X-ray irradiation surface is formed by a carbon fiber composite material including a unidirectional carbon fiber composite material containing carbon fibers and a matrix resin, the carbon fibers being aligned in one direction; and (2) the X-ray irradiation surface is formed by a skin material and a resin sheet, the skin material including a carbon fiber composite material containing continuous fibers and a matrix resin, the resin sheet being disposed on an inner layer side from the skin material.

In slot-die coating, shrinkage of a PVA film when heating after the application of a PVA solution onto an anchor layer formed on the outer surface of a preform for a plastic bottle is suppressed. A leveling agent such as a siloxane is added to the PVA solution.

A laminate includes a substrate, a decorative base sheet, a print layer containing an alcohol having a boiling point of 180 degrees C. or higher, and a cross-linked resin. The cross-linked resin is obtained in such a manner that the resin contained in the decorative base sheet or an overlay layer forms a cross-linked structure using the alcohol contained in the print layer as the cross-linking component.

A method of forming a coating layer on a fibrous mat to make a coated article includes depositing a coating composition on a carrier material and at least partially embedding a first major surface of a fibrous mat in the coating composition, the fibrous mat including a plurality of mat fibers. The coating composition is at least partially hardened to form a coating layer at the first major surface of the fibrous mat. A second major surface of the fibrous mat opposite the first major surface includes an uncoated portion of the plurality of mat fibers.

A self-lubricating composite material is disclosed. The self-lubricating composite material can include discontinuous polymer fiber segments dispersed within a woven matrix of semi-continuous thermoplastic fiber. The woven matrix can be embedded within a thermosetting resin. Also disclosed are methods of manufacturing the self-lubricating composite material.

A tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus applies resin to an original tow of reinforcing fibers. The tow prepreg manufacturing apparatus includes an oiling roller, a scraper, a resin reservoir, a tube pump, and a controller. The oiling roller is supplied with resin while rotating at a predetermined rotation speed. The scraper adjusts the shape of the resin supplied onto the oiling roller. The resin reservoir supplies resin to the oiling roller. The tube pump discharges resin to the resin reservoir. The controller controls the tube pump so that the amount of resin held in the resin reservoir remains constant and controls the rotation speed of the oiling roller so that a resin content of a wound tow prepreg becomes equal to a target resin content.

A cutting mechanism for a composite material lay-up head comprises a plurality of blades, each blade having a variable width, and a drive mechanism to drive the blades along an axial direction to cut a respective tow of composite material. The blades are rotatable about the axial direction between a first angular position, wherein the blades sever the respective tow along a first cutting direction transversal to a longitudinal direction of the respective tow, and a second angular position, wherein the blades sever the respective tow along a second cutting direction rotated by a rotation angle to the first cutting direction.

There is provided a fishing rod preventing or suppressing deviation or inclination of a fitting on a surface of a rod body. The fishing rod includes an elongated cylindrical rod body, a fitting having a mounting portion and mounted to an outer peripheral surface of the rod body via the mounting portion, a first layer formed by winding a first sheet so as to enclose the mounting portion and the rod body, the first sheet being made of a fiber-reinforced resin or a resin having a thermal shrinkage rate of 2.5% or lower, and a second layer formed by winding a second sheet made of a fiber-reinforced resin on an outer side of the first sheet, wherein a temperature at which a loss tangent of the first sheet has a maximum value is different from a temperature at which a loss tangent of the second sheet has a maximum value.

A process for deforming a flex circuit using a fixture assembly including a base plate having a recess, a wrinkle reducer plate, a stiffening block and a punch. The process including heating the fixture assembly; applying a force to the punch deforming the flex circuit into the recess in the base plate; holding the punch in contact with the flex circuit while heating the fixture assembly; cooling the fixture assembly with the punch in contact with the flex circuit; subsequent to cooling the fixture assembly, removing the force of the punch; and removing the flex circuit from the fixture assembly. The flex circuit having a recessed portion resulting from deforming the flex circuit into the recess in the base plate and a flat portion surrounding the recessed portion.

A method of forming a headliner for a vehicle includes forming the headliner into a desired shape from one or more materials. The headliner includes a headliner cutout portion corresponding to an opening through the headliner. A reinforcement bracket preform is formed into the headliner cutout portion during the step of forming the headliner. The headliner cutout portion is removed from the headliner. The reinforcement bracket preform is removed from the headliner cutout portion and a shaped reinforcement bracket is formed.