Methods and apparatus for positioning a structure on a polymer layer are described. A method may involve forming a first polymer layer. The method may further involve positioning, by an apparatus, a structure on the first polymer layer, where the apparatus comprises a rod having a first end that supports the structure as the structure is being positioned and a plunger located around the first end of the rod that presses the structure onto the first polymer layer as the structure is being positioned. And the method may involve forming a second polymer layer over the first polymer layer and the structure, where the first polymer layer defines a first side of a body-mountable device and the second polymer layer defines a second side of the body-mountable device opposite the first side.

A method for increasing the adhesion between the first surface of a first web-type material and a first surface of a second web-type material, the first web-type material and the second web-type material being supplied to a lamination nip continuously and with the same direction of the web. In said nip, the first surface of the first web-type material and of the second web-type material are laminated together and both first surfaces are treated with a plasma over the whole surface. The lamination nip is formed by a pressure roller and a counter-pressure roller and at least one of the surfaces of the rollers or both are equipped with a dielectric. The plasma or the corona is produced by a nozzle. The first web-type material comprises an adhesive compound layer arranged in the first web-type material such as to form the first surface of the first web-type material.

A method for increasing the adhesion between the first surface of a first web-type material and a first surface of a second web-type material, the first web-type material and the second web-type material being supplied to a lamination nip continuously and with the same direction of the web. In said nip, the first surface of the first web-type material and of the second web-type material are laminated together and both first surfaces are treated with a plasma over the whole surface. The lamination nip is formed by a pressure roller and a counter-pressure roller and at least one of the surfaces of the rollers or both are equipped with a dielectric. The plasma or the corona is produced by a nozzle. The first web-type material comprises an adhesive compound layer arranged in the first web-type material such as to form the first surface of the first web-type material.

The manufacturing method of the sheet having the needle-like protruding portions includes: preparing a mold including needle-like recessed portions, and a solution supply device including a slit-like opening formed at a nozzle distal end portion; supplying a solution from the solution supply device to the mold in a state that the nozzle distal end portion is pressed to a front surface of the mold, and filling the solution in the needle-like recessed portions; and moving the solution supply device relatively to the mold in a state that the nozzle distal end portion is brought into contact with the front surface of the mold, and, as a hardness distribution in a thickness direction of the mold, an average value of a Young's modulus at a part within 40 μm from the front surface of the mold is 1.9 MPa or higher and 100 MPa or lower.

Systems and methods for creating microneedle arrays capable of delivering a suitable drug dosages to subjects are provided. In one aspect, a method comprises creating at least one forming mold using laser ablation in a cross-over line pattern. The method further comprises casting a first material onto the at least one forming mold to create at least one microneedle mold. The method further comprises casting a second material onto the at least one microneedle mold to create at least one hollow microneedle.

A protective packaging formation device is provided herein. The device includes an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between overlapping plies of a polymeric web. The device also includes a driving mechanism that drives the film in a downstream direction. The device also includes a sealing mechanism that includes a thin film heater that heats the plies to create a longitudinal seal that seals the plies of film together. The driving mechanism drives the web such that the web slides across the heating assembly in a downstream direction to trap fluid between the plies.

A protective packaging formation device is provided herein. The device includes an inflation assembly having a fluid conduit that directs fluid between overlapping plies of a polymeric web. The device also includes a driving mechanism that drives the film in a downstream direction. The device also includes a sealing mechanism that includes a thin film heater that heats the plies to create a longitudinal seal that seals the plies of film together. The driving mechanism drives the web such that the web slides across the heating assembly in a downstream direction to trap fluid between the plies.

Provided are an apparatus and a method of controlling a stiffness of a soft material hardened from a liquid state having viscosity into a solid state. The apparatus of controlling a stiffness of a soft material includes: a soft material accommodating means including a chamber corresponding to a space in which the soft material having fluidity before being hardened is accommodated and a wall structure surrounding the chamber; and a stimulus means applying a stimulus to the soft material to generate a flow in the soft material, wherein a flow is applied to the soft material to control the stiffness in the soft material and control stiffnesses to be different from each other in each region of the soft material.

A tool including a tool body, the tool body including a substrate having a tool-side surface, an intermediate layer positioned over the tool-side surface, and an outer layer positioned over the intermediate layer, the outer layer including a metallic material.

An apparatus for bottom-up fabrication of three dimensional objects, the apparatus comprising: a vat for a photosensitive polymer, the floor of the vat including a working surface arranged such that, in use, light incident on the working surface interacts with the photosensitive polymer at the working surface to fabricate a portion of the three dimensional object; a build platform capable of being inserted into the vat, the build platform having a planar surface; an elevator mechanism capable of adjusting the separation between the working surface of the vat and the planar surface of the build platform; and a rotation mechanism capable of varying the relative rotational position of the vat relative to the build platform, the relative rotation being about an axis which is normal to the working surface of the vat.