A method for manufacturing a deflection member is disclosed. The method may include the steps of: providing an additive manufacturing apparatus that comprises at least one radiation source and a vat comprising a photopolymer resin, providing a reinforcing member comprising a first surface and a second surface that is opposite the first surface, contacting at least the second surface of the reinforcing member with the photopolymer resin, and directing radiation from a first radiation source and/or a second radiation source toward the first surface of the reinforcing member.

A sheet manufacturing apparatus includes: a powdered-and-granular-material supply unit that supplies powdered and granular material; and a forming unit that forms a sheet from fibers and the supplied powdered and granular material, and the powdered-and-granular-material supply unit includes a motor, a holding unit that detachably holds a container configured to store the powdered and granular material, a powdered-and-granular-material tank that receives the powdered and granular material discharged from the container by the motor, and a screw that conveys the powdered and granular material in the powdered-and-granular-material tank outward from the powdered-and-granular-material supply unit.

A deflection member that includes a reinforcing member and a plurality of tiles fastened to the reinforcing member.

A method for manufacturing a deflection member is disclosed. The method may include the steps of providing an additive manufacturing apparatus that includes at least two radiation sources and photopolymer resin, providing a reinforcing member, contacting a surface of the reinforcing member with the photopolymer resin, and directing radiation from the radiation source(s) towards a surface(s) of the reinforcing member to at least partially cure photopolymer resin in contact with the surface of the reinforcing member.

A seamless unitary deflection member may comprise a plurality of regularly spaced protuberances, which may be semi-continuous units disposed in a regular, spaced apart configuration in at least one of a machine direction (MD) and a cross-machine direction (CD).