A method of forming a bladder cast ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article including infiltrating a CMC substrate positioned in a cavity of a mold body with a slurry. The CMC substrate includes reinforcement material defining inner spaces. The slurry includes solid particles and a carrier material. During infiltration, the slurry at least partially fills at least a portion of the inner spaces of the CMC substrate. The method also includes inflating at least one bladder that is coupled to the mold body and disposed within the cavity such that a surface of the at least one bladder in an inflated configuration contacts at least one surface of the CMC substrate. The method also includes drying the slurry to remove at least a portion of the carrier material form an infiltrated CMC and deflating the at least one bladder.

A method of forming a bladder cast ceramic matrix composite (CMC) article including infiltrating a CMC substrate positioned in a cavity of a mold body with a slurry. The CMC substrate includes reinforcement material defining inner spaces. The slurry includes solid particles and a carrier material. During infiltration, the slurry at least partially fills at least a portion of the inner spaces of the CMC substrate. The method also includes inflating at least one bladder that is coupled to the mold body and disposed within the cavity such that a surface of the at least one bladder in an inflated configuration contacts at least one surface of the CMC substrate. The method also includes drying the slurry to remove at least a portion of the carrier material form an infiltrated CMC and deflating the at least one bladder.

A method and an article of manufacture are disclosed for externally reinforcing various solid structures, such as columns, poles, piles, beams and the like, against buckling under compressive forces and loads. In various embodiments, a seamless multi-layer jacket is constructed around the structural member by wrapping a thin sheet of material around the structural member, as many times as needed, at a distance from the structural member. While maintaining the thin sheet of material wrapped around the structural member, a filler material will fill the annular space between the jacket and the structural member, wherein the structural member, the jacket, and the filler material cooperate to better resist the buckling of the structural member when subject to compressive forces and loads.

A method and an article of manufacture are disclosed for externally reinforcing various solid structures, such as columns, poles, piles, beams and the like, against buckling under compressive forces and loads. In various embodiments, a seamless multi-layer jacket is constructed around the structural member by wrapping a thin sheet of material around the structural member, as many times as needed, at a distance from the structural member. While maintaining the thin sheet of material wrapped around the structural member, a filler material will fill the annular space between the jacket and the structural member, wherein the structural member, the jacket, and the filler material cooperate to better resist the buckling of the structural member when subject to compressive forces and loads.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A flexible bat for attachment to a pottery wheel. The flexible bat containing a pre-engraved design impresses texts, patterns, or designs onto the bottom surface of clay workpieces as they are simultaneously molded on the pottery wheel. These simultaneous steps save time and eliminate the additional steps of impressing these designs to the bottom of pliant clay pieces after molding is completed on the pottery wheel.

A flexible bat for attachment to a pottery wheel. The flexible bat containing a pre-engraved design impresses texts, patterns, or designs onto the bottom surface of clay workpieces as they are simultaneously molded on the pottery wheel. These simultaneous steps save time and eliminate the additional steps of impressing these designs to the bottom of pliant clay pieces after molding is completed on the pottery wheel.

A coating system includes a mold having a flexible wall defining a mold cavity, a component disposed in the mold cavity, there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, and either a molding slurry or a solidified molding slurry filling the coating gap.

A coating system includes a mold having a flexible wall defining a mold cavity, a component disposed in the mold cavity, there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, and either a molding slurry or a solidified molding slurry filling the coating gap.