Resin-based structures for use in corrosive environments. The resin-based structures may include a mixture of resin and aggregate. The resin-based structures may be formed in a mold by placing aggregate and resin into the mold. The resin-based structures may have thin wall design with high compression and tension strength.

A member for a semiconductor manufacturing apparatus includes a ceramic disc incorporating an electrode and a ceramic cylindrical shaft supporting the disc. The disc and the shaft are integrally formed and mutually have no bonding interface. The disc has a surface with which the shaft is integrated. The surface has a region inside the shaft and a region outside the shaft. The region inside the shaft is recessed by one step with respect to the region outside the shaft and has an electrode exposure hole through which the electrode is exposed.

A concrete structure forming system includes a panel formed of a concrete material and a void former disposed on a section of the panel that is less than an entirety of the panel. The void former is monolithically formed in a single piece of a plastic material. The void former is removable from the panel in the single piece to leave a recess in the panel when the concrete material has reached a cured state.

A molded concrete U-wall construction block including a molded concrete U-wall construction block structure formed from cured concrete poured about a block cage made from reinforcing material during a block manufacturing process. The block cage includes an open aperture formed in each of its stem reinforcing portions. During the block manufacturing process, the first and second support members of a support mechanism are inserted within the open apertures formed in the stem reinforcing sections of the block cage, and cooperate with the open apertures of the block cage so as to (i) support the block cage when being loaded into a block manufacturing machine, (ii) define central apertures molded in each stem portion of the concrete U-wall construction block structure, and (iii) lift the molded concrete U-wall construction block when being unloaded from the machine.

An apparatus and method for creating openings in a material that solidifies is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a rigid board and at least one rigid retainer plate. The rigid retainer plate comprises at least one buoyancy plate to resist the buoyant force of the material that solidifies, at least one hydrostatic plate to resist the hydrostatic force of the material that solidifies, and a retainer tie. The rigid board further comprises retainer plate slots configured to accept the retainer plates. When the apparatus is in use, the retainer plates are inserted into the retainer plate slots and the retainer ties are coupled to formwork panels. The material that solidifies is then poured into the gap between the formwork panels. Once the material is solidified, the formwork panels are removed and the apparatus can be either reused or thrown out. The apparatus may be used with any material that solidifies.

Void former assembly for casting facing elements for reinforced earth. Anchoring recesses are cast into its rear face so that earth-reinforcing strips can be looped through. The anchoring recesses are each formed as a loop channel having a convex inner surface and a concave outer surface, at least one of which has a radius of curvature which increases from the deepest part of the recess towards the rear face. A removable void former assembly and method for casting such facing elements are also described. Because of the varying radius of curvature of the surfaces of the channel, and the rotational and translational withdrawal path of the void formers, the channel can be cast deeper, and with openings which are closer together, than has hitherto been possible using removable void formers.

Void former assembly for casting facing elements for reinforced earth. Anchoring recesses are cast into its rear face so that earth-reinforcing strips can be looped through. The anchoring recesses are each formed as a loop channel having a convex inner surface and a concave outer surface, at least one of which has a radius of curvature which increases from the deepest part of the recess towards the rear face. A removable void former assembly and method for casting such facing elements are also described. Because of the varying radius of curvature of the surfaces of the channel, and the rotational and translational withdrawal path of the void formers, the channel can be cast deeper, and with openings which are closer together, than has hitherto been possible using removable void formers.

Method for producing ceramic components, more particularly ceramic components having recesses and/or hollow spaces, there being at least one sintered ceramic part present. In order to improve the handling qualities of ceramic components, the sintered ceramic part can include a carrier or carrying section which is removed in the further processing from at least one ceramic component.

Method for producing ceramic components, more particularly ceramic components having recesses and/or hollow spaces, there being at least one sintered ceramic part present. In order to improve the handling qualities of ceramic components, the sintered ceramic part can include a carrier or carrying section which is removed in the further processing from at least one ceramic component.

Devices and methods for forming voids or cavities in concrete such that reinforcing bars can be used to connect different pours of concrete, the devices including an insert having a base and an elongate member extending from the base, and the method including coupling the insert to formwork, pouring concrete into the formwork, which surrounds the insert, allowing the concrete to partially cure, such that it retains its shape, removing the formwork and insert to form a void in the partially cured concrete, inserting a reinforcing bar into the void, applying adhesive to adhere the reinforcing bar to the concrete, and pouring concrete around the reinforcing bar, such that the reinforcing bar joins the two pours of concrete together via the void and adhesive.