The invention relates to a process for fabricating complex mechanical shapes from metal or ceramic, and in particular to fabricating complex mechanical shapes using a pressure-assisted sintering technique to address problems relating to variations in specimen thickness and tooling, or densification gradients, by 3-D printing of a sacrificial, self-destructing powder mold is created using e.g. alumina and swellable binders such as polysaccharides. The binder-free sintering powder that forms the manufactured item is injected into the mold, and high pressure is applied. The powder assembly can then be sintered by any pressure assisted technique to full densification and the self-destructing mold allows the release of the fully densified complex manufactured item.

The present disclosure relates to a mold core for use on a molding apparatus for the production of hollow and/or in particular tubular concrete bodies, and a molding apparatus comprising such a mold core. The mold core comprises a longitudinally extending wall of the core, which has a wall of the core from one end to the other end of the wall of the core in the longitudinal direction, an expansion device for expanding and/or spreading and/or contracting and/or shrinking the mold core, and a sealing element sealing the longitudinal opening of the wall of the core. The sealing element is provided with respective longitudinal edges of the wall of the core by means of a detachable connection, the sealing member being slidably connected to the two longitudinal edges of the wall of the core in the longitudinal direction, respectively.

In a method for repairing or modifying a modular concrete block mold having multiple mold parts, a replacement mold part for a mold part to be replaced of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the replacement mold part is installed in the concrete block mold in place of the mold part to be replaced, or a region of a mold part to be adapted of the concrete block mold is additively manufactured and the mold part adapted in this way is then installed in the concrete block mold.

A method of casting a product includes the steps of: creating a finished photopolymer mold; introducing liquid into the mold; hardening the liquid; and removing the photopolymer mold. A casting mold and a method of making a casting mold, are also disclosed.

A mold for building coating products obtained from composite liquid mixtures is described. The mold includes a base plate, having a plurality of through holes; and a die, configured for incorporating the base plate therein. On the upper surface of the die there are a plurality of shapes of the front surface in negative of each coating product to be manufactured and a molding grid open at the upper part, configured to be pressure applied above the die. The molding grid has side walls which define the perimeter edges of each coating product. Between the molding grid side walls separate bowls are formed for containing a single coating product. Each side wall is inclined at an acute angle with respect to a vertical plane, to confer to each side wall a sharp-pointed and tapered shape from top towards bottom with respect to the entire mold for facilitating the extraction of the finished coating products.

A mold assembly for manufacturing molded articles includes a plurality of mold portions that are comprised of a polymer and form a mold cavity. In embodiments, the polymer has a thermal conductivity (k) of less than about 0.5. Although, some embodiments may have higher conductivity values. In embodiments, the polymer comprises polycarbonate. Methods for making and using polymer mold portions and assemblies are also disclosed.

A method of fabricating a ceramic turbine blade, the method includes selective melting on a powder bed in order to obtain a blade mold cavity in a mold, a ceramic-based suspension is provided, the suspension is introduced into the blade mold cavity, the suspension is subjected to a gelation step in the mold cavity in order to obtain a blade suitable for being extracted from the mold cavity, and the blade is extracted from the mold cavity.

A mold part of a modular concrete block mold has an additively manufactured region or is an additively manufactured mold part. The additively manufactured region may be a 3D metal printing region or the additively manufactured mold part may be a 3D metal printing mold part. The mold part may have a milled or cast region and the additively manufactured region.

Tubular ceramic structures, e.g., anode components of tubular fuel cells, are manufactured by applying ceramic-forming composition to the external surface of the heat shrinkable polymeric tubular mandrel component of a rotating mandrel-spindle assembly, removing the spindle from the assembly after a predetermined thickness of tubular ceramic structure has been built up on the mandrel and thereafter heat shrinking the mandrel to cause the mandrel to separate from the tubular ceramic structure.

The invention comprises a concrete form. The concrete form comprises a first panel having a first primary surface for contacting plastic concrete and a second primary surface opposite the first surface, wherein the first panel is made from a rigid plastic sheet or a metal sheet; and a second panel spaced from the second primary surface of the first panel, wherein the second panel is made from a rigid plastic sheet or a metal sheet. The concrete form also comprises a layer of insulating material disposed between the first panel and the second panel. A method of using the concrete form is also disclosed.