A modular tooling arrangement includes a base member comprising a planar working surface, a frame circumscribing a first cavity at least partially defined by the planar working surface, and a plurality of plates configured to be received in the first cavity for forming a second cavity of a desired shape and size. The plurality of plates at least partially define the second cavity configured to receive a work piece. The plurality of plates may be replaced with plates of various sizes to vary at least one of the size and shape of the second cavity.

A method of manufacturing a fibrous composite bicycle rim , employs a tool device having a plurality of tool components including two molding devices and one circular device. The two molding devices each have one rim flank contact surface. The circular device includes a rim well contact surface. Tool components are provided, and a first varnish coat is applied to a rim contact surface and is dried. A first fiber layer of the fibrous composite material is applied to the flank contact surface of the molding devices, forming the outer fiber layers of the pertaining rim flanks. At least one first fiber layer of the fibrous composite material is applied to the circular device which forms the rim well. The tool components of are interconnected, and the tool device is closed, is heated up, and the smooth varnish coat firmly bonds with the hardening fibrous composite material.

Methods of forming a curvature into a composite stiffener and a forming tool are presented. The composite stiffener is positioned in a forming region created by a base assembly and an upper assembly. A first airflow is applied through the material of the base assembly. A second airflow is applied through the material of the upper assembly. A plurality of brackets of the upper assembly is moved relative to each other to change a curvature of the forming region along a length of the forming region to form the curvature into the composite stiffener.

The invention relates to molding of a roller in which a roller body is provided integrally on the outer periphery of an axial core member, and the objective of the invention is to prevent the generation of a thin burr, and damage to the die. In order to achieve this objective, a die is provided with a first split die and a second split die which can butt against one another or separate from one another at mutually-opposing parting surfaces. A roller body molding surface, a cavity being defined between the axial core member and the roller body molding surface when the mold is clamped; and recessed portions which are located at both end portions of the supporting portions and extend along the parting surfaces, and which are not in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the axial core member when the mold is clamped.

Disclosed is a method of forming at least a portion of a mask (4) that is structured to engage at least a portion of the face of a patient (52). The method can be generally stated as including employing at least a portion of a data set (74) that is stored on a machine-readable storage medium (72) and that is representative of the shape of at least a portion of the face in generating a configuration for an cushion element (24) of the mask. The cushion element is structured to extend from a support (20) of the mask and to have an engagement end (50) bopposite the support that corresponds with the shape of the at least portion of the face. The method can be generally stated as further including subjecting a workpiece (78) to a formation operation to cause at least a portion of the workpiece to be formed into the cushion element having the engagement end.

An imprinting apparatus includes a first conveyer unit, a flexible imprinting mold film and a driving roller set. The first conveyer is adapted to convey a workpiece to a working region of the imprinting apparatus. The flexible imprinting mold film has imprinting segments. At least one of the imprinting segments is located in the working region. The workpiece is adapted to be imprinted in the working region through the corresponding imprinting segment. The flexible imprinting mold film is partially rolled around the driving roller set, the imprinting segment located in the working region is expanded from the driving roller set, and the driving roller set is adapted to drive the flexible imprinting mold film, such that at least another one of the imprinting segments rolled around the driving roller set is expanded from the driving roller set and moved to the working region. Besides, an imprinting method is also provided.

Apparatus for the customization of footwear, in particular sports footwear, having an element made of thermoplastic material is provided. A method for the customization of footwear using the apparatus is also provided. The apparatus has a heating assembly, for heating the thermoplastic element above a predetermined threshold temperature, and a shaping assembly, for shaping the thermoplastic element while its temperature is above the threshold value, which assemblies are both carried by a common frame. Due to the fact that the heating assembly and the shaping assembly are carried by a single, common frame, it is possible to ensure proper heating and subsequent shaping of the element made of thermoplastic material.

A mold insert has at least one filament cavity and a stack of at least a first and second insert plates, wherein the first plate has a front face that closely abuts a front face of the second insert plate. A portion of the a filament cavity is provided in at least one of the front faces of the first and second insert plates such that the filament cavity is open at a top surface of the mold insert but does not extend to a bottom surface of the mold insert. A venting cavity is provided in the same front face of the insert plate in which the portion of the at least one filament cavity is provided. The venting cavity, which is in air-conducting connection with the blind-hole end of the filament cavity, has a depth between 1 μm and 20 μm. A method of manufacturing the mold insert includes providing first and second insert plates, forming a portion of a filament cavity into at least one of the front faces of the insert plates, forming a venting cavity into the front face with the filament cavity, and bringing the front faces of the plates into close abutment to form a filament cavity.

Systems and methods are provided for compacting laminates. One embodiment is a method for compacting a laminate onto a surface of a forming tool. The method includes placing the laminate onto the forming tool, disposing a compaction device over the laminate, gripping the compaction device to the forming tool, compacting the laminate with a pressure foot of the compaction device, and removing the compaction device from the forming tool.

A system is provided for transforming plastic parisons into plastic containers with at least one transforming station which has a blow mold within which the plastic parisons can be expanded by application of a gaseous medium, wherein the blow mold has a base part which is disposed releasably on a support, and with a first fastening mechanism in order to fasten the base part to the support, and wherein the blow mold has at least one side part which is disposed releasably on a support and a second fastening mechanism in order to fasten the side part to the support.