Methods and systems are provided for ultra-violet curing, and in particular, for ultra-violet curing of optical fiber surface coatings. In one example, a curing device includes a first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with a second elliptic cylindrical reflector housed within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector. The first elliptic cylindrical reflector and second elliptic cylindrical reflector have a co-located focus, and a workpiece to be cured by the curing device may be arranged at the co-located focus.

Methods and systems are provided for ultra-violet curing, and in particular, for ultra-violet curing of optical fiber surface coatings. In one example, a curing device includes a first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with a second elliptic cylindrical reflector housed within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector. The first elliptic cylindrical reflector and second elliptic cylindrical reflector have a co-located focus, and a workpiece to be cured by the curing device may be arranged at the co-located focus.

A system for additive manufacturing comprises a dispensing head for dispensing building materials on a working surface, a hardening system for hardening the building materials, a cooling system for evacuating heat away from the building materials, and a computerized controller. A thermal sensing system is mounted above the working surface in a manner that allows relative motion between the sensing system and the working surface, and is configured to generate sensing signals responsively to thermal energy sensed thereby. The controller controls the dispensing head to dispense the building materials in layers, the sensing system to generate the sensing signals only when the sensing system is above the building materials once hardened, and the heat evacuation rate of the cooling system responsively to the sensing signals.

A method for shaping a preform made from thermoplastic material, and a facility for implementing the method, comprising the following steps: a) providing a preform made from thermoplastic material having a surface; b) supplying thermal energy to the preform by radiation in such a way as to make it ductile; and c) shaping the ductile preform inside a forming mould. Step b) further involves simultaneously spraying a gaseous fluid onto the surface of the preform in order to preserve the surface.

A method of finding a target conveying capacity of a pumping includes a temperature-control flow through a temperature-control channel carried out according to a control variable by using a throttle as an actuating element such that a temperature-control volume flow remains substantially constant. A conveying flow of the pumping system is measured, and a pump starting from a starting conveying capacity independent of the control of the temperature-control volume flow is driven such that a conveying capacity of the pumping system is reduced to a reduced conveying capacity. Then, a check is made to find whether the conveying flow remains substantially constant and, if this is the case, the reduced conveying capacity is determined to be the target conveying capacity. If this is not the case despite the control of the temperature-control volume flow, the starting conveying capacity is determined to be the target conveying capacity.

A method of finding a target conveying capacity of a pumping includes a temperature-control flow through a temperature-control channel carried out according to a control variable by using a throttle as an actuating element such that a temperature-control volume flow remains substantially constant. A conveying flow of the pumping system is measured, and a pump starting from a starting conveying capacity independent of the control of the temperature-control volume flow is driven such that a conveying capacity of the pumping system is reduced to a reduced conveying capacity. Then, a check is made to find whether the conveying flow remains substantially constant and, if this is the case, the reduced conveying capacity is determined to be the target conveying capacity. If this is not the case despite the control of the temperature-control volume flow, the starting conveying capacity is determined to be the target conveying capacity.

A cooling and retaining pin (1) for cooling, by air blowing, and retaining, by air suction, a plastic preform, the pin comprising a body (2), defining a longitudinal axis and having a first opening (5) at a first end thereof, coaxial to said longitudinal axis and adapted to be connected to a handling station; a movable element (3) adapted to slide at least partially inside said body; at least one air passage gap provided at a second end of the body or at said first end; wherein the movable element (3) is adapted to move from a first position, to which a first air passage section corresponds, to a second position, to which a second air passage section corresponds, which is smaller than said first section, so as to adjust a blowing air flow during the cooling step and a suction air flow during the step of retaining the preform.

A cooling and retaining pin (1) for cooling, by air blowing, and retaining, by air suction, a plastic preform, the pin comprising a body (2), defining a longitudinal axis and having a first opening (5) at a first end thereof, coaxial to said longitudinal axis and adapted to be connected to a handling station; a movable element (3) adapted to slide at least partially inside said body; at least one air passage gap provided at a second end of the body or at said first end; wherein the movable element (3) is adapted to move from a first position, to which a first air passage section corresponds, to a second position, to which a second air passage section corresponds, which is smaller than said first section, so as to adjust a blowing air flow during the cooling step and a suction air flow during the step of retaining the preform.

A cured resin formation method including an applying step of applying an ultraviolet curable resin on a base; and a curing step of curing the ultraviolet curable resin by irradiating the ultraviolet curable resin applied in the applying step with ultraviolet rays, in which in the curing step, the ultraviolet curable resin is irradiated with ultraviolet rays while cooling the ultraviolet curable resin, so that a difference between an ordinary temperature of the ultraviolet curable resin and a temperature of the ultraviolet curable resin when irradiated with ultraviolet rays is within a set temperature difference set in advance.

A production method of a modeled object includes a fixing step of fixing a thermally expandable sheet onto a tray by entirely or partially fixing a periphery of the thermally expandable sheet placed on the tray by a fixing member; a thermally expanding step of thermally expanding partially the thermally expandable sheet, which is in a state of being fixed onto the tray by the fixing step, by being heated by irradiating the thermally expandable sheet with light by an irradiation unit, while moving the irradiation unit from a first position toward a second position unit; and cooling the thermally expandable sheet, which has been thermally expanded partially by the thermally expanding step, while maintaining the state in which the thermally expandable sheet is fixed onto the tray, while returning the irradiation unit from the second position to the first position.