Skin for dressing backlit vehicle interior parts comprising a perforated opaque decorative layer and a light transmitting material filling the holes wherein the light transmitting material is a reactive hotmelt adhesive which forms a base layer extended over the back side of the opaque decorative layer and comprising a central portion and a transition portion surrounding the central portion and several projections protruding from the central portion of the base layer and completely filling the through holes. Method and an installation for manufacturing said skin for dressing backlit vehicle interior parts.

A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector, a forming feature that is coupled to the end effector, and a heating element that is coupled to the forming feature to heat the forming feature. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a composite ply to form the composite ply over a forming tool or over a prior formed composite ply. The forming feature heats the composite ply via conduction.

Filter made entirely with natural and biodegradable materials, for the protection of the respiratory tract of patients in the medical-surgical field and process for making it. The filter has a porosity or 80-98% and pore diameters of 100-350 micrometers and the pores have a shape of channels open at the ends, which are parallel to each other. The filter is obtained by preparing an aqueous solution of chitosan and an aqueous solution of gelatin, mixing them, pouring it into a container, keeping the container closed until obtaining a hydrogel and freeze-drying. A cross-linking step takes place by (a) adding a chemical cross-linker to the mixture of the chitosan and gelatine solutions and cross-linking before freeze-drying, or (b) subjecting the freeze-drying product to a thermal dehydration treatment.

Filter made entirely with natural and biodegradable materials, for the protection of the respiratory tract of patients in the medical-surgical field and process for making it. The filter has a porosity or 80-98% and pore diameters of 100-350 micrometers and the pores have a shape of channels open at the ends, which are parallel to each other. The filter is obtained by preparing an aqueous solution of chitosan and an aqueous solution of gelatin, mixing them, pouring it into a container, keeping the container closed until obtaining a hydrogel and freeze-drying. A cross-linking step takes place by (a) adding a chemical cross-linker to the mixture of the chitosan and gelatine solutions and cross-linking before freeze-drying, or (b) subjecting the freeze-drying product to a thermal dehydration treatment.

A three-dimensional modeling apparatus includes a container, a carrier, and a blower unit. The container accommodates a curable composition. The carrier is configured to face an inner surface of the container and to have a variable distance with respect to the inner surface. The blower unit performs blowing between the carrier and the container. Further, in a case where the curable composition is cured in the container, the modeled object and the support portion, which connects the carrier and the modeled object, are formed. A wind from the blower unit is at least temporarily output toward at least one of the modeled object and the support portion.

A 3D printing system includes a tank containing a liquid photopolymer resin. A textured surface is connected to the tank. The textured surface is configured such that light passes therethrough and into the liquid polymer resin. A transducer is connected to the tank. The transducer is configured to emit an acoustic wave toward the textured surface.

A 3D printing system includes a tank containing a liquid photopolymer resin. The tank includes an optically transparent window through which light is configured to pass. A heat exchanger is connected to the tank and is configured to cool the liquid polymer resin. A transducer is connected to the tank. The transducer is configured to emit an acoustic wave toward the optically transparent window.

The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a sandwich panel comprises the steps of:

a) providing a plate-shaped assembly of a first cover part and a second cover part and between these cover parts a core part of a thermoplastic material containing a physical blowing agent,

b) heating the assembly resulting from step a) under pressure between press tools in a press to a foaming temperature below the glass transition temperature of the thermoplastic material in the core part, thereby effecting adhesion of the foamed core part to the first and second cover parts

c) foaming the thermoplastic material in the core part under pressure and at the foaming temperature wherein the spacing between the press tools is increased;

d) a cooling step of cooling the foamed sandwich panel resulting from step c), while the sandwich panel is maintained under pressure between the press tools;

e) removing the thus cooled sandwich panel from the press; and

f) drying the sandwich panel thus obtained;

wherein the cooling step d) comprises a first substep d1) of cooling the foamed assembly from the foaming temperature to an intermediate temperature in the range of 70-100° C. at a first cooling rate and a second substep d2) of cooling the foamed assembly from the intermediate temperature to ambient temperature at a second cooling rate, the second cooling rate is less than the first cooling rate.

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.