Methods for fabricating three-dimensional microstructures are provided. The method includes disposing a reflow material on a mold, heating the reflow material, and creating a pressure gradient across the reflow material to reflow the material towards a bottom surface of the mold. The mold includes a molding region, a boundary region, and a thermal-isolating region disposed therebetween. The molding region includes a cavity and a projection projecting upwards from a bottom surface of the cavity. The thermal-isolating region includes at least one pocket formed adjacent to and along a perimeter of the cavity of the molding region. During heating, the temperature of the molding region is higher than that of the boundary region and the thermal-isolating region controls the thermal conductivity and mass therebetween. The material reflows towards the bottom surface of the cavity and the protrusion helps shapes the reflow material to form a substantially symmetrical three-dimensional microstructure.

Methods for fabricating three-dimensional microstructures are provided. The method includes disposing a reflow material on a mold, heating the reflow material, and creating a pressure gradient across the reflow material to reflow the material towards a bottom surface of the mold. The mold includes a molding region, a boundary region, and a thermal-isolating region disposed therebetween. The molding region includes a cavity and a projection projecting upwards from a bottom surface of the cavity. The thermal-isolating region includes at least one pocket formed adjacent to and along a perimeter of the cavity of the molding region. During heating, the temperature of the molding region is higher than that of the boundary region and the thermal-isolating region controls the thermal conductivity and mass therebetween. The material reflows towards the bottom surface of the cavity and the protrusion helps shapes the reflow material to form a substantially symmetrical three-dimensional microstructure.

Methods of manufacturing rotor blade components for a wind turbine and rotor blade components produced in accordance with such methods are disclosed. In one embodiment, the method generally includes heating first and second sheets of thermoplastic material to a forming temperature; placing the first sheet of thermoplastic material within a first half of a thermoforming mold and the second sheet of thermoplastic material in an opposite, second half of the thermoforming mold; forming the first sheet of thermoplastic material to the first half of the thermoforming mold; forming the second sheet of thermoplastic material to the second half of the thermoforming mold; compressing the first and second halves of the thermoforming mold so as to join at least a portion of the first and second sheets together; and, releasing the joined first and second sheets of thermoplastic material from the thermoforming mold so as to form the rotor blade component.

Methods for manufacturing a panel for a ball, in particular for a soccer ball, as well as panels manufactured by these methods and balls with such panels. A method comprises the following steps: providing a carrier material having an outer side and an inner side within a mold having at least one first and at least one second mold part. Three-dimensionally molding an outer layer of the panel on the outer side of the carrier material within the mold. Three-dimensionally molding an inner layer of the panel on the inner side of the carrier material using at least the first mold part.

Methods for manufacturing a panel for a ball, in particular for a soccer ball, as well as panels manufactured by these methods and balls with such panels. A method comprises the following steps: providing a carrier material having an outer side and an inner side within a mold having at least one first and at least one second mold part. Three-dimensionally molding an outer layer of the panel on the outer side of the carrier material within the mold. Three-dimensionally molding an inner layer of the panel on the inner side of the carrier material using at least the first mold part.

A frame is injection molded onto a group of panels to form a container. The panels extend at least partially around, and at least partially define, a cavity of the container.

A method of manufacturing a product with skin includes: attaching a preformed base material to a vacuum forming die on a back surface of the base material, disposing a skin material as a material of the skin on a front surface of a base material, and sucking the skin material through the vacuum forming die and the base material to deform a main portion of skin material so as to be in close contact with the front surface of the base material; cutting a surplus portion of the skin material not being in close contact with the front surface of the base material with a trim blade so that a distal end portion remains around the main portion, thereby forming the skin having the distal end portion; and winding the distal end portion of the skin around the back surface of the base material by a winding mechanism.

A method of manufacturing a product with skin includes: attaching a preformed base material to a vacuum forming die on a back surface of the base material, disposing a skin material as a material of the skin on a front surface of a base material, and sucking the skin material through the vacuum forming die and the base material to deform a main portion of skin material so as to be in close contact with the front surface of the base material; cutting a surplus portion of the skin material not being in close contact with the front surface of the base material with a trim blade so that a distal end portion remains around the main portion, thereby forming the skin having the distal end portion; and winding the distal end portion of the skin around the back surface of the base material by a winding mechanism.

A method of manufacturing a fuel tank includes: an introducing process in which a molten resin sheet formed with a tank body is introduced in a forming mold; a shaping process in which a movable member abuts against the molten resin sheet to form a molten resin projection projected in a thickness direction of the molten resin sheet; an arranging process in which the molten resin projection is inserted in an attachment hole provided in an attachment part, and the attachment part is arranged on the molten resin sheet; and a machining process in which the molten resin projection is pressurized by a pressurizing member, so as to bulge out a portion of the molten resin projection to an outer peripheral side.

A method of manufacturing a fuel tank includes: an introducing process in which a molten resin sheet formed with a tank body is introduced in a forming mold; a shaping process in which a movable member abuts against the molten resin sheet to form a molten resin projection projected in a thickness direction of the molten resin sheet; an arranging process in which the molten resin projection is inserted in an attachment hole provided in an attachment part, and the attachment part is arranged on the molten resin sheet; and a machining process in which the molten resin projection is pressurized by a pressurizing member, so as to bulge out a portion of the molten resin projection to an outer peripheral side.