A method of manufacturing cross-corrugated support structures is provided. A mold having a molding surface with a first plurality and a second plurality of corrugations therein is used to introduce corrugations into a flexible, carbonaceous sheet. Cross-corrugations are introduced into the sheet by placing the sheet onto the molding surface, encapsulating the sheet to form a vacuum chamber, and evacuating the vacuum chamber of air. As air is evacuated from the vacuum chamber, the sheet is drawn upon the molding surface causing the sheet to conform to the shape of the molding surface. Thermosetting resin is infused into the sheet and cured causing the sheet to rigidly retain the shape of the molding surface. The sheet is further reinforced by securing at least one support member to the sheet using thermosetting resin.

A forming tool is used, which has a tool trough arranged in a stationary manner and a pressure bell, which can be lowered onto and lifted away from the tool trough. An arrangement is created in which a single- or multi-layer, initially flat, flexible laminate separates the trough interior from the pressure-bell interior in a pressure tight manner. A table, on which the 3-D substrate to be coated is located, assumes a lowered position within the trough interior; there is a considerable, free intermediate space (between the laminate and the 3-D substrate. A radiant-heater assembly is inserted into said intermediate space. The radiant-heater assembly has a carrier, on the top side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached and on the bottom side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached.

A forming tool is used, which has a tool trough arranged in a stationary manner and a pressure bell, which can be lowered onto and lifted away from the tool trough. An arrangement is created in which a single- or multi-layer, initially flat, flexible laminate separates the trough interior from the pressure-bell interior in a pressure tight manner. A table, on which the 3-D substrate to be coated is located, assumes a lowered position within the trough interior; there is a considerable, free intermediate space (between the laminate and the 3-D substrate. A radiant-heater assembly is inserted into said intermediate space. The radiant-heater assembly has a carrier, on the top side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached and on the bottom side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached.

A mold which can improve an appearance of a molded body is provided. A mold includes a cavity, the mold being capable of subjecting a resin sheet under reduced pressure suction via a plurality of reduced pressure suction holes thereby shaping the resin sheet to follow a shape of an inner surface of the cavity; wherein: the inner surface includes a base surface and a plurality of island-like concave portions provided in the base surface; and a concave portion reduced pressure suction hole index defined by an in-concave reduced pressure suction hole ratio divided by a concave portion area ratio is 0.5 or lower.

A mold which can improve an appearance of a molded body is provided. A mold includes a cavity, the mold being capable of subjecting a resin sheet under reduced pressure suction via a plurality of reduced pressure suction holes thereby shaping the resin sheet to follow a shape of an inner surface of the cavity; wherein: the inner surface includes a base surface and a plurality of island-like concave portions provided in the base surface; and a concave portion reduced pressure suction hole index defined by an in-concave reduced pressure suction hole ratio divided by a concave portion area ratio is 0.5 or lower.

A cellulose-based raw-material-containing resin sheet, which is provided as a sheet suitable for molding and which contains fine paper powder, comprises 50-60 mass pts. of fine paper powder having an average particle size of 20-100 μm, 18-30 mass pts. of a first polypropylene having a melt flow rate (temperature: 230° C., load: 2.16 kg) of 1-3, 5-26 mass pts. of a second polypropylene having a melt flow rate of 6-11, and 1-16 mass pts. of an elastomer having a melt flow rate of 6-10, wherein the fine paper powder, the first polypropylene, the second polypropylene, and the elastomer are mixed so that the total of the fine paper powder, the first polypropylene, the second polypropylene, and the elastomer is 100 mass pts., the first polyolefin resin and the second polyolefin resin have a bending elastic modulus measured in accordance with ASTM D790 of 700 MPa or more, and the elastomer has a bending elastic modulus of 200 MPa or less.

A cellulose-based raw-material-containing resin sheet, which is provided as a sheet suitable for molding and which contains fine paper powder, comprises 50-60 mass pts. of fine paper powder having an average particle size of 20-100 μm, 18-30 mass pts. of a first polypropylene having a melt flow rate (temperature: 230° C., load: 2.16 kg) of 1-3, 5-26 mass pts. of a second polypropylene having a melt flow rate of 6-11, and 1-16 mass pts. of an elastomer having a melt flow rate of 6-10, wherein the fine paper powder, the first polypropylene, the second polypropylene, and the elastomer are mixed so that the total of the fine paper powder, the first polypropylene, the second polypropylene, and the elastomer is 100 mass pts., the first polyolefin resin and the second polyolefin resin have a bending elastic modulus measured in accordance with ASTM D790 of 700 MPa or more, and the elastomer has a bending elastic modulus of 200 MPa or less.

An apparatus for thermoforming plastic containers (2) comprising at least one thermoforming device (3) suitable for thermoforming a flat sheet (4) for making a container (2) equipped with an upper flange (5) projecting outward and at least one extracting device (6) associable with the thermoforming device (3) for extracting the thermoformed container (2) from it; when the extracting device (6) is associated with the thermoforming device (3) for extracting the already thermoformed container (2), the extracting device (6) and the thermoforming device (3) define a perimetric mould (7) suitable for hot bending the annular flange (5) of the already thermoformed container (2) before it is extracted from the thermoforming device (3).

An apparatus for thermoforming plastic containers (2) comprising at least one thermoforming device (3) suitable for thermoforming a flat sheet (4) for making a container (2) equipped with an upper flange (5) projecting outward and at least one extracting device (6) associable with the thermoforming device (3) for extracting the thermoformed container (2) from it; when the extracting device (6) is associated with the thermoforming device (3) for extracting the already thermoformed container (2), the extracting device (6) and the thermoforming device (3) define a perimetric mould (7) suitable for hot bending the annular flange (5) of the already thermoformed container (2) before it is extracted from the thermoforming device (3).

A resin molding system 1 comprises a gripping device 3 provided with a gripping frame 30 for gripping a resin sheet material 2, a heating device for heating the resin sheet material 2 and a molding device for clamping a lower die 61 and an upper die and affixing the resin sheet material 2 to a substrate 63. The molding device is provided with: a lowering device for lowering the gripping device 3 and causing the resin sheet material 2 gripped by the gripping frame 30 to approach the lower die 61; and a pair of bent posts 67, 68 which are provided on both Y-direction sides of the lower die 61, and which come in contact with portions of the gripping frame 30 when the gripping device 3 is lowered, and which convexly bend the gripping frame 30 upward as viewed from the side along the Y-direction.