A web transport assembly for moving flexible sheet material in a manufacturing process. The web transport assembly comprises first and second gripper chains spaced apart from one another to define a path of travel of the flexible sheet material, each of the gripper chains having a plurality of saddle links and a plurality of gripper links. First and second parallel rail structures are respectively aligned with the first and second gripper chains. In addition, upstream and downstream hubs are associated with each of the first and second gripper chains to define a continuous loop about which the associated gripper chain extends. At least one of the hubs includes a driven sprocket having a plurality of teeth engaging the associated gripper chain. The saddle links have a pair of spaced apart extension portions defining a spaced in which an associated one of the rails is received. The gripper links have a gripper mechanism that is configured to clamp a side of the flexible sheet material.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for double-sided imprinting are provided. An example system includes first rollers for moving a first web including a first template having a first imprinting feature, second rollers for moving a second web including a second template having a second imprinting feature, dispensers for dispensing resist, a locating system for locating reference marks on the first and second webs for aligning the first and second templates, a light source for curing the resist, such that a cured first resist has a first imprinted feature corresponding to the first imprinting feature on one side of the substrate and a cured second resist has a second imprinted feature corresponding to the second imprinting feature on the other side of the substrate, and a moving system for feeding in the substrate between the first and second templates and unloading the double-imprinted substrate from the first and second webs.

A frame device for retaining and positioning sheet materials and possible reinforcing materials intended to be thermoformed to obtain objects made of composite material includes a first tubular element defining internally a first vacuum chamber for grasping by aspiration a first sheet material and a second tubular element defining internally a second vacuum chamber, separate from, and independent of the first vacuum chamber and configured for grasping by aspiration a second sheet material. The first tubular element and the second tubular element are fixed together permanently so as to define a grasping frame-structure configured as a single piece. A third vacuum chamber is defined in the grasping frame structure, separate and independent of the first and second vacuum chambers and configured for removing air from the zone that is interposed between the first and second sheet materials and which is intended for being possibly occupied by the reinforcing materials.

Systems, apparatus, and methods for double-sided imprinting are provided. An example system includes first rollers for moving a first web including a first template having a first imprinting feature, second rollers for moving a second web including a second template having a second imprinting feature, dispensers for dispensing resist, a locating system for locating reference marks on the first and second webs for aligning the first and second templates, a light source for curing the resist, such that a cured first resist has a first imprinted feature corresponding to the first imprinting feature on one side of the substrate and a cured second resist has a second imprinted feature corresponding to the second imprinting feature on the other side of the substrate, and a moving system for feeding in the substrate between the first and second templates and unloading the double-imprinted substrate from the first and second webs.

An apparatus for manufacturing a pouch-type battery case according to an embodiment may be configured to mold a pouch sheet. The apparatus for manufacturing the pouch-type battery case may include a forming device configured to mold a cup part in the pouch sheet, a first roller disposed behind the forming device in a moving direction of the pouch sheet and rotating in contact with one surface of the pouch sheet, and a second roller disposed to face the first roller with the pouch sheet therebetween and rotating in contact with the other surface opposite to the one surface of the pouch sheet. Any one of the first roller and the second roller may have an outer diameter that gradually decreases inward in a thickness direction, and the other one of the first roller and the second roller may have an outer diameter that gradually increases inward in the thickness direction.

A heated polymeric sheet material feeding process. The process may include heating a polymeric sheet in a heating zone to a forming temperature to form a heated polymeric sheet material. The process may further include transferring, while under a feeding vacuum range, the heated polymeric sheet from the heating zone to feed the heated polymeric sheet material into a forming zone under the feeding vacuum range.

A mouth guard senses impact forces and determines if the forces exceed an impact threshold. If so, the mouth guard notifies the user of the risk for injury by haptic feedback, vibratory feedback, and/or audible feedback. The mouth guard system may also remotely communicate the status of risk and the potential injury. The mouth guard uses a local memory device to store impact thresholds based on personal biometric information obtained from the user and compares the sensed forces relative to those threshold values. The mouth guard and its electrical components on the printed circuit board are custom manufactured for the user such that the mouth guard provides a comfortable and reliable fit, while ensuring exceptional performance.

Thermoforming apparatus (1) for thermoforming an article (2), preferably a permeable article (2′), comprising: an elastic membrane (3,3′); a mould (4,4′); a hot air source (5) configured to blow a hot airflow (6) towards a zone (7) of the apparatus (1) configured to receive the article (2,2′) to be thermoformed; an actuation system (8) configured to move the mould (4,4′) towards the membrane (3,3′) or vice versa to compress the heated article (2,2′) between the membrane (3,3′) and the mould (4) such that an elastic force of the membrane (3,3′) on the article (2,2′) forces the article (2,2′) to assume the shape of the mould (4).2. Thermoforming apparatus (1) according to claim 1, wherein the mould (4′) and/or membrane (3′) are perforated so to permit a transit of the hot airflow (6) from the hot air source (5) to said zone (7). Thermoforming process of an article (2,2′) in a thermoforming apparatus (1) comprising an elastic membrane (3,3′), a mould (4,4′) and a hot air source (5), comprising the steps of: heating the article (2,2′) through a hot airflow (6) blew by the hot air source (5); compressing the heated article (2,2′) between the membrane (3,3′) and/or the mould (4,4′) by uniquely moving the mould (4,4′) and the membrane (3,3′) one toward the other such that an elastic force of the membrane (3,3′) forces the article (2,2′) to assume the shape of the mould (4,4′).

There is provided a method of manufacturing a suspension arm for a vehicle. The method includes a preform forming operation of forming a preform as a preliminary molding object for forming the suspension arm for a vehicle; and a main-molding-object forming operation of hot-pressing the preform to form a main molding object for forming the suspension arm for a vehicle. The preform formed in the preform forming operation may be formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the main molding object, and may be formed in a shape offset inward from an outer shape of the main molding object by a predetermined dimension.

There is provided method of manufacturing a knuckle for a vehicle. The method includes a preform forming operation of forming a preform serving as a preliminary molding object for forming the knuckle for a vehicle; and a main-molding-object forming operation of hot-pressing the preform to form a main molding object for forming the knuckle for a vehicle. The preform formed in the preform forming operation may be formed in a shape corresponding to a shape of the main molding object, and may be formed in a shape offset inward by a predetermined dimension from an outer shape of the main molding object.