A seal for a vacuum lifter and method of manufacture wherein the seal has a continuous unbroken outer fluid resistant skin of elastomer which forms a boundary around a homogeneous cellular structure with no interior seams or joints.

Biodegradable self-expanding polymer stent has an outer diameter of 0.25-40 mm, length of 5-250 mm, and closed-cell wall structure formed by struts, where ratio of inner diameter values before crimping and after crimping is in a range of 3 to 5, and made of a copolymer obtained from L-lactide, D-lactide, D,L-lactide, meso-lactide, glycolide, ε-caprolactone, trimethylene carbonate, p-dioxanone and compounds comprising functional groups capable of photopolymerization; supramolecular structure of the copolymer is oriented substantially circularly in a transversal cross section of the stent. Method of manufacturing includes extruding a tube of a polymer material; annealing the extruded polymer tube; laser cutting the extruded polymer tube to form a stent workpiece; heating the stent to above glass transition temperature of the polymer, crimping the stent workpiece uniformly over the entire outer surface thereof, and quenching at about minus 20 degrees Celsius; placing the quenched stent on a delivery means.

Disclosed herein is a molded laminated structure having negative draft angles and methods of manufacturing a molded laminated structure having negative draft angles. A preliminary structure having a first outer layer and a second outer layer is molded with a bend that divides the preliminary structure into two sections with an angle between the two sections of less than 180-degrees. Portions that extends from the sections are at positive draft angles. A groove is formed in the preliminary structure at the bend but not formed in a constant cross-section of the second outer layer. The preliminary structure is folding along the bend to at least partially close the groove and form a molded laminated structure with portions that extend at a negative draft configuration while retaining the second outer layer continuous throughout the molded laminated structure.

A three-dimensional (3-D) printer and technique for integrating additive and non-print manufacturing operations is disclosed. In an aspect, the 3-D printer includes an energy source and a powder bed regions for selectively fusing layers of a build piece. The 3-D printer further includes a robotic arm. The 3-D printing is interrupted responsive to instructions from a controller, upon which the robotic arm may perform one or more non-printing operations using the build piece such as milling, casting, molding, pressing, and the like. Following the non-printing operations, the 3-D printing operation continues, and a resulting assembly including the build piece is produced.

Disclosed herein is a molded laminated structure having negative draft angles and methods of manufacturing a molded laminated structure having negative draft angles. A preliminary structure having a first outer layer and a second outer layer is molded with a bend that divides the preliminary structure into two sections with an angle between the two sections of less than 180-degrees. Portions that extends from the sections are at positive draft angles. A groove is formed in the preliminary structure at the bend but not formed in a constant cross-section of the second outer layer. The preliminary structure is folding along the bend to at least partially close the groove and form a molded laminated structure with portions that extend at a negative draft configuration while retaining the second outer layer continuous throughout the molded laminated structure.

The mat of the present invention includes a main body integrally formed by a plastic material. The main body at least has a first surface and a second surface adjacent to the first face. The first face and the second face have different surface physical characteristics. The first surface and the second surface are shaped into a third surface and a fourth surface respectively. The third surface and the fourth surface have a substantially same surface physical characteristic. An angle between the third surface and the fourth surface outside the main body is a specific value.

A thermal interface material is disclosed. The material includes: a sheet extending between a first major surface and a second major surface, the sheet including: a base material; and a filler material embedded in the base material. The base material may include anisotropically oriented thermally conductive elements. In some embodiments, the thermally conductive elements are preferentially oriented along a primary direction from the first major surface towards the second major surface to promote thermal conduction though the sheet along the primary direction. In some embodiments, the base material is substantially free of silicone. In some embodiments, the thermal conductivity of the sheet along the primary direction is at least 20 W/mK, 30 W/mK, 40 W/mK, 50 W/mK, 60 W/mK, 70 W/mK, 80 W/mK, 90 W/mK, 100 W/mK, or more.

A pipe coupling for triple wall corrugated plastic pipe includes a triple wall corrugated bellmouth connector that is of a unitary construction with one end of the corrugated plastic pipe. This bellmouth connector is of higher strength and in cooperation with the two wall corrugated spigot provides a high strength coupling. This coupling includes the bellmouth connector and spigot that are made inline with the corrugated pipe. A method for the manufacture of the pipe includes controlling of an air pressure on the outside of a formed two wall corrugated pipe as an exterior third wall is secured thereto.

A thermoforming mold trimming system, apparatus, and method of use are disclosed. The thermoforming mold trimming apparatus includes a robot support structure with at least one robot secured to the robot support structure. The apparatus also includes a contact probe removably secured to the robot, the contact probe being configured to generate a trim path for a thermoformed molded part. The robot is programmed to follow the trim path generated by the contact probe. The robot then uses a blade to trim excess material of a finished molded part within the housing by following the trim path.

A method for thermoforming an article includes extruding a sheet of material, conditioning the sheet with a roller, thermoforming the sheet to provide a web, and cutting the web to provide the article.