In a method of manufacturing an object, a filament is fed to an extrusion head. The filament has a semi-crystalline polymeric reinforcement portion and a polymeric matrix portion. The temperature of the filament is raised in the extrusion head above the melting point of the matrix portion but below the melting point of the reinforcement portion so that the matrix portion of the filament melts within the extrusion head, thereby forming a partially molten filament within the extrusion head. The reinforcement portion of the partially molten filament remains in a semi-crystalline state as it is extruded from the extrusion head. Relative movement is generated between the extrusion head and the substrate as the partially molten filament is extruded onto the substrate in order to form an extruded line on the substrate. The matrix portion of the extruded line solidifies after the extruded line has been formed on the substrate.

In a method of manufacturing an object, a filament is fed to an extrusion head. The filament has a semi-crystalline polymeric reinforcement portion and a polymeric matrix portion. The temperature of the filament is raised in the extrusion head above the melting point of the matrix portion but below the melting point of the reinforcement portion so that the matrix portion of the filament melts within the extrusion head, thereby forming a partially molten filament within the extrusion head. The reinforcement portion of the partially molten filament remains in a semi-crystalline state as it is extruded from the extrusion head. Relative movement is generated between the extrusion head and the substrate as the partially molten filament is extruded onto the substrate in order to form an extruded line on the substrate. The matrix portion of the extruded line solidifies after the extruded line has been formed on the substrate.

A structure of case body selects a material of PET fibers or PET fibers with PP fibers to prepare a non-woven fabric layer block which is processed by baking and cold molding to form a case body. The case body is formed by combining a left shell and a right shell which are manufactured separately, and then combined into a case body with an accommodation space inside. The left shell is divided into a left top wall, a left sidewall and a left bottom wall which are continuously extended and molded. The right shell is divided into a right top wall, a right sidewall and a right bottom wall which are continuously extended and molded. The left and right top walls and the left and right bottom walls have a weight per unit area of 1200-2000 g/m.sup.2. The left and right sidewalls have a weight per unit area of 600-1200 g/m.sup.2.

Process of making a plastic component (1), in particular luggage shell, from self-reinforced thermoplastic material, to a plastic component (1) made of self-reinforced thermoplastic material and an apparatus for making such a plastic component, in particular luggage shell (7). The invention provides a new product and process for manufacturing same on the basis of self-reinforced thermoplastic material by means of the step of tensioning said material (lamina), at least partially tensioning said lamina during all follow-up component shaping and/or molding steps up to a release of a component pre-form shape from the remainder lamina, to form the component. The present invention allow the manufacturing of an ultra-light weight luggage shell (7) on the basis of using self-reinforced thermoplastic material, the manufacturing of same can be further enhanced by permanently tensioning said material during all manufacturing steps up to the final finishing of the product.

Process of making a plastic component (1), in particular luggage shell, from self-reinforced thermoplastic material, to a plastic component (1) made of self-reinforced thermoplastic material and an apparatus for making such a plastic component, in particular luggage shell (7). The invention provides a new product and process for manufacturing same on the basis of self-reinforced thermoplastic material by means of the step of tensioning said material (lamina), at least partially tensioning said lamina during all follow-up component shaping and/or molding steps up to a release of a component pre-form shape from the remainder lamina, to form the component. The present invention allow the manufacturing of an ultra-light weight luggage shell (7) on the basis of using self-reinforced thermoplastic material, the manufacturing of same can be further enhanced by permanently tensioning said material during all manufacturing steps up to the final finishing of the product.

The invention relates to a method for producing a self-reinforced thermoplastic composite material including: providing strips of a thermoplastic and weaving the plastic strips into a base fabric. The plastic strips for this are produced by at least the following steps: producing pre-stretched fibres from a partially crystalline polyester homopolymer with a melting point by extrusion on at least one spinning nozzle and subsequent stretching and joining a plurality of pre-stretched endless fibres lying next to and/or above one another to a matrix of an amorphous polyester homopolymer at a processing temperature T2<T1, wherein the temperature difference between T1 and T2 is at least ΔT=30° C.

The present invention provides novel hybrid self-reinforced composites, combining an oriented brittle fibre and an oriented thermoplastic polymeric ductile fibre (as reinforcement phase) in the same thermoplastic polymeric matrix phase. The hybrid self-reinforced composites are strong and stiff, but in case of impact or crash they have high strain to failure and absorb a lot of energy. The present invention also relates to methods to produce said hybrid self-reinforced composites by a hot compaction technique.

The present invention provides novel hybrid self-reinforced composites, combining an oriented brittle fibre and an oriented thermoplastic polymeric ductile fibre (as reinforcement phase) in the same thermoplastic polymeric matrix phase. The hybrid self-reinforced composites are strong and stiff, but in case of impact or crash they have high strain to failure and absorb a lot of energy. The present invention also relates to methods to produce said hybrid self-reinforced composites by a hot compaction technique.

A network system can optimize 3D models for 3D printing. A smoothing operation can be performed for a 3D model that comprises a plurality of voxels by identifying exterior voxels of the 3D model. For a first exterior voxel of the 3D model, an exterior surface orientation can be determined and a smoothing operation can be performed based on the determined exterior surface orientation. The smoothing operation can include performing a triangulation operation based on the determined exterior surface orientation of the first exterior voxel. Furthermore, in response to determining that a dimension of a set of voxels is below a threshold limit, one or more voxels can be added to the set of voxels to satisfy the threshold limit.

A network system can optimize 3D models for 3D printing. A smoothing operation can be performed for a 3D model that comprises a plurality of voxels by identifying exterior voxels of the 3D model. For a first exterior voxel of the 3D model, an exterior surface orientation can be determined and a smoothing operation can be performed based on the determined exterior surface orientation. The smoothing operation can include performing a triangulation operation based on the determined exterior surface orientation of the first exterior voxel. Furthermore, in response to determining that a dimension of a set of voxels is below a threshold limit, one or more voxels can be added to the set of voxels to satisfy the threshold limit.