A thermoplastic composite sheet may be composed of a polymer material matrix and a lightweight material that is disposed throughout the polymer material matrix. The polymer material matrix may extend continuously throughout a length, width, and thickness of the thermoplastic composite sheet. The polymer material matrix may be a fully polymerized thermoplastic material. The lightweight material may be fully saturated by the thermoplastic material of the polymer material matrix. The thermoplastic composite sheet may include between 50 and 99 weight percent of the thermoplastic material and between 1 and 50 weight percent of the lightweight material. The thermoplastic composite sheet may be free of reinforcing fibers.

A reel based tensioning device includes a housing, a spool that is rotatably positioned within the housing, and a knob member that is operably coupled with the spool to cause the spool to rotate in a first direction within the housing and thereby wind a tension member about the spool. The reel based tensioning device also includes a load holding mechanism that is coupled with the spool and that is configured to rotate the spool in the first direction within the housing and to prevent rotation of the spool in a second direction to prevent unwinding of the tension member from about the spool. The reel based tensioning device further includes an audible component that is configured to produce an audible noise responsive to operation of the knob member to signal an adjustment of the tension member.

A composite material including silanated filler and mixed polymerizable monomer, having a stable pasty property which keeps well and has a consistent usability. A composite material containing a silanated filler, a polymerizable monomer, and a polymerization initiator, and may be produced by a process which includes a mixed polymerizable monomer preparing step, a silanation step, a silanated filler preserving step, a composite material preparing step, a composite material preserving step, a composite material filling step, and a small quantity preserving container preserving step.

A monolithic thermocasting system for thermocasting polymer and solid material and method of use having an internal frame system; an external frame system disposed external to the internal frame system; a mold cavity formed between the internal frame system and the external frame system, the mold cavity sized to receive the polymer and solid material and shaped to form an architectural member; a duct; and a heater element disposed in the duct for outputting thermal energy to the mold cavity to heat the polymer and solid material, the thermal energy being sufficient to thermocast the polymer and solid material to a combined building material.

An example of a build material composition for three-dimensional (3D) printing includes a polymer build material and glass. The polymer build material has a reactivity greater than 5%, and the polymer build material is selected from the group consisting of a polyamide, polybutylene terephthalate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyether block amide elastomers, and combinations thereof.

A biaxially oriented polyester reflection film according to an embodiment of the present invention includes: a core layer having a plurality of voids, and containing homo-polyester, copolymer polyester, a resin incompatible with polyester, and inorganic particles; and a skin layer formed at least one surface of the core layer, and containing homo-polyester, copolymer polyester, and inorganic particles, wherein the biaxially oriented polyester reflection film is formed to have a plurality of light focusing structures, each of which has a concave center portion, and which are arranged in a grid pattern.

A method of forming a low-density three-dimensional article is provided. The method includes printing a low-density composition on a substrate to form at least one layer comprising the low-density composition. The low-density composition includes a (P) polymer component and (M) a microsphere component in a ratio by volume (P):(M). The method also includes selectively controlling a density of the low-density composition during printing to give the at least one layer on the substrate. Selectively controlling the density of the low-density composition includes varying the ratio (P):(M) during printing. The method further includes repeating the printing and selectively controlling the density of the low-density composition to form additional layer(s), thereby forming the low-density three-dimensional article. A low-density three-dimensional article prepared in accordance with the method is also provided.

A composite material for use as a deposition material in an additive manufacturing system comprises a polymer component, a filler component, and an extrudability component. The extrudability component is present in the composite material is an amount of from 0.05 wt % to 10 wt % based on the weight of the composite material, and can comprise polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS). The polymer component comprises a high temperature polymer such as an engineering polymer or a high performance polymer. The filler component comprises at least one of a conductive component and a strengthening component. In some cases, the conductive component is present in an amount such that the composite material is formed as one of an electrostatic discharge (ESD) material and an EMI/EMC shielding material. The composite material can be deposited in a liquid state on a substrate using an additive manufacturing system, to produce a three-dimensional object.

A repair compound for use in all applications and particularly well-suited for large hole repair. The repair compound includes a latex resin, a thickener, fibers, and a filler material. In some embodiments, the repair compound is configured to exhibit pseudoplastic-type behavior. In some embodiments, the repair compound has a density of not greater than 4.0 lbs/gal. In some embodiments, the repair compound includes hydrophobic and hydrophilic fibers of different morphologies. In some embodiments, the repair compound includes HASE-type thickeners. In some embodiments, the repair compound includes a bimodal distribution of hollow glass microspheres from two different strength/size curves.

A method for 3D printing a 3D item (10), the method comprising (i) providing 3D printable material (201) comprising particles (410) embedded in the 3D printable material (201), wherein the particles (410) have a longest dimension length (L1), a shortest dimension length (L2), and an aspect ratio AR defined as the ratio of the longest dimension length (L1) and the shortest dimension length (L2), and (ii) depositing during a printing stage 3D printable material (201) to provide the 3D item (10) to provide layers (230) of the 3D printed material (202) with a layer height (H), wherein: (i) 1<AR<4 and 1<H/L2<100.