In blown film installations, it is known to provide longitudinal stretching of the produced double layer film strip downstream of the draw-off, more precisely downstream of the reversing unit and upstream of the winder. It is also known to stretch the down-drawn film, wherein the film must then be preheated owing to the long cooling path from the draw-off. According to a first feature, the present invention specifies warming the film above the draw-off and then treating it mechanically. The film can thereby be brought with only little energy from a first level of warmth to a temperature level at which it can easily be worked. According to a second feature, the invention specifies providing a tractive force breakdown brake.

A method of forming a three-dimensional object, is carried out by (a) providing a carrier and a build plate, the build plate comprising a semipermeable member, the semipermeable member comprising a build surface with the build surface and the carrier defining a build region therebetween, and with the build surface in fluid communication by way of the semipermeable member with a source of polymerization inhibitor; (b) filling the build region with a polymerizable liquid, the polymerizable liquid contacting the build surface, (c) irradiating the build region through the build plate to produce a solid polymerized region in the build region, while forming or maintaining a liquid film release layer comprised of the polymerizable liquid formed between the solid polymerized region and the build surface, wherein the polymerization of which liquid film is inhibited by the polymerization inhibitor; and (d) advancing the carrier with the polymerized region adhered thereto away from the build surface on the build plate to create a subsequent build region between the polymerized region and the build surface while concurrently filling the subsequent build region with polymerizable liquid as in step (b). Apparatus for carrying out the method is also described.

An apparatus and method for making a three-dimensional object from a solidifiable material using a linear solidification device is shown and described. The apparatus includes a solidification substrate assembly that is tiltable about a tilting axis to peel a solidification substrate from a recently formed object surface and to level the solidification substrate assembly and squeeze out accumulated solidifiable material between the solidification substrate and the recently formed object surface. Intelligent peeling and leveling may also be provided by providing a tilting parameter database that is used to adjust tilting parameters based on object geometry and/or solidifiable material properties.

An apparatus and method for making a three-dimensional object from a solidifiable material using a linear solidification device is shown and described. The apparatus includes a solidification substrate assembly that is tiltable about a tilting axis to peel a solidification substrate from a recently formed object surface and to level the solidification substrate assembly and squeeze out accumulated solidifiable material between the solidification substrate and the recently formed object surface. Intelligent peeling and leveling may also be provided by providing a tilting parameter database that is used to adjust tilting parameters based on object geometry and/or solidifiable material properties.

A method is provided for fabricating a surface protection film that has no rolling defects such as blocking or wrinkling when rolled into a roll, and that, after the film is bonded to an adherend, is rolled into a roll, and stored for long periods of time, does not transfer unevenness or fisheyes on the back surface to the adherend. The surface protection film is fabricated as an elastomer by setting the arithmetical mean roughness (Ra) of the surface of a cold roller (4) to no more than 0.2 m, and the ten point mean roughness (Rz) of the surface of a nip roller (3) to 2-8 m and the mean distance (Sm) between protrusions and depressions thereof to no more than 90 m.

In blown film installations, it is known to provide longitudinal stretching of the produced double layer film strip downstream of the draw-off, more precisely downstream of the reversing unit and upstream of the winder. It is also known to stretch the down-drawn film, wherein the film must then be preheated owing to the long cooling path from the draw-off. According to a first feature, the present invention specifies warming the film above the draw-off and then treating it mechanically. The film can thereby be brought with only little energy from a first level of warmth to a temperature level at which it can easily be worked. According to a second feature, the invention specifies providing a tractive force breakdown brake.

A joint molding apparatus for molding joints between composite panels comprising inflatable molding bladders connectable to a source of pressurized fluid. A bladder support structure supports the bladders in respective positions adjacent an intersection of panels where, when inflated, the bladders support a joint formed at the intersection of panels while an uncured portion of the joint is curing to hold the joint in a desired configuration at the panel intersection.

A method for producing an escape route marking in a heatable and malleable support mold is described. The escape route marking has a transparent covering, a supporting element and a photoluminescent material. The method includes procuring the heatable and malleable support mold, inserting a supporting element into the support mold, arranging the photoluminescent material on the supporting element, arranging the transparent covering on the supporting element, heating and deforming the escape route marking in the support mold and solidifying the escape route marking in the support mold in a predetermined position. The resulting escape route marking is also described.

A mold for molding an expanded resin, wherein a silicone rubber layer (40) having a JIS-A hardness of 20 to 70 is formed as a heat-insulating layer at least on a part or the whole of the inner wall surface that forms a cavity (20) of a mold main body (10) which is for use in molding an expanded resin and which is made of an aluminum material. This mold for molding an expanded resin is effectively usable in molding expanded polystyrene or the like by a bead molding method, and can produce a molded product of an expanded resin with high thermal efficiency by virtue of high heat insulation performance. Further, the mold can be easily produced with good execution efficiency.

There is provided a method capable of manufacturing a mold at low cost, and a method of manufacturing a biocompatible pattern sheet by using the mold. The method of manufacturing a mold having a recessed pattern includes the steps of: forming a silicone resin film by applying a silicone resin solution to a surface of a model having a protrusion pattern; defoaming the silicone resin film by reducing the silicone resin film in pressure; forming the mold by heating and curing the silicone resin film while a base plate is in contact with a face of the silicone resin film, the face being opposite to the model; and releasing the mold from the model after releasing the base plate. The method of manufacturing a pattern sheet uses the mold.