Techniques for producing composites outside of an autoclave that have smooth surface finishes are disclosed. The smooth composite surface, free of porosity, can be fabricated by curing the prepreg in a tool that includes a novel microstructure. In conventional composite manufacturing, some degree of porosity appears to originate from trapped gas bubbles that form during curing. The microstructure can provide a mechanism for the gas bubbles to escape from the tooling, thereby eliminating porosity and yielding a smooth surface finish on the out-of-autoclave composite. The microstructure can be applied to the tool surface using an inkjet process applying an acrylic resin curable with ultraviolet light.

Systems and methods for using a non-stick conductive material to automate tool touch-off in an additive manufacturing process are provided. A substrate comprises a first conductive layer, an intermediate binder layer, and a second non-stick conductive layer. The non-stick conductive layer may comprise perfluoroalkoxy alkanes and carbon nanotubes. An electrical connection may be made between the first conductive layer and the second non-stick conductive layer. When used with an additive manufacturing device, when the nozzle of the device contacts the substrate, a circuit may close resulting in a detectable voltage drop. When the voltage drop is detected, a reference point for the additive manufacturing device may be set.

A mold having a first part with a carcass with a molding zone added thereto to provide a mechanical interface between the molding zone and the carcass. Inductors of the mold extend along a longitudinal direction in cavities between the mechanical interface and the molding zone. A cooling device of the mold extends at the mechanical interface between the molding zone and the carcass.

An electronic package molding device includes a planar heating element configured to mold an electronic package by approaching one surface of an electronic package to melt a molding agent disposed on the one surface of the electronic package and apply pressure to bring the epoxy molding compound into close contact with the electronic package and a gas pressure regulator configured to adjust gas pressure between the electronic package and the planar heating element.

A composite bonding tool may comprise a mold surface made from a composite material including a fibrous material and a matrix disposed about the fibrous material. The resin may be cured and have a thermal conductivity greater than about 10 watts per meter Kelvin. The fibrous material may be further metal coated or plated to increase thermal conductivity. Carbon nanomaterials may be added to the matrix or onto the surface of the fibrous material in order to further enhance thermal conductivity. The mold surface has a relatively high thermal conductivity and relatively low coefficient of thermal expansion, and a relatively low mass.

Systems and methods for using a non-stick conductive material to automate tool touch-off in an additive manufacturing process are provided. A substrate comprises a first conductive layer, an intermediate binder layer, and a second non-stick conductive layer. The non-stick conductive layer may comprise perfluoroalkoxy alkanes and carbon nanotubes. An electrical connection may be made between the first conductive layer and the second non-stick conductive layer. When used with an additive manufacturing device, when the nozzle of the device contacts the substrate, a circuit may close resulting in a detectable voltage drop. When the voltage drop is detected, a reference point for the additive manufacturing device may be set.

Various embodiments provide a mold including a pyrolytic carbon film disposed at a surface of the mold. Various embodiments relate to using a low pressure chemical vapor deposition process (LPCVD) or using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) process in order to form a pyrolytic carbon film at a surface of a mold.

A PVD layer system for the coating of workpieces encompasses at least one mixed-crystal layer of a multi-oxide having the following composition: (Me1.sub.1-xMe2.sub.x).sub.2O.sub.3, where Me1 and Me2 each represent at least one of the elements Al, Cr, Fe, Li, Mg, Mn, Nb, Ti, Sb or V. The elements of Me1 and Me2 differ from one another. The crystal lattice of the mixed-crystal layer in the PVD layer system has a corundum structure which in an x-ray diffractometrically analyzed spectrum of the mixed-crystal layer is characterized by at least three of the lines associated with the corundum structure. Also disclosed is a vacuum coating method for producing a mixed-crystal layer of a multi-oxide, as well as correspondingly coated tools and components.

A method of manufacturing a self-supporting, monolithic fuselage body, including engaging peripheral mandrel sections around at least one central mandrel section, placing uncured composite material on the mold surface, curing the composite material on the mold surface, and sliding the central mandrel section(s) out of engagement with the peripheral mandrel sections and disengaging the peripheral mandrel sections from the cured composite material without collapsing the mandrel sections. The peripheral mandrel sections each include a shape-retaining core of a thermally insulating material and an outer layer on an outer surface of the shape-retaining core. The outer layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion within the range of variation of that of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite material. A mandrel for layup and cure of a predetermined composite material in the manufacture of a monolithic fuselage is also discussed.

There was a demand for: a rigid core for tire molding that is formed using lighter weight segments with sufficiently low coefficient of thermal expansion and sufficient hardness and strength instead of conventional segments that had a variety of problems; and a tire manufacturing method, which is capable of manufacturing tires with improved productivity without causing increased size of molding equipment or vulcanization equipment by using said rigid core for tire molding. A rigid core for tire molding having a core body on the outer surface of which a tire-molding surface is formed and a cylindrical core that is inserted in the central hole of the core body, the rigid core being characterized in that the core body is formed in a ring-shape by multiple core segments that are divided in the tire circumference direction and the core segments are manufactured using a carbon fiber-reinforced resin.