In exemplary implementations of this invention, a nozzle sprays foam, layer by layer, to fabricate a fabricated object according to a CAD model, and a subtractive fabrication tool removes material from the fabricated object according to a CAD model. The fabricated object comprises a mold or an interior form. The foam may be low-density, high strength and fast-curing. The foam may be used for large-scale 3D printing. For example, the foam may be used to 3D print molds for walls of homes. The foam molds may be left in place, after casting concrete in the molds, to serve as insulation. Or for example, the foam may be used to 3D print on site an internal form for a large wind turbine blade. The wind turbine blade may then be produced on site by depositing fiberglass on the outside of the internal form.

A method of forming a coating includes providing a mold that has a flexible wall that defines a mold cavity, inserting a component that is to be coated into the mold cavity, the component having a component surface roughness and there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, introducing a molding slurry into the mold cavity, the molding slurry filling the coating gap and contacting the component so as to overcoat the component surface roughness, solidifying the molding slurry to form a green coating on the component, and consolidating the green coating to form a final coating on the component, the final coating having a coating surface roughness that is less than the component surface roughness.

A process for making a layered multi-material structural element having controlled mechanical failure characteristics. The process includes the steps of: supplying a cementitious layer and forming a polymer layer on the cementitious layer by additive manufacture such that the polymer layer has a first thickness and the cementitious layer has a second thickness, wherein the polymer layer comprises a polymer and the cementitious layer comprises a cementitious material; and allowing the polymer from the polymer layer to suffuse into the cementitious layer for a period of time to obtain a suffused zone in the cementitious layer such that the suffused zone has a third thickness that is less than half the second thickness.

A coating system includes a mold having a flexible wall defining a mold cavity, a component disposed in the mold cavity, there being a coating gap defined between the component and the flexible wall of the mold cavity, and either a molding slurry or a solidified molding slurry filling the coating gap.

The present disclosure relates to a mold core for use on a molding apparatus for the production of hollow and/or in particular tubular concrete bodies, and a molding apparatus comprising such a mold core. The mold core comprises a longitudinally extending wall of the core, which has a wall of the core from one end to the other end of the wall of the core in the longitudinal direction, an expansion device for expanding and/or spreading and/or contracting and/or shrinking the mold core, and a sealing element sealing the longitudinal opening of the wall of the core. The sealing element is provided with respective longitudinal edges of the wall of the core by means of a detachable connection, the sealing member being slidably connected to the two longitudinal edges of the wall of the core in the longitudinal direction, respectively.

The present disclosure relates to a mold core for use on a molding apparatus for the production of hollow and/or in particular tubular concrete bodies, and a molding apparatus comprising such a mold core. The mold core comprises a longitudinally extending wall of the core, which has a wall of the core from one end to the other end of the wall of the core in the longitudinal direction, an expansion device for expanding and/or spreading and/or contracting and/or shrinking the mold core, and a sealing element sealing the longitudinal opening of the wall of the core. The sealing element is provided with respective longitudinal edges and of the wall of the core by means of a detachable connection, the sealing member being slidably connected to the two longitudinal edges and of the wall of the core in the longitudinal direction, respectively.

The invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes a mold with a mold base defined by a casting substrate, where the casting substrate includes a film. The invention also provides an aerogel production method that involves filling such a mold with a wet gel precursor solution. In other embodiments, the invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes a film and a film handling system. In still other embodiments, the invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes an advantageous aging clamp mechanism. Further, some embodiments of the invention provide an aerogel production method that involves a wet gel sheet casted to a casting substrate, where the casting substrate includes a film, and the method includes both peeling the film off the wet gel sheet and conveying the wet gel sheet onto a drying substrate.

The invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes a mold with a mold base defined by a casting substrate, where the casting substrate includes a film. The invention also provides an aerogel production method that involves filling such a mold with a wet gel precursor solution. In other embodiments, the invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes a film and a film handling system. In still other embodiments, the invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes an advantageous aging clamp mechanism. Further, some embodiments of the invention provide an aerogel production method that involves a wet gel sheet casted to a casting substrate, where the casting substrate includes a film, and the method includes both peeling the film off the wet gel sheet and conveying the wet gel sheet onto a drying substrate.

The invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes a mold with a mold base defined by a casting substrate, where the casting substrate includes a film. The invention also provides an aerogel production method that involves filling such a mold with a wet gel precursor solution. In other embodiments, the invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes a film and a film handling system. In still other embodiments, the invention provides an aerogel production assembly that includes an advantageous aging clamp mechanism. Further, some embodiments of the invention provide an aerogel production method that involves a wet gel sheet casted to a casting substrate, where the casting substrate includes a film, and the method includes both peeling the film off the wet gel sheet and conveying the wet gel sheet onto a drying substrate.

The invention relates to a casting mold, in particular for use in cold casting methods, which is produced with the aid of a powder-based layering method, the final casting mold having a treated surface.