A void former is arranged in a mold (30). The void former includes an insert (1) made of flexible material that forms a loop around a core region (15) within the mold. Casting material is added in a fluid state into the mold so as to fill a predefined volume for the facing element, including the core region. After hardening of the casting material, the facing element (10) is removed from the mold, and the void former is removed from the facing element. The facing element comprises an anchoring core formed by the hardened casting material in the core region (15). Removing the void former comprises pulling the insert (1) away from a rear surface of the facing element (10). The flexible material of the at least one insert is deformed around the anchoring core (15) while it is pulled.

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.

Moulding tray (1) for manufacturing slabs of agglomerate material from a mix, comprising a base portion (2) and a rim portion (4) designed to define a cavity (6) for containing the mix. The rim portion (4) is made of elastomeric material and the base portion (2) comprises at least one surface layer (8A) made of elastomeric material and at least one fabric layer (10A). The elastomeric material of the rim portion (4) and the elastomeric material of the at least one layer (8A) of the base portion (2) comprise a filler containing silicon (Si), preferably silica. The invention also relates to a method for realizing the moulding tray (1) and a method for manufacturing slabs of agglomerate material which uses such a moulding tray (1).

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.

A method of producing a cylindrical insulator for a spark plug includes a molding step of forming ceramic powder filled in a cavity defined by a mold and a molding pin into a compact. In a first removal step of removing the compact from the mold, the compact has at least one protrusion formed in at least one recess of the molding pin formed in an outer cylindrical surface of the molding pin, and the at least one protrusion is locked in the at least one recess, thereby allowing the compact to be removed with the molding pin from the mold. In a second removal step of removing the molding pin from the compact, the molding pin is turned or rotated in the circumferential direction about the compact, causing the at least one recess to cut the at least one protrusion from the compact, and thereafter the molding pin is removed from the compact.

A composite ultra-high performance porcelain concrete includes cement in an amount between 500 and 680 kg/m.sup.3; and porcelain sand in an amount between 500 and 1200 kg/m.sup.3. The porcelain sand replaces a portion of cement which would normally be needed, thereby reducing environmental impact of the cement, and also creating a beneficial use for waste porcelain source material. The disclosure also relates to a method for producing thin-walled composites CA-UHPPC facade panels and elements for building envelopes.

A system for producing a core including a core profile for use in casting. The system comprises a cavity block including an upper portion, a lower portion, and a recessed cavity in each of the upper portion and the lower portion; an adapter insert including a first portion and a second portion, the adapter insert sized to fit within the recessed cavity in each of the upper portion and the lower portion of the cavity block; and a core die insert sized to fit and be positioned within the adapter insert. The core die insert includes a sacrificial material and a hollow internal profile, with the hollow profile of the core die insert corresponding to the core profile.

A method of forming simulated stone or brick column or a retaining wall is made up of rows of masonry blocks of generally trapezoidal configuration arranged in end-to-end relation to one another in each row, each block including a recessed portion being aligned with one another in each row and each block having textured wall surfaces simulating the appearance of brick or stone along one or more wall surfaces arranged in different configurations without the necessity of interlocking the blocks together.

A simulated stone or brick column or retaining wall is made up of rows of masonry blocks of generally trapezoidal configuration arranged in end-to-end relation to one another in each row, each block including a recessed portion being aligned with one another in each row and each block having textured wall surfaces simulating the appearance of brick or stone along one or more wall surfaces arranged in different configurations without the necessity of interlocking the blocks together.

An inorganic shell is ball-shaped and hollow, and includes silica and crystalline inorganic powder sintered together. A resin composition has the inorganic shells and the resin composition has certain dieletric characteristics. A method for making the inorganic shell is also provided.