A mold for a concrete bench support structure including a closed base, a continuous wall projecting up from the circumference of the base, and structure attached to the wall that stiffens the wall.

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.

The invention relates to a biodegradable material made of biological components, comprising 10 to 60 wt. % of a protein adhesive (1), which is made of at least one protein, and 2 to 50 wt. % of natural fibers (4). Furthermore, 2 to 15 wt. % of at least one hygroscopic mineral (7), 10 to 55 wt. % of water (2), and 0 to 50 wt. % of an additive component (5) are provided in the material (10).

A multi-layered structure with improved stability and insulation is disclosed. Methods for making the multi-layered structure are also disclosed. The structure comprises layers of foam and layers of solid material which are sprayed onto each other via an industrial robot having spray nozzles. The layers of foam are sprayed onto a supporting structure of a building, and the process of spraying is such that each consecutively sprayed layer is initiated after only a short lag in time from the initiation of the previous layer. The structure comprises at least two layers (preferably at least three layers), each layer having different mechanical properties. The layers may further be reinforced with reinforcing fibers and/or fiber fragments. An additional layer of fibrous material may comprise outer and/or inner layers of the structure. The disclosed structure is built faster and has significantly higher load-bearing and insulative capacities than the state of the art.

An apparatus for removing the plastic mold around cured concrete in a plastic test specimen includes a baseplate with upstanding framework that supports two spaced vertical rods to which a cross-member is slidably mounted to move up and down the rods. At least one blade member is carried by the cross-member such that upon descent it may cut away the plastic of the mold so the cured concrete test cylinder may be removed. The cross-member is driven up and down by a lever arm pivotally mounted to the framework and includes a linkage between the lever arm and cross-member to transfer energy downward from the lever arm to cut and strip away the plastic mold from the concrete.

A method of manufacturing the cement-mixed concrete tile includes the following steps: a portion of cement is mixed with sand at a ratio within a range of 1:4 to 3:4, then a predetermined number of cups of water is added to the mixture formed by the cement and the sand. A water reducing agent which increases flowability is added to the above mixture to form a first mixture. A mold is positioned on a vibration table, where a weaved fiberglass mesh is positioned on top of the mold. The first mixture is loaded into the mold and the vibration table is vibrated, and then cement mix is mixed into the mold separately to fill from above the weaved fiberglass mesh towards the top of the mold through the first mixture, and where the mold is placed in retention for a predetermined time to generate the cement-mixed concrete tile.

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 and system for manufacturing and using a self-supporting structure in processing unit for adsorption or catalytic processes. The self-supporting structure has greater than 50% by weight of the active material in the self-supporting structure to provide an open-celled structure providing access to the active material. The self-supporting structures, which may be disposed in a processing unit, may be used in swing adsorption processes and other processes to enhance the recovery of hydrocarbons.

A mold (1) and accessories thereof for the forming of an orthopedic spacer made of medical cement, defining a molding cavity (2) delimited by a molding surface (3) configured to impart a pre-established shape to the medical cement and to create the orthopedic spacer, wherein at least one sector (6) of the forming mold (1) defining at least one portion of the molding surface (3) is made with a thermoplastic copolymer based material.

A system and method for installing tile includes the use of fasteners and washers that are installed into the interstitial gaps of the tiles or installed through the face of the tile. The washers and fasteners create a downward pressure on the tiles to align the edges of the tiles and to ensure that the tiles conform to the surface to which they are applied, thereby significantly reducing or minimizing the occurrence of gaps or voids between the installation surface and the tiles. Once the tiles are fixed in position and the adhesive has set or cured, the washers and fasteners are removed and the interstitial spaces or gaps between the tiles is grouted and the tile can be painted or stained. Additionally, the method of manufacturing decorative concrete tiles uses flexible rubber molds to achieve a variety of unique shapes, patterns, and textures.