A system and method for flexibly forming a casting mold and for manufacturing a casting model or a molded body having a mounting platform, a plurality of shaping rods for forming the casting mold or the molded body and a conveying unit for conveying the shaping rods to the mounting platform, the conveying unit is configured to individually grip and to place the shaping rods on the mounting platform, such that a stack of the shaping rods is formable, and that a side of the stack is formable by the position of the shaping rods, to form a region of the casting mold and wherein the positions of the single shaping rods in the stack reproduce the shape of the molded body, wherein the shaping rods are gluable to each other, such that the stack forms the molded body.

A system is provided that includes an adjustable surface that can be quickly adjusted through use of a plurality of actuators. The surface can be used as a dynamic decoration or a haptic visualization tool for the blind. The system uses special couplings between the actuators and the adjustable surface that allow the actuators to control the shape of the surface, while still allowing the surface to be deformed by outside pressure without forcing or damaging the actuators. These couplings formed by a selection of springs, flexures, cables, and ball joints allow the surface to be quickly adjusted to a new shape. The adjustable surface can be used to shape plastic, metal, or glass sheets or as composite layup forms. A frame of the system engages actuators in a way that allows the actuators to move in axial directions of the actuators and adjust the shape of the surface.

There is provided a forming system for forming a contoured composite structure having a complex curved configuration. The forming system includes a receiving station having a receiving assembly to receive a composite charge to be formed. The forming system includes a forming station having a forming assembly. The forming assembly includes a gantry assembly, an upper die assembly movably coupled to the gantry assembly, a lower die assembly coupled to a floor support beam positioned between the gantry assembly, and one or more pick-and-place devices movably coupled to the gantry assembly. The upper die assembly is separate from, and independently movable with respect to, the lower die assembly. The pick-and-place device(s) are designed to move the composite charge, and the contoured composite structure. The forming system includes a tray station having a tray assembly designed to receive the contoured composite structure from the forming station.

Systems and methods for reusable molding devices in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a reusable molding device is provided comprising: an array comprising a plurality of pixel pins, which are arranged to form a two-dimensional plane and which are each linearly movable to create an impression of a surface of an object, a first pixel guide plate, a second pixel guide plate, a first clamp pressure plate, a second clamp pressure plate, a first clamp screw, wherein the first clamp screw moves the first clamp pressure plate towards the first side of the array, a second clamp screw which moves the second clamp pressure plate towards the second side of the array, a pressure clamp frame enclosing the first and second pixel guide plates and the first and second clamp pressure plates, and a top pressure plate, which includes an injection entrance bore.

A tool is configured to form a composite charge into a stringer having a net shape with at least one out-of-place feature. The out-of-plane feature is formed by a shim removably attached to the tool. A family of the shims may be used to form a range of out-of-plane features having varying characteristics.

Described are methods and systems for manufacturing curved composite stringers. Such composite stringers may have in-plane and/or out-of-plane bends, which are formed while shaping composite charges. Specifically, a composite charge is shaped using a pallet, comprising a plurality of independent pallet portions, rotatably coupled to each other. A hat portion is formed when a part of this charge is conformed to a cavity in the pallet. The pallet portions are rotated relative to each other while forming the hat portion and/or when the hat portion already conforms to the cavity. In some examples, the die is bent together with the charge, when the pallet portions are rotated. This rotation produces one or more of in-plane and/or out-of-plane bends. In some examples, flange portions of the composite charge are positioned in a temporary orientation, e.g., to enable bending of the charge and reduce wrinkles.

Systems and methods for rapid mold tooling fabrication using active self-shaping non-Newtonian fluids is provided. The rapid mold fabrication system includes one or more molding units between which molds are formed using compression or injection molding process. Each molding unit includes an array of hydraulic pillars that controllably adjust the position of mold preform layers, and an expandable fluid chamber between the end of the pillars and the preform layer against which a mold is formed. A control system is also provided for controlling the volume of STF within the chamber and for transitioning the STF from a liquid to a solid phase through application of an electrical stimulus. A method is also provided for manufacturing a mold using the system. A method is also provided for measuring the geometric properties of objects using the rapid mold fabrication system.

A leveler table includes a plate with a flat top work surface that is level in all planes, by locating a circular level recessed within the center of the plate, so that the level indicator of the circular level is in horizontal alignment with the top work surface. By locating the circular level in the middle of the plate, at the same horizontal level as the work surface, this leveler table provides accuracy and repeatability for use of the flat top work surface in manufacturing steps, particularly the forming of parts where repeatability is necessary, such as the in situ forming of an automotive windshield sensor pad in an open ended package supported on the flat top surface.

A tool, in particular for encapsulating or casting rotors of electric machines, having an arrangement space which extends along a longitudinal axis and is designed to arrange and encapsulate or cast a component, wherein the arrangement space is delimited at least in sections by at least one adjusting tool, the position of which can be adjusted in such a way that a size of the arrangement space can be changed.

The present invention relates to a system for casting a component by an adjustable molding box. A generating unit serves for generating a component model of the component to be molded, a transmitting unit serves for transmitting the component model via a data network to a determining unit, and the determining unit serves for determining a casting mold model based on the component model. The determining unit is configured such that adjustment data for adjusting the adjustable molding box based on the casting mold model are generatable. A control unit is coupled to the determining unit such that the adjustment data are providable to the control unit, wherein the control unit is configured such that the control unit adjusts the molding box, based on the adjustment data, with a casting mold, which is indicative for a negative profile of the component, and the component is castable by the adjusted molding box.