A decorative optical element that has an appearance of a glass optical element includes an optically transparent body having a faceted globular portion defined by a solid volume of polymeric material. A luminaire, such as for a street light, employs the decorative optical element and an LED circuit board mounted to the circuit board.

The invention relates to a device for producing conical bellows (2) for air springs, having at least one clamping/spreading device (9), wherein two terminal positions, specifically an introduction position and a vulcanization position, are attainable by the clamping/spreading device (9), wherein the external diameter of the introduction position is smaller than the external diameter of the vulcanization position. The clamping/spreading device (9) has clamping segments (6) which in the introduction position are converged in such a manner that the external diameter of the clamping/spreading device (9) enables an air spring bellows preform (2) to be pulled over, and the clamping segments (6) in the vulcanization position are diverged in such a manner that the external diameter of the clamping/spreading device (9) is enlarged in such a manner that the air spring bellows preform (2) is capable of being pressed tightly against the corresponding external shape (5) from the inside, wherein open gaps (10) on account of the enlargement of the external diameter of the clamping/spreading device (9) remain between the clamping segments (6).

Systems and methods are provided for utilizing pellet-loaded bladders to consolidate and/or harden composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part. The method includes laying up a preform that is made of fiber reinforced material and that includes a cavity, inserting one or more bladders that are loaded with expandable pellets into the cavity, inflating the bladders in response to a triggering condition, consolidating the preform while the bladders are inflated, deflating the bladders, and removing the bladders from the cavity.

An injection apparatus to mold a combined member with excellent performance to a constant-velocity joint boot to seal constant-velocity universal joints. The constant-velocity universal joints are used for smooth operation of a drive shaft which transfers driving power from a differential gear of a vehicle to a hub on which a tire is mounted. An injection method of the combined member of the constant-velocity joint boot. A constant-velocity joint boot manufactured by the injection method of the combined member.

An injection apparatus to mold a combined member with excellent performance to a constant-velocity joint boot to seal constant-velocity universal joints. The constant-velocity universal joints are used for smooth operation of a drive shaft which transfers driving power from a differential gear of a vehicle to a hub on which a tire is mounted. An injection method of the combined member of the constant-velocity joint boot. A constant-velocity joint boot manufactured by the injection method of the combined member.

A method of forming a cored composite laminate, the method including forming a first recess in a first coupling surface of a first layer of the cored composite laminate, forming a second recess in a second coupling surface of a second layer of the cored composite laminate so that when the first layer of the cored composite laminate and the second layer of the cored composite laminate are coupled, the first recess and the second recess form a cavity through the cored composite laminate, and disposing a shape memory alloy member in the cavity, so that the shape memory alloy member supports the cored composite laminate during curing of the cored composite laminate.

A mandrel is 3D-printed from a thermoplastic material that exhibits a glass transition. The mandrel has a mandrel wall made from the thermoplastic material and a cavity. The mandrel is coated with an elastomer coat and a fiber material is arranged on the elastomer coat. A composite part is formed from the fiber material by inserting the mandrel into a mold, pressurizing the mandrel, and heating the mold to a mold temperature greater than the glass transition temperature without melting the mandrel wall. The mandrel expands and presses the fiber material against the mold. The composite part is cured by increasing the mold temperature and simultaneously melting the mandrel wall.

There is provided a method for non-penetration joining of members. The method includes: keeping a joining member having a protruding part by a receiving mold so that the protruding part is exposed; placing a joined member over the joining member so that the protruding part of the joining member is positioned in a blind hole of the joined member, and compressing the joined member against the receiving mold to plastically deform the joined member and the joining member at the same time and to wrap excess thickness of the joined member around an undercut part while forming the undercut part on the joining member, thereby non-detachably joining both the members.

A molding system for forming a composite structure having trapped volumes is presented. The molding system comprises a plurality of removeable inserts, a bottom tool member, and a plurality of restraints. Each removeable insert of the plurality of removeable inserts comprises a plurality of pieces configured to be disassembled for removal from the composite structure. Each removeable insert is configured to be placed in contact with the bottom tool member. The plurality of restraints is configured to restrain the plurality of removeable inserts in a vertical direction relative to the bottom tool member.

A molding system for forming a composite structure having trapped volumes is presented. The molding system comprises a plurality of removeable inserts, a bottom tool member, and a plurality of restraints. Each removeable insert of the plurality of removeable inserts comprises a plurality of pieces configured to be disassembled for removal from the composite structure. Each removeable insert is configured to be placed in contact with the bottom tool member. The plurality of restraints is configured to restrain the plurality of removeable inserts in a vertical direction relative to the bottom tool member.