A method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced structure includes the following. A mandrel of a first material comprises a hollow interior and an aperture that allows a fluid to enter the interior. A layer of a second material provided on the mandrel includes an uncured resin and fibers. The mandrel and the layer are placed in a mold cavity formed by a mold. A pressurized fluid is introduced into the interior of the mandrel via the aperture to generate a force acting to expand the mandrel outward. The mandrel is heated so that it becomes deformable and expand outward to press the layer against the mold. The layer is heated so that it cures. The mandrel is then heated to a temperature above its melting point of the first material so that it melts, after which it is removed.

A process for the production of fiber composite hollow SMC components is provided. In the process an SMC-suitable semi-finished fiber composite material is arranged over or around a wash-removable salt core system. The semi-finished fiber composite material and core system are arranged in an SMC mold, followed by molding of an SMC component incorporating the semi-finished fiber composite material and core system. The wash-removable salt may then be removed by washing to result in an SMC component containing a hollow region.

A method of manufacturing a radius filler may include providing a plurality of fibers, braiding the plurality of fibers into a braided preform, shaping the braided preform into a braided radius filler, and cutting the braided radius filler to a desired length.

Methods for forming vascular components include providing a composite sacrificial body comprising a first sacrificial material having an outer surface and a second sacrificial material applied to at least a portion of the outer surface, molding a solid substrate around the composite sacrificial body, removing the first sacrificial material by deflagration such that at least a portion of the second sacrificial material remains in the same orientation relative to the substrate as originally molded, and subsequently removing the second sacrificial material by a non-deflagration process to form a vascular component. The second sacrificial material can include a phase change material, a syntactic foam including hollow beads bound together with a polymeric binder or a sintered aggregation of hollow beads, a polymeric foam, a water-soluble resin, or an aerogel. The non-deflagration process can include mechanical pulverization, contacting the second sacrificial material with a solvent or chemical etching agent.

Apparatus and methods are described for manufacturing contact lenses employing dissolvable mold structure. The apparatus and methods involve approaches to dissolve at least portions of a mold and to separate a lens from the mold to present the lens for collection.

Apparatus and methods are described for manufacturing contact lenses employing dissolvable mold structure. The apparatus and methods involve approaches to dissolve at least portions of a mold and to separate a lens from the mold to present the lens for collection.

An additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a mould. The additive manufacturing device includes a container for providing at least one mould material, a build platform having a build surface for holding and/or supporting at least one mould being or having been manufactured by an additive manufacturing process, a source for providing energy to selectively activate and subsequently solidify the at least one mould material in or from the container to enable additive manufacturing of the mould, and an electronic controller adapted to selectively control the source to manufacture the mould as a one-piece sacrificial mould according to a predetermined design producing a one-piece additively manufactured mould.

An additive manufacturing device for manufacturing a mould. The additive manufacturing device includes a container for providing at least one mould material, a build platform having a build surface for holding and/or supporting at least one mould being or having been manufactured by an additive manufacturing process, a source for providing energy to selectively activate and subsequently solidify the at least one mould material in or from the container to enable additive manufacturing of the mould, and an electronic controller adapted to selectively control the source to manufacture the mould as a one-piece sacrificial mould according to a predetermined design producing a one-piece additively manufactured mould.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a composite construction element using a mould fabricated by a computer-controlled apparatus. The method comprises the steps of fabricating the mould having one or more receiving portions dimensioned to receive one or more respective objects responsive to computer instructions relating to the mould geometry, positioning the one or more objects in respective receiving portions, covering at least a portion of the mould and the one or more objects with settable material, and at least partially curing the settable material, thereby forming the composite construction element having the one or more objects embedded therein.

The present invention relates to a method for fabricating a composite construction element using a mould fabricated by a computer-controlled apparatus. The method comprises the steps of fabricating the mould having one or more receiving portions dimensioned to receive one or more respective objects responsive to computer instructions relating to the mould geometry, positioning the one or more objects in respective receiving portions, covering at least a portion of the mould and the one or more objects with settable material, and at least partially curing the settable material, thereby forming the composite construction element having the one or more objects embedded therein.