A method of forming a barrel portion including obtaining a mandrel shaped to define at least an inner surface of a barrel portion of the bat, wrapping a first plurality of layers of fiber composite material about the mandrel, placing a removable material over a first portion of the first plurality of layers, and wrapping a second plurality of layers of fiber composite material over the removable material and the portion of the first plurality of layers not covered by the removable material for form an assembly. The method further includes separating the mandrel from the assembly, inserting an expandable member within the assembly, inserting the assembly into a barrel-forming mold, and molding the assembly in a single molding cycle, curing the first and second layers with the removable material to form the barrel portion of the bat, and removing the removable material and the member from the barrel portion.

Disclosed is a method implemented by computer for determining a lens blank intended to be used for the manufacturing of a finished optical article. The method includes: —a virtual volume data determining step, during which virtual volume data are determined based at least on finished optical article data representative of the volume of the finished optical article and over-thickness data representative of over-thickness requirements, the virtual volume data are determined so that the virtual volume defined by the virtual volume data includes the volume of the finished optical article volume of the finished optical article and the over-thickness, —a lens blank determining step, during which a lens blank is determined based on the virtual volume data so as to include the virtual volume defined by the virtual volume data.

A three-dimensional printing apparatus includes a liquid tank. The liquid tank includes a release layer and a plate. The release layer has a workpiece curing area, and the plate supports the release layer and has a first area corresponding to the workpiece curing area and a second area adjacent to the first area; the second area has at least one fluid passage extending from a first surface of the plate contacting the release layer to a second surface of the plate. The embodiments of the present invention facilitate the separation of workpieces from the release layer. Another three-dimensional printing apparatus and a three-dimensional printing method are also provided.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a formed article of a composite material. The formed article is manufactured by heating and pressurizing a thermoplastic resin material and fabric material. The method includes a preforming process in which the material to be formed is put in a preforming mold with a release sheet arranged between the material and a part of the preforming mold. The material is heated and pressurized to impregnate the thermoplastic resin material into the fabric material, thus forming an impregnated intermediate material. Then, in a transport process the impregnated intermediate material in a heated state is taken out from the preforming mold with the release sheet left attached thereto, and transported. Finally there is a forming process in which the impregnated intermediate material is accommodated in the forming mold and the impregnated intermediate material is formed into the formed article of the composite material by pressurizing.

A method and apparatus for manufacturing a formed article of a composite material. The formed article is manufactured by heating and pressurizing a thermoplastic resin material and fabric material. The method includes a preforming process in which the material to be formed is put in a preforming mold with a release sheet arranged between the material and a part of the preforming mold. The material is heated and pressurized to impregnate the thermoplastic resin material into the fabric material, thus forming an impregnated intermediate material. Then, in a transport process the impregnated intermediate material in a heated state is taken out from the preforming mold with the release sheet left attached thereto, and transported. Finally there is a forming process in which the impregnated intermediate material is accommodated in the forming mold and the impregnated intermediate material is formed into the formed article of the composite material by pressurizing.

An embossed release film for use in a vacuum bagging system during a process of curing a composite part includes a raised pattern defining an upper air pathway and a lower air pathway. The raised pattern defining the upper air pathway and the lower air pathway negates the need for a breather fabric that is included in conventional vacuum bagging systems. Providing a vacuum bagging system without a breather fabric simplifies the vacuum bagging system, satisfies lean manufacturing principles, and reduces cycle time, manufacturing cost, and waste.

An embossed release film for use in a vacuum bagging system during a process of curing a composite part includes a raised pattern defining an upper air pathway and a lower air pathway. The raised pattern defining the upper air pathway and the lower air pathway negates the need for a breather fabric that is included in conventional vacuum bagging systems. Providing a vacuum bagging system without a breather fabric simplifies the vacuum bagging system, satisfies lean manufacturing principles, and reduces cycle time, manufacturing cost, and waste.

To provide a film which is excellent in releasing property with respect to a resin sealed portion and excellent in low migration property and peeling property with respect to a semiconductor chip, a source electrode or a sealing glass and which is suitable as a mold release film for producing a semiconductor element having a part of the surface of a semiconductor chip, source electrode or sealing glass exposed. A film 1 which comprises a substrate 3 and an adhesive layer 5, wherein the storage elastic modulus at 180° C. of the substrate 3 is from 10 to 100 MPa, and the adhesive layer 5 is a reaction cured product of a composition for adhesive layer comprising a specific acrylic polymer and a polyfunctional isocyanate compound, wherein the number of moles M.sub.OH of hydroxy groups and the number of moles M.sub.COOH of carboxy groups, derived from the acrylic polymer, and the number of moles M.sub.NCO of isocyanate groups derived from the polyfunctional isocyanate compound, satisfy a specific relation, and which is suitable as a mold release film for producing a semiconductor element.

To provide a film which is excellent in releasing property with respect to a resin sealed portion and excellent in low migration property and peeling property with respect to a semiconductor chip, a source electrode or a sealing glass and which is suitable as a mold release film for producing a semiconductor element having a part of the surface of a semiconductor chip, source electrode or sealing glass exposed. A film 1 which comprises a substrate 3 and an adhesive layer 5, wherein the storage elastic modulus at 180° C. of the substrate 3 is from 10 to 100 MPa, and the adhesive layer 5 is a reaction cured product of a composition for adhesive layer comprising a specific acrylic polymer and a polyfunctional isocyanate compound, wherein the number of moles M.sub.OH of hydroxy groups and the number of moles M.sub.COOH of carboxy groups, derived from the acrylic polymer, and the number of moles M.sub.NCO of isocyanate groups derived from the polyfunctional isocyanate compound, satisfy a specific relation, and which is suitable as a mold release film for producing a semiconductor element.

A system for pressing one or more stacks of one or more laminae (22), the system comprising: a tool including top (14b) and bottom plates (14a) configured to be disposed on opposing sides of each of one or more stacks (22) of one or more laminae, each of the plates (14a, 14b) having: a center region that overlies or underlies the stack(s) (22) when the stack(s) are disposed between the plates (14a, 14b); and tabs (174) that extend outwardly from edges of the center region and are configured to be coupled to a conveyor or one or more grippers for moving the plate; and a resilient layer (90) configured to be disposed between the top plate and the stack(s) (22) or the bottom plate (14a) and the stack(s) (22); wherein the resilient layer (90) is sized to be disposable between the plates such that, for each of the plates (14a, 14b): the resilient layer (90) overlies or underlies at least 90% of the center region; one or more portions of the resilient layer (90) neither overlie nor underlie the plate; and at least a portion of each of the tabs neither overlies nor underlies the resilient layer ((14a, 14b)). Also claimed is a method for producing laminates by pressing.