Methods and apparatus for curing curved cylinder-like workpieces (e.g., in the shape of a half or full barrel) made of composite material, such as nacelle honeycomb core composite sandwich structures. These methods enable tailored curing of composite nacelle structures, to significantly reduce capital cost and fabrication cycle time. In lieu of an autoclave or oven, a pressurized ring-shaped cure volume is defined by a partitioned enclosure that mimics the cylinder-like shape of the composite nacelle structure with only limited clearance (e.g., a partitioned enclosure comprising inner and outer concentric cylinder-like walls). A tool (e.g., a mandrel) and at least one composite nacelle structure supported thereon are placed in the cure volume for curing. Integrally heated tooling, optionally in combination with other heating methods, such as infrared heaters, is utilized to provide the temperature profile necessary for cure.

A method and apparatus for curing a composite workpiece to form a part. In one illustrative embodiment, an apparatus may comprise an object, a portable structure, and a heating system. The object may have a shape selected for a part. The portable structure may comprise a retaining structure configured to hold the object. The retaining structure may have a first side and a second side. The heating system may be configured to cover the object at the first side of the retaining structure and the second side of the retaining structure. The heating system may be further configured to generate heat for use in curing a workpiece placed over the object to form the part.

Provided is a method for producing a rubber crawler capable of suppressing deformation of tension members which probably occurs during the manufacture. The method for producing a rubber crawler 1 comprises: obtaining rubber protrusions 4, 5 having half-vulcanized surfaces 4a, 5a by vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber RR while keeping a half-vulcanized state; obtaining a main body 2 having half-vulcanized surfaces 2c, 2d by vulcanizing an unvulcanized rubber RR with tension members 3 embedded therein while keeping a half-vulcanized state; and arranging the rubber protrusions 4, 5 on the main body 2, and then integrating the rubber protrusions 4, 5 and the main body 2 by vulcanizing the same.

Auxiliary molding equipment includes a tubular body including a first end opening, a second end opening, and an internal passage through which the first end opening and the second end opening communicate with each other. The tubular body includes: a first tubular portion located in an internal space of the heating target object; and a second tubular portion that is located so as to project to an outside of the heating target object through an opening of the heating target object and has an outer shape expanding toward the second end opening.

A material system including a plurality of expandable pellets or a monolithic flexible carrier is disclosed, each of which may include a polymer matrix configured to hold an expandable core, and a flexible skin configured to encapsulate the polymer matrix, and where the flexible skin is at least partially permeable with respect to the expandable core or a gas released by the expandable core. Implementations of the material system may include where the polymer matrix may include a thermoplastic polymer. The material system may include a charging source configured to introduce blowing agent. A method of curing a composite part is also described.

A material system including a plurality of expandable pellets or a monolithic flexible carrier is disclosed, each of which may include a polymer matrix configured to hold an expandable core, and a flexible skin configured to encapsulate the polymer matrix, and where the flexible skin is at least partially permeable with respect to the expandable core or a gas released by the expandable core. Implementations of the material system may include where the polymer matrix may include a thermoplastic polymer. The material system may include a charging source configured to introduce blowing agent. A method of curing a composite part is also described.

A method and a device for producing a component from a fiber composite material. The method includes introducing multiple layers of fibers impregnated with a matrix onto an inner mold, placing a membrane sealed against an outer mold onto the fibers impregnated with the matrix, such that a cavity extending along the shell surface of the outer mold forms between the outer mold and the membrane, and applying a temperature-controllable pressure fluid to the cavity at a temperature greater than the melting point of the matrix and at a pressure greater than the ambient pressure. To produce a component having at least one reinforcing layer, at least one reinforcing layer having fibers oriented in a predominantly parallel manner is placed locally onto a portion of a side of a the base layer facing the outer mold with the aid of an insertion device and a membrane with an average surface roughness of below 1.0 ?m, preferably below 0.1 ?m, subsequently exerts a set pressure in the cavity on the component.

The invention provides a method for producing coated silicone hydrogel contact lenses in a cost-effective manner. The method comprises treating the molding surfaces of polypropylene lens molds (or other hydrophobic plastic molds) with a vacuum UV or a corona plasma to increase the surface energies of the molding surfaces of the lens molds, cast-molding a silicone hydrogel lens formulation containing a relatively small amount of at least one carboxyl-containing vinylic monomer in the treated lens molds, and heating resultant cast-molded silicone hydrogel contact lenses in an aqueous coating solution comprising a water-soluble and thermally crosslinkable polymeric material to form a coated silicone hydrogel contact lens comprising a bulk silicone hydrogel material and a hydrogel layer covalently attached onto the bulk silicone hydrogel material.

A device for making a double-sided toothed belt has an inner mold having teeth and an outer mold. The outer mold includes segments arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the inner mold and mutually adjacent. The device has a force transmission element arranged on the radial outer side of the segments. A pressure vessel has a cylindrical wall surrounding the force transmission element. The force transmission element is formed as a bellows fastened with two ends in pressure-tight fashion to the pressure vessel. The force transmission element is arranged in a ring-shaped space formed between the wall of the pressure vessel and the radial outer side of the segments. The pressure vessel has a pressure medium bore which opens into the ring-shaped space radially outside the force transmission element. The segments and the inner mold each have one axial passage bore through which fluid can be conducted.

An autoclave (1) is one in which a heat application target molded material (W) is retained in shape by a retaining jig (4) which has a cavity (15) therein, and is heat-cured with high temperature gas. The autoclave is provided with: a pressure vessel (2) in the interior of which the molded material (W) is arranged; a high temperature gas supplying device (5) which supplies the high temperature gas to the molded material (W) within the pressure vessel (2); and an auxiliary high temperature gas supplying device (7) which supplies the high temperature gas into the interior of the cavity (15).