A method of forming an oral care implement, a method of forming a head plate for an oral care implement, and an oral care implement or head plate formed therefrom. The head plate may have micro-sized or fine features. The method may include providing an amount of a first solid material upstream of a first mold cavity; prior to the first solid material entering the first mold cavity, applying ultrasonic energy to the first solid material to melt the first solid material into a first molten material; flowing the first molten material into the first mold cavity; allowing the first molten material to harden within the first mold cavity to form a head plate comprising micro-sized features; forming a body from a second material, the body including a handle portion and a head portion; and coupling the head plate to the head portion of the body.

Aspects disclosed herein relate to forming on a substrate fastener elements suitable for use in touch fastener by employing vibration forming methods. The processes described provide for a greater flexibility in manufacturing than prior methods and overcome certain limitations in prior forming techniques. Further, the product made can embody a variety of different configurations suitable for a given application. Employing vibration forming methods, such as ultrasonic forming methods, allows for the use of a wider variety of substrate material than materials used with convention methods of touch fastener formation.

The present application relates to the technical field of the research on energetic composite materials, and in particular to a device and a method for controlling transverse and longitudinal stress waves during the curing process of energetic composite materials. The device for controlling transverse and longitudinal stress waves comprises a curing vessel containing an energetic composite materials to be cured; a vertical exciter that is vertically incident to the curing vessel; and a plurality of oblique exciters which are arranged around the vertical exciter and obliquely incident to the curing vessel, wherein the oblique exciters have inclination angles between a first critical angle and a second critical angle. By means of incident transverse and longitudinal waves, the internal radial residual stress and the internal axial residual stress are reduced and homogenized, so as to improve stability and mechanical property of the energetic composite materials during curing.

A method of additive manufacturing (AM) includes dispensing a first building material formulation to form an outer region, and dispensing a second building material formulation to form an inner region, the outer region surrounding the inner region, the inner and outer regions being shaped to form a layer of the object; exposing the layer to a first curing condition, repeating the dispensing and the exposing to sequentially form a plurality of layers of the object and collectively exposing the plurality of layers to a second curing condition. The selections are such that the first building material formulation is hardened to a higher degree than the second building formulation. The outer regions form a hardened coating that at least partially encapsulates the inner regions. The second curing condition is other than the first curing condition and is selected to increase the degree that the inner region is hardened.

A method for manufacturing a hollow protruding implement (1) including a fine hollow protrusion (3) having an opening (3h) of the present invention includes a protrusion forming step of inserting a projecting mold part (11) into a base material sheet (2A) from one face (2D) side thereof, the base material sheet containing a thermoplastic resin, thereby forming a non-penetrated hollow protrusion (3) projecting from another face (2U) side of the base material sheet (2A). Subsequently, an opening forming step is performed in which an opening (3h) that penetrates the hollow protrusion (3) is formed by using a contactless opening forming means disposed on the other face (2U) side of the base material sheet (2A).

A method of additive manufacturing (AM) includes dispensing a first building material formulation to form an outer region, and dispensing a second building material formulation to form an inner region, the outer region surrounding the inner region, the inner and outer regions being shaped to form a layer of the object; exposing the layer to a first curing condition, repeating the dispensing and the exposing to sequentially form a plurality of layers of the object and collectively exposing the plurality of layers to a second curing condition. The selections are such that the first building material formulation is hardened to a higher degree than the second building formulation. The outer regions form a hardened coating that at least partially encapsulates the inner regions. The second curing condition is other than the first curing condition and is selected to increase the degree that the inner region is hardened.

Methods and systems for mechanically forming one or more surface protrusions integrally from a garment material, the one or more surface protrusions extending outwardly from a garment surface of the garment material, include pre-heating at least one selected area of the garment material; placing the at least one selected area of the garment surface that is pre-heated against a first surface of a forming die, the first surface having a plurality of openings which have a configuration and orientation corresponding with the configuration and orientation of the one or more surface protrusions of the garment material. The garment surface may be softened by application of a source of energy, at least some of the softened garment surface positioned into at least one opening of the plurality of openings.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a head configured to discharge a continuous reinforcement that is at least partially coated with a matrix, and a housing trailing from the head and configured to at least partially enclose the continuous reinforcement after discharge. The system may also include a heat source disposed at least partially inside the oven, and a support configured to move the head during discharging.

An ultrasonic device comprising a chamber (10) provided with an inlet bore (11), which receives a melted pressurized polymer, an outlet bore (12) and a sonotrode housing bore (13) through which a distal portion (21) of an ultrasonic head (20) is inserted into the chamber, wherein the distal portion is separated from the rest of the ultrasonic head by a first nodal plane (PN1) wherein there is a first surface (S1) in contact with a complementary surface of a ring seal (30) that closes the chamber, and wherein the ultrasonic head includes a second nodal plane (PN2) away from and parallel to the first nodal plane (PN1) coinciding with or adjacent to a second surface (S2) wherein an anchoring device (40) presses the ultrasonic head against the ring seal ensuring a tight closure.

A print head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The print head may include a nozzle tip, a first matrix source configured to selectively supply a structural matrix to the nozzle tip, and a second matrix source configured to selectively supply a temporary support matrix to the nozzle tip. The print head may also include a reinforcement supply configured to supply a continuous reinforcement through the nozzle tip only when the first matrix source is supplying the structural matrix to the nozzle tip.