Methods of producing an additive manufactured part with a smooth surface finish and customized properties include creating a compensated design that serves as a print recipe for an additive manufacturing process for a part, where the creating comprises modifying a desired design with a geometric offset correction to compensate for a first portion of an uncured surface finish material to be retained on the part. A spinning device is provided that has a platform. The part is formed with the additive manufacturing process and secured to the platform, where the part is at least partially wetted with the uncured surface finish material. The platform is rotated, where a second portion of the uncured surface finish material is removed due to forces imparted by the rotating. The uncured surface finish material is chosen to customize a property of the part.

Systems and techniques to provide a flexible, lightweight material that is also effective at protecting a body from ballistic threats are described. An example composite material described herein is fiber-based, and it includes one or more first regions where the fiber composite material is consolidated, and one or more second regions where the fiber composite material is unconsolidated. Example methods of manufacturing the composite material disclosed herein include using a specialized tool with a heated platen press or an autoclave. The tool may include one or more protrusions and/or cavities that contact a precursor composite material to transform the precursor material into a partially consolidated fiber composite material, which is suitable for use as body armor, among other potential applications for the manufactured composite material.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic part from a blank part having a first moulding member and a second moulding member which are configured to cooperate together. A first heating body configured to heat the first moulding member and conductively heat the blank part. Two thermal insulation members are configured to cooperatively define a closed cavity in which at least the moulding members and the first heating body are arranged. A casing defining an internal volume in which at least the moulding members, the first heating body and the thermal insulation members are arranged, and a suction member is configured to lower the internal pressure in the internal volume to compress the preform part between the moulding members.

A system for manufacturing a part that includes a mold, a first fixation component, fixed to the mold, second fixation components, each configured to be fixed to a consolidated laminate sheet, third fixation components, each fixed to the mold. The system also includes tension straps. The first fixation component is configured to attach the consolidated laminate sheet to the mold so that the consolidated laminate sheet does not translationally move relative to the forming surface of the mold. Each one of the second fixation components is configured to attach the tension straps to the consolidated laminate sheet. Each one of the third fixation components is configured to attach the tension straps to the mold so that the tension straps are movable relative to the mold. The system also includes a heating assembly and a strap retraction mechanism, configured to retract the tension strap.

A slot extruder for use with an additive manufacturing system, which includes a plenum configured to receive a photocurable resin, an elongated slot positioned at a bottom end of the plenum and configured to receive the photocurable resin from the plenum, one or more resin inlet ports extending into the plenum, and one or more mechanisms configured to controllably pressurize and depressurize the photocurable resin in the plenum.

A thermally expandable sheet includes: a first thermally expansive layer that is formed on one side of a base and contains a first thermally expandable material; and a second thermally expansive layer that is formed on the first thermally expansive layer and contains a second thermally expandable material, wherein the second thermally expandable material further contains white pigment.

A mold for forming a flange of a wind turbine blade comprising a first flange portion including a plurality of lamina and having a generally planar shape and a second perpendicular flange including a plurality of lamina. A plurality of copper wires are disposed within the lamina for conducting heat delivered from a base portion through the first and second flange portions. The mold is free of fluid conduits with the flange portions moveable relative to the base portion.

A thermally expandable sheet includes: a first thermally expansive layer that is formed on one side of a base and contains a first thermally expandable material and a first binder, the first thermally expansive layer having a first ratio of the first thermally expandable material with respect to the first binder; and a second thermally expansive layer that is formed on the first thermally expansive layer and contains a second thermally expandable material and a second binder, the second thermally expansive layer having a second ratio of the second thermally expandable material with respect to the second binder, wherein the first ratio is lower than the second ratio.

Systems and methods for curing complex fiber-reinforced composite structures utilize two distinct heat sources. A first heat source is utilized for heating a complex fiber-reinforced composite structure from within an internal portion of the complex fiber-reinforced composite structure. A second heat source is utilized for heating the complex fiber-reinforced composite structure from an external surface of the complex fiber-reinforced composite structure.

The invention relates to a process for determining the susceptibility to nosocomical infections in a patient, comprising the measurement of the expression of sCD127 in a biological sample.