The unit (1) for processing hollow-body plastic blanks (2) includes a chamber (6) wherein the blanks (2) move along a predetermined path. The chamber (6) is defined, on both sides of the path, by two side walls (3, 4) having inner surfaces (5) that face each other. The chamber (6) includes a main section (9) wherein at least one of the walls (3, 4) is provided with a plurality of electromagnetic radiation sources (10). The side walls (3, 4) define therebetween, on at least one end of the chamber, an opening (8) for the preforms to pass therethrough. The chamber (6) includes at least one optical confinement section (12) that extends between the main section (9) and the opening (8) and wherein the inner surfaces (5) of the side walls (3, 4) are optically reflective and converge toward the opening (8).

An apparatus for thermally processing a relief image printing element and a method of using the same are described. The printing element comprises at least one photopolymer layer and is selectively exposed to actinic radiation to crosslink portions of the at least one photopolymer layer. The apparatus comprises: (a) means for supporting the printing element; (b) heating means for melting or softening non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; (c) at least one rotatable roll that is capable of bringing a blotting material into contact with the at least one photopolymer layer to remove the melted or softened non-crosslinked portions of the at least one photopolymer layer; and (d) an element arranged adjacent to the at least one rotatable roll for removing non-crosslinked photopolymer remaining on a surface of the at least one rotatable roll after step c). The apparatus may alternatively be operated without a blotting material.

A method for manufacturing a composite part, in particular an aeronautical composite part, in which the method includes the steps of heating a mixture of a polymerisable resin and a curing agent to a temperature and/or for a period of time sufficient to ensure that the curing agent is completely dissolved; cooling the mixture to a safety temperature so as to prevent at least one exothermic reaction; subsequently or immediately injecting the mixture into a mould including a fibrous preform at an injection temperature equal to or higher than the dissolution temperature.

Techniques for improved efficiency of sintering in additive fabrication are described. According to some aspects, mechanisms for depositing and leveling source material are combined with a mechanism for heating the material. In some embodiments, one or more heating elements may be arranged to lead and/or follow a material deposition mechanism such that heat may be applied to the build region in concert with deposition of material. As a result of this technique, the heating and depositing steps may be performed closer together in time and/or heat may be applied more directly to the material than in conventional systems. As a result, greater control over material temperature may be achieved, thereby avoiding excess temperature exposure and subsequent undesirable changes to the material.

An additive manufacturing (AM) system includes a carriage that deposits material in a defined pattern and a building platform that receives material deposited from the carriage. The carriage includes a pre-heating assembly with a plurality of pre-heating chambers and a printing block with a plurality of slots for receiving a plurality of printing heads. The carriage is equipped with more pre-heating chambers than head slots.

A method for manufacturing a connector-integrated resin tube includes: a fitting step in which an end portion of a resin tube material including a straight tube portion is fitted into an end portion of a connector of a tubular shape; a joining step in which the end portion of the resin tube material and the end portion of the connector that have been fitted are joined by laser welding; a heating holding step in which a posture holding die including a bending processing portion for bending processing of the straight tube portion is used to hold the straight tube portion in a heated and bent state at the bending processing portion of the posture holding die; and a cooling step in which the straight tube portion is cooled.

Techniques for improved efficiency of sintering in additive fabrication are described. According to some aspects, mechanisms for depositing and leveling source material are combined with a mechanism for heating the material. In some embodiments, one or more heating elements may be arranged to lead and/or follow a material deposition mechanism such that heat may be applied to the build region in concert with deposition of material. As a result of this technique, the heating and depositing steps may be performed closer together in time and/or heat may be applied more directly to the material than in conventional systems. As a result, greater control over material temperature may be achieved, thereby avoiding excess temperature exposure and subsequent undesirable changes to the material.

A process for producing a molded part from a highly filled thermosetting starting material including: introducing the starting material into a prepressing tool; producing a preform from the starting material, the starting material being brought to a prepressing temperature by the prepressing tool and being compressed with a prepressing force to form the preform; removing the preform from the prepressing tool and introducing the preform into a finish pressing tool; and producing a finished part from the preform, the preform being brought to a finish pressing temperature by the finish pressing tool and being compressed with a finish pressing force to form the finished part. Here, the prepressing temperature is lower than the finish pressing temperature and the finish pressing temperature is at least as high as an onset temperature of a curing reaction of the starting material.

A super absorbent polymer drying apparatus is disclosed. The super absorbent polymer drying apparatus is a drying apparatus equipped with a conveyor for drying the super absorbent polymer, and may include: a conveyor for transferring the super absorbent polymer; and a hot air supply part for supplying dry hot air to the conveyor, wherein the conveyor may include a plurality of conveyor beds connected to each other in a bent state, a link connecting part for connecting between the plurality of conveyor beds, and a driving part for driving the conveyor beds.

A method includes forming a first layer of a disk, the first layer comprising a first material and forming a second layer of the disk by depositing a second material on the first layer. The method further includes irradiating at least the second layer of the disk to cross-link the second material. The first material has a higher melting point than the second material, and the dual-layer disk is configured to be thermoformed into an oral appliance.