In an example method of forming a waveguide film, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. Further, a relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film. Concurrent to irradiating the photocurable material, the relative separation between the surface of the first mold portion and the surface of the second mold portion is varied and/or an intensity of the radiation irradiating the photocurable material is varied.

An imprint apparatus that performs an imprint process for bringing a protruding portion of a mold into contact with a composition on a substrate is provided. The apparatus comprises a first illuminator configured to emit light for curing the composition, a second illuminator including a scanner configured to scan beam-like light for curing the composition, and a controller configured to control exposure such that in a state where the composition and the protruding portion are in contact with each other, the light from the first illuminator is emitted to the composition at a position corresponding to a first region of the protruding portion, and control the scanner such that the light from the second illuminator is emitted to the composition at a position corresponding to a second region different from the first region of the protruding portion.

A tool (100) comprises a plurality of layers (102, 104, 106) which are arranged to provide a thermally agile tool face (110) and to protect control circuitry and delicate components (150) from excessive temperatures.

A method including steps of (1) heating, with a heating system, an apparatus comprising an enclosure assembly and a temperature emulation assembly positioned within said enclosure assembly; (2) thermally isolating said temperature emulation assembly from said heating system with said enclosure assembly; (3) permitting conductive heat transfer to said temperature emulation assembly only through an enclosure assembly-leading end of said enclosure assembly; and (4) representing a hottest temperature and a coldest temperature of an article being emulated by said apparatus with said temperature emulation assembly.

According to some examples, a method comprises measuring, using a detector, a temperature of at least a portion of a layer of build material formed on a print bed associated with an additive manufacturing apparatus. The additive manufacturing apparatus may include a heating module to direct heat towards successive layers of build material during a series of successive passes over the build material. The method may further comprise determining, using a processor, based at least in part on the measured temperature, a duration that the heating module is to wait before performing a pass over the build material, and a speed at which the heating module is to travel over the build material.

A color based heating system is disclosed. A film for repair of aircraft components of fiber reinforced plastic has color changing properties that can include being temperature-dependent. The color changing properties can be reversible. A system for heating a repair site of a component of fiber reinforced plastic includes the film, a camera and a heating plate. The heating plate can have individually controllable heating zones. A controller can use local color signals of the camera for locally controlling local heating zones of the heating plate. The controller can assign local color signals of the camera to temperatures.

An apparatus for hot drape forming a part includes a plurality of pyrometers, a bladder covering a formable material, and a pyrometer control medium positioned between the plurality of pyrometers and the formable material. The plurality of pyrometers are configured to measure a temperature of the pyrometer control medium.

A state monitoring method for thermosetting resin includes, in a curing treatment of thermosetting resin, detecting a moisture content of the thermosetting resin during the curing treatment; and determining a cross-linking state of the thermosetting resin during the curing treatment based on the detected moisture content. It is possible to determine the cross-linking state of the thermosetting resin by detecting the moisture content of the thermosetting resin during the curing treatment.

Closed-loop systems and methods for controlling the temperature at the compaction point as an automated fiber placement (AFP) machine is placing material over complex surface features at varying speeds. The closed-loop system starts with multiple infrared temperature sensors directed at the layup surface in front of the compaction roller and also at the new layup surface behind the compaction roller. These sensors supply direct temperature readings to a control computer, which also receives speed data and a listing of active tows from the AFP machine and is also programmed with the number of plies in the current layup. In accordance with one embodiment, the heater control system uses a proportional-integral-derivative loop to control the temperature at the compaction point (e.g., at the interface of the compaction roller and a newly laid tow) and regulate the heater power to achieve the desired temperature.

A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, capable of removing bubbles inside a carbon-fiber layer and those on an outer surface thereof without deteriorating a strength of the carbon-fiber layer, preventing a defective appearance, reducing variations in size, and thereby manufacturing a high-pressure tank having an excellent strength is provided. A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank includes an uncured carbon-fiber layer forming step of forming an uncured carbon-fiber layer around a liner, a glass-fiber layer forming step of forming an uncured glass-fiber layer around the uncured carbon-fiber layer, a pin inserting step of inserting a tubular pin disposed therein from an uncured glass-fiber layer side to an interface of the uncured carbon-fiber layer, a gas sucking step of sucking a gas from the pin, and a thermally-curing treatment step of forming a glass-fiber layer and a carbon-fiber layer.