Disclosed is a method of curing a composite article and associated curing apparatus. A heat source is provided for heating the composite article. A temperature related property is detected proximal to the heat source and the heat output is regulated to a predetermined temperature vs. time profile. Heat output vs time data is acquired and functionalised and the curing completion time is determined based on the functionalised heat output vs time data. The method provides for heating a composite article so as to follow a predetermined temperature vs. time profile (i.e. a cure profile) and avoid excessively high temperatures. The required heat output vs time has also been found to be broadly reproducible, and the curing completion time can be more readily determined from functionalised heat output vs time data, for example by identifying reproducible characteristics of the functionalised data.

The heating of a surface is controlled by: monitoring the temperature of a plurality of zones of the surface to output at least one temperature reading of each of the plurality of zones. The temperature readings are modulated in response to a pattern arranged across a portion of the plurality of zones. The energy delivered to each of the plurality of zones is controlled based on the modulated temperature readings to maintain a substantially homogeneous temperature distribution across the surface.

An apparatus, system and method for isolating a controlled environment for cure process control of application and cure of one or more curable compounds to a structure. The apparatus has an end effector of an involute conformal mold having a mold body shaped to provide a shroud over an area covered with the one or more curable compounds on the structure, to isolate the area and the controlled environment. The mold body has an exterior surface, and an interior surface with a cavity profile corresponding to a desired curable compound shape. The mold body has one or more ports, and a plurality of involute channels with spiral flow paths. The involute channels include outer channel(s) having an outer path profile for regenerative heat transfer to the curable compound(s), and include inner channel(s) having an inner path profile for convective and radiative heat transfer to the curable compound(s).

An imprint apparatus for forming a pattern in an imprint material on a substrate using an original as a mold, comprises an ultraviolet light generation device which irradiates with ultraviolet light which is curing light for curing the imprint material, and a control unit which controls a light amount of the ultraviolet light which is curing light. The control unit configured to perform a control of the light amount of the ultraviolet light acquires data of a defect distribution of the pattern formed on the substrate by the mold, and performs the control of the light amount of the ultraviolet light in a plurality of shot areas on the substrate based on the acquired data of the defect distribution.

Systems and methods that prevent oxygen inhibition of a light-initiated polymerization reaction by forcing the oxygen away from the reaction surfaces. In some embodiments, oxygen is purged by bringing a planarizing surface (e.g., a thin transparent film and/or a transparent planar surface) into contact with a layer of UV curable material disposed on a workpiece and then moving the planarizing surface away from the workpiece once the UV material is cured.

Provided is a composite material molding apparatus that can evenly heat a molding surface of a metal mold and shorten the cycle time. The composite material molding apparatus includes an upper die and a lower die having molding surfaces that accommodate a composite material member and shape the composite material member. The upper die and the lower die each have a planar graphite heater provided along installation positions so as to have a constant distance from the molding surface in a manner corresponding to the shape of the molding surface.

The present invention relates to a device for producing a reinforcing structure, which comprises a fiber-reinforced strip having a thermoplastic material, onto a molded body surface. The device is characterized in that emission direction vectors of at least two laser diodes of a laser diode array are aligned in a non-parallel manner to one another and are directed toward one another in the direction of a heating surface of the strip and/or the molded body surface.

Method of heating a blank (2) of plastic material for the manufacture of a hollow body by forming from the blank (2), which comprises the operations consisting of: inserting the blank (2) into an oven (7) provided with sources (9) of monochromatic or pseudo-monochromatic electromagnetic radiation emitting in the infrared range; exposing the blank (2) to the radiation from the sources (9), adjusted to a predetermined emission power for a predetermined exposure time; measuring a temperature on an outer wall (16) of the blank (2);
Characterized in that it comprises an operation consisting of: adjusting the exposure time and/or the emission power so that said temperature at an exit from the oven (2) [sic: (7)], does not fall between T.sub.g and 1.8.Math.T.sub.g, where T.sub.g is the glass transition temperature of the material.

A system includes a curing assembly for low temperature curing and residual stress relief of material substrates. The curing assembly includes a first exposure chamber configured to expose the material substrate to UV radiation, and a second exposure chamber configured to expose the material substrate to Gamma radiation. In some embodiments, a mixing apparatus may mix nano-filler particles into the material substrate prior to exposure to Gamma radiation. The cure assembly may also include a control system for determining exposure dosages and exposure times based at least in part, on the material properties of the material substrate.

Systems and methods that prevent oxygen inhibition of a light-initiated polymerization reaction by purging the oxygen from reaction surfaces using inert gas flow. In some embodiments, oxygen is purged using a gas diffusion system that introduces, via a diffuser, an inert gas into a workspace between a UV light source and a UV curable layer of a workpiece. The diffuser may be made of a transparent or diffuse material to allow UV light to pass through it, and includes an array of micro-holes for the gas to pass through towards the workpiece. The inert gas flow may be heated to maintain a desired and uniform reaction temperature.