A method for curing a composite including a thermoset resin, a reinforcement material and a thermoplastic additive, the thermoplastic additive having a melt onset temperature, the method including heating the composite to increase a resin temperature of the thermoset resin and, during the heating, controlling the resin temperature such that the resin temperature exceeds the melt onset temperature prior to the thermoset resin achieving a degree of cure of 98 percent.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed that heats a feedstock and a workpiece in preparation for depositing and tamping the feedstock onto the workpiece. The system comprises a first laser/optical instrument pair for precisely heating the feedstock and a second laser/optical instrument pair for precisely heating the workpiece. The laser beam from each laser is shaped into an ellipse and each beam is rotated around an angle of rotation to ensure that the feedstock and the workpiece are properly heated. The system employs feedforward, a variety of sensors, and feedback to adjust the angle of rotation of each laser beam.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed that heats a feedstock and a workpiece in preparation for depositing and tamping the feedstock onto the workpiece. The system comprises a first laser/optical instrument pair for precisely heating the feedstock and a second laser/optical instrument pair for precisely heating the workpiece. The laser beam from each laser is shaped into an ellipse and each beam is rotated around an angle of rotation to ensure that the feedstock and the workpiece are properly heated. The system employs feedforward, a variety of sensors, and feedback to adjust the angle of rotation of each laser beam.

An apparatus (1) for additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects (2) by successive, selective layer-by-layer exposure and thus solidification of construction material layers of a construction material (3) that can be solidified by means of an energy beam, comprising at least one temperature control device (11), which is provided for at least partial temperature control of a construction material layer formed in a construction plane, wherein the temperature control device (11) comprises at least one temperature control element (12), which is provided for generating an, especially electromagnetic, temperature control beam, wherein the at least one temperature control element (12) is formed as or comprises a temperature control diode.

Systems and methods are provided for thermal inspection of tape layup. One embodiment is a method for performing inspection of a tape layup. The method comprises laying up tape onto a surface of a laminate, applying heat to tack the tape to the surface, and generating thermographic images of the tape as applied to the surface.

Methods and systems are provided for ultra-violet curing, and in particular, for ultra-violet curing of optical fiber surface coatings. In one example, a curing device includes a first elliptic cylindrical reflector, with a second elliptic cylindrical reflector housed within the first elliptic cylindrical reflector. The first elliptic cylindrical reflector and second elliptic cylindrical reflector have a co-located focus, and a workpiece to be cured by the curing device may be arranged at the co-located focus.

Non-destructive evaluation (NDE) systems and methods are provided for monitoring objects being manufactured during a cure or consolidation process and for detecting defects that occur during the cure or consolidation process or to detect conditions of the process that can lead to the occurrence of defects. Information acquired by the NDE system during the cure or consolidation process can be used to adjust one or more parameters of the process in real-time to prevent defects from occurring or to reduce the number and/or severity of defects that occur during the cure or consolidation process.

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.

Systems and methods of curing a thermoset composite (TSC) to a target state of cure (SOC) are disclosed herein. The methods include heating the thermoset composite to greater than a threshold temperature. During the heating, the methods further include monitoring an actual temperature of the thermoset composite, determining a maximum temperature achieved by the thermoset composite, and determining an elapsed time that the actual temperature of the thermoset composite is greater than the threshold temperature. The methods further include ceasing the heating based, at least in part, on the maximum temperature of the TSC and the elapsed time. The systems include a heating assembly, a support mandrel, a thermoset composite, a temperature detector, and a controller programmed to perform the methods.

A 3D printing device includes at least one printing nozzle for a layer-by-layer application of a printing material provided for the production of a component to be printed along a direction of application (R). The 3D printing device has a temperature control device that is configured and provided both to cool and warm already applied printing material in the region of the printing nozzle.