A mold for molding a reinforced preform having at least two apertures therein includes first and second mold halves, first and second emitters disposed in the mold halves and configured to emit light therefrom, first and second receivers disposed in the mold halves and configured to receive light from the respective first and second emitters, and first and second moving members having couplings for connection with side portions of the reinforced preform and actuators for moving the couplings between respective first and second positions. A controller determines an alignment condition based on signals received from the receivers. If the alignment condition fails to meet predetermined criteria, then at least one of the actuators is caused to move its coupling from its respective first position to a respective adjusted position that is different from the respective second position.

A mold for molding a reinforced preform having at least two apertures therein includes first and second mold halves, first and second emitters disposed in the mold halves and configured to emit light therefrom, first and second receivers disposed in the mold halves and configured to receive light from the respective first and second emitters, and first and second moving members having couplings for connection with side portions of the reinforced preform and actuators for moving the couplings between respective first and second positions. A controller determines an alignment condition based on signals received from the receivers. If the alignment condition fails to meet predetermined criteria, then at least one of the actuators is caused to move its coupling from its respective first position to a respective adjusted position that is different from the respective second position.

A method for making an object (2) from plastic material, having a wall (21) and a through hole (22) formed in the wall (21), comprises the following steps: preparing a dose (20) of extruded plastic material; preparing a mould (1), having a first half mould (11) and a second half mould (12), mutually movable along a longitudinal axis (A1), wherein the first half mould (11) includes a body (111) and a plunger (112), the plunger (112) being movable relative to the body (111) between a retracted position and an advanced position; positioning the dose (20); closing the mould (1) to form a closed moulding space (V); moving the plunger (112) from the retracted position to the advanced position to squeeze the dose (20) so that the plastic material is forced to occupy the moulding space (V).

A molding system capable of reducing molding defects including first and second parison forming devices; first and second molds configured to be opened and closed; and a control unit. The first parison forming device comprises a first extruder, a first accumulator, and a first injection head, the first parison forming device is configured to form a first parison by injecting a first molten resin from the first injection head after the first molten resin extruded from the first extruder is accumulated in the first accumulator, the second parison forming device comprises a second extruder, a second accumulator, and a second injection head, the second parison forming device is configured to form a second parison by injecting a second molten resin from the second injection head after the second molten resin extruded from the second extruder is accumulated in the second accumulator.

A method is described for manufacturing a molded product having a recessed/protruding part from a molded substrate (A) including reinforcing fibers and a matrix resin by press molding, the method comprising: a step (I) of placing the molded substrate (A) between molds including an upper mold and a lower mold and deforming the molded substrate (A) in an in-plane direction by heating and pressing the molds; and a step (II) of deforming the molded substrate (A) in an out-of-plane direction by depressurizing the molds subsequent to the step (I), wherein a deformation rate ratio T represented by the following formula (1) is within a range of 0.1 to 1:
T=X/Z   (1)
where X and Z are as defined.

A device for producing microstructures, particularly microneedles and more particularly microneedle arrays, including a female mold that has, on a top side, at least one in particular conical depressed portion for producing a microstructure. The female mold is, for example, in the form of a silicone cap and is connected to a hollow cylinder in particular via a holding element. A plunger is disposed movably inside the hollow cylinder.

According to one implementation, a composite material forming jig includes molds and a tilting structure. The molds are developable for laminating fiber sheets, after or before impregnated with a resin, in a developed state where the molds are developed. At least one mold of the molds is capable of being inclined relatively to another mold of the molds so that the laminated fiber sheets are shaped. The tilting structure is adapted to develop the molds when the fiber sheets are laminated and incline the at least one mold when the laminated fiber sheets are shaped.

This flexible mandrel for molding a composite material containing a thermosetting resin includes: a main body containing a first material; and a thermally conductive layer containing a second material having a higher thermal conductivity than the first material, the thermally conductive layer being formed so as to cover at least a portion of the main body. The thermally conductive layer extends from a contacting surface of the flexible mandrel, which comes into contact with the composite material during molding, to a non-contacting surface which does not come into contact with the composite material.

This flexible mandrel for molding a composite material containing a thermosetting resin includes: a main body containing a first material; and a thermally conductive layer containing a second material having a higher thermal conductivity than the first material, the thermally conductive layer being formed so as to cover at least a portion of the main body. The thermally conductive layer extends from a contacting surface of the flexible mandrel, which comes into contact with the composite material during molding, to a non-contacting surface which does not come into contact with the composite material.

Forming systems and methods for drape forming a composite charge are disclosed herein. The forming systems include a forming die having a forming surface configured to receive the composite charge and a collapsible support having a support surface. The forming surface has a forming surface edge that extends along a length of the forming surface, and the support surface has a die-proximate support surface edge that extends along the length of the support surface. The forming surface edge and the die-proximate support surface edge define a gap therebetween. A shape of the die-proximate support surface edge corresponds to a shape of the forming surface edge such that a gap width of the gap is at least substantially constant along a length of the gap. The collapsible support is configured to transition from an extended conformation to a collapsed conformation. The methods include methods of utilizing the systems.