A method and apparatus is presented. A portion is cut from a thermoplastic sheet of a first thermoplastic material based on a three dimensional model. The portion is secured to a mold. The portion and the mold are heated under vacuum to form a structure. The structure may take the form of a protective covering. In some illustrative examples, the mold may be formed of a second thermoplastic material based on the three dimensional model using additive manufacturing.

Methods and devices for manufacturing plastic preforms and plastic containers are provided. Methods of manufacturing a plastic preform having an inner undercut include forming a preform of plastic in amorphous state and inserting a plug within the mouth of the preform. The plug includes an upper plug member and an expandable element, the expandable element having an initial outer diameter in plan view with the plug in an initial condition and a deployed outer diameter in plan view with the plug in a deployed condition. Methods further include deploying the plug to the deployed condition with the expandable element positioned to engage a side wall proximate the inner undercut and crystallizing the plastic of the preform along the finish portion.

A method of manufacturing a fiber reinforced thermoplastic part includes placing fibers, fixing the fibers in place, cutting the fibers, infusing the fibers with a thermoplastic polymer, stacking multiple sheets of the fibers, and molding the multiple sheets together. A method of manufacturing a part includes placing original fibers, fixing the fibers in place, cutting the fibers, infusing the fibers with a thermoplastic polymer, stacking multiple sheets of the fibers, molding the multiple sheets together to form a moldable sheet, and applying a mold to the moldable sheet.

A system and method for forming an item from a material, which may include elongated fibers and/or stretched broken fibers. The material is placed on a first clamping portion, which is placed on a fixture. A second clamping portion is placed against the material and the first clamping portion and secured together, forming a clamping assembly. The clamping assembly is removed from the fixture and placed on a first die portion, having a first profile. A second die portion is also provided, having a second profile. In forming the item, at least one of the first die portion and the second die portion are moved toward each other such that a second surface of the first die portion and a first surface of the second die portion contact and form the material into the item generally replicating the first profile and the second profile.

A two-part method for dye-sublimation printing a decorative design on a moldable orthotic substrate comprising a first digital printing step of printing a computer image file of a decorative design on a digital transfer paper substrate using dye-sublimation CMYK inks, and a second dye-sublimation printing step comprising the steps of heating an oven to a first temperature, placing a moldable orthotic substrate inside the oven, heating the moldable orthotic substrate to a second temperature, positioning the digital transfer paper substrate on the moldable orthotic substrate with the decorative design down and in contact with the moldable orthotic substrate, and sublimating the at least one color of dye-sublimation CMYK inks from the digital transfer paper substrate to the moldable orthotic substrate. A custom orthotic product may be manufactured by wrapping the dye-sublimation printed moldable orthotic substrate around an orthotic mold and applying a vacuum.

A thermoforming device includes: a base configured to hold a substrate; a hot plate including a heating surface facing vertically downward; a sheet transport portion that supplies a sheet onto the heating surface of the hot plate; and a substrate supply portion configured to attach the substrate to the base and detach the substrate from the base, and to dispose the substrate at a substrate supply position positioned in a lower area of the sheet which is opposite to a side of the sheet in which the heating surface is provided. In the thermoforming device, heating of the sheet using the hot plate and attachment and detachment of the substrate with respect to the base are performable at the same time, and the sheet heated and softened by the hot plate is attached to the substrate at the substrate supply position.

A protective case for electronic device includes an inner shell, an outer shell, and a magnetic interlayer that fits and in contact with the inner shell and the outer shell, wherein: the magnetic interlayer includes an interlayer base material and a magnetic part, the magnetic interlayer is provided with a through installation hole, and the magnetic part is fixedly embedded in the installation hole, the thickness of the magnetic part matches with the depth of the installation hole, the interlayer base material includes a hot-melt base material and reinforcing fiber yarn contained in the hot-melt base material, and the hot-melt base material is filled between the magnetic part and the inner side wall of the installation hole.

An aesthetic structural product is provided that incorporates high structural strength and high-gloss finish through a streamlined manufacturing process combining hybrid molding with an overlay of decorative film. The method includes preheating a composite sheet, applying a decorative film to the composite sheet through hot stamping, thermoforming the composite sheet to a desired shape, and overmolding desired features using a resin which is compatible with the composite of the composite sheet. The method may be performed in varying order, such as overmolding and/or thermoforming the composite sheet prior to hot-stamping the decorative film to the composite sheet.

A 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours. The 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method including at least one of one or more pairs of shapeable and flexible dual-temperature bands and a rotating assembly that rotates the one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to impart a twist to the thermoplastic composite.

A panelized system and method providing an infinite number of authentic, aesthetic, and tactile options for producing decorative cabinet enclosures for hot tubs is based on the use of high-resolution digital printing on plastic sheets, post-forming said sheets, and molding structural elements on such sheets for assembly of enclosures for hot tubs.