A template substrate includes a pedestal portion on a first surface of a substrate. The template substrate defines an opening region provided in a second surface opposite to the first surface of the substrate. The opening region includes an opening end on a second surface side of the opening region corresponding to the second surface and a bottom surface on a first surface side of the opening region corresponding to the first surface. An area of the opening end is different from an area of the bottom surface.

A composite comprising an upper layer and a substrate layer, wherein the upper layer comprises a shape-memory polymeric material having a glass transition temperature T.sub.g,SMP and being at least partially transparent for light in the VIS-range, characterized in that the upper layer comprises a surface, wherein the surface is at least partially a rough surface having an arithmetic average roughness R.sub.a of at least 0.1 m.

A diffractive security device is disclosed including at least a first diffractive structure defined in a carrier layer. The first diffractive structure is an on-axis diffractive zone plate structure of a continuously curved surface configured such that when the device is illuminated by on-axis light a first diffraction pattern generated by the first diffractive structure can be viewed from at least a first side of the device at substantially all viewing angles, the first diffraction pattern exhibiting a reference point or reference line relative to which other features of the first diffraction pattern appear to move when the viewing angle is changed.

The present invention relates to a process for the production of a structured grain on the surface of a thermoplastic having continuous-fiber reinforcement by a textile sheet, where a mixture of at least one fiber material and of at least one thermoplastic is heated and pressed in a mold to a temperature above the softening point of the thermoplastic, where a structured grain has been applied on the internal side of the mold. The at least one fiber material comprises continuous fibers and takes the form of a regularly arranged textile sheet. The textile sheet and the structured grain on the internal side of the mold are oriented in relation to one another in a manner such that during the pressing procedure the textile sheet and the structured grain on the internal side of the mold are mutually superposed. After the pressing procedure, the mixture of the at least one fiber material and the at least one thermoplastic in the mold is cooled to a temperature below the softening point of the thermoplastic, with formation of the structured grain on the surface of the thermoplastic. The present invention further relates to a thermoplastic which has continuous-fiber reinforcement by a textile sheet and has a structured grain on the surface, and is obtained by the process of the invention.

The present invention provides an imprint apparatus comprising a deforming unit configured to deform a pattern surface by applying a force to a mold, a measuring unit configured to measure a deformation amount of the pattern surface, a control unit configured to control the measuring unit to measure the deformation amount in each of a plurality of states in which a plurality of the forces are applied to the mold, a calculation unit configured to calculate a rate of change in the deformation amount as a function of a change in the force applied to the mold, and a calibration unit configured to calibrate a control profile describing a time in the imprint process, and the force applied to the mold, based on the rate of change in the deformation amount.

A heated indenter is provided for indenting a personalized document to create a security impression thereon. The personalized document includes but is not limited to, identification cards, driver's licenses, credit and debit cards, and the like. The security impression can provide a visible or tactile security feature that can be recognized by one with little or no training. The security impression causes a laminate layer of the document to tear or disfigure when attempting to remove the laminate layer from a substrate of the document.

In a system and method for making a capped structure having a variegated cap layer a layer of cap materials is applied to a substrate and pin stripes are applied onto the cap layer through an extrusion die. After these materials exit the extrusion die they are passed through a single opening in a die plate to create a capped structure having a variegated appearance. This capped structure has a smooth surface that enables an embosser to create a consistent embossing pattern on the entire surface.

The invention provides a method for 3D printing a 3D item (1), the method comprising depositing during a printing stage 3D printable material (201), to provide the 3D item (1) comprising 3D printed material (202), wherein the printing stage comprises: 3D printing a first 3D printable material (201a) to provide a first 3D printed material (202a), the first 3D printable material (201a) comprising a cross-linkable material; creating a relief structure (610) in the first 3D printed material (202a) with a tool (630); and 3D printing a second 3D printable material (201b) to provide a second 3D printed material (202b), to provide a stack (620) of (i) 3D printed material (202) comprising the first 3D printed material comprising the relief structure (610), and (ii) the second 3D printed material (202b), wherein the method further comprises: cross-linking at least part of the first 3D printed material (202a) comprising the relief structure (610) before depositing the second 3D printable material (202b).

An imprint method includes contact step of bringing imprint material on shot region of substrate and pattern region of mold into contact with each other, alignment step of aligning the shot region and the pattern region after the contact step, first irradiation step of, before the alignment step is completed, irradiating frame-shaped portion of the imprint material with light, second irradiation step, started after the first irradiation step is started, irradiating at least part of the imprint material on the shot region with light under condition different from condition in the first irradiation step so that alignment error between the shot region and the pattern region is reduced, third irradiation step of irradiating the entire imprint material on the shot region with light after the alignment step is completed.

A process for producing a surface covering with an embossed printed surface is described. A substrate (16) is continuously moved through a production line, and this substrate (16) is first provided, in a printing equipment (12), with a printed pattern and thereafter, in an embossing equipment (14), with an embossed pattern, which is registered with the printed pattern. The printing equipment (12) produces the printed pattern in-line with the production of the embossed pattern. During printing in the printing equipment (12), the printed pattern is stretched or compressed, dynamically responsive to indicators of misalignments between the printed pattern and the embossed pattern, so as to correct or prevent the misalignments. A production line for carrying out this process is also proposed.