In a pallet manufacturing method, variations of pallets, having different thicknesses of pallet bodies, heights of legs, or foaming ratios thereof, are manufactured at low cost and with high quality. The method includes a pallet body molding step for molding a plurality of the pallet bodies of a plurality of types having different thicknesses or expansion ratios of foaming; a leg molding step for molding, separately from the pallet body, a plurality of legs of a plurality of types having different heights or expansion ratios of foaming; and a vacuum forming step for forming a resin sheet for covering and integrating the pallet body and the legs from a bottom surface side of the pallet by vacuum integral forming after the pallet body and the legs are selected, respectively, from the plurality of types and assembled in a state that the legs are mounted on the pallet body.

Methods for manufacturing articles of footwear are provided. In various aspects, the methods comprise utilizing additive manufacturing methods with foam particles. In some aspects, the disclosed methods comprise selectively depositing a binding material on foam particles in a target area such that the binding material coats at least a portion of defining surfaces of the foam particles with the binding material. The binding material is then cured to affix foam particles in the target area to one another. In various aspects, the disclosed methods can be used to manufacturer articles with sub-regions that differential levels of affixing between the foam particles, and thereby resulting in sub-regions with different properties such as density, resilience, and/or flexural modulus. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

Provided are a foam molded product and a method of producing the same. The foam molded product is a molded product containing a resin and including a surface layer, a compressive deformation layer, and a foam layer. The thickness of the surface layer is 0.1 mm to 5.0 mm. The compressive deformation layer is located between the surface layer and the foam layer. Foam particles forming the compressive deformation layer have an average H/L of 0.5 or less (H: length in compression direction; L: length in perpendicular direction relative to compression direction). Foam particles forming the foam layer have an expansion ratio of not less than 3.0 times and less than 30 times.

Methods for manufacturing cushioning elements for sports apparel are described. A method is provided for manufacturing a cushioning element for sports apparel from randomly arranged particles of an expanded material. The method includes positioning a functional element within a mold and loading the mold with the particles of the expanded material, wherein the loading occurs through at least two openings within the mold and/or wherein the loading occurs between different movable parts of the mold.

A method for producing a foam component includes providing a particulate starting material in a mold, softening the starting material, inducing a pressure change within the mold to cause foaming in at least a portion of the softened starting material without the use of a blowing agent, and solidifying the foamed starting material.

Methods are disclosed for making articles (2) by three-dimensional printing. The methods include three-dimensional printing a build powder mixture which includes a first material powder and a second material powder to form a printed article and subsequently heating the printed article to a temperature at which a sufficient amount of the second material powder melts to enable it to infiltrate throughout the interstices between the first material powder particles so that the article (2) achieves a room temperature relative density of at least 85 percent of its theoretical density, the theoretical density being the density the article (2) would have if it contained no porosity. The first material powder has a melting temperature, melting temperature range, or dissociation temperature which is higher than the melting temperature or melting temperature range of the second material powder and the first material powder has no more than a limited amount of solubility in the second material powder.

The present invention provides means for improving bondability between a vehicle seat core and a cushion in a vehicle seat pad formed by integration of them without significantly impairing mechanical properties. A vehicle seat core is characterized in that it is a vehicle seat core for forming a vehicle seat pad by integration with a cushion, which comprises a foamed resin molded body obtained by filling a cavity of a mold with a plurality of foamed resin particles and performing in-mold foam molding, and that at least a partial region of a surface of the foamed resin molded body to which the cushion is bonded when forming the vehicle seat pad has a surface expansion rate of 40% to 85%, and the foamed resin molded body has a first fusion rate of 95% or more or a second fusion rate of 60% or more.

An aspect of the present invention relates to a mold insert for use in a mold for the manufacture of a cushioning element for sports apparel. Further aspects of the present invention relate to a mold using such a mold insert, a method for the manufacture of a cushioning element for sports apparel using such a mold, and a cushioning element manufactured by such a method.

The present invention relates to a tool, a tool system and a method for the production of particle foam parts, in particular for the manufacture of shoe soles. The shoe sole may be manufactured by welding foam particles using electromagnetic waves. The tool may comprise two mold halves forming a mold cavity corresponding to the shape of the shoe sole. The tool may be arranged between two capacitor plates. The mold cavity may be filled with the foam particles. The tool may then be closed and subjected to electromagnetic waves, in particular radio waves or microwaves, introduced into the mold cavity via the capacitor plates. The foam particles heated by the electromagnetic waves and at least partially fuse or bake together.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a particle foam part, in particular a cushioning element for sportswear, such as a shoe sole, or a cushioning element, which has been produced by such a method, in particular a shoe sole. The method for manufacturing a cushioning element for sportswear such as a shoe sole, may comprise the steps of feeding foam particles into a mold cavity of a mold tool, and welding of the foam particles in the mold cavity while applying a predetermined pressure, wherein the foam particles comprise a fraction of at least 10% by weight of recycled, shredded foam particles (regenerated material) and the welding of the foam particles is effected by means of electromagnetic waves.