A method of manufacturing cross-corrugated support structures is provided. A mold having a molding surface with a first plurality and a second plurality of corrugations therein is used to introduce corrugations into a flexible, carbonaceous sheet. Cross-corrugations are introduced into the sheet by placing the sheet onto the molding surface, encapsulating the sheet to form a vacuum chamber, and evacuating the vacuum chamber of air. As air is evacuated from the vacuum chamber, the sheet is drawn upon the molding surface causing the sheet to conform to the shape of the molding surface. Thermosetting resin is infused into the sheet and cured causing the sheet to rigidly retain the shape of the molding surface. The sheet is further reinforced by securing at least one support member to the sheet using thermosetting resin.

A forming tool is used, which has a tool trough arranged in a stationary manner and a pressure bell, which can be lowered onto and lifted away from the tool trough. An arrangement is created in which a single- or multi-layer, initially flat, flexible laminate separates the trough interior from the pressure-bell interior in a pressure tight manner. A table, on which the 3-D substrate to be coated is located, assumes a lowered position within the trough interior; there is a considerable, free intermediate space (between the laminate and the 3-D substrate. A radiant-heater assembly is inserted into said intermediate space. The radiant-heater assembly has a carrier, on the top side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached and on the bottom side of which radiant heaters that can be activated are attached.

A mold which can improve an appearance of a molded body is provided. A mold includes a cavity, the mold being capable of subjecting a resin sheet under reduced pressure suction via a plurality of reduced pressure suction holes thereby shaping the resin sheet to follow a shape of an inner surface of the cavity; wherein: the inner surface includes a base surface and a plurality of island-like concave portions provided in the base surface; and a concave portion reduced pressure suction hole index defined by an in-concave reduced pressure suction hole ratio divided by a concave portion area ratio is 0.5 or lower.

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.

The porous microwell according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention is characterized in that as a porous microwell which is a cell culture surface for culturing cells, at least one thereof is indented in a downward direction and is located within a region formed by a penetrating part of a cell culture vessel, and the porous microwell includes a plurality of pores together with a connection part formed therearound, and a first porosity formed by first pores thereof and a second porosity formed by second pores formed in the connection part are different from each other.

Fixtures and related system and methods are disclosed. In accordance with an implementation, a method includes applying a resin onto a substrate and positioning the substrate on over a chuck of a base of a fixture. The method also includes moving a mold into engagement with the resin and curing the resin. The method also includes detaching the mold and the resin and, while detaching the mold and the resin, determining a detachment force applied as a function of a distance of detachment between the mold and the resin.

A method of creating a soft and lofty continuous fiber nonwoven web is provided. The method includes providing a first molten polymer and a second, different molten polymer to a spinneret defining a plurality of orifices and flowing a fluid intermediate the spinneret and a moving porous member. The method includes using the fluid to draw the first and second molten polymer components, in a direction toward the moving porous member, through at least some of the plurality of orifices to form a plurality of individual continuous fiber strands. The method includes depositing the continuous fiber strands onto the moving porous member at a first location to produce an intermediate continuous fiber nonwoven web, and intermittently varying a vacuum force applied to the moving porous member and to the intermediate web downstream of the first location and without the addition of more continuous fibers and without any heat applied.

A device and method for thermoforming of a product from a plastic film includes a mould assembly which is used in such a device. The plastic film is clamped between the mould parts in primary and secondary manner. The forming process can hereby be divided into more or less independent zones. Different forming techniques, positive or negative, can be used in the different zones. This makes it possible to combine the advantages of the two techniques in one forming process.

A process for injection molded microcellular foaming various flexible foam compositions from biodegradable and industrially compostable bio-derived thermoplastic resins for use in, for example, footwear components, seating components, protective gear components, and watersport accessories wherein a process of manufacturing includes the steps of: producing a suitable thermoplastic biopolymer or biopolymer blend; injection molding the thermoplastic biopolymer or biopolymer blend into a suitable mold shape with inert nitrogen gas; controlling the polymer melt, pressure, temperature, and time such that a desirable flexible foam is formed; and utilizing gas counterpressure in the injection molding process to ensure the optimal foam structure with the least amount of cosmetic defects and little to no plastic skin on the outside of the foamed structure.

A three-dimensional vacuum thermal insulation element having a compressed three-dimensional porous structure and a shell closed in an airtight manner. The shell includes a thermoformable barrier wall and encloses the porous structure arranged between two major surfaces of said barrier wall. The porous structure has a pressure of between less than 105 Pa and more than 10-2 Pa at ambient external temperature and pressure. The barrier wall is thermoformed at the site of said two major surfaces, between which the porous structure has a curved shape and/or reliefs and/or depressions.