A device and method for preparing a locally heterogeneous smart composite material based on time-frequency regulated SAWs are provided. The method includes: mixing functional particles, a photosensitive liquid and a photoinitiator evenly; inputting periodic time-frequency regulated sinusoidal signals defined by a frequency, a duration, an interval time and a time difference to a pair of slanted-finger interdigital transducers, such that the pair of slanted-finger interdigital transducers are excited to produce corresponding standing SAWs; coupling and allowing the standing SAWs to enter a liquid tank to form a local sound field in the photosensitive liquid; forming, by the functional particles in the photosensitive liquid, a stable array distribution under the action of an acoustic radiation force of the local sound field; and turning on an UV light source for curing, thereby completing the preparation.

Methods for creating nodal vibration patterns in a granular material on a metal sheet, capturing the patterns in a working material and using the working material with the captured shapes to provide an end product. A tone is applied to the metal sheet which, based on the properties of the sheet and the tone frequency, create a specific pattern of nodal lines of vibration in the sheet. A particulate material placed on the sheet takes the shape of the nodal lines. An adhesive-coated sheet of working material is applied to the metal sheet and captures the particles in the shape of the nodal lines. The sheet of working material with the captured nodal line patterns is then used to produce a structure with strength, stiffness and other properties based on the embedded wave patterns. Alternately, the particles can be directly fused into a skeleton in the nodal line pattern shape.

A method for manufacturing an engineered stone, the method including: providing a mixture comprising at least a stone or stone like material and a binder; compacting the mixture; curing the binder; and printing on at least a top surface of the engineered stone.

Methods for producing spatial objects are disclosed. The methods generally include printing a spatial object, in an amorphous phase, using a three-dimensional (3D) printer and a printing material that consists essentially of polyaryletherketones. The methods further entail placing the spatial object in a container and submerging the spatial object in a suitable charging material. Next, vibrations are applied to the container that includes the spatial object and charging material. The container, charging material, and spatial object are then heated until the spatial object transitions into a semi-crystalline phase (at which point the spatial object can be removed from the container and charging material).

A method and an apparatus of forming a three-dimensional object, wherein the method includes providing a carrier and an optically transparent member having a build surface, said carrier and said build surface defining a build region therebetween; filling said build region with a polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently irradiating said build region with light through said optically transparent member to form a solid polymer from said polymerizable liquid, continuously or intermittently advancing (e.g., sequentially or concurrently with said irradiating step) said carrier away from said build surface to form said three-dimensional object from said solid polymer, said optically transparent member comprising a build plate for a three-dimensional printer comprising: an optically transparent first channel layer; an optically transparent, gas permeable second channel layer on the first channel layer; and a flexible, optically transparent, gas-permeable sheet having an upper and lower surface, the sheet upper surface comprising a build surface for forming a three-dimensional object, the sheet lower surface being positioned on the second channel layer.

Vibration systems and systems including vibration systems for filling incomplete components with slurry material are disclosed. The vibration systems may include a vibration platform, and a component retention plate releasably coupled to the vibration platform. The component retention plate may include a plurality of component holders positioned on the component retention plate. Each of the plurality of component holders may receive a distinct, incomplete component in a predetermined orientation. The vibration systems may also include a motor operatively coupled to the vibration platform to vibrate the vibration platform at a predetermined frequency. The predetermined frequency may be based on characteristic(s) of each of the incomplete components.

Apparatus and methods for using acoustic radiation forces to order particles suspended in a host liquid are described. The particles may range in size from nanometers to millimeters, and may have any shape. The suspension is placed in an acoustic resonator cavity, and acoustical energy is supplied thereto using acoustic transducers. The resulting pattern may be fixed by using a solidifiable host liquid, forming thereby a solid material. Patterns may be quickly generated; typical times ranging from a few seconds to a few minutes. In a one-dimensional arrangement, parallel layers of particles are formed. With two and three dimensional transducer arrangements, more complex particle configurations are possible since different standing-wave patterns may be generated in the resonator. Fabrication of periodic structures, such as metamaterials, having periods tunable by varying the frequency of the acoustic waves, on surfaces or in bulk volume using acoustic radiation forces, provides great flexibility in the creation of new materials. Periodicities may range from millimeters to sub-micron distances, covering a large portion of the range for optical and acoustical metamaterials.

An apparatus for contactless manipulation of material and components, such as electronic components, includes of material and/or component feed devices; acoustic transducer arrays; at least one material and/or component joining device; base on which object is formed; a computing unit with an executable program. The program is used to control acoustic transducers that generate an acoustic field required for particle manipulation. The control program can receive and process a signal coming from a feedback device in order to estimate position of material particles or components and improve manipulation accuracy.

A method of manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material which is molded by impregnating a fiber-reinforced sheet with a resin and curing the resin includes: placing the fiber-reinforced sheet in a cavity of a mold; and molding the fiber-reinforced composite material, the molding including injecting the resin into the cavity of the mold, impregnating the fiber-reinforced sheet with the resin, and curing the resin. In the molding, after fine air bubbles contained in the resin are placed at a predetermined position of the cavity, the resin is cured.

A method using an injection device having an outlet through which a liquid is injected into a preform and includes the steps of placing a preform in a malleable state in fluidic communication with an outlet of the injection device, forming the container by expanding the preform during a forming step, the forming step including at least an injection step, wherein pressurized liquid is injected into the preform through the outlet of the injection device such that the liquid expends expands the preform into a container and fills the container. The method includes a step of heating the wall of the preform during at least a part of the forming step by vibrating the wall of the preform.