The invention relates to an apparatus for the manufacture of a particle foam component, said apparatus comprising a molding tool limiting a molding space, wherein, adjacent to the molding space, at least two capacitor plates are arranged which are connected to a radiation source for electromagnetic radiation, wherein the radiation source for electromagnetic radiation is designed for emitting electromagnetic radiation, and wherein the molding tool is formed of at least two molding halves, wherein at least one of the molding halves is made from an electrically conducting material and forms one of the capacitor plates.

Provided is a method of shaping a composite blade made of a composite material by curing prepreg in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with resin. A foaming agent disposed in an internal space of the composite blade contains a plurality of foaming bodies and foaming agent resin. The foaming bodies foam by being heated. The foaming agent resin cures by being heated. The foaming bodies include low-temperature side foaming bodies and high-temperature side foaming bodies. The low-temperature side foaming bodies foam in a low temperature range during a curing step. The high-temperature side foaming bodies foam in a high temperature range corresponding to temperatures higher than the low temperature range during the curing step.

A skin-covered foamed molded article having excellent lightweight property, bending rigidity, and favorable dimensional stability, which includes: a skin material composed of a hollow molded body produced by blow-molding an extruded parison; and an expanded bead molded article located inside the skin material, wherein the skin material has an average wall thickness of from 1.0 mm to 5.0 mm, the skin material includes a glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene-based resin containing glass fiber in a range of from 5 mass % to 30 mass %, the glass fiber has a weight-average fiber length of from 0.4 mm to 1.5 mm, the expanded bead molded article includes a polypropylene-based resin, the peeling strength between the skin material and the expanded bead molded article is 0.1 MPa or higher, and the longitudinal linear expansion coefficient of the skin-covered foamed molded article (100) at from 23 C. to 80 C. is 7105/ C. or lower.

Methods of forming a lightweight reinforced thermoplastic core layer and articles including the core layer are described. In some examples, the methods use a combination of thermoplastic material, reinforcing fibers and bicomponent fibers to enhance retention of lofting agents in the core layer. The processes permit the use of less material while still providing sufficient lofting capacity in the final formed core layer.

A method for producing a skin-covered molded article including filling polypropylene-based resin expanded beads in a hollow space of a thermoplastic resin skin and feeding steam into the hollow space to fusion-bond the expanded beads together, the expanded beads showing specific DSC characteristics involving a specific high temperature peak(s) with specific heat of fusion.

A foamable polymeric mixture is provided that includes a polymer composition and at least one blowing agent. The blowing agent may comprise any blowing agents known not to deplete the ozone or increase the prevalence of global warming, such as CO.sub.2, HFO, HFC and mixtures thereof. The foamable polymeric mixture may further includes at least one processing aid comprising an organic phase changing material. The inventive foamable mixture is capable of processing at a pressure range of 800 to 1200 psi (5.5 to 8.3 MPa).

Polymeric multilayer material includes an adhesive layer having first and second opposed major surfaces. A first foam layer is joined to the first major surface and includes a first plurality of expandable microspheres. A first skin layer is attached to the first foam layer and is free of the first plurality expandable microspheres. A second foam layer is joined to the second major surface of the internal adhesive layer and includes a second plurality of expandable microspheres dispersed therein. A second skin layer is attached to the second foam layer and is free of the second plurality of expandable microspheres. A portion of the first expandable microspheres of the first foam layer and of the second foam layer is at least partially embedded within the adhesive layer. Embodiments, of polymeric multilayer materials described herein are useful, for example, as wearable medical or athletic support components. The materials can also be used as protective wrappings. For example, the materials can be wrapped around a sharp corner of an article, building, etc.

A device (e.g., an article of athletic gear) comprising a post-molded expandable component, which is a part of the device that is configured to be expanded or has been expanded after being molded. This may allow the post-molded expandable component to have enhanced characteristics (e.g., be more shock-absorbent, lighter, etc.), to be cost-effectively manufactured (e.g., by using less material and/or making it in various sizes), and/or to be customized for a user (e.g., by custom-fitting it to the user).

A foaming tool for processing foamable plastic particles, having at least one region that forms at least one portion of a cavity, at least one part of a surface structure of the region that forms the cavity being produced by an additive manufacturing method.

Described are methods for the manufacture of a plastic component, in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, a plastic component manufactured with such a method, for example a sole or a part of a sole for a shoe, and a shoe with such a sole. According to an aspect of the invention, a method for the manufacture of a plastic component, in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, is provided which includes loading a mold with a first material which includes particles of an expanded material, and, during loading the mold, pre-heating the particles by supplying energy, wherein the energy is supplied in the form of at least one electromagnetic field.