An injection molded thermoplastic preform for blow moulding to form a container, the preform base of a central part having a first, downwardly and radially inwardly tapering portion therebetween which increases in thickness from a radially outer end of the first tapering portion adjacent to the hollow transition portion to a radially inner end of the first tapering portion adjacent to the gate part and the middle part opposite the gate part can allow the injected resin to be urged back through the gate at the end of the injection moulding cycle at a lower fluid pressure in the vicinity of the gate which is associated with high resin temperatures. The technical effect achieved by the first tapering portion is that crystallinity in the gate area is minimized or eliminated, which avoids or minimizes partial blocking of the gate which would otherwise restrict the injected resin from being urged back through the gate at the end of the injection moulding cycle.

A system is disclosed for micro-molding articles. The system melts and pre-pressurizes thermoplastic material to a first level, within a plasticizing barrel. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to a second level, within a hot runner. The melt pressure of the thermoplastic material is manipulated to an ultra-cavity packing pressure within a valve gate nozzle.

The present invention provides a polylactic acid resin expanded sheet useful for forming a resin molded article that can easily retain a predetermined shape. More specifically, the present invention provides a polylactic acid resin expanded sheet including a crystal nucleating agent and a crystallization accelerator at a predetermined ratio, which is prepared so that a crystallization degree becomes the predetermined state.

An example of an anti-coalescing agent for a three-dimensional (3D) printing process includes a vehicle and an anti-coalescing polymer dispersed in the vehicle. The vehicle includes a co-solvent, a surfactant, a humectant, and water. The anti-coalescing polymer has a mean particle size ranging from about 50 nm to about 195 nm, and the anti-coalescing polymer is to coat polymeric build material particles to prevent the polymeric build material particles from coalescing during electromagnetic radiation exposure of the 3D printing process.

A method includes injection molding a preform using a two phase injection system having a first phase in which a material is injected into the preform and a second phase in which the material is injected into the preform. The preform is disposed in a mold. The preform is blow molded into an intermediate article. The intermediate article is trimmed to form a finished container. The first phase includes injecting a material into the preform to form a single layer of the preform and the second phase includes injecting the material to form inner and outer layers and an intermediate layer between the inner and outer layers. The inner and outer layers include the material and the intermediate layer includes at least one additive. Finished containers are disclosed.

Systems for forming thermoplastic components are disclosed. A system may include a mold including a first portion and a second portion engaging the first portion. The first portion and/or the second portion may receive material for the component. The system may also include a compressive device positioned adjacent to and contacting the first portion of the mold. Additionally, the system may include a control system in communication with the compressive device. The control system may be configured to displace the compressive device to apply a compressive force to the first portion of the mold, and impose a predetermined pressure on the material for the component. The control system may also be configured to heat the first portion and/or the second portion of the mold.

Systems and methods for controlling the operation of a blow molder are disclosed. An indication of a crystallinity of at least one container produced by the blow molder may be received along with a material distribution of the at least one container. A model may be executed, where the model relates a plurality of blow molder input parameters to the indication of crystallinity and the material distribution and where a result of the model comprises changes to at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters to move the material distribution towards a baseline material distribution and the crystallinity towards a baseline crystallinity. The changes to the at least one of the plurality of blow molder input parameters may be implemented.

A method for printing a three-dimensional part with an additive manufacturing system, which includes providing a part material that compositionally has one or more semi-crystalline polymers and one or more secondary materials that are configured to retard crystallization of the one or more semi-crystalline polymers, where the one or more secondary materials are substantially miscible with the one or more semi-crystalline polymers. The method also includes melting the part material in the additive manufacturing system, forming at least a portion of a layer of the three-dimensional part from the melted part material in a build environment, and maintaining the build environment at an annealing temperature that is between a glass transition temperature of the part material and a cold crystallization temperature of the part material.

A three-dimensional (3D) printing system for preparing an object made at least partially of an expanded polymer including: a printing device for transporting and depositing a strand of expanded polymer including a blowing agent onto a surface and a 3D movement device for adjusting the position of the printing device in a predefined matrix allowing deposit of the strand of expanded polymer at a predetermined time and precise position within the matrix, the printing device includes: a feed section, a transporting section, a surface melting section, and a terminal printing head section for depositing the expanded polymer strand onto the surface, and all of sections have the same inner diameter, and the surface melting section including a solid-state welding element, a laser beam, a generator of hot gas or liquid and/or a generator of heat.

In one embodiment, a method for manufacturing a decorative film for molding and a molding method include, in the following order, forming, on a base material, a liquid crystal layer including a cholesteric liquid crystal compound and a photoisomerization compound, photoisomerizing the liquid crystal layer, and curing the liquid crystal layer. In one embodiment, a decorative film for molding includes, on a base material, a liquid crystal layer including a cholesteric liquid crystal compound and a photoisomerization compound, in which the cured liquid crystal layer has a plurality of regions which are different from each other in terms of a photoisomerization proportion of the photoisomerization compound. A molded product using the decorative film for molding, an automobile exterior plate, and an electronic device are also provided.