The present invention provides a method for producing a rare earth sintered magnet and a molding device therefor that can stably mold molded bodies with less variation in unit weight. The method includes: 1) preparing a slurry including an alloy powder and a dispersion medium, the alloy powder containing a rare earth element; 2) disposing an upper punch and a lower punch in respective through holes provided in a die, thereby preparing a plurality of cavities; 3) applying a magnetic field in each of the cavities by an electromagnet in a direction substantially parallel to a direction in which at least one of the upper punch and the lower punch is movable, and then supplying the slurry into the plurality of cavities; 4) producing a molded body of the alloy powder in each of the cavities by press molding in the magnetic field; and 5) sintering the molded body.

A method for measuring an apparent density of a metal powder includes holding a metal powder in a vessel, applying an alternating magnetic flux to the metal powder using an exciting coil disposed outside the vessel, detecting the alternating magnetic flux passed through the metal powder using a-search coil disposed outside the vessel, and determining an apparent density of the metal powder from an amplitude of the detected alternating magnetic flux using a calibration curve representing a correlation between the apparent density of the metal powder and the amplitude of an alternating magnetic flux prepared in advance. The method enables to measure the apparent density of a metal powder with a high precision in an on-line and non-contact manner without stopping a process of producing a mixed powder or a process of producing a powder compact.

A cellulose product toggle pressing module for forming non-flat cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank structure. The toggle pressing module includes a toggle press including pressing member movably arranged in a pressing direction, a toggle-mechanism connected to the pressing member, a pressing actuator arrangement connected to the toggle-mechanism, and an electronic control system operatively connected to the pressing actuator arrangement. The toggle pressing module includes a forming mold including a moveable first mold part attached to the pressing member and a second mold part. The electronic control system is configured for controlling operation of the pressing actuator arrangement for driving the pressing member using the toggle-mechanism in the pressing direction and forming the non-flat cellulose product from the cellulose blank structure by pressing the first mold part against the second mold part. Furthermore, the toggle press is installed with the pressing direction of the pressing member arranged primarily in a horizontal direction.

A method and apparatus enabling additive manufacturing of individualized oral therapeutic capsule forms containing multiple medicinal ingredients, also referred to as a personalized polypill process. A process and supporting apparatus to fulfil the formulated therapy prescribed by a physician to address the medical conditions of an individual patient, furthering the practice of personalized medicine. The methods and apparatus apply to the powder forms of active pharmaceuticals, dietary supplements, and specialized chemicals, such as diagnostic inks and dyes. The methods teach the deposition of computer-controlled amounts of high-potency powder forms of active ingredients deposited in sequential layers into a single delivery form. Each active ingredient layer is sequentially deposited to a programmable dosage accurately controlled with closed-loop gravimetric sensing, enabling sub-milligram mass deposition accuracy. Cumulative doses are compacted into segregated layers of programmable density with the optional addition of an inert barrier film between each chemical entity to minimize interactions.

A method for forming a product of compressible material includes preparing compressible material, assembling a molding fixture, filling the compressible material into a filling tube of the molding fixture, clamping the filling tube by a clamping mechanism of the molding fixture, moving an adjusting screw of the molding fixture downward in the filling tube to compress the compressible material, delivering the molding fixture to a heating module to perform a heating process so that the compressible material is heated and melted, delivering the molding fixture to a cooling module to perform a cooling process so that the compressible material is cooled and solidified to form a product, stripping the molding fixture from the product, and finishing and taking out the product of the compressible material.

An apparatus for manufacturing an article from powder material including a first table, a second table rotatably mounted on the first table about a first axis and a third table rotatably mounted on the second table about a second axis. A hollow canister is supported by the third table. A vibrator is arranged to vibrate the canister. A first device is arranged to rotate the second table about the first axis and a second device is arranged to rotate the third table about the second axis. A hopper is arranged to supply powder material into the canister and a valve controls the flow of powder material from the hopper into the canister. A processor is arranged to control the valve, the vibrator, the first device and the second device to control the filling and packing density of the canister.

A mold comprising a die, an upper punch, and a lower punch, the pressure surface of one or both of the upper and lower punches being shaped non-planar, a cavity being defined between the die and the lower punch, is combined with a feeder including a shooter provided with a main sieve at its lower end port, the main sieve having a sifting surface of substantially the same non-planar shape as the pressure surface. A rare earth sintered magnet is prepared by feeding an alloy powder into the cavity through the shooter and sieve while applying weak vibration and vertical reciprocation to the shooter, applying a uniaxial pressure to the alloy powder fill in the cavity under a magnetic field to form a precursor, and heat treating the precursor.

A mold comprising a die, an upper punch, and a lower punch, the pressure surface of one or both of the upper and lower punches being shaped non-planar, a cavity being defined between the die and the lower punch, is combined with a feeder including a shooter provided with a main sieve at its lower end port, the main sieve having a sifting surface of substantially the same non-planar shape as the pressure surface. A rare earth sintered magnet is prepared by feeding an alloy powder into the cavity through the shooter and sieve while applying weak vibration to the shooter, applying a uniaxial pressure to the alloy powder fill in the cavity under a magnetic field to form a precursor, and heat treating the precursor.

A method for measuring an apparent density of a metal powder includes holding a metal powder in a vessel, applying an alternating magnetic flux to the metal powder using an exciting coil disposed outside the vessel, detecting the alternating magnetic flux passed through the metal powder using a search coil disposed outside the vessel, and determining an apparent density of the metal powder from an amplitude of the detected alternating magnetic flux using a calibration curve representing a correlation between the apparent density of the metal powder and the amplitude of an alternating magnetic flux prepared in advance. The method enables to measure the apparent density of a metal powder with a high precision in an on-line and non-contact manner without stopping a process of producing a mixed powder or a process of producing a powder compact.

Systems and methods for fabricating ingestible pharmaceutical tablets are provided. Certain of the systems and methods described herein are capable of manufacturing tablets of different dosages without the need to fluidically connect or disconnect unit operations when switching from a tablet having a first dosage to a tablet having a second, different dosage. Certain of the systems and methods described herein are capable of manufacturing compositionally tablets, e.g., tablets with different active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs).