A method for forming a prosthesis comprising a bone-like portion and a cartilage-like portion can comprise additively manufacturing a first positive mold in accordance with a portion of a first three-dimensional model of a portion of a bone. A first negative mold can be formed from the first positive mold. The bone-like portion can be created within the first negative mold. A second positive mold of the bone and a cartilage can be additively manufactured from a second three-dimensional model. A portion of the second three-dimensional model can correspond to a portion of the first three-dimensional model. A second negative mold can be formed from the second positive mold. The bone-like portion can be positioned in the second negative mold so that the second negative mold and the bone-like portion can define a cartilage space that can be filled with a material to form the cartilage-like portion of the prosthesis.

The present application describes a system for curing moldable material. The system comprises an energy source, a mold, and/or other components. The mold comprises internal mold surfaces forming a mold cavity. The mold is formed from one or more materials configured to absorb electromagnetic radiation emitted by the energy source. The mold has a hot zone and a cold zone. The hot zone and the cold zone have the one or more materials thereof comprising at least one different physical characteristic so that the hot zone and the cold zone absorb the electromagnetic radiation at different rates and/or in different amounts. The hot zone absorbs more electromagnetic radiation than, and/or electromagnetic radiation faster than, the cold zone.

The invention relates to a nanocomposite elastic mold for thermal nanoimprint, the mold comprising an elastic substrate, to which a plurality of rigid individual nanofeatures are bonded. The bonding of the rigid individual nanofeatures to the elastic substrate is performed by a process which uses a sacrificial substrate and a sacrificial coating.

A method of forming a tool includes applying a first build ply to an initial ply. A second build ply is applied to the first build ply. Successive build plies are applied to build on the second build ply, the successive build plies including a medial section of build plies and a last build ply. A surface defined by the last build ply, the first build ply, and leading edges of the build plies therebetween define a substantially curvature-continuous surface profile extending between a first segment and a second segment. A shape of the substantially curvature-continuous surface profile is determined based on an adjusted ply drop ratio for at least a portion of the successive build plies.

A method and apparatus for forming a tool. A layer is conformed to a reference part. The layer having an adhesive side that faces outward from the reference part and a release side that faces the reference part. A plurality of prefabricated sections is adhered to the layer. A plurality of gaps is filled between the plurality of prefabricated sections with a joining material.

Moulding tray (1) for manufacturing slabs of agglomerate material from a mix, comprising a base portion (2) and a rim portion (4) designed to define a cavity (6) for containing the mix. The rim portion (4) is made of elastomeric material and the base portion (2) comprises at least one surface layer (8A) made of elastomeric material and at least one fabric layer (10A). The elastomeric material of the rim portion (4) and the elastomeric material of the at least one layer (8A) of the base portion (2) comprise a filler containing silicon (Si), preferably silica. The invention also relates to a method for realizing the moulding tray (1) and a method for manufacturing slabs of agglomerate material which uses such a moulding tray (1).

A tool (100) comprises a plurality of layers (102, 104, 106) which are arranged to provide a thermally agile tool face (110) and to protect control circuitry and delicate components (150) from excessive temperatures.

A method of fabricating a mold for producing a part includes applying a network of sacrificial components onto a first surface of a mold base, wherein the sacrificial components are made of a sacrificial material, covering the network of sacrificial components and the first surface with a layer of a covering material, and removing the sacrificial material to produce a network of channels within the layer of covering material. The network of sacrificial components may be formed by additive manufacturing or by mechanical placement of a preformed network of sacrificial components.

A method of producing freeform lenses for a PSP laser line system having a laser line diode and a set of three freeform lenses aligned along an optical alignment axis, the set of freeform lenses configured to yield a resultant laser line, the method including: (a) calculating lens surfaces for a lens form to fabricate a lens of the lens set therefrom; (b) fabricating a plurality of slices of the lens form, the plurality of slices distributed over a width SW of the lens, wherein each the slices has a width dimension SL; (c) aligning and constraining together the plurality of slices to fabricate the lens form, and molding a lens using the fabricated lens form; (d) repeating steps (a) to (c) to produce all three lenses of the set of lenses; and (e) integrating the produced lens set into the laser line system; the resultant laser line having a length L and a width W and a power uniformity evaluated along L.

A composite manufacturing system for aircraft structures is provided. The composite manufacturing system comprises a tool for forming a composite structure, a vacuum bag, and a tool base. The tool comprises cured composite planks and layers of flexible material. The cured composite planks run parallel to each other. The layers of flexible material are positioned between and bonded to the cured composite planks. The vacuum bag surrounds the tool and is configured to apply pressure to the tool during curing of the composite structure. The tool is configured to deform in response to the pressure and prevent poor quality laminate and/or anomalies from developing in the composite structure during curing. The tool base is configured to hold the tool in place as it deforms.