The invention relates, among other things, to a method of making a thin panel (10) for outdoor applications, comprising, among other things, the following steps: a) providing a deep-drawable film (10) of a transparent plastic, b) deep-drawing the film (11) in a mold (34), c) mounting a structure (19) having solar cells (32) on an inner face (16) of the deep-drawn film (12), d) placing the deep-drawn film (12) with mounted structure (19) in a cavity (33) of a mold (34) having in particular at least two mold halves (13, 14), e) introducing a liquid polyurethane casting compound (24) into the cavity (33) of the mold (34) and spreading the polyurethane casting compound (24) over an inner face (18) of the structure (19) and/or over the inner face (16) of the film (12), f) curing the polyurethane casting compound, in particular with the mold closed, to form a reinforcement layer (30), or comprising the following steps j) and k) instead of the steps e) and f): j) introducing a granular particle foam mass into the cavity (33) of the mold (34) and spreading over an inner face (18) of the structure (19) and/or over the inner face (16) of the film (12), k) baking and curing the particle foam mass, in particular with the mold closed, to form a reinforcement layer (30).

A system and method for fabricating and installing structure siding with the appearance of logs fashioned from at least one mold configured from digital scans of existing logs of an antiquated log cabin is described. The process facilitates the reuse of scans amounting to digital files representing an existing log cabin structure. Via the system, staff members may craft a recreation of the faade of an existing log cabin numerous times on modern homes without the removal of the original logs, taking out all unwanted imperfections of the existing log cabin structure. A high-definition metrology grade scanner is preferably employed to capture the appearance of the existing log cabin in great detail such that molds may be formed to facilitate its reproduction. Composite faades may be created based on scans of logs derived from a variety of existing log cabins to create a new design.

A method for quality control monitoring of additive manufacturing processes comprising forming at least one channel in an additive manufacturing build platform, wherein the channel is formed in the upper surface of the build platform to a predetermined depth, and wherein the channel is formed in a predetermined pattern across the upper surface of the build platform; placing a sensor in the channel formed in the upper surface of the build platform, wherein the sensor gathers information relevant to an additive manufacturing process occurring on or in close proximity to the build platform; enclosing the sensor within the channel formed in the upper surface of the build platform with an additive manufacturing substrate, wherein components or parts are built directly on the substrate using an additive manufacturing process, and using the sensor to gather information about the components or parts and the additive manufacturing process itself.

The disclosure includes a laminate tool and a process for producing laminate tooling with functional features between adjacent or non-adjacent laminate segments to provide mechanical leverage to demold a part, space for moving tool segments that allow features to be molded against the line of draw (eliminate die-locked conditions), and passageway for gas to travel. The disclosure further includes a laminate tool with channels in the laminate sheets that communicate at one end to a source of pressurized air and at its opposite end to the mold cavity. The channel permits forced air into the mold cavity to demold the part.

A hybrid mold includes (a) an Invar eggcrate structure, (b) an Invar interim working surface and (c) a CF composite material overlay. The eggcrate and interim working surface are welded or otherwise connected together to form a unitary base mold. The CF overlay is bonded to the interim working surface. The CF overlay is easily reconfigurable and can be replaced without destroying the integrity of the base mold.

A rubber article mold capable of discharging air from a molding-surface side to a back-surface side during curing while suppressing the entry of rubber into an air vent hole and a method for producing such a rubber article mold are provided. The rubber article mold includes air discharge means for discharging air from a molding-surface side for molding a rubber article to a back-surface side. The air discharge means is formed as an annular hollow penetrating from a molding surface to a back surface of the rubber article mold. The annular hollow has an inflow area where the air on the molding-surface side flows in, a discharge area for discharging the air having flowed in from the inflow area to the back-surface side, and an intermediate area communicating with the inflow area and the discharge area and smaller or larger in diameter than the inflow area and the discharge area.

Examples of design element placement on 3D surfaces are described herein. In some examples, a three-dimensional (3D) mesh of a 3D surface is converted to a two-dimensional (2D) surface. In some examples, placement of design elements on the 2D surface is determined to maximize density of the design elements while satisfying a minimum separation distance between the design elements. In some examples, the design element placement on the 2D surface is converted to the 3D surface.

A method for manufacturing a molding mold used in an injection molding apparatus includes: generating a first plasticized material by plasticizing a first shaping material containing an amorphous metal and a resin; and shaping a laminate that is a part of the molding mold by discharging the first plasticized material toward a stage to laminate a layer.

A hybrid mold includes (a) an Invar eggcrate structure, (b) an Invar interim working surface and (c) a CF composite material overlay. The eggcrate and interim working surface are welded or otherwise connected together to form a unitary base mold. The CF overlay is bonded to the interim working surface. The CF overlay is easily reconfigurable and can be replaced without destroying the integrity of the base mold.

A mold for forming a flange of a wind turbine blade comprising a first flange portion including a plurality of lamina and having a generally planar shape and a second perpendicular flange including a plurality of lamina. A plurality of copper wires are disposed within the lamina for conducting heat delivered from a base portion through the first and second flange portions. The mold is free of fluid conduits with the flange portions moveable relative to the base portion.