A method for manufacturing a workpiece, capable of greatly reducing a heating time is provided. A workpiece manufacturing system according to an embodiment includes a heating apparatus configured to heat a workpiece containing, as its material, a carbon fiber reinforced plastic containing a carbon fiber and a resin. The heating apparatus includes a steam heating unit configured to heat at least a part of the workpiece including its surface to a temperature higher than a softening temperature of the carbon fiber reinforced plastic by bringing superheated steam into contact with the surface of the workpiece, and a heat-transfer member configured to be inserted into the part of the workpiece including the surface whose temperature has reached the softening temperature and thereby directly heat an inside of the workpiece.

The present invention provides a heating device and a method for manufacturing a heated molding material. The method uses the heating device to continuously manufacture the heated molding material. The heating device includes a heating chamber for heating a molding material, at least one opening section for feeding or expelling molding material therethrough, and a means for using nitrogen gas or superheated steam to expel oxygen gas present in the heating chamber.

A method of manufacturing a footwear sole component is provided including projecting elongated pins into a mold cavity in the shape of the footwear sole component and partially filled with an expandable material including multiple unexpanded beads, and introducing steam into the cavity through ports defined by one or more cavity walls and through the pins in an internal region of the expandable material, to expand both exterior beads and interior beads in the internal region a predetermined amount. With the elongated pins, the interior beads can be expanded more, less and/or the same amount as exterior beads to provide particular physical characteristics to the component. For example, the interior beads can be fully expanded to a similar density as exterior beads, or expanded less to provide more density and rigidity in the internal region, or expanded more to provide less density and rigidity in the internal region.

A heating apparatus that heats a thermoplastic resin sheet includes a vertically-movable heating wall that is indirectly heated with a saturated steam of a heat medium and heats the thermoplastic resin sheet above a melting point of the thermoplastic resin by bringing the heating wall into contact with the thermoplastic resin sheet.

A molding process (100) comprising the step of inserting an uncured blank (102) in a mold cavity (14) formed in a mold system, the uncured blank including fiber and uncured binder, transferring heat from the mold system to a cool pressurized gas (108) to establish a hot pressurized gas, injecting the hot pressurized gas into the mold cavity (110), and transferring heat (112) from the hot pressurized gas to the uncured blank to cause the uncured binder to cure and establish a cured product (114).

An assembly and method for steaming and/or heating a trim cover of an upholstered article is disclosed. The assembly includes a stand having a bottom end and a top end, an open frame attached to the top end of the stand and adapted to receive at least a portion of the trim cover, and a steam supply system. At least a portion of the steam supply system is adapted to fit within the frame and the steam supply system applies steam towards at least one interior steam zone of the trim cover.

A molding process includes the operation of placing insulation material comprising fibers and binder on the fibers in a mold cavity. The molding process further includes the step of transferring heat to the insulation material to cause the binder to cure.

A method for producing a bedding product has at least a foamed latex layer. The method includes pouring liquid latex foam on a conveyor belt. The liquid latex foam is vulcanized in a vulcanization station to obtain a vulcanized latex foam slab. The vulcanized latex foam slab is cut to a desired length and/or width. Electromagnetic waves with a frequency ranging between 1 and 50 Mhz are used for at least partially vulcanizing the liquid latex foam.

An example of a piping structure of a tire vulcanizer to which the present invention is applied has a central mechanism 1 of the tire vulcanizer as illustrated in FIG. 1. The central mechanism 1 has a bug head 2, a hydraulic cylinder 3, and exhaust circulation path pipes 4. In addition, the central mechanism 1 has a bladder (not illustrated) which may be expanded and contracted as a vulcanizing medium is supplied into the bladder. One end of the exhaust circulation path pipe 4 is connected to an interior of the bladder, and the two exhaust circulation path pipes 4 are connected to each other through a bypass pipe 5. The other end of the exhaust circulation path pipe 4 is connected to an exterior of the central mechanism 1.

Improved soles and insoles for shoes, in particular sports shoes, are described. In an aspect, a sole for a shoe, in particular a sports shoe, with at least a first and a second surface region is provided. The first surface region comprises expanded thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU). The second surface region is free from expanded TPU.