Described are methods for manufacturing a plastic component, in particular a cushioning element for sports apparel, a plastic component manufactured with such methods, for example a sole or a part of a sole for a shoe, and a shoe with such a sole. The method for the manufacture of a plastic component includes loading a mold with a first material includes particles of an expanded material and fusing the surfaces of the particles by supplying energy. The energy is supplied in the form of at least one electromagnetic field.

A plant for the continuous vulcanisation of mixtures of natural or synthetic latex inside a plurality of vulcanisation moulds aligned close to each other, each including: a base and a lid able to be removably coupled; an advancing mechanism for advancing the moulds along guides inside a vulcanising oven; and a sprayer for spraying the mixture inside the bases before entry into the vulcanising oven. The plant includes: an assembly set and a disassembly set of the moulds, belonging respectively to the input station and to the output station of the vulcanising oven; a first transport mechanism for transferring each base from the disassembly set to the assembly set; a second transport mechanism for transferring each lid from the disassembly set to the assembly set. The vulcanising oven includes a tunnel with a radiofrequency set for vulcanising the mixture.

A functional polymeric cutting edge structure and methods for manufacturing cutting edge structures using polymeric materials are provided. A razor blade for use in a razor cartridge or a blade box for assembly in a razor cartridge frame may be formed using the present invention.

A fabrication method of transparent material is a method of processing a thermosetting transparent material including a disposing step of disposing an uncured thermosetting transparent material, a laser beam irradiation step of irradiating the disposed uncured thermosetting transparent material with a laser beam so that cavitation bubbles are generated in the uncured thermosetting transparent material, and a curing step of performing a curing process on the uncured thermosetting transparent material in which the cavitation bubbles are generated.

The present disclosure relates generally to curable resins, in particular latent cure resins, and related methods for use in an additive fabrication (e.g., 3-dimensional printing) device.

An ultraviolet irradiation device includes a light-emitting element, a temperature control element, and a control circuit. The light-emitting element is configured to emit an ultraviolet light. The temperature control element is configured to control a temperature of the light-emitting element. The control circuit is configured to control the temperature control element based on a voltage of the light-emitting element so as to control a peak wavelength of the ultraviolet light.

A method of heat treating post-tensioning strand wedges that enhances efficiency, repeatability and safety is provided. The method includes providing a plurality of post-tensioning strand wedges, transporting each post-tensioning strand wedge to a heating assembly having a first induction heater, heating each post-tensioning strand wedge using the first induction heater of the heating assembly to form a heated post-tensioning strand wedge in a plurality of heated post-tensioning strand wedges, and delivering the plurality of heated post-tensioning strand wedges to perform a series of actions.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a method for creating a solidified material using a machine tool. In some aspects, the machine tool supplies a current to an induction coil such that the induction coil generates a magnetic field. The machine tool changes the magnetic field to induce eddy currents in a first conductor surrounding a feedstock and a second conductor surrounded by the feedstock. The machine tool uses the eddy currents to cause the feedstock to transition from a solid state to a uniform malleable state regardless of the feedstock’s electrical conductivity.

A system for producing a multicore optical fiber includes a source of electromagnetic radiation in a spectral range that is suitable for inducing photopolymerization of a transparent polymer. An arrangement of one or more optical components is configured to concurrently focus the radiation that is emitted by the source on a plurality of elongated regions of the transparent polymer so as to photopolymerize the transparent polymer solely in the elongated regions to increase the index of refraction of the elongated regions such that in the optical fiber that is formed of the transparent polymer after the elongated regions are photopolymerized, each of the elongated regions functions as a core of the optical fiber and regions of the transparent polymer that surround the elongated regions function as a cladding of each of the cores.

A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector, a forming feature that is coupled to the end effector, and a heating element that is coupled to the forming feature to heat the forming feature. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a composite ply to form the composite ply over a forming tool or over a prior formed composite ply. The forming feature heats the composite ply via conduction.