An expansion device, including: an irradiation unit configured to irradiate the thermally expandable sheet placed on a placing unit with light; a conveyance unit configured to reciprocably convey the irradiation unit between a first position and a second position; an exhaust fan fixed to a housing and configured to discharge air from the housing; and an air supply fan which is movable with the irradiation unit and configured to supply outside air into the housing, wherein the exhaust fan is provided at a position where air can be discharged from the second position side when the irradiation unit is returned from the first position to the second position after being moved from the second position toward the first position.

A production method of a modeled object includes a fixing step of fixing a thermally expandable sheet onto a tray by entirely or partially fixing a periphery of the thermally expandable sheet placed on the tray by a fixing member; a thermally expanding step of thermally expanding partially the thermally expandable sheet, which is in a state of being fixed onto the tray by the fixing step, by being heated by irradiating the thermally expandable sheet with light by an irradiation unit, while moving the irradiation unit from a first position toward a second position unit; and cooling the thermally expandable sheet, which has been thermally expanded partially by the thermally expanding step, while maintaining the state in which the thermally expandable sheet is fixed onto the tray, while returning the irradiation unit from the second position to the first position.

A thermal processing and consolidation system includes an upper assembly, a lower assembly, and an air impingement device. At least one of the upper assembly or the lower assembly is a chamber assembly. The upper assembly and the lower assembly are movable relative to one another between an opened position where the upper assembly and the lower assembly are detached from one another, and a closed position where the upper assembly and the lower assembly are coupled to one another and form an enclosed plenum for receiving a tool. The air impingement device is arranged at least partially in the plenum, and configured to direct forced flows of air at the tool when the tool is received in the plenum.

A method of moulding and apparatus therefor, in which a workpiece is preheated and/or post-cooled before and/or after a moulding process, allowing optimal use of the tool for high precision moulding operations.

A plastic tube is bent by advancing the tube to position a desired first bend location of the tube at a bending/cooling station, the bend location of the tube having been previously heated by a tube heating assembly sufficiently for bending. The tube heating assembly is moved to a next desired bend location of the tube. Bending and cooling the tube at the first bend location, and heating the next desired bend location, take place in overlapping time windows, before advancing the tube to position the next desired bend location of the tube at the bending/cooling station. Total cycle time for heating, bending and cooling is thereby substantially reduced compared to carrying out heating, bending and cooling sequentially. The apparatus is controlled by PLC or PC-based programs, which effect movement via servomotors and also control other parameters such as heating and cooling times and temperatures.

A microprotrusion device (1A) according to the present invention includes a needle-like and hollow first protrusion portion (3) that is formed so as to protrude from one surface (2a) of a substrate sheet (2) and a hollow second protrusion portion (4) that is formed so as to protrude from a vicinity of the first protrusion portion (3) on the one surface (2a) of the substrate sheet (2) and has a protrusion height lower than that of the first protrusion portion (3). The first protrusion portion (3) has an opening at its tip end portion, and a hollow portion (30) of the first protrusion portion (3) is in communication with the outside via the opening portion (31). The opening portion (31) is formed at the tip end of the first protrusion portion (3).

A method for performing an infrared treatment includes the steps of receiving an extruded product and feeding the extruded product to an oven including at least one lamp unit. The lamp unit includes a lamp, a reflective surface enclosing a first side of the lamp and positioned to direct radiation from the lamp, and a glass disposed between a second side of the lamp and an extruded product, wherein the glass separates the lamp and the extruded product. The method further includes the step of creating cross-linking between layers of the extruded product by directing the radiation at the extruded product. Still further, the method includes the steps of directing a first gas flow at a surface of the product and directing a second gas flow at the glass.

A portable conveyor belt splicing apparatus is provided that includes an upper press assembly and a lower press assembly which include, respectively, upper and lower platen assemblies. The upper and lower press assemblies may each include a forced air cooling system for rapidly cooling platens of the platen assemblies. The upper and lower press assemblies may include insulating assemblies with resilient members that support the upper and lower press assemblies. The resilient members provide structural support and insulate the platens from the frame which reduces the power required to heat the platens. In one form, the apparatus includes a power supply circuit that can alternate between providing power to upper and lower heaters in response to the apparatus being connected to different types of standard power supplies. Further, the power supply circuit permits the use of a single recipe for a particular belt irrespective of the type of power supply.

A portable conveyor belt splicing apparatus is provided that includes an upper press assembly and a lower press assembly which include, respectively, upper and lower platen assemblies. The upper and lower press assemblies may each include a forced air cooling system for rapidly cooling platens of the platen assemblies. The upper and lower press assemblies may include insulating assemblies with resilient members that support the upper and lower press assemblies. The resilient members provide structural support and insulate the platens from the frame which reduces the power required to heat the platens. In one form, the apparatus includes a power supply circuit that can alternate between providing power to upper and lower heaters in response to the apparatus being connected to different types of standard power supplies. Further, the power supply circuit permits the use of a single recipe for a particular belt irrespective of the type of power supply.

The present invention relates to an external cooling system for a molten film tube produced by a blown film tubular extrusion process, comprised of one or more enclosures with one or more respective cavities that directly receive a portion of cooling gas emanating from one or more associated cooling elements. Each enclosure includes a port containing a variable exhaust device and optional flow buffer, acting to maintain a pressure differential between the cavity and an adjacent inside volume of the molten film tube, adjustable to optimize molten film tube stability cooling element efficiency and spaced apart dimension between cooling elements. Additionally, at least one cooling element is provided, comprised of a divergent cooling element with a divergent cooling interface containing a cooling gas deflector spaced adjacent to the molten film tube and providing an expelled cooling gas.