There is provided an apparatus for molding a thermoplastic material into a homogenous sample body having a predetermined shape, the apparatus comprising: (a) a main body (110) comprising a first opening (112), a second opening and a hollow bore (116) connecting the first opening (112) with the second opening, the hollow bore (116) being adapted to receive a separation foil shaped to cover at least a part of the hollow bore surface; (b) a piston (120) adapted to fit moveably into the hollow bore (116) containing the separation foil; (c) a base plate (130) comprising a protrusion, wherein the base plate (130) is adapted to be inserted into the first opening (112) in such a manner that the protrusion extends into a part of the hollow bore (116) containing the separation foil, and wherein the base plate (130) is adapted to transfer heat from a heating unit to a thermoplastic material (150) resting on the protrusion (132); (d) a vacuum connector (142) adapted to be connected to a vacuum source; (e) a lid (140) adapted to fit moveably into the second opening and adapted to apply a force to the piston (120) when the vacuum connector (142) is connected to the vacuum source such that the piston (120) applies a compressing force to the thermoplastic material (150) resting on the protrusion. There are further provided a method and a system for molding a thermoplastic material into a homogenous sample body having a predetermined shape.

Compression molded articles employing circumferential surfaces having friction-enhancing patterns to contact substrates during wet chemical processes are disclosed. An article such as an annular body may be formed by a compression molding technique. By including a patterned surface as part of an outer circumferential surface of the annular body, frictional contact between the annular body and the substrate may be enhanced as friction-reducing fluids associated with a wet chemical processes may be directed away from the desired friction contact area between the annular body and the substrate. In this manner, frictional contact may be enhanced and the substrate may be effectively positioned and moved during the wet chemical process to improve the effectively of the process.

A process of forming a shaped, dimensionally stable tampon includes the steps of: radially compressing a tampon blank to form a dimensionally stable intermediate pledget having an intermediate pledget diameter and a longitudinal axis; placing the intermediate pledget into a hollow carrier and inserting the intermediate pledget and hollow carrier into a mold; urging the intermediate pledget into the mold via a ram bearing on an end of the intermediate pledget contained within the hollow carrier and withdrawing the hollow carrier from the mold to permit the exposed end of the intermediate pledget to substantially fill the mold and to form the shaped, dimensionally stable tampon; removing the shaped, dimensionally stable tampon from the mold; and enclosing the shaped, dimensionally stable tampon in a primary package that conforms to the shape thereof. The mold has an access opening through which the hollow carrier can be withdrawn.

A process for the manufacture of thin-walled elasto-porous elements in the form of bushings in metal-rubber material (MR), comprises the steps of: obtaining wire fragments in the form of spirals having a lead equal to the spiral diameter, forming a flat blank from said spiral segments; pressing the blank into a roll; placing the roll into a mold; placing some elastic medium inside said roll; and pressing the roll in several passes by axial compression together with the elastic medium elements transforming the axial compression into radial pressure on the roll to be compressed.

A press for producing a pellet from powdered material comprises a press frame and a pressing unit arranged therein, at least one upper press punch and/or at least one lower press punch, as well as at least one receptacle for powdered material. At least one upper drive unit has at least one upper drive motor for moving the upper press punch and/or at least one lower drive unit having at least one lower drive motor for moving the lower press punch and/or the receptacle. The at least one upper drive unit acts laterally offset on the at least one upper press punch via an upper force transmission element and/or the at least one lower drive unit acts laterally offset on the at least one lower press punch and/or the receptacle via a lower force transmission element. At least one upper spring element is arranged between the upper force transmission element and the at least one upper drive unit and/or at least one lower spring element is arranged between the lower force transmission element and the at least one lower drive unit.

A forming device and a preparation method of a graphite crucible are provided. The forming device includes: a support frame, including a base; a male die, disposed on the support frame and far away from the base and movable reciprocally in a vertical direction relative to the support frame; a crucible mouth pressing member, disposed on the support frame, correspondingly disposed on a side of the male die close to the base, movable reciprocally in the vertical direction relative to the support frame, and defining an opening part allowing the male die to pass therethrough; and a female die, disposed on the base and corresponding to the male die, and configured to accommodate crucible paste. The male die, the crucible mouth pressing member and the female die are configured to cooperatively form the crucible paste into the graphite crucible.

In a resin wheel manufacturing method for forming, with a mold, a material made of a thermoplastic fiber-reinforced resin, the temperature of the mold is set to a temperature lower than a melting point of a resin matrix of the material. As the material, a billet-shaped material and a sheet-shaped material are prepared, and heated to a temperature higher than the melting point of the resin matrix. The heated billet-shaped material is held in the mold surrounded by a disc outer surface mold and a rim outer diameter mold, and the sheet-shaped material is held on a surface of the rim outer diameter mold on a punch mold side. While the sheet-shaped material is subjected to deep draw forming to form the rim portion of the wheel, the billet-shaped material is subjected to compression forming with a part of the sheet-shaped material pressed against the billet-shaped material.