A preheat assisted injection/compression molding system for producing thin wall, high fiber content, high flex modulus thermoplastic composites at high temperature includes a press, an injection mold operably coupled to the press and including a first mold portion having a first inner mold surface, and a second mold portion with a second inner mold surface, and a resin injection system configured to inject a molten, free flowing resin into the injection mold. A mold surface pre-heating system includes a heating element configured to selectively heat at least one of the first and second inner mold surfaces to a predetermined temperature at a predetermined depth before the resin is injected into the mold. A cooling system is configured to selectively cool at least one of the first and second inner mold surfaces to rapidly cool a molded part formed by compressing the resin with the press.

A mould includes at least two mould parts, one of which includes a mould cavity for enclosing electronic components placed on a carrier and a contact surface for at least partially enclosing the mould cavity, contacting the carrier, and forming a tight connection with the carrier. A feed channel is recessed into the contact surface and the mould part further includes a displaceable barrier element that is displaceable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the contact surface connecting to the feed channel for regulating the size of a passage in the feed channel. A foil handler applies a foil layer between a wall of the feed channel and the displaceable barrier element which is configured for exerting a pressure onto the foil layer when the mould parts are moved apart to release the carrier with electronic components from the mould part.

A mould includes at least two mould parts, one of which includes a mould cavity for enclosing electronic components placed on a carrier and a contact surface for at least partially enclosing the mould cavity, contacting the carrier, and forming a tight connection with the carrier. A feed channel is recessed into the contact surface and the mould part further includes a displaceable barrier element that is displaceable in a direction substantially perpendicular to the contact surface connecting to the feed channel for regulating the size of a passage in the feed channel. A foil handler applies a foil layer between a wall of the feed channel and the displaceable barrier element which is configured for exerting a pressure onto the foil layer when the mould parts are moved apart to release the carrier with electronic components from the mould part.

A method of manufacturing a microfluidic or microtiter device, the method comprises fabricating, by a single compression injection molding operation, a microfluidic or microtiter device having one or more indentations, in which a base thickness of the one or more indentations is less than 400 m. In embodiments, the fabricating step comprises: forming a mold cavity; filling the mold cavity with molten material; closing the mold cavity; and driving one or more molding formations complementary to the one or more indentations into the mold cavity.

A method includes providing a collection of particulate material and forming a first article therefrom. Forming the first article includes forming an outer shell with an outer surface that defines an outer periphery of the first article; forming a relief area of the first article that supports the outer shell, including forming a relief void in the relief area; and collecting a collection of the particulate material within the outer shell during formation of the first article. Moreover, the method includes encasing the first article with an outer member. The outer member defines an internal cavity with an internal surface that corresponds to the outer surface of the outer shell. The method further includes heating, which deforms the first article selectively at the relief void.

Methods and mold designs provide for fiducials in molding glass optical elements, such as glass lenses. A mold for use in the fabrication of a lens can include a first part of the mold including a first molding surface corresponding to a first surface of said lens, and a second part of the mold including a second molding surface corresponding to a second surface of said lens, the first and second part of the mold configured to apply pressure to a moldable material in at least one cavity therebetween, at least one marking structure located on at least one of the first part of the mold, the second part of the mold, or both, the at least one marking structure configured to form at least one fiducial in the molded structure. Such techniques are applicable to precision glass molding.

A toothbrush comprised at least one unitary brush head having a base and at least one filament and extending therefrom and having a free end terminating with a tip, wherein the filament has a length of from 6.0 mm to 20.0 mm between the base and the free end, and wherein the unitary brush head is made from a plastic material that has a melt flow rate of not greater than about 30 g/10 min measured in accordance with ISO 1133.

A molding apparatus is provided that can appropriately mold a molding material to which microwaves have been applied using a mold. The molding apparatus includes: a mold including a first mold member and a second mold member that form a molding cavity, the first mold member including communication holes that bring the outside of the mold and the cavity into communication with each other; coaxial cables for transmitting microwaves, first ends of the coaxial cables being attached to the communication holes; and a microwave application unit for applying microwaves into the cavity via the coaxial cables, the microwave application unit being connected to second end portions of the coaxial cables.

A molded article formed from a blend, the blend comprising: from 1 wt. % to 30 wt. % of a polypropylene; and from 60 wt. % to 99 wt. % of an ionomer formed from a partially neutralized precursor acid copolymer, wherein the precursor acid copolymer (a) comprises copolymerized units of ethylene and 5 wt. % to 30 wt. %, based on the total weight of the precursor acid copolymer, of copolymerized units of an ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid having 3 to 8 carbon atoms, and (b) has a melt index, I2, (according to ASTM D1238 at 190 C, 2.16 kg) of 10 g/10 min to 4,000 g/10 min, and wherein about 25% to about 65% of the acid groups derived from the ?,?-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid of the precursor acid copolymer are neutralized.

A molding apparatus includes a mold comprising a stationary outer mold with a substantially tubular mold cavity, a moveable end mold with an end mold cavity alignable with the tubular mold cavity, and a stationary elongated mold core with a fluid channel therethrough, the mold core extending through the tubular cavity into the end mold cavity. A method of using the apparatus includes injecting a molding material at a material flow rate into the mold, moving the end mold at a speed in a linear direction from a first position to a second position, supplying a fluid at a fluid flow rate to the fluid channel, and varying at least one of the material flow rate, the end mold speed and the fluid flow rate as the end mold moves from the first position to the second position.