A thermoforming machine and a thermoforming method are provided, in particular for producing capsules for obtaining beverages. The capsules (C) are produced from a film (F) of thermoformable material by thermoforming one or more predefined portions (X) of the film. The one or more predefined portions (X) of the film of thermoformable material are pre-heated, i.e. they are heated before being subjected to thermoforming so as to minimize the probability that the film of thermoformable material tears or breaks during thermoforming or after thermoforming.

A method for producing a polylactic acid (PLA) shaped article by thermoforming and thermoformed PLA articles. The method for producing a shaped article includes: heating a sheet of crystallizable polylactic acid (PLA)-based resin having a ratio of cold crystallization over total melting enthalpy (Hcc/Hm) greater than 0.70 as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wherein heating includes a heating step the sheet is heated from a surface temperature of at most 80 C. to a surface temperature of at least 90 C. to at most 150 C. at heating rate of 5 C. to 25 C. per second, to provide heated sheet having a ratio of cold crystallization over total melting enthalpy (Hcc/Hm) greater than 0.5 as determined by DSC; and immediately after heating, forming heated sheet to provide a shaped article by means of a mold having a temperature of at least 70 C. and at most 120 C.

A method for continuously manufacturing a complex acoustic multi-element panel for an acoustic attenuation structure, the method including supplying a thermoplastic resin film at the entry of a stamping system including at least one pair of complementary cylinders, a heating of the thermoplastic resin film upstream of the entry of the stamping system, and a passage of the thermoplastic resin film between the at least one pair of complementary cylinders, the pair of complementary cylinders including a male cylinder with teeth radially protruding from the cylinder and a female cylinder with cavities on its radial surface, the cavities of the female cylinder being of shapes complementary to the shapes of the teeth of the male cylinder and a separation of the stamped film at the exit of the stamping system using a separator disposed at the exit of the stamping system between the stamped film and the female cylinder.

A method of forming a blow moulded container in the form of a tub, the method comprising the steps of: providing an injection moulded preform composed of a biaxially-orientable thermoplastic material, the preform being substantially planar; heating the preform; and stretch blow moulding the heated preform within a mould cavity to form a tub having a bottom wall and an annular sidewall having an upper edge, the tub comprising biaxially oriented thermoplastic material in the annular sidewall and at least an outer portion of the bottom wall, the stretch blow moulding step using at least one stretch rod to engage an inner side of the preform and axially to stretch at least a part of the preform prior to blowing a pressurized gas against the inner side which urges the opposite side of the preform radially outwardly against the mould.

A method for producing a polylactic acid (PLA) shaped article by thermoforming and thermoformed PLA articles. The method for producing a shaped article includes: heating a sheet of crystallizable polylactic acid (PLA)-based resin having a ratio of cold crystallization over total melting enthalpy (Hcc/Hm) greater than 0.70 as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wherein heating includes a heating step the sheet is heated from a surface temperature of at most 80 C. to a surface temperature of at least 90 C. to at most 150 C. at heating rate of 5 C. to 25 C. per second, to provide heated sheet having a ratio of cold crystallization over total melting enthalpy (Hcc/Hm) greater than 0.5 as determined by DSC; and immediately after heating, forming heated sheet to provide a shaped article by means of a mold having a temperature of at least 70 C. and at most 120 C.

The methods described herein can be used to produce constructs that are stronger and more resilient when subjected to repeated cyclic loading. The constructs can be formed by fabricating the construct in its mid-point conformation, and then repositioning the construct in its deployment conformation. Alternatively or additionally, the constructs can be formed with additional polymeric material and/or metals added in particular locations that correspond with the pattern of principal stress distribution when the construct is in use. Alternatively or additionally, the constructs can be formed with a plurality of fibers or metal particles embedded therein, where the fibers/particles are oriented in the direction(s) of major load(s) that are applied to the construct during use. Also described are constructs formed by the methods described above. The constructs are used in devices, medical implants, plastic flaps, tubing and/or pipes, and/or the wings of an airplane that are subjected to repeated cyclic loading.