Layers of composite material, such as pre-peg, may be deposited on a reconfigurable polymer mold. An array of actuated pins may deform the polymer mold into a desired 3D shape. The composite material may be inside a cavity formed by the mold and a flexible bag. A vacuum pump may remove air from the cavity, creating a partial vacuum. The partial vacuum may cause the flexible bag to press the composite tightly against the mold, so that the composite conforms to the desired 3D shape. One or more heating elements may be embedded in the mold and may heat the composite to cure the composite. Ball joints may connect the actuated pins to the polymer mold.

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).

An optical film includes a plurality of polymeric layers shaped along orthogonal first and second directions. A first curve being an intersection of the optical film with a first plane orthogonal to the second direction and to a reference plane has a best-fit first circular arc subtending a first angle at a center of curvature of the first circular arc of greater than 180 degrees where the optical film has a maximum projected area in the reference plane. A second curve being an intersection of the optical film with a second plane orthogonal to the first direction and to the reference plane has a best-fit second circular arc subtending a second angle at a center of curvature of the second circular arc of at least 30 degrees. Reflectance and transmittance of the optical film are described.

A method for making a structural sandwich panel includes the steps of positioning a first and second thermoplastic skin elements in overlying relationship with respect to a heated male and heated female die molds respectively. A first pressure reduction is applied between the first thermoplastic skin element and the heated male die mold and a second pressure reduction is applied between the second thermoplastic and the heated female die mold. A core panel element is positioned between the heated male die mold and the heated female die mold wherein the core panel element has a first adhesive on a first side and has a second adhesive on a second opposing side. The male and female die molds are closed and exert a pressure onto the core panel element to secure the first and second thermoplastic skin elements to the core panel element and form the core panel element.

A method of folding plastic composition flooring, including but not limited to LVP, LVT, SPC or WPC, to form a desired shape, such as stair noses, baseboards, quarter rounds, T-moldings, endcaps, or the like. The method includes the steps of incorporating a thermal insulation layer between the plastic composite flooring and a heat generator, applying heat until reaching a heat transmission coefficient to allow the plastic composite flooring to become malleable, removing the heat, applying pressure to the heated section of the plastic composite flooring to form into a desired shape using a positive and negative embossing die mold on the top and bottom heated section of the plastic composite flooring, and removing the embossing die-molds once the plastic composite flooring has cooled down to its initial temperature.

Layers of composite material, such as pre-peg, may be deposited on a reconfigurable polymer mold. An array of actuated pins may deform the polymer mold into a desired 3D shape. The composite material may be inside a cavity formed by the mold and a flexible bag. A vacuum pump may remove air from the cavity, creating a partial vacuum. The partial vacuum may cause the flexible bag to press the composite tightly against the mold, so that the composite conforms to the desired 3D shape. One or more heating elements may be embedded in the mold and may heat the composite to cure the composite. Ball joints may connect the actuated pins to the polymer mold.

A method for forming leather and hide is used for manufacturing composite panels for automotive components, such as doors, dashboards and the like. A product is made from the method for forming leather and hide.

The instant application discloses, among other things, ways to manufacture reduced density thermoplastics. A rapid foaming process which may create a polymer product by saturating thermoplastic sheet or preforms, heating, and then forming into final shape, is described. The polymer product may include an integral solid skin. This method may be utilized with any thermoplastic. The material handling, saturation methods, and end products are also described.

Apparatus and methods of forming selected portions of integral sheets of material are disclosed. Unformed portions of the sheets may remain undistorted during the forming process, allowing them to contain text, art work, or other desired information without material risk of the information being degraded or becoming unintelligible during the forming process. This result may be accomplished, moreover, with less trim than usually occurs in conventional forming processes.

A thermoforming system and related methods for manufacturing thermoplastic parts, such as interior panels for aircraft, may include a roll-to-roll operation and a forming press having at least one selectively rotatable tool. The rotatable tool, which may include a mold and/or a die, may be multifaceted, such that different faces of the tool have different mold arrangements for different forming characteristics.