Stereolithography with micron scale control of properties is described herein. In one aspect, a computer-implemented method for 3-D printing of a material can include generating a functional relation predicting one or more physical properties of the material resulting from printing parameters; algebraically or numerically solving the functional relation to generate a second functional relation predicting expected printing parameters resulting in the one or more physical properties; and printing the material via a photopolymerization printer according to the set of printing parameters determined by the second functional relation.

An expanding tool comprising: an actuator comprising a cylindrical housing that defines an actuator housing cavity; a primary ram disposed within the actuator housing cavity, the primary ram defining an internal primary ram cavity; a secondary ram disposed within the internal primary ram cavity; a cam roller carrier coupled to a distal end of the secondary ram; a drive collar positioned within a distal end of the actuator housing cavity; a roller clutch disposed within an internal cavity defined by an inner surface of the drive collar; a shuttle cam positioned between the roller clutch and a distal end of the primary ram; an expander cone coupled to the primary ram; and an expander head operably coupled to the drive collar. When triggered, the actuator first rotates the expander head and then the actuator expands the expander head.

An expanding tool comprising: an actuator comprising a cylindrical housing that defines an actuator housing cavity; a primary ram disposed within the actuator housing cavity, the primary ram defining an internal primary ram cavity; a secondary ram disposed within the internal primary ram cavity; a cam roller carrier coupled to a distal end of the secondary ram; a drive collar positioned within a distal end of the actuator housing cavity; a roller clutch disposed within an internal cavity defined by an inner surface of the drive collar; a shuttle cam positioned between the roller clutch and a distal end of the primary ram; an expander cone coupled to the primary ram; and an expander head operably coupled to the drive collar.

An expansion toolhead configured to enable the expansion of multiple different sized diameters of cross-linked polyethylene (PEX) tubing with a single expansion toolhead. The expansion toolhead including a cap operably coupled to an expansion tool, and a plurality of jaws forming a 360 degree jaw section operably coupled to the cap, each of the plurality of jaws including an expansion tool interface portion forming a conical recess enabling a cone-shaped wedge of the expansion tool to move the jaw section between an unexpanded position and an expanded position, and a PEX tubing interface portion having a distal end, a proximal end and a plurality of lands positioned therebetween configured to form a corresponding plurality of substantially uniform diameter portions of the jaw section sequentially increasing in diameter between the distal end and the proximal end for the expansion of multiple different standard sized diameters of VEX tubing.

There is provided a hollow extrusion-molded material formed by drawdown molding of a resin composition, the resin composition including, as a base resin, an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, or an ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer and linear low-density polyethylene, the resin composition including a bromine-based flame retardant, antimony trioxide and magnesium hydroxide, wherein a composition ratio between the ethylene-ethyl acrylate copolymer and the linear low-density polyethylene, a content of the bromine-based flame retardant, a content of the antimony trioxide, and a content of the magnesium hydroxide are within specified ranges. There are also provided a crosslinked polymer of the hollow extrusion-molded material, and a heat-shrinkable tube and a multilayer heat-shrinkable tube obtained from the crosslinked polymer.

An expanding tool comprising: an actuator comprising a cylindrical housing that defines an actuator housing cavity; a primary ram disposed within the actuator housing cavity, the primary ram defining an internal primary ram cavity; a secondary ram disposed within the internal primary ram cavity; a cam roller carrier coupled to a distal end of the secondary ram; a drive collar positioned within a distal end of the actuator housing cavity; a roller clutch disposed within an internal cavity defined by an inner surface of the drive collar; a shuttle cam positioned between the roller clutch and a distal end of the primary ram; an expander cone coupled to the primary ram; and an expander head operably coupled to the drive collar.

An expanding tool comprising: an actuator comprising a cylindrical housing that defines an actuator housing cavity; a primary ram disposed within the actuator housing cavity, the primary ram defining an internal primary ram cavity; a secondary ram disposed within the internal primary ram cavity; a cam roller carrier coupled to a distal end of the secondary ram; a drive collar positioned within a distal end of the actuator housing cavity; a roller clutch disposed within an internal cavity defined by an inner surface of the drive collar; a shuttle cam positioned between the roller clutch and a distal end of the primary ram; an expander cone coupled to the primary ram; and an expander head operably coupled to the drive collar. When triggered, the actuator first rotates the expander head and then the actuator expands the expander head.

Highly crosslinked polymer particulate and methods of manufacturing highly crosslinked polymer particulate. The highly crosslinked polymer particulate includes a plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. Each crosslinked polymer granule includes a highly crosslinked polymeric material and a property-modifying filler. The highly crosslinked polymeric material includes a plurality of polyethylene polymer chains and a plurality of chemical crosslinks. The plurality of chemical crosslinks includes chemical crosslinks that covalently bond a given polyethylene polymer chain of the plurality of polyethylene polymer chains to another polyethylene polymer chain of the plurality of polyethylene polymer chains. The property-modifying filler is configured to modify at least one property of the plurality of crosslinked polymer granules. A characteristic dimension of each crosslinked polymer granule of the plurality of crosslinked polymer granules is at least 10 micrometers and at most 5 millimeters.

The present invention provides a flexible mat with fluid conduit, methods of manufacture thereof and apparatus for the manufacture thereof. In an embodiment, the mat comprises a base layer, one or more fluid conduits and a thermoplastic bonding tape that attaches the fluid conduits to the base layer. The base layer can be a textile fabric, mesh or netting, or a flat flexible sheet. The base layer is preferably also formed of a thermoplastic layer. The fluid conduits can carry heated or cooled fluid, such as water, that can be used for heating or cooling an environment in which the device is deployed. For example, the device can be used for heating or cooling in a greenhouse environment. The fluid conduits can additionally or alternatively carry irrigation fluids, such as water or treated water, for irrigating plants and crops. The fluid conduits can additionally or alternatively carry gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) or carbon dioxide mixed with other gasses, for treating plants and crops.

The present invention provides a flexible mat with fluid conduit, methods of manufacture thereof and apparatus for the manufacture thereof. In an embodiment, the mat comprises a base layer, one or more fluid conduits and a thermoplastic bonding tape that attaches the fluid conduits to the base layer. The base layer can be a textile fabric, mesh or netting, or a flat flexible sheet. The base layer is preferably also formed of a thermoplastic layer. The fluid conduits can carry heated or cooled fluid, such as water, that can be used for heating or cooling an environment in which the device is deployed. For example, the device can be used for heating or cooling in a greenhouse environment. The fluid conduits can additionally or alternatively carry irrigation fluids, such as water or treated water, for irrigating plants and crops. The fluid conduits can additionally or alternatively carry gases, such as carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) or carbon dioxide mixed with other gasses, for treating plants and crops.