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.

A welding process of an inflatable product is provided that includes using isolating members between first and second portions of weldable tensioning members to resist the first and second portions of the weldable tensioning structures being welded together during welding of the first portions to a first sheet of weldable material and welding of the second portions to a second sheet of weldable material.

In various aspects, the present disclosure pertains to thermoformed webs that comprise polymer films having one or more thermoformed cavities contained therein, the polymer films comprising a polymer blend of amorphous polyethylene terephthalate (APET) and a copolyester that comprises (a) dicarboxylic acid residues (e.g., dicarboxylic acid residues that comprise terephthalic acid residues and, optionally, one or more additional dicarboxylic acid residues) and (b) diol residues (e.g., diol residues comprising ethylene glycol residues and, optionally, one or more additional diol monomer residues). Other aspects of the disclosure pertain to methods of forming such thermoformed webs, packaged products comprising such thermoformed webs, and methods of recycling such thermoformed webs.

The invention relates to a process for the production of at least two-layer thermoplastic sheets via thermal welding of at least one thinner thermoplastic sheet with density (D1) and of at least one second thinner thermoplastic sheet with density (D2), where the density (D1) of the first thinner thermoplastic sheet is smaller than the density (D2) of the second thinner thermoplastic sheet. The process introduces at least one first heating element and at least one second heating element along mutually offset planes between the two thinner thermoplastic sheets, where the surfaces of the thinner thermoplastic sheets do not touch the surfaces of the heating elements. The first heating element transfers a quantity of energy (E1) to the surface of the first thinner thermoplastic sheet, and the second heating element transfers a quantity of energy (E2) to the surface of the second thinner thermoplastic sheet, where the quantity of energy (E1) is smaller than the quantity of energy (E2).

A system for controlling the temperature of a film before and/or during application, the system including: a heat source for heating a film; and stretch rollers; wherein the heat source heats the film from an ambient temperature to a temperature from about 2° C. to about 40° C. above the ambient temperature, wherein the film is heated prior to or simultaneous to being stretched by the stretch rollers, and wherein the ambient temperature is below 15° C. A system for improving the application of film by transfer of electrostatic charge is also described. The preheating system and/or electrostatic charge system may be used to enhance binding and sealing properties of stretch films used for wrapping palletized products in a reduced temperature environment. Other embodiments of the preheating film system and electrostatic charge system, and methods for their use, are described herein.

A disposable absorbent having a topsheet, a backsheet, and an absorbent core disposed between the topsheet and the backsheet, is described herein. The topsheet has first and second webs where the second web forms a body-contacting surface of the disposable absorbent article and the first web is disposed between the second web and the absorbent core. The second web is hydrophobic compared to the first web. And, the second web is a nonwoven with a plurality of fibers having a diameter less than about 10 microns.

An absorbent article having improved softness signals is disclosed. The article may include a topsheet or a backsheet including a nonwoven web. The web may have a basis weight of 30 gsm or less, may be formed of spunlaid fibers including polyolefin and up to 5 percent by weight TiO.sub.2, and may be impressed with a pattern of bond impressions to a bond area percentage of at least 10 percent forming a pattern of bonded regions and raised regions. The web may have opacity of 42 or greater; have an average height difference between bonded regions and raised regions of at least 280 μm; be hydroengorged; and/or have a cross-machine direction tensile strength of 350 gf/cm. A nonwoven web manufactured to have a suitable combination of such features exhibits an enhanced appearance of softness, soft tactile feel and satisfactory mechanical attributes, while being relatively cost effective.

This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus of preparing a molded article, and more particularly to a method and apparatus of automated molding using male molds and thermoplastic sheets in which the thermoplastic sheets are systematically draped across the mold contour.

A method for the additive manufacturing of an object and a system for manufacturing an object. The method includes depositing a second foil sheet onto the first foil sheet, wherein the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet each comprise a structural layer, forming a layer stack comprising the first foil sheet and the second foil sheet, the layer stack comprising an object section and at least one support section configured to enclose the object section in the layer stack, and applying at least one of heat or pressure to opposite sides of the layer stack with a first plate and a second plate, wherein applying the at least one of heat or pressure increases he temperature of the layer stack to a temperature lower than the melting temperature of the structural layer, and the at least one of at or pressure bonds the first foil sheet to the second foil sheet in the layer stack, the first plate and the second plate are in contact with the at least one support section, and the at least one support section is configured to conduct the at least one of heat or pressure through the layer stack to the object section.

A roof module for a motor vehicle comprises an RTM frame and a Class-A covering layer, which at least partially covers the frame and is made of polyurethane. A method for manufacturing a roof module comprises the following steps: Initially, a fiber mat is put into a first mold. Then, a reactive resin system is introduced into the closed mold and the resin cures, so that a blank is formed. The blank is put into a second mold, into which subsequently polyurethane is introduced in the open condition. The polyurethane expands, wherein it at least partially forms a Class-A surface.