A method for molding or replicating leather samples for inspection, selecting and later using those samples in applications such as automobile interiors with leather surfaces that are laminated or have a loose grain appearance. In one process variant, the main steps include choosing original samples for replication, the original samples including a characteristic to be replicated; making a replication tool from the approved samples; and producing replicated molded samples with the replication tool that emulate the original samples, thereby enabling the replicated molded samples to be compared with the original sample.

Provided is a base (1) for a flexible mold that is to be wound in an endless manner, and the base includes: an intermediate sheet (2); and first and second resin sheets (3, 5) bonded to both main surfaces of the intermediate sheet (2) through intermediation of first and second bonding layers (4, 6), respectively. The intermediate sheet (2) includes: first and second spacer sheets (7, 8), which are each made of a resin, and are arranged at one end portion and another end portion in a winding direction, respectively; and a glass sheet (9) arranged between those spacer sheets (7, 8).

The present invention provides an imprinting method, which includes the steps of: adding a soluble material to a master mold; solidifying the soluble material to form a soluble mold having a mold pattern; adhering a taking device to the soluble mold to separate the soluble mold from the master mold; placing the soluble mold on a polymer layer of a workpiece for imprint; applying a high temperature and a pressure to the soluble mold to allow the polymer layer having an imprint pattern corresponding to the mold pattern and being solidified, and to remove the taking device from the soluble mold; and providing a solvent to dissolve the soluble mold to obtain an imprint workpiece having the imprint pattern.

provided is a method for manufacturing a mold element for the production of microarrays, including the following steps: (i) providing a planar base element having a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, (ii) providing a planar auxiliary element on the second surface, (iii) penetrating the base element from the first surface in order to form mold openings, and (iv) reversibly or non-reversibly entering the auxiliary element when penetrating the base element. Moreover, a mold element for the production of microarrays, including a planar base element having a first surface a second surface opposite the first surface, a planar auxiliary element arranged on the second surface, and several mold openings extending from the surface of the base element through the second surface of the base element.

A mold segment (10) for forming a tire is provided that has a sipe element (14) with first and second ends. A first side face (20) is oppositely disposed from a second side face (22) in a width direction, and a bottom is oppositely disposed from a top in a height direction. The sipe element has a projection (30) that extends from the first side face. A mold segment base (32) made of a material that is more flexible than material making up the sipe element (14) is present. The mold segment base receives the sipe element such that the bottom of the sipe element is located inside of the mold segment base and the top of the sipe element is located outside of the mold segment base. The mold segment base defines a cavity (34), and the projection (30) is located inside of the cavity (34). The mold segment (10) is used for forming a production mold segment (68) that ultimately molds a green tire into a cured tire (12).

A manufacturing method of a master template (20) of a grating of a diffractive optic element. A layer (250) of material (200) is deposited on a substrate (108) of the master template (180) through perforations (204) of a plate (202), cross sectional areas of the perforations (204) depending on locations of the perforations (204) in the plate (202), and the plate (202) and the substrate (108) being spaced at a non-zero distance (D) from each other. Height of the at least one layer (250) on the substrate (108) is caused to vary with variation of the areas of the perforations (204). Raised formations (180) are formed on the substrate (108) by removing the at least one layer (250) from areas, which result in lowered formations (182) between the raised formations (180). A fill factor and height of the raised formations (180) are made to be proportional with each other while the raised and lowered formations (180, 182) have a relation with grooves (902) and ridges (900) of the grating (904), the relation depending on the proportionality.

A method is for producing a profile segment of a segmented casting-vulcanizing mold for vehicle tires, the molding area of which molds a segment of the tread profile of a tire to be vulcanized, including the steps: creating a rigid model segment having a casing-like tread surface; milling the profile positive of the tread into the casing-like tread surface of the model segment to obtain the master model; creating a flexible impression from the master model; creating a rigid plaster cast from the impression to form a casting core segment; casting all of the annular, placed-together casting core segments with an aluminium-magnesium alloy to obtain a vulcanizing mold, subsequently divided into profile segments. A plasma coating is applied to the tread of the model segment, into which the profile positive of the tread is subsequently milled to obtain the master model. Plasma coating gives the master model a defined roughness.

A system (200) for making a fitted cap (300) comprises a fastener template (202), dimensionally identical to a portion (106) of a fastener (100) and extending from a support plate (210), and a first plurality of through-openings (212) penetrating the support plate (210) and arranged about the fastener template (202). The system (200) also comprises a precursor cap (320) that is geometrically complementary to the fastener template (202), first means (217) for heating a first polymer sheet (270), and second means (219) for applying suction to the first polymer sheet (270) through the first plurality of through-openings (212) to vacuum-form the first polymer sheet (270) over the precursor cap (320). After vacuum-forming the first polymer sheet (270) over the precursor cap (320), at least a portion of the first polymer sheet (270) forms the fitted cap (300). The fitted cap (300) is configured to apply a shaped sealant shroud (590) to the portion (106) of the fastener (100).

Disclosed are methods of manufacturing a SH surface including: creating a master with SH features by: depositing a rigid material onto a first surface, wherein the first surface is a shrinkable platform; shrinking the first surface by heating to create a SH surface, wherein the SH surface has micro- and nano-scale structural features that trap air pockets and prevent water from wetting the surface; forming the master by molding an epoxy with the shrunken first surface having a SH surface, wherein the master acquires the SH features of the first surface; and imprinting the SH features of the master onto a second surface to impart the SH features of the master onto the second surface. Some embodiments relate to a superhydrophobic (SH) surface, an article including a SH surface as disclosed, such as a microfluidic device or a food container.

Embodiments of the present disclosure generally relate to imprint lithography, and more particularly to methods and apparatus for creating a large area imprint without a seam. Methods disclosed herein generally include separating the curing time of the features in a stamp or product from the curing time of the seam and the periphery. The seam and periphery can be cured first or the seam and periphery can be cured last. Additionally, the seam curing operations can be performed on the master, on the stamp, or on the final product.