In an example method of forming a waveguide part having a predetermined shape, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. A relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted to fill the space between the first and second mold portions. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film so that different portions of the cured waveguide film have different rigidity. The cured waveguide film is separated from the first and second mold portions. The waveguide part is singulated from the cured waveguide film. The waveguide part corresponds to portions of the cured waveguide film having a higher rigidity than other portions of the cured waveguide film.

In order to realize an imprint method capable of reducing a drawback caused by protrusion of an imprint material, the imprint method includes a first pattern forming process of bringing a mold into contact with an imprint material on a first pattern forming region on a substrate; a first exposure process of exposing an imprint material on the first pattern forming region and making an amount of exposure for the imprint material on a partial region of the first pattern forming region smaller; a second pattern forming process of bringing the mold into contact with an imprint material on a second pattern forming region after the first pattern forming process to form a pattern; and a second exposure process of exposing the imprint material on the second pattern forming region and the imprint material on the partial region of the first pattern forming region.

A method of repairing a sandwich structure includes: removing a damaged portion of a core and a damaged portion of a first facesheet to form an open volume; filling the open volume with an ultraviolet-curable photomonomer; partially curing the ultraviolet-curable photomonomer to form a plurality of photopolymer waveguides by utilizing ultraviolet light; and arranging a replacement facesheet on the damaged portion of the first facesheet and over the photopolymer waveguides.

A system and method for 3D microfabrication projects light capable of initiating photopolymerization toward a spatial light modulator that modulates light responsive to digital masks corresponding to layers of the structure. Projection optics focus the modulated light onto an optical plane within a photopolymerizable material supported on a stage. A computer controller causes the spatial light modulator to project a sequences of images corresponding to the digital masks while coordinating movement of the stage to move a position of the optical plane within the photopolymerizable material to sequentially project each image of the sequence to generate the structure by progressively photopolymerizing the photopolymerizable material.

Methods for making a microstructured tool having interspersed topographies are disclosed, and the production of articles therefrom. The article has a major surface including first microstructural features and second microstructural features arranged in a pattern visible at least when viewed normal to the first major surface. The first and second microstructural features are different relative to each other, and are selected from the group consisting of cones, diffraction gratings, lenticulars, segments of a sphere, pyramids, cylinders, fresnels, and prisms.

In an example method of forming a waveguide part having a predetermined shape, a photocurable material is dispensed into a space between a first mold portion and a second mold portion opposite the first mold portion. A relative separation between a surface of the first mold portion with respect to a surface of the second mold portion opposing the surface of the first mold portion is adjusted to fill the space between the first and second mold portions. The photocurable material in the space is irradiated with radiation suitable for photocuring the photocurable material to form a cured waveguide film so that different portions of the cured waveguide film have different rigidity. The cured waveguide film is separated from the first and second mold portions. The waveguide part is singulated from the cured waveguide film. The waveguide part corresponds to portions of the cured waveguide film having a higher rigidity than other portions of the cured waveguide film.

A method of manufacturing a sandwich structure having an open cellular core and a fluid-tight seal surrounding the core includes coupling a mold to a first facesheet to define a reservoir. The method also includes irradiating a volume of photo-monomer in the reservoir with a series of vertical collimated light beams to form a cured, solid polymer border extending around a periphery of the first facesheet. The method also includes irradiating a remaining volume of photo-monomer in the reservoir with a series of collimated light beams to form an ordered three-dimensional polymer microstructure core defined by a plurality of interconnected polymer optical waveguides coupled to the first facesheet and surrounded by the cured, solid polymer border. The method further includes coupling a second facesheet to the ordered three-dimensional microstructure core and the cured, solid polymer border to form the sandwich structure.

A structure forming apparatus includes a rotary body, an irradiation unit, and a holding member. On the rotary body, a mask that is subjected to patterning is capable of being disposed. The irradiation unit is capable of irradiating an area along an axis direction of a rotation of the rotary body with an energy line with the mask intervened therebetween. The holding member is disposed to be opposed to the rotary body so that a holding area that holds a material cured with the energy line is formed.

An upper for a sports shoe may include a component such as a vamp or a rear portion. The shoe component may include a UV curable microlattice structure with a plurality of regions such that each region has a different density. In some cases, the microlattice structure may include a high density microlattice structure, a mid-level density microlattice structure, and a non-structural region with a low density microlattice structure.

A method of repairing a sandwich structure includes: removing a damaged portion of a core and a damaged portion of a first facesheet to form an open volume; filling the open volume with an ultraviolet-curable photomonomer; partially curing the ultraviolet-curable photomonomer to form a plurality of photopolymer waveguides by utilizing ultraviolet light; and arranging a replacement facesheet on the damaged portion of the first facesheet and over the photopolymer waveguides.