A molding apparatus includes a movable molding surface with molding cavities, a pressure shoe with a stationary outer surface that defines in cooperation with the molding surface a pressure zone, and a resin source configured to introduce molten resin into the pressure zone to be forced into the molding cavities by pressure in the pressure zone. The molding surface is movable with respect to the pressure shoe to introduce molding cavities to the pressure zone to be filled with resin while the outer surface of the pressure shoe and the molding surface define in between an entrance gap of decreasing width upstream of the pressure zone. The outer surface of the pressure shoe is spaced from the molding surface in the pressure zone to define a minimum gap at which the outer surface of the pressure shoe has a slope parallel to the molding surface. The pressure shoe is adapted to be held in a flexed condition against resin in the pressure zone while forcing resin into the cavities, with the outer surface of the pressure shoe curved upstream of the pressure zone.

A molding apparatus includes: a molding base having a molding surface on which a molded article is to be molded; a transport part that transports a linear molding material toward the molding surface; a heating part that heats the molding material being transported to the transport part; a pressure part that moves relative to the molding base and presses the molding material heated by the heating part onto the molding surface such that the molding material is stacked in multiple layers; and a restricting part disposed between the heating part and the pressure part in a molding-material transport direction, the restricting part restricting the position of the molding material transported from the heating part to the pressure part.

A molding apparatus includes a movable molding surface with molding cavities, a pressure shoe with a stationary outer surface that defines in cooperation with the molding surface a pressure zone, and a resin source configured to introduce molten resin into the pressure zone to be forced into the molding cavities by pressure in the pressure zone. The molding surface is movable with respect to the pressure shoe to introduce molding cavities to the pressure zone to be filled with resin while the outer surface of the pressure shoe and the molding surface define in between an entrance gap of decreasing width upstream of the pressure zone. The outer surface of the pressure shoe is spaced from the molding surface in the pressure zone to define a minimum gap at which the outer surface of the pressure shoe has a slope parallel to the molding surface. The pressure shoe is adapted to be held in a flexed condition against resin in the pressure zone while forcing resin into the cavities, with the outer surface of the pressure shoe curved upstream of the pressure zone.

A system and methods are disclosed for producing compression-molded components having one or more desired characteristics with respect to one or more objectives. In accordance with one embodiment, a parameter space comprising a set of values of a parameter is defined, where the parameter corresponds to a property of fiber bundles, and where the set of values represents all possible values of the parameter in the parameter space. The parameter space is narrowed, and a statistical model is generated based on a sampling of the narrowed parameter space. A value of the parameter is selected based on the statistical model, and a bundle of fibers conforming to the selected value is produced. A component comprising the bundle of fibers is then manufactured using a compression-molding process.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method that includes heating a female die having a receptacle and a complementary male die, heating an extruder above a melting point of a thermoplastic within chopped prepreg fiber, in order to melt chopped prepreg fiber disposed within the extruder, extruding the chopped prepreg fiber from the extruder into the receptacle of the female die while the chopped prepreg fiber remains molten, pressing the male die into the female die, causing the molten chopped prepreg fiber to fully enter receptacle, and cooling the chopped prepreg fiber in the receptacle of the female die to form a composite part.

A method for rapid manufacturing of three dimensional discontinuous fiber preforms is provided. The method includes the deposition of a polymeric material containing fibers on a surface to form a tailored charge for compression molding. The reinforced polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or a reactive polymer with viscosity low enough to allow flow through an orifice during deposition, yet high enough zero shear viscosity to retain the approximate shape of the deposited charge. The material can be deposited in a predetermined pattern to induce the desired mechanical properties through alignment of the fibers. This deposition can be performed in a single layer or in multiple layers. The alignment is achieved passively by shear alignment of the fibers or actively through fiber orientation control or mixing. The fibers can be of the desired material, length, and morphology, including short and long filaments.

A method and a system for manufacturing a semiconductor package structure are provided. The method includes: (a) measuring an amount of a molding powder; (b) controlling the amount of a molding powder; and (c) dispensing the molding powder on an assembly structure including a carrier and at least one semiconductor device disposed on the carrier.

A system for the continuous extrusion, molding, and curing of tread rubber is provided. A plurality of discrete mold sectors are arranged adjacent to each other along a longitudinal axis between an in-feed and an out-feed of a mold sector transport mechanism that extends through a heated press. As the mold sectors are continuously advanced along a process direction in steps, rubber material is extruded and placed onto at least one of the mold sectors near the in-feed end such that an elongated strip of rubber material extends over multiple mold sectors along the longitudinal axis. As the strip of rubber material exits the press, the mold sectors are sequentially removed from the rubber material and returned to the in-feed. An extruder outlet positioned near the in-feed can be moved towards or away from the mold sectors to supply rubber material and prevent backflow.

An apparatus and process for forming particles. A precursor material is provided to a rotor-stator construction and fed through apertures in the cylinder. The apertures are in intermittent fluid communication with the stator. A conveyor is provided beneath the cylinder. The conveyor has recesses and the recesses move in registration with the apertures in the cylinder. The precursor material is passed through the apertures and deposited in the recesses in an amount that overfills the recesses. The deposited precursor material is cooled to form a plurality of particles.

A method and a system for manufacturing a semiconductor package structure are provided. The method includes: (a) measuring an amount of a molding powder; (b) controlling the amount of a molding powder; and (c) dispensing the molding powder on an assembly structure including a carrier and at least one semiconductor device disposed on the carrier.