A forming tool of a preform made of composite material, the tool comprising at least one flexible element and at least a first and a second rigid plate connected to the flexible element and disposed on either side of the flexible element. The first and second rigid plates and the flexible element comprise first, second and third reference surfaces, respectively. The flexible element is configured to allow the tool to occupy a depositing state in which the first, second and third reference surfaces are coplanar and a forming state in which the third reference surface is curved and the first and second reference surfaces are at a desired angle to one another.

A headset can include a cable structure connecting non-cable components such as jacks and headphones. The cable structure can be constructed using a molding process. Different approaches can be used to ensure that a conductor bundle extending through the cable structure remains centered within the cable structure during the molding process. A movable tube can be placed in the mold such that the conductor bundle is retained within the tube. As material is injected into the mold and reaches the tube, the tube can be displaced and progressively removed from the mold. Alternatively, the movable tube can be constructed such that the tube may combine with injected material to form a shell of the cable structure. Gates from which material is provided in the mold can be positioned and controlled to facilitate the injection of material in the mold while maintaining the centered position of the conductor bundle.

A compression molding apparatus contains: a base, a carrying platform, at least one projector, a pressing mold, and a heater. The base includes a material feeding zone and a molding zone. The carrying platform moves into the molding zone from the material feeding zone, and when it is located in the material feeding zone, plural connecting pieces are stacked on the carrying platform. The at least one projector is fixed above the material feeding zone to project plural positioning images on the carrying platform, wherein each connecting piece is stacked on the carrying platform by aligning with each positioning image. The pressing mold is arranged above the molding zone, and when the carrying platform moves into the molding zone, the pressing mold moves to press the each connecting piece on the carrying platform. The heater is mounted on the base to heat the each connecting piece on the carrying platform.

End of arm tooling system and a method for manufacture is provided. The end or arm tooling system provides automated material handling, part manipulation, pre-forming and transferring of a pre-impregnated carbon fiber material. A robot is connected to end of arm tooling for automated material handling and transfer operations from at least a lower preform tool system where light compression is applied to a molding press. The end or arm tooling system includes a cured silicone membrane as well as vacuum and air blow off, allowing for robotically preforming, picking up and dropping-off pre-impregnated carbon fiber materials which are notoriously sticky and difficult to handle.

A removable component for use with an earphone is disclosed. As an example, the removable component can be an ear tip. According to one aspect, an improved ear tip can be provided for use with a headphone. The ear tip is suitable for in-ear operation and can have a cosmetic deformable outer member. The deformable outer member can enable the ear tip to readily conform to a user's ear. The ear tip can also include an inner member to structurally support the outer member and to facilitate attachment to a headphone. Methods for forming such ear tips are also disclosed.

A method for producing a sandwich composite component and a sandwich composite component are described having a pressed two- or three-dimensional shape, at least one structured core layer is made of thermoplastic material which has two opposite core layer surfaces which are bonded to a thermoplastic cover layer. A sandwich composite component is also described.

Provided is a molding die capable of preventing a substrate from falling from an upper die even when warpage of the substrate occurs. This molding die for molding resin through compression molding includes: an upper die in which multiple substrate suction holes for suctioning a substrate and multiple film suction holes for suctioning a release film are formed so as to open on a lower surface of the upper die; a lower die disposed below the upper die in the vertical direction; and multiple pressing members provided to the upper die such that the pressing members can move up and down, and a lower end part thereof can protrude downwardly from the lower surface of the upper die.