A method for forming an object comprises the steps of: providing a mould comprising a first and a second mould part opposite to each other, a part selected from between the first mould part and the second mould part comprising a plurality of sectors for shaping a lateral portion of the object, the sectors delimiting a variable-volume forming region of the mould; positioning a dosed amount of mouldable material between the first and second mould parts while the mould is in an open position; displacing the first mould part and the second mould part towards each other in a moulding direction, to define between the first mould part and the second mould part a closed forming chamber bringing into contact respective abutment surfaces of the first mould part and the second mould part, the abutment surfaces extending transversely to the moulding direction.

In one example, a structure is provided that includes a plastic body having a unitary, single-piece construction. The plastic body further includes a substantially hollow interior, and a parting line that extends around a portion of the perimeter of the structure. The structure also includes a solid compression molded element that is integral with the plastic body. The solid compression molded element is configured and arranged such that the parting line is not connected to the solid compression molded element.

In one example, a structure is provided that includes a plastic body having a unitary, single-piece construction. The plastic body further includes a substantially hollow interior, and a parting line that extends around a portion of the perimeter of the structure. The structure also includes a solid compression molded element that is integral with the plastic body. The solid compression molded element is configured and arranged such that the parting line is not connected to the solid compression molded element.

In one example, a method includes positioning a tool in a mold, forming a parison of melted plastic, closing the mold around the parison and tool such that part of the tool is positioned between a portion of the mold and the parison, creating a blow molded structure by inflating the parison so that the melted plastic comes into contact with an interior portion of the mold and into contact with the tool, and after the mold is closed, operating the tool to form an integral compression molded element within the mold, and a parting line formed by the mold in the blow molded structure forms no part of the integral compression molded element.

The present invention provides a method for compression-molding a foamed polymer article, where compared with the shape of a final product to be molded, a foamed blank article has a redundant protruding part at a particular position, which is different from the shape of the final product; and when the foamed blank is hot-melt-molded again by using a mold, an external force is applied to compress the redundant protruding part to reduce the volume and increase the density, so that the final product obtained has a higher density at the position corresponding to the redundant protruding part than other parts. Thereby, the final product can have different densities at different positions, so as to meet the requirements in practical application.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced plastic molded body by which, when a molded article having a hollow part is being molded using a molding mold, it is possible to deform the peripheral surface area of a core by increasing the pressure inside the core without using pressurized gas or pressurized fluid. A group of particles and the like including a particle group and a core block is accommodated in a flexible bag to form a core. The particle group is composed of multiple rigid particles. The core is arranged inside a prepreg containing a resin and fibers, and the prepreg including the core is arranged inside a molding mold and is molded by applying pressure.

Systems and methods are provided for compacting laminates. One embodiment is a method for compacting a laminate onto a surface of a forming tool. The method includes placing the laminate onto the forming tool, disposing a compaction device over the laminate, gripping the compaction device to the forming tool, compacting the laminate with a pressure foot of the compaction device, and removing the compaction device from the forming tool.

An example apparatus for fabrication of a co-cured composite assembly includes a layup tool body with a cavity, a thermal expansion insert inserted into the cavity of the layup tool body and a first uncured composite part of the composite assembly is positioned onto the thermal expansion insert, and a solid internal mandrel configured for insertion onto the first uncured composite part. During curing, the first uncured composite part compacts and reduces in thickness while the solid internal mandrel and the thermal expansion insert each increase in size to apply pressure to the first uncured composite part.

Disclosed is an apparatus for producing a fiber composite preform. The apparatus includes a lower mold and a molding unit for molding a preform by pressing a fiber composite placed on a surface of the lower mold while the molding unit is deformed in accordance with a shape of the surface of the lower mold.

There is disclosed a mould for forming a collapsible container from an expandable material, the container comprising, when assembled, at least a base and a two pairs of a side walls extending at right angles from opposing sides of the base, the mould comprising: a first mould member and a second mould member movable with respect to each other between an open and a closed moulding position to define a mould cavity; a control means for delivering expandable material into said mould cavity and for delivering steam to facilitate expansion of the expandable material within said mould cavity to form said container; and a plurality of anvils mounted on a rear surface of at least one of the first mould member and/or second mould member, each anvil being movable so as to be extended into the mould cavity so as to form one or more hinges in the expandable material at predetermined locations within the mould cavity; wherein the mould cavity defined by the first mould member and the second mould member is a three-dimensional representation of an inside-out configuration of the assembled container.