A method for moulding an optical component by a mould, at least one moulding station, and at least one cooling station including a cooling space, the method including: a step of moulding a moulded component in a moulding station, a step of transferring this component from this moulding station into the cooling space, keeping the moulded component facing at least one of the mould parts, a step of cooling the moulded component by sending a cooling fluid between the moulded component and the walls of the cooling space, the moulded component being kept some distance from these walls.

A method for moulding an optical component by means of a mould, at least one moulding station, and at least one cooling station including a cooling space, the method including: a step of moulding a moulded component in a moulding station, a step of transferring this component from this moulding station into the cooling space, keeping the moulded component facing at least one of the mould parts, a step of cooling the moulded component by sending a cooling fluid between the moulded component and the walls of the cooling space, the moulded component being kept some distance from these walls.

A method and apparatus are for coating a field joint of a pipeline. The method includes positioning a mold tool around the field joint to define a mold cavity, positioning an insert to lie within the mold cavity, and injecting plastics material into the mold cavity to embed the insert in the plastics material. The apparatus has a mold tool positionable around the field joint to define a mold cavity, and an insert positionable within the mold cavity to be embedded in plastics material injected into the mold cavity. Use of an insert in this way reduces the volume of the molten thermoplastics material required to coat the field joint, thereby increasing the interface area of the melt relative to its volume, to the benefit of cooling time.

A molding system for directly gas-cooling a molding object includes a cold air provider, two molding parts, a plurality of outlets, at least one air-providing molding part, at least one air passage, and a controller. The two molding parts are closed detachably to co-define a forming cavity therebetween. The outlets are arranged on the air-providing molding part. The air passage is connected to the cold air provider and the outlets. The controller drives the cold air provider to provide cold air to a molding object in the forming cavity directly when the two molding parts are separating.

A mold insert having a main body including a first surface and an opposed second surface, the first surface defining a plane. The mold insert also has a mold core extending from the first surface and a gas inlet port connectable to a supply of pressurized gas. Further, the mold insert has two or more gas outlet ports arranged to direct a gas flow towards an uncovered surface of an injection molded item located on the mold core, after the mold core and the mold cavity are separated from each other. Further, the mold insert has a gas conduit system extending inside the main body connecting the two or more gas outlet ports with the gas inlet port. Each of the two or more gas outlet ports are arranged through the first surface. The gas conduit system is provided in the main body below the first surface.