A position detection apparatus comprises an obtaining unit that obtains an image of a moiré that occurs due to first and second diffraction gratings overlapping; and a processor configured to perform a periodic analysis of a luminance distribution of the obtained image of the moiré, obtain a phase measurement value of the luminance distribution, and obtain a relative positioning between the first and second diffraction gratings, wherein the processor determines a phase shift amount for making the obtained phase measurement value be a value outside of a predetermined range including a discontinuous part of the phase, and performs a phase shift to shift the obtained phase measurement value by the determined phase shift amount, and obtains the relative positioning based on the phase-shifted phase measurement value.

In systems for printing a viscous material, the printing and post processing of the viscous material are performed sequentially one after another. In an initial step, a viscous material is printed on a sample mounted on a receiver substrate using a donor module and a laser scanner, and then the donor module is replaced with a post processing system for performing a post processing operation (and vice versa). Multiple post processing operations can be performed, and multiple different materials can be printed on the same layer. The systems can increase the speed, resolution and diversity of materials printed on the same sample, and opens the possibilities for new designs.

The disclosed systems and methods relate to inspecting uncured fiber-reinforced composite components by non-contact 3D measurements of the component using 3D digital image correlation with patterned illumination. Systems comprise a light projector configured to project a light pattern onto a form, a digital camera configured to image the light pattern, and may comprise and/or be associated with an AFP machine that is configured to lay uncured composite on the form. Methods comprise projecting a light pattern onto a form, acquiring a baseline 3D profile of the form by imaging the light pattern on the form, laying an uncured fiber piece onto the form, projecting the light pattern onto the uncured fiber piece, acquiring a test 3D profile of the fiber piece by imaging the light pattern on the uncured fiber piece, and computing a thickness difference between the test 3D profile and the baseline 3D profile.

A method for manual casting of polymers, is used for production of a molded part. The production of the molded part comprises providing a mold with a cavity, preparing a liquid polymer according to a recipe, manually casting the liquid polymer into the mold and solidifying the liquid polymer in the mold resulting in the molded part. A system comprises the mold and at least one sensor Wherein the system uses parameter data to calculate the recipe. The system comprises an electronic device and a display, wherein the electronic device controls the display. The display shows during the production of the molded part at least a part of at least one production step of the recipe.

An object manufacturing system, assembling module making method, and object manufacturing method are provided. The object manufacturing system includes an electronic device. The electronic device includes a database, memory module and processor. The database includes at least one assembly encoding information of at least one assembly mold and at least one combination encoding information of at least one combination mold. The memory module includes a process generating module. The processor executes the process generating module and provides at least one process information. The at least one process information includes at least one assembly encoding information of the at least one assembly mold and corresponds to at least one combination encoding information of the at least one combination mold to indicate positions of the at least one combination mold and the at least one assembly mold coupled together, thereby achieving quick assembly.

A technique for suppressing molding defects is provided. A control device of an injection molding machine includes: a mold clamping control unit that controls, with respect to an actual value of a mold clamping force for pressing a stationary mold and a movable mold after pressurizing of the mold clamping force is completed and before a molding material reaches parting surfaces of the stationary mold and the movable mold, a range of increase in the actual value of the mold clamping force after the molding material reaches the parting surfaces to an upper limit or less.

The invention relates to a production machine (1) having a control program (4) for visualization of machine components (2) and a method (100) of optimizing process parameters for the production machine having such a control program, as well as a data carrier having such a control program, the control program comprising an interactive user interface embodied as a visualization unit (5) and being adapted to visualize, on the visualization unit, at least one of the machine components in their functions during production in one presentation for each of these machine components and to provide corresponding switch panels (51) for the input of process parameters relating to the respective visualized machine component, the presentation comprising at least one parameter-time diagram (52) with motion curves (53) for components (21) of the respective machine component, wherein at least one of the motion curves being subdivided into different suitably visualized motion sections (53a, 53b, 53c) for each of which the process parameter defining the process for this motion section is visualized and can be varied by means of the provided switch panels.

There is provided a teaching method for a system for taking out a molded product. A projected image obtained by projecting an attachment mounted to an elevating frame onto a virtual plane, or a maximum-dimension virtual projected image of the projected image, is displayed as is superposed on the virtual plane, the virtual plane including a captured image of an opening end surface of a die that is opened, the captured image being captured by a single imaging device, before the attachment is advanced into the die. The range of the die that is opened in which the attachment is to be lowered is checked through visual observation.

Systems and methods are provided for thermal inspection of tape layup. One embodiment is a method for performing inspection of a tape layup. The method comprises laying up tape onto a surface of a laminate, applying heat to tack the tape to the surface, and generating thermographic images of the tape as applied to the surface.

An apparatus, method, or platter for modifying mesa sidewalls of a template by cleaning or coating the mesa sidewalls. In which the template has a pattern area on a first surface of a mesa. Mesa sidewalls surround the first surface of the mesa. The mesa sidewalls are exposed to a gas. The gas modifies the mesa sidewalls. Resistance to the flow of gas towards the pattern area is provided.