There is disclosed a sealable, flexible membrane for encapsulating a part to be isostatically pressed at an elevated temperature. The membrane includes at least one first layer of polymeric film having a melting point above the elevated temperature, and at least one second layer disposed on the first layer. The second layer comprising a metal. In one embodiment, the metal comes into contact with the part to be isostatically pressed. The membrane, which typically has a thickness ranging from 10 to about 500 μm, and is impermeable to the flow of liquids and gases when sealed, can be used to warm press parts up to about 350° C. and pressures ranging from 5,000 psi to 100.000 psi. Methods to isostatically press parts using this sealable, flexible membrane are also disclosed. Bags made from the sealable, flexible membrane that are used in isostatic presses are also disclosed.

The present disclosure relates to a press forming apparatus, comprising: a die in which a molded portion is formed by being recessed inwardly from an upper surface thereof; a stripper for fixing an object to be formed disposed on the die; a punch provided above the die to be movable upwardly and downwardly, and inserted into the molded portion when descending, to form an accommodating portion in the object to be formed, wherein a surface of the molded portion, in contact with the object to be formed, is curved, and the punch comprises a vent for blowing air onto an upper surface of the object to be formed. According to the present disclosure, a molded portion of the pouch film may be uniformly stretched, and occurrence of cracks may be prevented, so that workability and productivity may be improved. Furthermore, long-term reliability of the secondary battery may be secured.

Methods of forming a curvature into a composite stiffener and a forming tool are presented. The composite stiffener is positioned in a forming region created by a base assembly and an upper assembly. A first airflow is applied through the material of the base assembly. A second airflow is applied through the material of the upper assembly. A plurality of brackets of the upper assembly is moved relative to each other to change a curvature of the forming region along a length of the forming region to form the curvature into the composite stiffener.

An exterior panel is formed of superplastic materials, including an exterior skin of titanium to accommodate high thermal stresses imposed on hypersonic transport vehicles during hypersonic flight. The exterior skin is fixed to an underlying reinforcing skeletal structure consisting of a superplastic formable reinforcement (SFR) layer, for example a titanium, zirconium, and molybdenum (TZM) alloy, which supports the exterior skin whenever the latter may be heated to temperatures exceeding 1200 degrees Fahrenheit. The exterior panel includes a separate interior skin configured for attachment to a frame member such as a rib, stringer, or spar of the hypersonic transport vehicle. A multicellular core is sandwiched between the exterior and interior skins to impart tensile and compressive strength to the exterior panel. In one disclosed method, the core is superplastic formed and diffusion bonded to the exterior and interior skins.

An insulation compaction device includes an insulating structure of an appliance and has an insulating media disposed within an insulating cavity. An operable piston selectively engages the insulating structure and operates to define a selected cavity volume of the insulating cavity and a selected insulation density of the insulating media. A valve is attached to the insulating structure and in a passive state releases gas from the insulating cavity to the exterior during operation of the operable piston. Selective operation of a pump mechanism places the valve in an active state to extract gas from the insulating cavity and define a cavity pressure of the insulating cavity that is less than an equalized pressure. The operable piston and the pump mechanism are at least one of sequentially and simultaneously operable to define a selected piston chamber environment defined by the selected cavity volume and the cavity pressure.

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

The present invention provide a forming method of forming a composition on a substrate using a mold, wherein the mold has a contact surface and a cavity, the method comprising: supplying a gas into the cavity so as to increase a pressure in the cavity to deform the contact surface into a convex shape toward the substrate; relatively tilting the mold with respect to the substrate; bringing the contact surface and the composition on the substrate into contact with each other in a state in which the contact surface has been deformed in the supplying the gas and the mold has been tilted in the relatively tilting; and further supplying the gas into the cavity so as to increase a deformation amount of the contact surface after the contact surface and the composition start to contact each other in the bringing.

Disclosed is an apparatus for manufacturing a microneedle patch, including: a silicon mold mounted on an upper surface to mold a material for the microneedle patch; a carrier of which the silicon mold is mounted on an inside of the upper surface; an upper block which is assembled with the carrier to form a chamber in which the material and the silicon mold are accommodated; an air cylinder which is connected to the upper surface of the upper block to transmit power so that the upper block descends to be assembled with the carrier and ascends to be separated from the carrier; and a pressing portion which is connected to a side surface of the upper block so as to press the chamber or ventilate the chamber while the upper block and the carrier are assembled with each other.

An apparatus includes a fixed assembly and a reciprocating assembly. The fixed assembly includes a hopper, a first gas manifold, and a dispensing chamber, and the reciprocating assembly includes a channel assembly defining a channel conduit, a shield plate vertically aligned therewith, and a second gas manifold. The reciprocating assembly may move, in relation to the fixed assembly, to a first position to enable the channel conduit to be filled with bulk compressible material from the hopper, a second position to enable compressible material to be pushed from the channel conduit to the dispensing conduit and to be compressed in the dispensing chamber according to a first gas directed through the channel conduit by the first gas manifold, and a third position to enable the compressed material to be pushed out of the dispensing conduit according to a second gas directed through the dispensing conduit by the second gas manifold.

Method for forming a transparent article comprising: heating a polymer sheet 40 to form a heated sheet; creating a pressure differential across the heated sheet; pushing the heated sheet onto the contoured surface 20 to form a shaped article; and releasing the shaped article from the mold 12. Also included herein are articles made therefrom.