Process and relative machine for moulding a thermoplastic material for producing a finished article having a shape, wherein the process comprises: providing a mould (99) comprising a first (1) and a second half-mould (2) each having a respective conformation surface (3, 4) which define, with closed mould, a cavity (5) having, in a conformation configuration, the shape; making a semi-finished product (70) made of the thermoplastic material; closing the mould (99) with the semi-finished product (70) interposed between the conformation surfaces (3, 4); admitting a heating fluid into the cavity (5) for heating the semi-finished product (70) permeable to the heating fluid; arranging the cavity (5) in a compacting configuration in which the cavity (5) coincides with a sub-portion of the cavity (5) in the conformation configuration; with the cavity (5) in the compacting configuration and the heating fluid into the cavity (5), compressing the semi-finished product (70) between the conformation surfaces (3, 4); subsequently to compressing the semi-finished product (70), arranging the cavity (5) in the conformation configuration while keeping the heating fluid into the cavity (5), wherein the semi-finished product (70) elastically expands for completely occupying the cavity and assuming the shape; subsequently, evacuating the heating fluid from the cavity (5) for cooling the semi-finished product (70) for obtaining the finished article with the shape; opening the mould (99) and extracting the finished article from the mould (99).

A molding die and a molding method are provided, which allow high-cycle manufacturing of molded bodies of a thermoplastic resin or thermoplastic resin-fiber composite material, thereby improving productivity. Molding is performed using a molding die including a plurality of die portions that form a cavity in which a molded body is molded, the molding die including: a first temperature adjusting unit disposed in the vicinity of the cavity surface and capable of at least cooling the cavity surface; and a second temperature adjusting unit disposed on a side of the first temperature adjusting unit opposite from the cavity surface and capable of at least heating the cavity surface, wherein a distance L0 from the cavity surface to the first temperature adjusting unit and a distance L1 from the cavity surface to a surface of the corresponding die portion opposite from the cavity surface satisfy the relationship: (L1/L0)>3.

An apparatus and method for forming a design on an expanded bead foam article such as an exercise roller is provided.

The forming apparatus comprises a forming device with a tubular element adapted to form continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod. The forming device comprises a fluid compressor for generating pressurized fluid, the fluid compressor being in fluid connection with the tubular element to provide pressurized fluid to the continuous tubular rod to heat or cool the continuous tubular rod. The forming device further comprises several fluid conduits to provide pressurized fluid from the fluid compressor to several injection sites arranged along the transport path, wherein at least two fluid conduits of the several fluid conduits comprise a pressure control unit including a pressure sensor and a pressure influencer.

A molding process includes the operation of placing insulation material comprising fibers and binder on the fibers in a mold cavity. The molding process further includes the step of transferring heat to the insulation material to cause the binder to cure.

The forming apparatus comprises a forming device with a tubular element adapted to form continuous tow material into a continuous tubular rod. The forming device comprises a fluid compressor for generating pressurized fluid, the fluid compressor being in fluid connection with the tubular element to provide pressurized fluid to the continuous tubular rod to heat or cool the continuous tubular rod. The forming device further comprises several fluid conduits to provide pressurized fluid from the fluid compressor to several injection sites arranged along the transport path, wherein at least two fluid conduits of the several fluid conduits comprise a pressure control unit including a pressure sensor and a pressure influencer.

A heating apparatus that heats a thermoplastic resin sheet includes a vertically-movable heating wall that is indirectly heated with a saturated steam of a heat medium and heats the thermoplastic resin sheet above a melting point of the thermoplastic resin by bringing the heating wall into contact with the thermoplastic resin sheet.

A male mould element includes a cooling circuit having first passage elements obtained in a first component of the male mould element and second passage elements obtained in a second component of the male mould element, the first passage elements and the second passage elements being distributed around a longitudinal axis of the male mould element so that there exist a plurality of angular positions of the first component relative to the second component in which the first passage elements are in fluid communication with the second passage elements.

The present invention provides a heating device and a method for manufacturing a heated molding material. The method uses the heating device to continuously manufacture the heated molding material. The heating device includes a heating chamber for heating a molding material, at least one opening section for feeding or expelling molding material therethrough, and a means for using nitrogen gas or superheated steam to expel oxygen gas present in the heating chamber.

A heating apparatus that heats a thermoplastic resin sheet includes a vertically-movable heating wall that is indirectly heated with a saturated steam of a heat medium and heats the thermoplastic resin sheet above a melting point of the thermoplastic resin by bringing the heating wall into contact with the thermoplastic resin sheet.