A method for preparing a part using a rigid tool surface having a shape. The method includes applying a breather sheet comprising gas-permeable material over the rigid tool surface. A vacuum bag is applied over the breather sheet, and a vacuum pressure is applied underneath the vacuum bag to conform the breather sheet and the vacuum bag to the shape of the rigid tool surface. A resin pre-impregnated ply is applied over the vacuum bag, and the part is positioned over the ply.

A golf club with a multi-material face is disclosed herein. More specifically, the golf club head in accordance with the present invention has a multi-material striking face portion that is made out of a backing layer having a frontal pocket, made out of titanium, and an insert, made out of a composite material, adapted to be inserted into the frontal pocket. The frontal pocket and the insert could have complementary dovetail shaped undercut features to create a mechanical bond between these two components.

Forming systems and methods for drape forming a composite charge are disclosed herein. The forming systems include a forming die having a forming surface configured to receive the composite charge and a collapsible support having a support surface. The forming surface has a forming surface edge that extends along a length of the forming surface, and the support surface has a die-proximate support surface edge that extends along the length of the support surface. The forming surface edge and the die-proximate support surface edge define a gap therebetween. A shape of the die-proximate support surface edge corresponds to a shape of the forming surface edge such that a gap width of the gap is at least substantially constant along a length of the gap. The collapsible support is configured to transition from an extended conformation to a collapsed conformation. The methods include methods of utilizing the systems.

A method for forming cellulose products from an air-formed cellulose blank having a base and one or more forming moulds attached to the base which is arranged to rotate around a rotational axis, wherein each forming mould comprises a first mould part Wand a corresponding second mould part wherein during rotational movement of the base around the rotational axis each first mould part is arranged to engage with its corresponding second mould part in a pressing direction. The method comprises arranging the cellulose blank in a position between a first mould and the second mould forming the cellulose products in the rotary forming mould system, by applying a forming pressure between the first mould and its corresponding second mould through an engaging movement of the first mould in relation to its corresponding second mould in the pressing direction, wherein the forming moulds are rotating with the base around the rotational axis.

A block is configured such that, when a composite material having a curved part in a cross-sectional shape cut by a plane orthogonal to an X-axis is deformed into a shape corresponding to a mold through pressure application while being kept in the mold, the block is brought into contact with the curved part of the composite material. The block includes: a first contact part which extends along the X-axis direction so as to be in contact with the curved part of the composite material; and a second contact part which is partially disposed along the X-axis direction, is in contact with the curved part of the composite material, and is of higher rigidity than the first contact part.

A method for preparing a part using a rigid tool surface having a shape. The method includes applying a breather sheet comprising gas-permeable material over the rigid tool surface. A vacuum bag is applied over the breather sheet, and a vacuum pressure is applied underneath the vacuum bag to conform the breather sheet and the vacuum bag to the shape of the rigid tool surface. A resin pre-impregnated ply is applied over the vacuum bag, and the part is positioned over the ply.

Aspects of this disclosure relate to apparatuses and methods that employ a press pad for forming shoe parts, or subassemblies, for example a sole subassembly. The adaptive pad may conform to a topography of a pattern of recesses of a shoe part and provide sufficient rigidity to facilitate formation of a bond during pressing of the one or more shoe parts to form the sole subassembly.

A composite manufacturing system and method are provided. The composite manufacturing system comprises a press and a bladder. The press has an upper portion having a desired shape for a composite structure and a lower portion configured to receive layers of composite material. The bladder is associated with the upper portion of the press and is configured to reach a superplastic state when heated such that the bladder forms to the composite structure by applying heat and pressure to the layers of composite material. The bladder cools without appreciable shrinkage, applying a desired amount of pressure to the composite structure during the entire cooling cycle. Once one composite structure is formed using the bladder, the bladder may be reused to form similar structures.

A tooling element includes a flexible sleeve defining an interior cavity. The flexible sleeve includes a sealable access port extending through the flexible sleeve from the interior cavity to an exterior of the flexible sleeve. The tooling element further includes vacuum-packed tooling particulate disposed within and filling the interior cavity of the flexible sleeve.

A hot press cushioning material includes a cushioning material body in the form of a plate; and surface materials provided on the front and back sides of the cushioning material body. The surface material includes a core layer composed of a heat resistant fiber material for a nonwoven structure, and a front-side resin layer covering the entire front side of the core layer. The core layer has an air permeability of 5 cm.sup.3.Math.cm.sup.−2.Math.s.sup.−1 or less and a bulk density of 0.8 g/cm.sup.3 or more.