A replaceable mold part according to the present invention comprises: a depressed portion remained near a cavity; and a detachable portion, the detachable portion having a marking portion or a gas-releasing function, and being caught by a catch mechanism within the depressed portion. When a magnet is brought into proximity of the detachable portion through the cavity and an external magnetic field is applied, a magnet support portion's position is shifted from the fixed location to the released location within the depressed portion so that the catch mechanism of the detachable portion by the depressed portion is switched from the fixed state to the released state, thereby the detachable portion can easily be removed from the depressed portion through the cavity.

A method and device for producing an optimized neck contour on preforms below the neck which is optimal for subsequent stretch blow molding. The geometry has a significantly thinner wall thickness than the neck itself. The preform can only be produced in the injection molding tool, when axial channels are used on the point or the vanes produce the thin points on the preform during injection molding. The thin-walled geometry on the preform can be produced outside of the mold during post-cooling by embossing. The preform is there removed in a cooled receiving sleeve and is cooled in the body by intensive contact cooling while no cooling contact is made with the preform neck due to the initial position of the embossing element. Due to the reheating of the neck they can be mechanically deformed into a new geometry advantageous for blow molding and thus wall thickness can be influenced.

Thermoplastic forming tools and assemblages are provided for forming thermoplastic components. In particular, thermoplastic forming tools and assemblages are provided for forming thermoplastic components having precision micro-scale features and reproducible macro-scale dimensions. The thermoplastic forming assemblages can include at least a bottom tool and a top tool having a rigid tool body and an elastomer layer conformally coating at least a portion of both rigid tool bodies. The bottom and top tool can be so dimensioned that, when in the closed position, they define a cavity forming the thermoplastic component. The rigid tool bodies provide the reproducible macro-scale dimensions in the thermoplastic component, while the elastomer layers form and release the precision micro-scale features in the thermoplastic component when formed. Tool-forming structures are also provided for making thermoplastic forming tools and assemblages, as well as methods of making the thermoplastic forming tools, and methods of use for forming thermoplastic components.

A method and device for producing an optimized neck contour on preforms below the neck which is optimal for subsequent stretch blow molding. The geometry has a significantly thinner wall thickness than the neck itself. The preform can only be produced in the injection molding tool, when axial channels are used on the point or the vanes produce the thin points on the preform during injection molding. The thin-walled geometry on the preform can be produced outside of the mold during post-cooling by embossing. The preform is then removed in a cooled receiving sleeve and is cooled in the body by intensive contact cooling while no cooling contact is made with the preform neck due to the initial position of the embossing element. Due to the reheating of the neck they can be mechanically deformed into a new geometry advantageous for blow molding and thus wall thickness can be influenced.

A method and device for injection moulding, in particular for micro-injection moulding, at least comprising a mould with a first mould half and a second mould half, wherein the first mould half and the second mould half define an injection moulding space in the closed state of the mould, and an insert arranged in the injection moulding space.

A method and device for producing an optimized neck contour on preforms below the neck which is optimal for subsequent stretch blow molding. The geometry has a significantly thinner wall thickness than the neck itself. The preform can only be produced in the injection molding tool, when axial channels are used on the point or the vanes produce the thin points on the preform during injection molding. The thin-walled geometry on the preform can be produced outside of the mold during post-cooling by embossing. The preform is then removed in a cooled receiving sleeve and is cooled in the body by intensive contact cooling while no cooling contact is made with the preform neck due to the initial position of the embossing element. Due to the reheating of the neck they can be mechanically deformed into a new geometry advantageous for blow molding and thus wall thickness can be influenced.

A method and device for producing an optimized neck contour on preforms below the neck which is optimal for subsequent stretch blow molding. The geometry has a significantly thinner wall thickness than the neck itself. The preform can only be produced in the injection molding tool, when axial channels are used on the point or the vanes produce the thin points on the preform during injection molding. The thin-walled geometry on the preform can be produced outside of the mold during post-cooling by embossing. The preform is then removed in a cooled receiving sleeve and is cooled in the body by intensive contact cooling while no cooling contact is made with the preform neck due to the initial position of the embossing element. Due to the reheating of the neck they can be mechanically deformed into a new geometry advantageous for blow molding and thus wall thickness can be influenced.

A method for forming a mold insert includes forming a stamp, a surface of the stamp including a plurality of inverted microstructures formed thereon; and pressing the stamp into a medium disposed on a surface of a first mold insert to form a microstructured film, the microstructured film including a plurality of microstructures formed on a surface of the microstructured film based on the plurality of inverted microstructures, the plurality of microstructures being complementary to the plurality of inverted microstructures.

Thermoplastic forming tools and assemblages are provided for forming thermoplastic components. In particular, thermoplastic forming tools and assemblages are provided for forming thermoplastic components having precision micro-scale features and reproducible macro-scale dimensions. The thermoplastic forming assemblages can include at least a bottom tool and a top tool having a rigid tool body and an elastomer layer conformally coating at least a portion of both rigid tool bodies. The bottom and top tool can be so dimensioned that, when in the closed position, they define a cavity forming the thermoplastic component. The rigid tool bodies provide the reproducible macro-scale dimensions in the thermoplastic component, while the elastomer layers form and release the precision micro-scale features in the thermoplastic component when formed. Tool-forming structures are also provided for making thermoplastic forming tools and assemblages, as well as methods of making the thermoplastic forming tools, and methods of use for forming thermoplastic components.