A male touch fastener product with a resin surface and an array of spaced-apart male touch fastener elements carried on the surface. Each touch fastener element has a stem extending from the surface and a head disposed at a distal end of the stem and extending laterally from the stem to a distal edge overhanging the surface. The head, stem and surface form a contiguous mass of resin, the head. The distal edge has multiple toes extending laterally outward and varying in shape and size about the edge, with adjacent toes having facing, free-form resin surfaces defining crevices therebetween. The fastener element is particularly flexible and engages with very fine fibers.

A male touch fastener product with a resin surface and an array of spaced-apart male touch fastener elements carried on the surface. Each touch fastener element has a stem extending from the surface and a head disposed at a distal end of the stem and extending laterally from the stem to a distal edge overhanging the surface. The head, stem and surface form a contiguous mass of resin, the head. The distal edge has multiple toes extending laterally outward and varying in shape and size about the edge, with adjacent toes having facing, free-form resin surfaces defining crevices therebetween. The fastener element is particularly flexible and engages with very fine fibers.

An apparatus for producing reinforcing elements for shoes, bags or orthopedic applications comprises a first powder application apparatus, at least one downstream first compounding device, another second powder application apparatus as well as a second compounding device. Such a modular structure allows for producing different types of reinforcing elements in a simple manner.

Multiple processes for preparing porous articles are described. The porous articles can be in a wide array of shapes and configurations. The methods include providing a soluble material in particulate form and forming a packed region from the material. The methods also include contacting a flowable polymeric material with the packed region such that the polymeric material is disposed in voids in the packed region. The polymeric material is then at least partially solidified. The soluble material is then removed such as by solvent washing to thereby produce desired porous articles. Also described are systems for performing the various processes.

Multiple processes for preparing porous articles are described. The porous articles can be in a wide array of shapes and configurations. The methods include providing a soluble material in particulate form and forming a packed region from the material. The methods also include contacting a flowable polymeric material with the packed region such that the polymeric material is disposed in voids in the packed region. The polymeric material is then at least partially solidified. The soluble material is then removed such as by solvent washing to thereby produce desired porous articles. Also described are systems for performing the various processes.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor that may access data pertaining to a part to be fabricated from material elements in a slurry of a liquid and the material elements, the data identifying a configuration of holes to be formed in the part. The processor may also access a digital model of a screen device having a plurality of pores based on the accessed data, the screen device to be used to fabricate the part, and may determine locations on a surface of the digital model of the screen device that correspond to the identified configuration of the holes to be formed in the part. The processor may further generate, at the determined locations on the surface of the digital model of the screen device, a plurality of walls that are to form the holes in the part.

According to examples, an apparatus may include a processor that may access data pertaining to a part to be fabricated from material elements in a slurry of a liquid and the material elements, the data identifying a configuration of holes to be formed in the part. The processor may also access a digital model of a screen device having a plurality of pores based on the accessed data, the screen device to be used to fabricate the part, and may determine locations on a surface of the digital model of the screen device that correspond to the identified configuration of the holes to be formed in the part. The processor may further generate, at the determined locations on the surface of the digital model of the screen device, a plurality of walls that are to form the holes in the part.

The present invention provides a novel method for manufacturing a microstructure via the use of a deep template, particularly microstructures that may be found on medical devices, such as transdermal patches, for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes.

The present invention provides a novel method for manufacturing a microstructure via the use of a deep template, particularly microstructures that may be found on medical devices, such as transdermal patches, for either cosmetic or medicinal purposes.

A powder application apparatus for an at least partially meltable powder to be applied onto a feeding element for producing reinforcing elements comprises a powder container. In the area of an outlet of the powder container a template for defining a basic shape of a reinforcing element to be produced is provided. Further, a closing device for opening and closing the outlet is provided. For producing reinforcing elements having different stiffness, barrier elements in particular connected with the template are provided. The barrier elements reduce the powder supply to the feeding element such that a reinforcing element with areas of different material thickness are created. A method for producing such a reinforcing element.