Apparatus and methods are described for manufacturing contact lenses employing dissolvable mold structure. The apparatus and methods involve approaches to dissolve at least portions of a mold and to separate a lens from the mold to present the lens for collection.

The application relates to a method for producing a hollow support from a fiber composite material, to a core designed as a hollow body, to the use of said core, and to the use of said hollow support made from fiber composite material.

Disclosed is a mold release film that is to be placed between a stock solution that serves as a raw material for artificial marble and a shaping apparatus when the stock solution is fed to the shaping apparatus, and then solidified and molded. The mold release film is a polyvinyl alcohol film and is characterized by being a polyvinyl alcohol mold release film for artificial marble molding use that satisfies the following formula (1). Due to this, it is possible to provide a polyvinyl alcohol mold release film for artificial marble molding use capable of, even in the production of wide artificial marble, suppressing wrinkles or curls generated at both end parts to prevent the surface shape of the resulting artificial marble from being defective, and simplifying the step of grinding and polishing artificial marble, and a method for producing artificial marble using the same.

4.6×10.sup.−3≥Δn(MD).sub.0−1.4×10.sup.−3≥Δn(TD).sub.0≥1.0×10.sup.−3  (1) in the formula (1), Δn(MD).sub.0 represents a value determined from a birefringence index of the polyvinyl alcohol mold release film in the machine direction at the center part of the transverse direction of the film by averaging the birefringence index along the thickness direction of the film, and Δn(TD).sub.0 represents a value determined from a birefringence index of the polyvinyl alcohol mold release film in the transverse direction at the center part of the transverse direction of the film by averaging the birefringence index along the thickness direction of the film.

Simulated anatomical components, such as simulated vascular vessels, produced by a method that includes forming an anatomical component mold from a soluble polymer such that the mold defines an interior void of the simulated anatomical component. One or more layers of an elastomeric material is applied around the anatomical component mold and the material is allowed to cure to form a wall of the simulated anatomical component. At least a portion of the mold is dissolved to form a passage for liquid within the simulated anatomical component. Simulated anatomical components are connectable to other components of a surgical simulation system and can be modularized.

The present invention is a soluble material for three-dimensional modeling that is used as a material of a support material for supporting a three-dimensional object when the three-dimensional object is manufactured by a 3D printer of a fused deposition modeling system and that contains a thermoplastic resin having a hydrophilic group and an organic salt compound represented by a general formula (I) below: (R.sup.1—SO.sub.3.sup.−).sub.nX.sup.n+ (I). According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a soluble material for three-dimensional modeling that is used for a support material and that is capable of suppressing the degradation of the modeling accuracy of a three-dimensional object when the three-dimensional object is manufactured by a 3D printer of a fused deposition modeling system, and has a high rate of dissolution to neutral water to be removable speedily from a precursor of the three-dimensional object without use of a strong alkaline aqueous solution.

Simulated anatomical components, such as simulated vascular vessels, produced by a method that includes forming an anatomical component mold from a soluble polymer such that the mold defines an interior void of the simulated anatomical component. One or more layers of an elastomeric material is applied around the anatomical component mold and the material is allowed to cure to form a wall of the simulated anatomical component. At least a portion of the mold is dissolved to form a passage for liquid within the simulated anatomical component. Simulated anatomical components are connectable to other components of a surgical simulation system and can be modularized.

A laminate shaping support material is provided which includes one of: a resin composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol resin having a primary hydroxyl group at its side chain, and having a heat of fusion of 10 to 30 J/g at its melting point (Embodiment (X)); and a resin composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol resin, and a block copolymer including a polymer block of an aromatic vinyl compound, at least one of a polymer block of a conjugated diene compound and a block of a hydrogenated conjugated diene compound, and a functional group reactive with a hydroxyl group (Embodiment (Y)). Therefore, the laminate shaping support material according to Embodiment (X), for example, is excellent in shape stability and adhesiveness to a model material. The laminate shaping support material according to Embodiment (Y) is excellent in peelability and forming stability.

A laminate shaping support material is provided which includes one of: a resin composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol resin having a primary hydroxyl group at its side chain, and having a heat of fusion of 10 to 30 J/g at its melting point (Embodiment (X)); and a resin composition containing a polyvinyl alcohol resin, and a block copolymer including a polymer block of an aromatic vinyl compound, at least one of a polymer block of a conjugated diene compound and a block of a hydrogenated conjugated diene compound, and a functional group reactive with a hydroxyl group (Embodiment (Y)). Therefore, the laminate shaping support material according to Embodiment (X), for example, is excellent in shape stability and adhesiveness to a model material. The laminate shaping support material according to Embodiment (Y) is excellent in peelability and forming stability.

The present invention is a soluble material for three-dimensional modeling that is used as a material of a support material for supporting a three-dimensional object when the three-dimensional object is manufactured by a 3D printer of a fused deposition modeling system and that contains a thermoplastic resin having a hydrophilic group and an organic salt compound represented by a general formula (I) below: (R.sup.1-SO.sub.3.sup.).sub.nX.sup.n+ (I). According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a soluble material for three-dimensional modeling that is used for a support material and that is capable of suppressing the degradation of the modeling accuracy of a three-dimensional object when the three-dimensional object is manufactured by a 3D printer of a fused deposition modeling system, and has a high rate of dissolution to neutral water to be removable speedily from a precursor of the three-dimensional object without use of a strong alkaline aqueous solution.

Ophthalmic device molds made from a first portion of a molding surface formed from a first polymer and a second portion of the molding surface formed from a second polymer are described. When combined, the first portion and the second portion of the molding surface form an entire molding surface suitable for molding an entire surface, such as an anterior surface or a posterior surface of an ophthalmic device. Methods of manufacturing ophthalmic devices using these molds, including contact lenses, are also described.