Structures for use in forming products having a wood grain appearance include, for example, a plurality of extruded layers having different colors/shades spirally wound about a longitudinal axis to an outer surface to define the structure. The plurality of extruded layers include varying thicknesses along a spiral length of the plurality of layers and/or portions of the plurality of extruded layers encircling the longitudinal axis include portions disposed at different distances from the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the spirally winding includes forming a cylindrical structure, and pressing the cylindrical structure into a cuboid structure having a square or rectangular cross-section across the longitudinal axis and at least a portion of the plurality of extruded layers defining a square or rectangle pattern across the longitudinal axis. Longitudinal portions may be cut from the structures to form the products having a wood grain appearance.

A manufacturing method of a resin container includes: a first injection molding process for injection-molding a first layer of a preform having a bottomed cylindrical shape by using a first resin material; a second injection molding process for injecting a second resin material having a color that is different from a color of the first resin material, and laminating a second layer on an outer peripheral side or an inner peripheral side of the first layer; and a blow-molding process for blow-molding a preform that includes multiple layers and has been obtained in the second injection molding process in a state where residual heat at a time of injection molding is contained, and manufacturing the resin container having a color pattern that corresponds to a thickness distribution of the first layer and the second layer.

Such internal decoration is implemented that an object looks a target color as viewed in any direction, and that the object is colored and has image depiction in any cross-section. A method is provided for producing a three-dimensional object by extruding a build material to form a layer corresponding to each of cross-sections obtained by slicing a target object by a plurality of parallel planes, and depositing such layers in sequence so as to form the three-dimensional object. A white material 15 and one or two or more decoration materials 13 of colors other than white, which solidify wider a predetermined condition after extruded from nozzles, are used as the build material. The decoration materials 13 and the white material 15 are mixed to form the layer.

The improved mold assembly for cultured marble molding is provided. The mold assembly can comprise a male mold portion and a female mold portion. The assembly can further comprise a molding tool. The molding tool can have a side wall having an upper curved s and a lower curved portion. The molding tool can be constructed from a flexible and/or soft material. The lower curved portion of the molding tool can be coated with a gel coat having a first color. The molding tool can facilitate molding of a countertop having a recessed bowl portion having a color different from a counter portion of the countertop.

According to an example, a three-dimensional (3D) printer may include a delivery device to deposit a light absorbing agent onto selected areas of a layer of build material particles, in which the light absorbing agent absorbs light having wavelengths that are around the ultraviolet wavelength range. The 3D printer may also include a light source to apply light onto the selectively deposited light absorbing agent and the layer of the build material particles, in which the light absorbing agent absorbs light around the ultraviolet wavelength range from the applied light and becomes heated to a temperature that causes the build material particles upon which the light absorbing agent has been deposited to melt and to fuse together following cessation of the application of the light.

Certain examples relate to a build material management system to transport build material from a collection to source to one of a plurality of storage tanks. The storage tank is determined by a controller that compares color of the build material measured by a color sensor with predetermined values. The controller routes the build material to the storage tank.

Optically active formulations useful as inks in extrusion-based deposition techniques and solids formed of the formulations are described. Formulations include a cellulose derivative in a chiral nematic phase and a polyethylene glycol interspersed with the cellulose derivative as stabilization to the cholesteric pitch of the chiral nematic phase. The inks can be utilized in direct ink writing processes to produce printed films or three-dimensional structures with long-lasting colors that stem from the nanostructure of the chiral nematic phase. The ink can include reactive monomers which can be polymerized to create optically active solid elastomers.

Described is a process and system for direct printing of a decorative pattern onto an extruded PVC slat. The process includes providing a hot extruded PVC slat; directly contacting a surface of the hot extruded PVC slat with a direct printing cylinder as the slat is moved in a downstream direction, where the cylinder has a pattern with a cell structure that receives ink and rotates to directly apply the ink in the form of the pattern onto the surface of the hot extruded PVC slat. The process also includes controlling a temperature of the direct printing cylinder to inhibit drying of the ink while present on the direct printing cylinder.

The improved mold assembly for cultured marble molding is provided. The mold assembly can comprise a male mold portion and a female mold portion. The assembly can further comprise a molding tool. The molding tool can have a side wall having an upper curved s and a lower curved portion. The molding tool can be constructed from a flexible and/or soft material. The lower curved portion of the molding tool can be coated with a gel coat having a first color. The molding tool can facilitate molding of a countertop having a recessed bowl portion having a color different from a counter portion of the countertop.

A manufacturing method of a resin container includes: a first injection molding process for injection-molding a first layer of a preform by using a first resin material, the preform having a bottomed cylindrical shape and including a groove that extends in an axis direction; a second injection molding process for injecting a second resin material into the groove of the first layer, the second resin material having a color that is different from a color of the first resin material, and laminating a second layer on an outer peripheral side or an inner peripheral side of the first layer; and a blow-molding process for blow-molding a preform that includes multiple layers and has been obtained in the second injection molding process in a state where residual heat at a time of injection molding is contained, and manufacturing the resin container having a vertical-striped color pattern formed by using the second layer.