A method for fabricating custom surface reflectance and spatially-varying bi-directional reflectance distribution functions (BDRFs or svBRDFs). The 3D printing method optimizes micro-geometry to produce a normal distribution function (NDF) that can be printed on surfaces with a 3D printer. Particularly, the method involves optimizing the micro-geometry for a wide range of analytic NDFs and simulating the effective reflectance of the resulting surface. Using the results of the simulation, the appearance of an input svBRDF can be reproduced. To this end, the micro-geometry is optimized in a data-driven fashion and distributed on the surface of the printed object. The methods were demonstrated to allow 3D printing svBRDF on planar samples with current 3D printing technology even with a limited set of printing materials, and the described methods have been shown to be naturally extendable to printing svBRDF on arbitrary shapes or 3D objects.

A radome for housing a radar system comprises a plurality of interconnected curved radome thermoplastic composite material panels, each curved radome thermoplastic composite material panel having a plurality of interconnecting edges, a foam core, an inner skin, an outer skin, and a plurality of three-dimensional fiber bundles tying the inner skin and the outer skin to each other through the foam core, inhibiting delamination. The radome includes a hydrophobic exterior surface that is self-cleaning and requires zero maintenance for 25 years.

A manufacturing method which manufactures articles which have hollow areas inside them which are subject to their own internal vacuum. A 3-D printer can be located inside a vacuum chamber and the article(s) can be 3-D printed, thereby the hollow area inside each such article is subject to its own vacuum. When removed from the vacuum chamber, the article's hollow area remains subject to its own internal vacuum.

A manufacturing method which manufactures articles which have hollow areas inside them which are subject to their own internal vacuum. A 3-D printer can be located inside a vacuum chamber and the article(s) can be 3-D printed, thereby the hollow area inside each such article is subject to its own vacuum. When removed from the vacuum chamber, the article's hollow area remains subject to its own internal vacuum.

An injection mold includes a cavity formed by a plurality of members including at least a convex surface member and a concave surface member, and a gate formed by a plurality of members including at least a flash formation preventing member. One of the members forming the gate is disposed so as to be adjacent to one of the members forming the cavity, and is pressed against the adjacent member forming the cavity by a pressure of injected resin.

A valve head engageable and disengageable with a valve seat of a valve comprises a valve body that includes a recess, a disk at one axial end of the recess and a flange at the other axial end of the recess so that the recess is positioned axially between a portion of the disk and a portion of the flange. The outermost portion of the flange extends outwardly beyond the outermost portion of the disk. A covering made of a material different from and more elastic than the material forming the valve body entirely covers the disk. A portion of the covering is positioned in the recess to mechanically connect the covering to the valve body. The outermost portion of the flange is in direct contact with the covering.

A valve head engageable and disengageable with a valve seat of a valve comprises a valve body that includes a recess, a disk at one axial end of the recess and a flange at the other axial end of the recess so that the recess is positioned axially between a portion of the disk and a portion of the flange. The outermost portion of the flange extends outwardly beyond the outermost portion of the disk. A covering made of a material different from and more elastic than the material forming the valve body entirely covers the disk. A portion of the covering is positioned in the recess to mechanically connect the covering to the valve body. The outermost portion of the flange is in direct contact with the covering.

The invention provides a dome cover, a camera device, an injection molding die, and an injection molding method in which generation of a weldline is suppressed and deterioration of an acquired image is suppressed. In one aspect of the invention, a dome cover is a dome cover that covers a camera. The dome cover includes a curved section having a curved shape and a skirt section having a cylinder shape and has a top section at the curved section and an opening end section at the skirt section. The thickness of the dome cover is largest at the top section and smallest at the opening end section, and continuously decreases from the top section toward the opening end section. The inner diameter and the outer diameter of the dome cover continuously increase from the top section toward the opening end section.

Methods and apparatus for molding and joining composite parts are disclosed. An example apparatus disclosed herein includes a tool base and a base mandrel removably coupled to the tool base, where the tool base and the base mandrel form a support structure base for a first radar assembly or a second radar assembly. A first part mandrel interchangeable with the base mandrel is removably coupled to the tool base, where the first part mandrel has first features to support a first antenna module during assembly of the first radar assembly. A second part mandrel interchangeable with the base mandrel is removably coupled to the tool base, where the second part mandrel having second features to support a second antenna module during assembly of the second radar assembly.

A manufacturing method which manufactures articles which have hollow areas inside them which are subject to their own internal vacuum. A 3-D printer can be located inside a vacuum chamber and the article(s) can be 3-D printed, thereby the hollow area inside each such article is subject to its own vacuum. When removed from the vacuum chamber, the article's hollow area remains subject to its own internal vacuum.