3m Innovative Properties Company

Rolls-royce Corporation

Cabot Safety Intermediate Corporation

Duncan Philip Taylor

Example systems include a vacuum chamber enclosing a pouring cup and a platform configured to support a casting assembly. The casting assembly is configured to hold a plurality of joinable components and a mold defining at least one mating groove configured to join at least two joinable components of the plurality of joinable components when occupied with a metal or an alloy. Each respective mating groove is fluidically connected to a respective surface opening of a plurality of surface openings defined by the mold. The pouring cup and the respective surface opening are movable relative to each other by moving at least one of the pouring cup or the platform supporting the casting assembly to substantially align the pouring cup with the respective surface opening. The pouring cup is configured to pour a respective volume of molten metal or alloy in at least two surface openings.

Automated bi-casting

Disclosed is an earplug that includes a sound attenuating portion and a feature formed by laser ablation, wherein the feature comprises a cavity formed in a first end of the sound attenuating portion including a cylindrical shape extending into the sound attenuating portion, along a longitudinal axis of the sound attenuating portion, toward a second end of the sound attenuating portion opposite the first end, the earplug further comprising at least one of a cord, a stem, and a detectable insert disposed in the cavity.

Method of forming an earplug by laser ablation and an earplug formed thereby

A method of forming an earplug is provided including removing a material of the earplug by laser ablation. An earplug is positioned proximate a laser, a portion of the earplug to be ablated is identified, the laser is activated so as to direct an emitted laser light toward the portion to be ablated, and the portion to be ablated is removed by laser ablation. The invention is also directed to an earplug including a feature formed by laser ablation.

Growing community of inventors

Indianapolis, IN, United States of America

Duncan Philip Taylor