Hoowaki, LLC

1900 LLC

March C Maguire

Ralph Allen Hulseman

Andrew H Cannon

William P King

Robert E Mammarella

Jacob D Hochhalter

Carl Hulseman

A method and surface micro patterned stamp for patterning image correlation test specimens is disclosed. The stamp may be formed and applied to the surface of structural components and laboratory test specimens in a repeatable fashion while reducing requisite infrastructure and time. The resulting test specimen incorporating the surface micro stamped pattern is also disclosed.

Method and stamp for repeatable image correlation micro patterning and resulting specimen produced therefrom

This invention is directed to a microstructured filament that can be used to make fibers having an extruded filament having pre-cooled microfeatures in a radial spiral arrangement about a bore though the filament wherein the microfeature has a width in the range of 25 &#x3bc;m to 40 &#x3bc;m and height in the range of 90 &#x3bc;m to 100 &#x3bc;m; and, the filament having a post-cooled state having post-cooled microfeatures having physical dimensions smaller than that of the pre-cooled microfeatures. The filament can include microfeatures having a width in the range of 400 nm to 4 &#x3bc;m and height in the range of 400 nm to 4 &#x3bc;m. The filament and fiber can include physical characteristics selected from the group consisting of: hydrophobicity, self-cleaning, increased hydro-dynamic drag coefficients, decreased or increased aerodynamic drag coefficients, increased friction, reduced friction, optical effects, increased adhesion, decreased adhesion, oleophobicity, tactile effects, anti-blocking and any combination of these.

System and method for extruding parts having microstructures

A manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing extruded parts having microstructures comprising: a support structure; a hopper carried by the support structure for receiving feedstock; an extrusion chamber operatively associated with the hopper for receiving the feedstock from the hopper and melting the feedstock above a feedstock melting temperature; a die carried by the support structure having die microstructures disposed on an inner surface of the die, the die microstructures having a plurality of microfeatures each having an upper surface and a lower surface, the melted feedstock being forced through the die to produce an extrudate having extrudate microstructures; and, a cooling assembly wherein the extrudate microstructures of the pre-cooled extrudate have larger physical dimensions than that of the extrudate microstructures of the cooled extrudate.

Described herein are casting and molding methods useful for making microstructured objects. By including a plurality of microfeatures on the surface of an object, other characteristics may be imparted to the object, such as increased hydrophobicity. Some of the casting and molding methods described herein further allow for manufacture of objects having both microfeatures and macro features, for example microfeatures on or within macro features or selected macro feature regions.

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Clemson, SC, United States of America

March C Maguire