# US 11,014,274 B2 · Method of moulding and mould tool > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 11,014,274 B2 - Document ID: US11014274B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/575,101 - Filed: 2016-05-18 - Published: 2018-08-02 - Granted: 2021-05-25 - Earliest claimed: 2015-05-20 - Assignees: Surface Generation Limited - Applicants: Surface Generation Limited - Inventors: Ben Halford - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11014274B2 ## CPC - B29C 43/58: Measuring, controlling or regulating {(for bank adjustment in calendering B29C43/245)} - B29C 33/02: with incorporated heating or cooling means - B29C 33/04: using liquids, gas or steam {(tyre moulds with incorporated heating or cooling means using liquids, gas or steam B29D30/0601)} - B29C 33/202: {Clamping means operating on closed or nearly closed mould parts, the clamping means being independently movable of the opening or closing means (clamping devices for injection moulding machines B29C45/64)} - B29C 33/305: {Mounting of moulds or mould support plates (handling of moulds B29C31/006; mounting of moulds for injection moulding B29C45/1742)} - B29C 33/306: {Exchangeable mould parts, e.g. cassette moulds, mould inserts (moulds with exchangeable mould parts for injection moulding B29C45/2673; mounting of exchangeable mould inserts for injection moulding B29C45/2675)} - B29C 35/02: Heating or curing, e.g. crosslinking or vulcanizing {during moulding, e.g. in a mould}(cold vulcanisation B29C35/18 {; vulcanising tyres, presses therefor B29D30/0601}) - B29C 35/16: Cooling {(cooling extruded material B29C48/911; cooling preforms for blow moulding B29C49/6427; cooling blown articles B29C49/66; cooling tyres during post cure inflation B29D30/0643)} - B29C 43/04: using movable moulds - B29C 43/36: Moulds for making articles of definite length, i.e. discrete articles - B29C 43/50: Removing moulded articles - B29C 43/52: Heating or cooling - B29C 33/34: movable, e.g. to or from the moulding station - B29C 35/045: {using gas or flames} - B29C 2035/0283: {Thermal pretreatment of the plastics material} - B29C 2035/046: {dried air} - B29C 2035/0822: {using IR radiation} - B29C 2035/1658: {using gas} - B29C 2035/1666: {dried air} - B29C 2043/522: {selectively heating a part of the mould to achieve partial heating, differential heating} - B29C 2043/527: {selectively cooling, e.g. locally, on the surface of the material} - B29C 2043/5816: {temperature} - B29K 2105/253: {Preform} - B29C: SHAPING OR JOINING OF PLASTICS; SHAPING OF MATERIAL IN A PLASTIC STATE, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; AFTER-TREATMENT OF THE SHAPED PRODUCTS, e.g. REPAIRING (making preforms B29B11/00; making laminated products by combining previously unconnected layers which become one product whose layers will remain together B32B37/00 - B32B41/00) - B29K: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES B29B, B29C OR B29D, RELATING TO MOULDING MATERIALS OR TO MATERIALS FOR {MOULDS, } REINFORCEMENTS, FILLERS OR PREFORMED PARTS, e.g. INSERTS ## Abstract A method of moulding and apparatus therefor, in which a workpiece is preheated and/or post-cooled before and/or after a moulding process, allowing optimal use of the tool for high precision moulding operations. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece comprising: providing a mould tool having a temperature control system, the temperature control system comprising a plurality of temperature control apparatuses configured to selectively control the temperature of a plurality of tessellating individually temperature controlled mould tool zones on a mould surface; providing a mould layer assembly that is separable from the mould tool and that comprises: a first mould layer defining a first mould surface and a second mould layer defining a second mould surface opposite the first mould surface to define a mould cavity therebetween; a series of fluid chambers opposite the first mould surface, which fluid chambers define the plurality of tessellating individually temperature controlled mould tool zones; and, a clamping mechanism that is configured to retain at least part of a pressure exerted on the first mould layer and the second mould layer; introducing material to be moulded into the mould cavity of the mould layer assembly; applying a moulding pressure to the mould layer assembly; using the temperature control system to undertake part of a moulding operation by selectively controlling the temperature of the plurality of tessellating individually temperature controlled mould tool zones on the first mould surface of the mould layer assembly; removing the mould layer assembly from the mould tool while retaining at least part of the moulding pressure between the first mould layer and the second mould layer with the clamping mechanism during transit of the mould layer assembly; and, removing the moulded workpiece from the mould layer assembly; wherein the method comprises one or more of a pre-heating stage and a post-cooling stage wherein: the pre-heating stage comprises the steps of pre-heating the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool before inserting the mould layer assembly into the mould tool; and, the post-cooling stage comprises the steps of removing the mould layer assembly from the mould tool and cooling the mould layer assembly outside the mould tool. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the method comprises both the pre-heating and post-cooling stage. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of temperature control apparatuses each comprises a fluid outlet directed at respective tessellating individually temperature controlled mould tool zones when the mould layer assembly is in the mould tool. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 3, wherein one of more of the fluid outlets is directed into each fluid chamber to control the temperature of the first mould surface. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 4, wherein the mould layer assembly is preheated or post-cooled with fluid passed into the fluid chambers. ### Claim 6 (depends on 3) The method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 3, wherein each of the plurality of temperature control apparatuses is configured to selectively provide low flow rate air heated by a heater and alternatively high flow rate air at ambient temperature to respectively heat and cool respective tessellating individually temperature controlled mould tool zones when the mould layer assembly is in the mould tool. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, further comprising: advancing the plurality of temperature control apparatuses towards the mould layer assembly before undertaking the moulding operation; and, retracting the plurality of temperature control apparatuses away from the mould layer assembly before removing the mould layer assembly. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of temperature control assemblies are movable towards and away from the mould layer assembly in a first direction, and wherein the mould layer assembly is insertable and removable in a second direction perpendicular to the first. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, further comprising: applying a preload to the mould layer assembly to exert an out-of-mould pressure on the workpiece. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 9 wherein the moulding pressure is greater than the out-of-mould pressure. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, further comprising: providing a cassette; removably mounting the mould layer assembly to the cassette; and transporting the mould layer assembly using the cassette. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the temperature control apparatuses comprise components resiliently biased into contact with the first mould layer. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the components of the temperature control apparatuses resiliently biased into contact with the first mould layer comprise temperature sensors. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, wherein pre-heating comprises evenly heating the mould layer assembly to a substantially even temperature across the first mould surface. ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of temperature control apparatuses are mounted to a utilities layer comprising at least one of power and control wiring. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 15, further comprising moving the utilities layer away from the mould layer assembly to retract the plurality of temperature control apparatuses. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 16, wherein the clamping mechanism comprises a catch. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) A method of manufacturing a moulded workpiece according to claim 17, wherein the catch is a variable catch configured to at least partially maintain an applied clamping force between the first and second mould layers.