Systems for forming aggregate materials from heat fusable powdered materials

A system for forming aggregate materials comprising:

• a lower open-topped mold for receiving a heat moldable material comprising a lower layer and an upper layer of relatively fine grain material, and a core layer of relatively coarse grain material disposed between the lower layer and the upper layer, the core layer comprising a foaming agent;
• an upper mold that cooperates with the lower open-topped mold to form an enclosure;
• an actuation assembly coupled to the lower open-topped mold, the upper mold, or both to generate relative inward motion between the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold and relative outward motion between the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold;
• a heating system in thermal communication with the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold;
• a pressure sensor operably coupled to the lower open-topped mold, the upper mold, or both, wherein the pressure sensor transmits a pressure signal indicative of back pressure provided by the heat moldable material;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the actuation assembly and the heating system, wherein when the heat moldable material is received by the lower open-topped mold, the controller executes machine readable control logic to:
• generate relative inward motion of the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold with the actuation assembly to enclose the heat moldable material, wherein the lower open-topped mold contacts the heat moldable material and the upper mold contacts the heat moldable material;
• heat the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold to a pre-heat temperature with the heating system, wherein the pre-heat temperature fuses the upper layer and/or the lower layer of the heat moldable material and does not activate the foaming agent;
• heat the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold from the pre-heat temperature to a foaming temperature with the heating system, wherein the foaming temperature activates the foaming agent;
• receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor;
• and
• generate relative outward motion of the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold at an expansion rate with the actuation assembly, wherein the foaming agent expands the heat moldable material, the lower open-topped mold maintains close contact with the heat moldable material, the upper mold maintains close contact with the heat moldable material, and the expansion rate of the relative outward motion is based upon the pressure signal.

A system for forming aggregate materials comprising:

• a lower open-topped mold for receiving a heat moldable material comprising a foaming agent;
• an upper mold that cooperates with the lower open-topped mold to form an enclosure;
• an actuation assembly coupled to the lower open-topped mold, the upper mold, or both to generate relative inward motion between the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold and relative outward motion between the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold;
• a heating system in thermal communication with the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold;
• a cooling system in thermal communication with the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold;
• a pressure sensor operably coupled to the lower open-topped mold, the upper mold, or both, wherein the pressure sensor transmits a pressure signal indicative of back pressure provided by the heat moldable material;
• and
• a controller communicatively coupled to the actuation assembly, the heating system, and the cooling system wherein when the heat moldable material is received by the lower open-topped mold, the controller executes machine readable control logic to:
• generate relative inward motion of the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold with the actuation assembly to enclose the heat moldable material, wherein the lower open-topped mold contacts the heat moldable material and the upper mold contacts the heat moldable material;
• heat the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold to a pre-heat temperature with the heating system, wherein the pre-heat temperature fuses the heat moldable material and does not activate the foaming agent;
• heat the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold from the pre-heat temperature to a foaming temperature with the heating system, wherein the foaming temperature activates the foaming agent;
• receive the pressure signal from the pressure sensor;
• generate relative outward motion of the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold at an expansion rate with the actuation assembly, wherein the foaming agent expands the heat moldable material, the lower open-topped mold maintains close contact with the heat moldable material, the upper mold maintains close contact with the heat moldable material, and the expansion rate of the relative outward motion is based upon the pressure signal;
• cool the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold from the foaming temperature with the cooling system;
• and
• generate relative inward motion of the lower open-topped mold and the upper mold at a contraction rate with the actuation assembly, wherein the lower open-topped mold maintains close contact with the heat moldable material, the upper mold maintains close contact with the heat moldable material, and the contraction rate of the relative outward motion is based upon the pressure signal.