THE USE OF STATE-CHANGE MATERIALS IN REFORMABLE SHAPES, TEMPLATES OR TOOLING

摘要

Techniques for generating a stable, force-resisting positive or negative representation of a shape. A state-changeable mixture (35) comprises uniform, generally ordered, closely-spaced bodies (8) and a liquid carrier medium (9) of relatively similar density, with the liquid medium (9) filing any voids or interstices (23) between the bodies (8) and excluding air or gas bubbles from the mixture (35). Within the mixture (35), the solid bodies (8) can be caused to transition from a near-liquid or fluent condition of mobility to a stable, force-resisting condition through introduction and then extraction of a slight excess quantity of the carrier medium (9). To create mobility, this excess quantity or transition liquid (10) is introduced to create a fluent condition by providing a slight clearance (23) between the bodies (8) which permits the gently-forced introduction of at least two simultaneous slip planes between ordered bulk masses of the bodies (8) at any point in the mixture (35). Transition to the stable condition is caused by extraction of the transition liquid (10), removing the clearance between bodies (8) and causing them to make stable, consolidated contact.