MAKING SOFT GOODS FROM A SYSTEM OF MOLDING AND PRESSING USING A SLURRY CONTAINING FIBERS

The present invention discloses a method and apparatus for molding a fibrous molded article. An aqueous slurry that contains an amount of water and a plurality of fibers is added to the molding apparatus. First and second molding screens are positioned on a first pressing unit and a second pressing unit, respectively, and include a plurality of openings. The first and second molding screens can include secondary relief features. A pressing chamber sleeve slidably engages with the first pressing unit and the second pressing unit to ensure proper alignment during molding operation. The first and second molding screens at least partially form a void that is intended to receive an amount of the aqueous slurry. The apparatus includes a heat and pressure source that removes at least some of the water from the aqueous slurry and bonds the fibers to one another resulting in the fibrous molded article.