Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

The present invention relates to a 3D-formable sheet material, a process for the preparation of a 3D-formed article, the use of a cellulose material and at least one particulate inorganic filler material for the preparation of a 3D-formable sheet material and for increasing the stretchability of a 3D-formable sheet material, the use of a 3D-formable sheet material in 3D-forming processes as well as a 3D-formed article comprising the 3D-formable sheet material according.

The present invention relates to a 3D-formable sheet material, a process for the preparation of a 3D-formed article, the use of a cellulose material and at least one particulate inorganic filler material for the preparation of a 3D-formable sheet material and for increasing the stretchability of a 3D-formable sheet material, the use of a 3D-formable sheet material in 3D-forming processes as well as a 3D-formed article comprising the 3D-formable sheet material according.

A method and apparatus are provided for mitigating if not eliminating voids and improving wetting of fibers in prepreg sheet materials.

A method and apparatus are provided for mitigating if not eliminating voids and improving wetting of fibers in prepreg sheet materials.

A fiber body forming method includes a step of applying, to a fiber body containing fibers, a liquid containing a thermoplastic resin which binds the fibers; and a step of heating the fiber body to which the liquid is applied, and in this method, the thermoplastic resin has a glass transition temperature of 10° C. or less, and the thermoplastic resin in the liquid has an average particle diameter of 30 nm or less.

A coated tow includes a fiber bundle composed of continuous reinforcement fibers that form a flat substrate in a ribbon shape and a thermoplastic-based overcoating applied to the flat substrate to form a uni-directional tape. An extruded tape includes a plurality of cords of twisted fiber yarns each composed of continuous reinforcement fibers, a thermoplastic overcoating applied to each of the cords, and a high density polyethylene (HDPE) that encases the plurality of cords to form a uni-directional tape. The reinforcement fibers have continuous filaments aligned lengthwise along a length each of the cords. A process of producing the coated tow or extruded tape includes feeding one or more spools of continuous fiber tow under tension control, sinking the continuous fiber tow in a chemical bath, passing the wetted continuous fiber tow through one or more squeezing rollers, and passing the continuous fiber tow through an oven.

Methods and apparatus to form venting channels on a panel for a decorative layer are disclosed. An example method includes contacting an outer surface of a tool to an outer resin layer of a panel. The outer surface of the tool has protrusions. The example method includes moving the outer surface of the tool on the outer resin layer of the panel in a first direction to cause the protrusions of the tool to form first venting channels on the outer resin layer of the panel and coupling a decorative layer to the outer resin layer of the panel via an adhesive layer. The first venting channels are to vent at least one of gas or vapor away from the decorative layer to deter separation of a portion of the decorative layer from the outer resin layer.

A preform coating device is provided with: a rotational holding part that horizontally holds a preform and rotates the preform about the axis of the preform, and that grasps a spout of the preform; a conveyance part that conveys the preform by moving the rotational holding part; a dispenser that discharges a coating liquid toward the preform; a preform support part that supports the bottom-side end of the cylindrical barrel of the preform while the dispenser is discharging the coating liquid; and a spout support part that supports the outer circumferential surface of the spout of the preform while the dispenser is discharging the coating liquid.

A preform coating device is provided with: a rotational holding part that horizontally holds a preform and rotates the preform about the axis of the preform, and that grasps a spout of the preform; a conveyance part that conveys the preform by moving the rotational holding part; a dispenser that discharges a coating liquid toward the preform; a preform support part that supports the bottom-side end of the cylindrical barrel of the preform while the dispenser is discharging the coating liquid; and a spout support part that supports the outer circumferential surface of the spout of the preform while the dispenser is discharging the coating liquid.