A partially separated fiber bundle includes a separated fiber section and an unseparated fiber section, being configured to give a ratio A.sub.max/A.sub.min of 1.1 or larger and 3 or smaller, when the number of fiber bundles contained in the width direction of the partially separated fiber bundle (fiber separating number: N.sub.n) measured at a freely selected point P.sub.n (where, n represents an integer of 1 to 100, and freely selected points P.sub.n and P.sub.n+1, excluding n=100, being 50 cm or more away from each other), is divided by a full width of W.sub.n of the partially separated fiber bundle, to calculate the fiber separating number per unit width A.sub.n, and assuming its maximum value as A.sub.max and its minimum value as A.sub.min.

A partially separated fiber bundle includes a separated fiber section and an unseparated fiber section, being configured to give a ratio A.sub.max/A.sub.min of 1.1 or larger and 3 or smaller, when the number of fiber bundles contained in the width direction of the partially separated fiber bundle (fiber separating number: N.sub.n) measured at a freely selected point P.sub.n (where, n represents an integer of 1 to 100, and freely selected points P.sub.n and P.sub.n+1, excluding n=100, being 50 cm or more away from each other), is divided by a full width of W.sub.n of the partially separated fiber bundle, to calculate the fiber separating number per unit width A.sub.n, and assuming its maximum value as A.sub.max and its minimum value as A.sub.min.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material having excellent productivity at low cost for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molded article having excellent strength properties. Provided is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material containing a plurality of cut fiber bundles and a resin impregnated between filaments of the cut fiber bundles, the method comprising an integrated material manufacturing step for obtaining an integrated material by collecting a sheet-shaped fiber bundle aggregate obtained by arranging and spreading a plurality of consecutive fiber bundles in a width direction.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material having excellent productivity at low cost for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molded article having excellent strength properties. Provided is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material containing a plurality of cut fiber bundles and a resin impregnated between filaments of the cut fiber bundles, the method comprising an integrated material manufacturing step for obtaining an integrated material by collecting a sheet-shaped fiber bundle aggregate obtained by arranging and spreading a plurality of consecutive fiber bundles in a width direction.

Disclosed is a fiber-reinforced composite and methods and apparatuses for making the same. Some fiber-reinforced composites include a matrix material including a thermoplastic material and a non-woven fibrous region having a plurality of continuous fibers dispersed in the matrix material, wherein the width and the length of the non-woven fibrous region are substantially equal to the width and the length, respectively, of the fiber-reinforced composite, wherein the non-woven fibrous region has a mean relative area fiber coverage (RFAC) (%) of from 65 to 90 and a coefficient of variance (COV) (%) of from 3 to 20, and wherein each of the plurality of continuous fibers is substantially aligned with the length of the fiber-reinforced composite.

Disclosed is a fiber-reinforced composite and methods and apparatuses for making the same. Some fiber-reinforced composites include a matrix material including a thermoplastic material and a non-woven fibrous region having a plurality of continuous fibers dispersed in the matrix material, wherein the width and the length of the non-woven fibrous region are substantially equal to the width and the length, respectively, of the fiber-reinforced composite, wherein the non-woven fibrous region has a mean relative area fiber coverage (RFAC) (%) of from 65 to 90 and a coefficient of variance (COV) (%) of from 3 to 20, and wherein each of the plurality of continuous fibers is substantially aligned with the length of the fiber-reinforced composite.

A method produces a partial split-fiber fiber bundle capable of stably separating a fiber bundle continuously for a long time even when a splice part is present in the partial split-fiber fiber bundle. The method produces a partial split-fiber fiber bundle in which when the fiber bundle having the splice part formed by joining fiber bundles is allowed to travel along a longitudinal direction, a part of the fiber bundle is separated by thrusting a protruding part of the fiber splitting means into the fiber bundle, and timing at which the fiber splitting means is thrust into the fiber bundle is changed based on position information of the splice part obtained by detecting the splice part.

What is provided is a method for stably producing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by splitting a fiber bundle such that a split portion becomes long while anon-split portion is shortened. A method for producing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which a cut fiber bundle is impregnated with a resin, the method comprising a splitting step of splitting the fiber bundle with a splitting machine at intervals in a longitudinal direction and a cutting step of cutting the fiber bundle at intervals in the longitudinal direction after the splitting step, in which the splitting machine comprises a rotary blade having a releasing section and a spacer member adjacent to the rotary blade.

What is provided is a method for stably producing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by splitting a fiber bundle such that a split portion becomes long while anon-split portion is shortened. A method for producing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which a cut fiber bundle is impregnated with a resin, the method comprising a splitting step of splitting the fiber bundle with a splitting machine at intervals in a longitudinal direction and a cutting step of cutting the fiber bundle at intervals in the longitudinal direction after the splitting step, in which the splitting machine comprises a rotary blade having a releasing section and a spacer member adjacent to the rotary blade.

A method of separating carbon fiber tows. The method includes separating two or more first carbon fiber tows from a first tow band onto a second elevation to form two or more second carbon fiber tows from a second tow band. The two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band leave gaps next to first adjacent tows of the two or more first carbon fiber tows remaining from the first tow band after the separating step. The first adjacent tows from the first tow band leave gaps next to second adjacent tows of the two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band.