An air entanglement system having a housing, a first rotatable surface disposed with the housing, and a second rotatable surface disposed with the housing proximate the first rotatable surface is described herein. The first rotatable surface may comprise a first plurality of air jets configured to air entangle a preform in situ. The second rotatable surface may be disposed with the housing proximate the first rotatable surface. The second rotatable surface may comprise a second plurality of air jets configured to air entangle the preform in situ. The air entanglement system may be configured to achieve negative pressure in response to being under suction.

An air entanglement system having a housing, a first rotatable surface disposed with the housing, and a second rotatable surface disposed with the housing proximate the first rotatable surface is described herein. The first rotatable surface may comprise a first plurality of air jets configured to air entangle a preform in situ. The second rotatable surface may be disposed with the housing proximate the first rotatable surface. The second rotatable surface may comprise a second plurality of air jets configured to air entangle the preform in situ. The air entanglement system may be configured to achieve negative pressure in response to being under suction.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for forming a composite structure comprising rotating a base layer of an apparatus for forming the composite structure about an axis of rotation, transferring carbon short fibers from a first vibratory feed ramp onto the base layer in order to form a plurality of fibrous layers in the composite structure, and vibrating the first vibratory feed ramp during the transferring the carbon short fibers. The base layer may comprise an annular shape.

The present disclosure provides systems and methods for forming a composite structure comprising rotating a base layer of an apparatus for forming the composite structure about an axis of rotation, transferring carbon short fibers from a first vibratory feed ramp onto the base layer in order to form a plurality of fibrous layers in the composite structure, and vibrating the first vibratory feed ramp during the transferring the carbon short fibers. The base layer may comprise an annular shape.

A needle board for fastening to a needle beam of a needle loom, which serves for consolidating a fibrous pile web, comprises a carrier plate having a receiving apparatus in which a plurality of needle modules are received which are arranged in a row. The needle board further comprises a fluid-activatable clamping device which is configured to fix the plurality of needle modules in the receiving apparatus at least in a first direction.

A needle board for fastening to a needle beam of a needle loom, which serves for consolidating a fibrous pile web, comprises a carrier plate having a receiving apparatus in which a plurality of needle modules are received which are arranged in a row. The needle board further comprises a fluid-activatable clamping device which is configured to fix the plurality of needle modules in the receiving apparatus at least in a first direction.

A molded automotive textile nonwoven and its associated method of manufacturing includes flat staple fibers exhibiting a width to thickness ratio of 2 to 10 and a denier in the range of 2 to 30. The molded automotive textile non-woven is a three-dimensional (3D) structure that includes one or a plurality of protrusions or recesses which fits to the metallic vehicle floor pan of the vehicle.

A method of making mounting mats comprising the steps of: (i) supplying inorganic fibers through an inlet of a forming box having an open bottom positioned over a forming wire to form a mat of fibers on the forming wire, the forming box having rollers for breaking apart clumps of fibers and an endless belt screen; (ii) capturing clumps of fibers on the endless belt; (iii) conveying captured clumps of fibers on the endless belt so as to enable captured clumps to release from the belt and be broken apart by the rollers; (iv) transporting the mat of fibers out of the forming box by the forming wire; and (v) compressing and restraining the mat of fibers to thereby obtain a mounting mat having a desired thickness suitable for mounting a pollution control element in a pollution control device.

A method of making mounting mats comprising the steps of: (i) supplying inorganic fibers through an inlet of a forming box having an open bottom positioned over a forming wire to form a mat of fibers on the forming wire, the forming box having rollers for breaking apart clumps of fibers and an endless belt screen; (ii) capturing clumps of fibers on the endless belt; (iii) conveying captured clumps of fibers on the endless belt so as to enable captured clumps to release from the belt and be broken apart by the rollers; (iv) transporting the mat of fibers out of the forming box by the forming wire; and (v) compressing and restraining the mat of fibers to thereby obtain a mounting mat having a desired thickness suitable for mounting a pollution control element in a pollution control device.

A method of producing a needled product of a selected material or materials of a desired thickness and size. A first carded batt of a selected material or materials is moved from a feed support into a needle loom between a vertically reciprocating needle bed and a support bed located beneath and in spaced relation to the needle bed. The needle bed and/or the support bed are vertically movable to vary the spacing therebetween. The upper surface of the first carded batt is penetrated by the needles in the needle loom so that the needles do not reach an upper surface of the support bed and are able to flex laterally. The needled first batt is then lifted and moved to the feed support or a feed support for another needle loom. Thereafter, a second batt is positioned over the first batt in overlapping relation, the needle bed or support bed is moved to increase the vertical spacing therebetween to accommodate the overlapped batts, and the batts are moved through the needle loom and connected. This method may be repeated to add additional overlapped batts to produce a layered product of any suitable thickness.