An article may be made of multilayer composite material. The multilayer composite material may include central element (I) between first and second reinforcement layers (B) to form structure (B)-(I)-(B). The central element (I) may include: first and second structural layers (A), each of the first and second structural layers (A) including at least one mat of needle punched thermoplastic fibers selected from polyester fibers, polyamide fibers, polypropylene fibers, or mixtures thereof bonded through thermosetting resin; and third reinforcement layer (B) between the first and second structural layers (A). The first, second, and third reinforcement layers (B) each may include fibrous material, including one or more types of fibers selected from glass fibers, natural fibers, carbon fibers, basalt fibers, aramid fibers, or mixtures thereof.

A method of forming a composite article is disclosed that involves providing a press having first and second platens, a cellulosic fiber substrate having a first thickness, and a layer of material such as a wood veneer, foil, or non-creped paper, where the layer of material has a thickness less than the thickness of the cellulosic fiber substrate. A layer of bonding material is placed onto the cellulosic fiber substrate or the layer of material, and the layer of material is placed onto the cellulosic fiber substrate so that the bonding material is between the layer of material and the cellulosic fiber substrate. The cellulosic fiber substrate and layer of material are placed between the first and second platens, and at least one of the first and second platens is moved toward the other of the first and second platens to deform the cellulosic fiber substrate and layer of material into a predetermined configuration while bonding the layer of material to the cellulosic fiber substrate without cracking or wrinkling the layer of material.

Implementations described herein include films with maintained or decreased light transmittance despite a reduction in gauge. In particular, one or more implementations include a multi-layer film with each layer having differing opacity agents. The combination of the two different opacity agents in two different layers can have a synergistic effect that provide decreased light transmittance. Indeed, in one or more embodiments a multi-layer film with differing opacity agents in each layer has a decreased light transmittance despite a reduction in gauge and opacity agents.

A closure tab is provided and includes a first substrate. A second substrate is adhesively attached to the first substrate. The second substrate has mechanical closure material formed thereon. A compression bond pattern is applied to the first substrate and the second substrate. The compression bond pattern includes at least one outwardly extending protrusion. The compression bond pattern may include, for example, circular bond points, stripes, or a decorative element. A method is also provided wherein the second substrate is compressed onto the first substrate by a patterned roller. The second substrate may be compressed onto the first substrate by a plurality of pins spaced in alternating offset rows.

Systems and methods of forming a skin for a composite structure and composite structures including the same. The systems and methods include operatively attaching a charge of composite material to a flexible substrate to define a composite-substrate assembly. The systems and methods further include deforming the composite-substrate assembly by conforming the composite-substrate assembly to a non-planar pre-forming surface of a pre-forming mandrel to define a non-planar skin surface contour on the charge of composite material. The systems and methods further include maintaining the charge of composite material in tension in a direction that is parallel to an interface between the charge of composite material and the flexible substrate during the deforming.

Implementations described herein include films with maintained or decreased light transmittance despite a reduction in gauge. In particular, one or more implementations include a multi-layer film with each layer having differing opacity agents. The combination of the two different opacity agents in two different layers can have a synergistic effect that provide decreased light transmittance. Indeed, in one or more embodiments a multi-layer film with differing opacity agents in each layer has a decreased light transmittance despite a reduction in gauge and opacity agents.

A system and method for producing a composite component, especially for continuous production of such composite components, includes a feeding device for feeding one or more layers of reinforcing material from a material supply along a process path, a resin application device for applying a resin matrix to the reinforcing material fed along the process path, and a forming device configured to shape or mould a profile of the reinforcing material and the resin matrix applied thereto to form a composite component as the reinforcing material is fed or conveyed along the process path.

A method of forming a composite article is disclosed that involves providing a press having first and second platens, a cellulosic fiber substrate having a first thickness, and a layer of material such as a wood veneer, foil, or non-creped paper, where the layer of material has a thickness less than the thickness of the cellulosic fiber substrate. A layer of bonding material is placed onto the cellulosic fiber substrate or the layer of material, and the layer of material is placed onto the cellulosic fiber substrate so that the bonding material is between the layer of material and the cellulosic fiber substrate. The cellulosic fiber substrate and layer of material are placed between the first and second platens, and at least one of the first and second platens is moved toward the other of the first and second platens to deform the cellulosic fiber substrate and layer of material into a predetermined configuration while bonding the layer of material to the cellulosic fiber substrate without cracking or wrinkling the layer of material.

A method of making a laminated trim component at a pair of spaced first and second molding stations is provided. A heated plastic composite sheet is pressed against a heated laminated sheet to bond a plastic cushioning layer of the laminated sheet to the composite sheet at the first molding station. The step of pressing compresses a portion of the laminated sheet spaced inwardly from an outer periphery of the laminated sheet to locally compact and thin the cushioning layer at the portion to form a compressed portion of the cushioning layer. The bonded sheets are transferred to the second molding station where a plastic compatible with the plastic of the composite sheet is molded around the composite sheet to form at least one component at the inner surface of the composite sheet.

A method in which an interior trim part for a vehicle is produced. The method includes the steps of providing a block of material comprising a plurality of paper layers connected to each other by at least one resin, cutting the block into slices, wherein a cutting plane has an angle between 5 and 85 in relation to layer planes of the paper layers, providing a flexible support layer and applying at least one of the slices to the flexible support layer to obtain a flexible composite layer, and providing a rigid carrier and applying the flexible composite layer directly or indirectly to the carrier.