A composite material is formed by irradiating a bonding position on a surface of the composite material with a laser to cause a reinforcing base member of the composite material, that is impregnated with a resin and onto which a bonding agent is applied, to be exposed and fluffed.

A composite material is formed by irradiating a bonding position on a surface of the composite material with a laser to cause a reinforcing base member of the composite material, that is impregnated with a resin and onto which a bonding agent is applied, to be exposed and fluffed.

Fabrication of ballistic resistant fibrous composites having improved ballistic resistance properties. More particularly, ballistic resistant fibrous composites having high interlaminar lap shear strength between component fiber plies or fiber layers, which correlates to low composite backface signature. The high lap shear strength, low backface signature composites are useful for the production of hard armor articles, including helmet armor.

Fabrication of ballistic resistant fibrous composites having improved ballistic resistance properties. More particularly, ballistic resistant fibrous composites having high interlaminar lap shear strength between component fiber plies or fiber layers, which correlates to low composite backface signature. The high lap shear strength, low backface signature composites are useful for the production of hard armor articles, including helmet armor.

Systems and methods for plasma treating fiber tows (e.g., carbon fiber tows) are disclosed. The system may be a fiber tow treatment system, including an air-plasma source configured to emit a plasma stream and a support surface spaced apart from the air-plasma source and configured to contact the plasma stream when emitted. First and second guides may be on opposing ends of the support surface and configured to align a moving fiber tow between the support surface and the air-plasma source. The method may include continuously transferring a fiber tow through a first guide, across a support surface, and through a second guide; and air-plasma treating the fiber tow as it crosses the support surface such that a deflection of the fiber tow from the air-plasma treatment is limited by the support surface. The disclosed systems/methods may reduce the damage to fiber tows during plasma treatment.

Systems and methods for plasma treating fiber tows (e.g., carbon fiber tows) are disclosed. The system may be a fiber tow treatment system, including an air-plasma source configured to emit a plasma stream and a support surface spaced apart from the air-plasma source and configured to contact the plasma stream when emitted. First and second guides may be on opposing ends of the support surface and configured to align a moving fiber tow between the support surface and the air-plasma source. The method may include continuously transferring a fiber tow through a first guide, across a support surface, and through a second guide; and air-plasma treating the fiber tow as it crosses the support surface such that a deflection of the fiber tow from the air-plasma treatment is limited by the support surface. The disclosed systems/methods may reduce the damage to fiber tows during plasma treatment.

A system for obtaining a photopolymerized prepolymer for use as a component of a material suitable for manufacturing buildings or building components by 3D printing processes. The system contains a flexible closed loop conveyor stretched between a precursor loading station and a prepolymerization material receiver from which the product is unloaded to a construction 3D printing machine. The conveyor carries a plurality of flexible trays capable of looping around the pulleys of the closed loop conveyor. The trays are shallow troughs that have open tops and carry dosed portions of the precursor, which is photopolymerized on its way from the loading station to the unloading station by sequentially passing under light sources of two photopolymerization stations. When the trays pass through the unloading position, they are turned upside-down and allow the precured material to fall into a receiver.

A continuous device (1) is provided for impregnating, in a single step, strands or ribbons of natural fibers (100) with a specific aqueous polymer dispersion to consolidate the fibers at the core of the fiber bundle and to improve their mechanical strength without any need for twisting. The device includes a stretching component (10) for elongating by the strand or the ribbon of natural fibers by stretching to give them a required yarn count, an impregnating component (20) for impregnating the fibers with the aqueous dispersion, a shaper for shaping/calibrating the wrung fibers, a dryer (40) for drying the shaped/calibrated fibers, and a conditioner (50) for conditioning the dried fibers to transform them into yarn or ribbon.

A continuous device (1) is provided for impregnating, in a single step, strands or ribbons of natural fibers (100) with a specific aqueous polymer dispersion to consolidate the fibers at the core of the fiber bundle and to improve their mechanical strength without any need for twisting. The device includes a stretching component (10) for elongating by the strand or the ribbon of natural fibers by stretching to give them a required yarn count, an impregnating component (20) for impregnating the fibers with the aqueous dispersion, a shaper for shaping/calibrating the wrung fibers, a dryer (40) for drying the shaped/calibrated fibers, and a conditioner (50) for conditioning the dried fibers to transform them into yarn or ribbon.

A method of installing a fixture or bracket in a fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft. The method includes arranging an apparatus in, on or adjacent the structure, pre-treating a surface region of the structure by heat ablation using the apparatus and forming the fixture in situ on the structure at the pre-treated surface region using the apparatus based on a digital model of the fixture. The fixture is installed by connecting the fixture to the structure at the pre-treated surface region as the fixture is formed.