The purpose of the present invention is to obtain a fiber-reinforced composite material molded article having high adhesive strength in a boundary portion between an insert portion comprising a fiber-reinforced resin substrate and an integrally molded portion molded integrally with the insert portion. A fiber-reinforced composite material molded article (1) containing reinforcing fibers and a thermoplastic resin and being provided with a first layer (23), a second layer (22), and a third layer (21) in this order, the thickness of each layer, the ratio of the total volume of reinforcing fibers (x2) having a fiber length of 3 mm to less than 100 mm with respect to the total volume of reinforcing fibers present in the layer, the ratio of the total volume of reinforcing fibers (y2) having a fiber length of 0.02 mm to less than 3 mm with respect to the total volume of reinforcing fibers present in the layer, and the volume content of fibers in each layer being controlled so as to be in specific ranges.

A process and system are provided for introducing a blend of chopped and dispersed fibers on an automated production line amenable for inclusion in molding compositions as a blended fiber mat for structural applications. The blend of fibers are simultaneously supplied to an automated cutting machine illustratively including a rotary blade chopper disposed above a vortex supporting chamber. The blend of chopped fibers and binder form a chopped mat. The chopped mat has a veil mat placed on either side, and is consolidated with the veil mat using heated rollers maintained at the softening temperature of thermoplastic binder, with consolidated mats being amenable to being stored in rolls or as flat sheets. A charge pattern is made using the consolidated mat, and the charge pattern can be compression molded in a mold maintained at a temperature lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic fibers.

A process and system are provided for introducing a blend of chopped and dispersed fibers on an automated production line amenable for inclusion in molding compositions as a blended fiber mat for structural applications. The blend of fibers are simultaneously supplied to an automated cutting machine illustratively including a rotary blade chopper disposed above a vortex supporting chamber. The blend of chopped fibers and binder form a chopped mat. The chopped mat has a veil mat placed on either side, and is consolidated with the veil mat using heated rollers maintained at the softening temperature of thermoplastic binder, with consolidated mats being amenable to being stored in rolls or as flat sheets. A charge pattern is made using the consolidated mat, and the charge pattern can be compression molded in a mold maintained at a temperature lower than the melting point of the thermoplastic fibers.

A forming-material connecting device includes a cutter that cuts a forming material constituted by plural continuous fiber bundles being impregnated with a resin material and supplied in a supply direction corresponding to an extending direction of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The cutter cuts at least a portion of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The forming-material connecting device also includes a joining portion joining portions of the forming material, which are cut by the cutter at a cutting point in the forming material, on a downstream and upstream side with respect to the cutting point in the supply direction by heating to join the resin materials of the portions of the forming material, or the joining portion joins a preceding forming material's trailing end portion and a leading end portion of a following forming material by heating to join resin materials of the preceding forming material and following forming material.

A forming-material connecting device includes a cutter that cuts a forming material constituted by plural continuous fiber bundles being impregnated with a resin material and supplied in a supply direction corresponding to an extending direction of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The cutter cuts at least a portion of the plural continuous fiber bundles. The forming-material connecting device also includes a joining portion joining portions of the forming material, which are cut by the cutter at a cutting point in the forming material, on a downstream and upstream side with respect to the cutting point in the supply direction by heating to join the resin materials of the portions of the forming material, or the joining portion joins a preceding forming material's trailing end portion and a leading end portion of a following forming material by heating to join resin materials of the preceding forming material and following forming material.

A manufacturing arrangement realized for manufacturing a rotor blade, including a pair of tracks arranged along the longitudinal sides of a blade mold; a first gantry assembly realized to span the track pair and to carry a first tool arrangement including at least a fiber distributor for distributing a fiber material into the blade mold; a second gantry assembly realized to span the track pair and to carry a second tool arrangement realized to carry a supply of fiber material and to provide the fiber material to the fiber distributor; and a control arrangement realized to effect a coordinated movement of the gantry assemblies along the track pair and to coordinate the operation of the second tool arrangement with the operation of the first tool arrangement is provided. A fiber mat magazine; a manufacturing line; a method of manufacturing a rotor blade; and a rotor blade, is also provided.

A manufacturing arrangement realized for manufacturing a rotor blade, including a pair of tracks arranged along the longitudinal sides of a blade mold; a first gantry assembly realized to span the track pair and to carry a first tool arrangement including at least a fiber distributor for distributing a fiber material into the blade mold; a second gantry assembly realized to span the track pair and to carry a second tool arrangement realized to carry a supply of fiber material and to provide the fiber material to the fiber distributor; and a control arrangement realized to effect a coordinated movement of the gantry assemblies along the track pair and to coordinate the operation of the second tool arrangement with the operation of the first tool arrangement is provided. A fiber mat magazine; a manufacturing line; a method of manufacturing a rotor blade; and a rotor blade, is also provided.

Surface-treated polymeric particles which are dispersible in water or an aqueous solution without the aid of any surfactant. Surface treatment of hydrophobic polymeric particles is carried out to increase the surface energy and to render the surfaces of the particles hydrophilic, thereby eliminating the need for a surfactant to disperse the polymeric particles in water or an aqueous solution. As such, a surfactantless slurry can be formed from the surface-treated particles for the fabrication of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite structures.

Surface-treated polymeric particles which are dispersible in water or an aqueous solution without the aid of any surfactant. Surface treatment of hydrophobic polymeric particles is carried out to increase the surface energy and to render the surfaces of the particles hydrophilic, thereby eliminating the need for a surfactant to disperse the polymeric particles in water or an aqueous solution. As such, a surfactantless slurry can be formed from the surface-treated particles for the fabrication of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite structures.

Disclosed are a metal wire, a manufacturing method therefor, and a tire. The metal wire is made by twisting a filament; an outer peripheral surface of the filament is covered with a Cu-M-Zn alloy coating; the outer peripheral surface of the filament is also covered with a Cu—Zn alloy coating; the metal wire is made of at least one filament; an area covered by the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 10%-90% of an area of the outer peripheral surface of the filament, and the rest is the Cu—Zn alloy coating; M in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is selected from one or two of Co, Ni, Mn, or Mo; the mass fraction of Cu in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 58%-72%, the mass fraction of M in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is 0.5%-5%, and the balance in the Cu-M-Zn alloy coating is Zn and inevitable impurities.