A core mould element can be mounted between first and second mould parts. The first and second mould parts and the core mould element can be mounted between first and second thermal platens. The thermal platens can have generally planar faces for mounting in a press, for maintaining a desired pressure within the mould assembly. The thermal platens can provide for heating and cooling the mould assembly, and each can include a central portion and end portions, with thermal breaks between the central portion and the end portions. Bores can extend through the central and end portions, for receiving heating elements and pipes for cooling fluid. The end portions can include bores for a cooling fluid for cooling the end portions.

A core mould element can be mounted between first and second mould parts. The first and second mould parts and the core mould element can be mounted between first and second thermal platens. The thermal platens can have generally planar faces for mounting in a press, for maintaining a desired pressure within the mould assembly. The thermal platens can provide for heating and cooling the mould assembly, and each can include a central portion and end portions, with thermal breaks between the central portion and the end portions. Bores can extend through the central and end portions, for receiving heating elements and pipes for cooling fluid. The end portions can include bores for a cooling fluid for cooling the end portions.

A method is provided for preparing a composite product, the method comprising: forming a core structure having a plurality of layers, each layer being build by an additive manufacturing process; wherein the core structure has a shell substantially enclosing an internal chamber of the core structure, wherein the shell is fluid-impermeable, and wherein the outer surface of the shell has a predefined shape; introducing a fluid into the chamber of the core structure; arranging the core structure and reinforcement fibers in a mould, wherein the mould is arranged to accommodate the core structure including the reinforcement fibers, and wherein the reinforcement fibers and the outer surface of the shell are arranged in contact with each other; providing the reinforcement fibers and a resin on the outer surface of the shell of the core structure; and solidifying the resin to form the composite product inside the mould at a moulding pressure P.sub.m, while controlling the fluid pressure P.sub.F of the fluid in the core structure.

A tubular material application system for applying a tubular material onto an elongate mandrel includes a gripper system including a first gripper and a second gripper configured to move with inchworm-type movement along an elongated mandrel and incrementally apply a tubular material onto the mandrel to thereby result in a tubular material-mandrel assembly.

A method of manufacturing a core for a production process and to a core manufactured in accordance with the method are provided. The method includes providing a mold containing a soluble substance and one or more fibers and causing the soluble substance to solidify around the one or more fibers.

A method of manufacturing a core for a production process and to a core manufactured in accordance with the method are provided. The method includes providing a mold containing a soluble substance and one or more fibers and causing the soluble substance to solidify around the one or more fibers.

The injection mold has a mold core including a first part and a second part. The parts are mobile relative to one another between a first injection position in which they are moved together to form an injection cavity permitting the injection of a material to form an injected part (50; 50′), and a second demolding position in which they are moved away from one another to permit the demolding of the injected part (50; 50′). The injection mold has at least one ejector designed to contribute to the demolding, and at least one movable intermediate plate (10; 10′, 20′), separate from the two parts of the mold core. The intermediate pate is arranged between the two parts of the mold core, and has at least one cutout (12; 12′, 22′) forming at least one part of the injection cavity of the injection mold.

The injection mold has a mold core including a first part and a second part. The parts are mobile relative to one another between a first injection position in which they are moved together to form an injection cavity permitting the injection of a material to form an injected part (50; 50′), and a second demolding position in which they are moved away from one another to permit the demolding of the injected part (50; 50′). The injection mold has at least one ejector designed to contribute to the demolding, and at least one movable intermediate plate (10; 10′, 20′), separate from the two parts of the mold core. The intermediate pate is arranged between the two parts of the mold core, and has at least one cutout (12; 12′, 22′) forming at least one part of the injection cavity of the injection mold.

An example mandrel for processing a part is described including a plurality of elastomeric components aligned end to end and spaced apart linearly to form a segmented mandrel body, and compressible interconnections positioned within spacing between adjacent elastomeric components and abutting the adjacent elastomeric components. The compressible interconnections allow the plurality of elastomeric components to expand axially due to thermal expansion resulting in a distribution of pressure. An example method for fabricating a composite part is also described including placing a base composite layer into a cavity of a tooling surface, inserting a mandrel into the cavity of the tooling surface such that the base composite layer is between the mandrel and the tooling surface, applying a skin to the mandrel and the base composite layer forming a package, enclosing the package in a vacuum bag and curing, and removing the mandrel from the cavity of the tooling surface.

An example mandrel for processing a part is described including a plurality of elastomeric components aligned end to end and spaced apart linearly to form a segmented mandrel body, and compressible interconnections positioned within spacing between adjacent elastomeric components and abutting the adjacent elastomeric components. The compressible interconnections allow the plurality of elastomeric components to expand axially due to thermal expansion resulting in a distribution of pressure. An example method for fabricating a composite part is also described including placing a base composite layer into a cavity of a tooling surface, inserting a mandrel into the cavity of the tooling surface such that the base composite layer is between the mandrel and the tooling surface, applying a skin to the mandrel and the base composite layer forming a package, enclosing the package in a vacuum bag and curing, and removing the mandrel from the cavity of the tooling surface.