A method of manufacturing a tank includes: a winding step of winding a fiber impregnated with thermosetting resin before curing on a liner; a shape changing step of making the shape of the liner larger than the shape thereof at the time of the winding step, the shape changing step being performed after the winding step; and a curing step of heating and curing the thermosetting resin while the shape of the liner is increased by the shape changing step.

A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, capable of removing bubbles inside a carbon-fiber layer and those on an outer surface thereof without deteriorating a strength of the carbon-fiber layer, preventing a defective appearance, reducing variations in size, and thereby manufacturing a high-pressure tank having an excellent strength is provided. A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank includes an uncured carbon-fiber layer forming step of forming an uncured carbon-fiber layer around a liner, a glass-fiber layer forming step of forming an uncured glass-fiber layer around the uncured carbon-fiber layer, a pin inserting step of inserting a tubular pin disposed therein from an uncured glass-fiber layer side to an interface of the uncured carbon-fiber layer, a gas sucking step of sucking a gas from the pin, and a thermally-curing treatment step of forming a glass-fiber layer and a carbon-fiber layer.

A method and apparatus to hold pressurized gas is disclosed. Shell halves having opposing apertures with inserted tubes are combined to create an enclosed pressure vessel. Strands of Kevlar fiber and strands of carbon fiber cover the shell by wrapping the shell through the tubes. Resin coats the wrapped strands and fills the tubes. Pressurized gas is injected and retrieved from the pressure vessel.

Described are novel composite structural panels and methods of forming such panels. In some examples, a method comprises wrapping a mandrel with a composite tape to form a composite tube. This wrapping operation allows forming composite tubular structures with any cross-sectional profiles defined by the mandrel. The wrapping is also used to control the fiber orientations in the composite tubular structures. The composite tube is then cut into composite tubular structures. In some examples, the composite tube is partially cured prior to the cutting, which allows removal of the mandrel while preserving the shape of the composite tube. This cutting operation allows forming composite tubular structures with different lengths, shapes, and orientations of the ends. The composite tubular structures are disposed on a support structure and are bonded to each other. In some examples, this bonding operation also involves final curing of the composite tubular structures.

Described are novel composite structural panels and methods of forming such panels. In some examples, a method comprises wrapping a mandrel with a composite tape to form a composite tube. This wrapping operation allows forming composite tubular structures with any cross-sectional profiles defined by the mandrel. The wrapping is also used to control the fiber orientations in the composite tubular structures. The composite tube is then cut into composite tubular structures. In some examples, the composite tube is partially cured prior to the cutting, which allows removal of the mandrel while preserving the shape of the composite tube. This cutting operation allows forming composite tubular structures with different lengths, shapes, and orientations of the ends. The composite tubular structures are disposed on a support structure and are bonded to each other. In some examples, this bonding operation also involves final curing of the composite tubular structures.

A guiding device for guiding a fiber texture on an impregnation mandrel of a winding machine, the device including a first radial spacer for placing facing a first cheekplate of the impregnation mandrel, a second radial spacer for placing facing a second cheekplate of the impregnation mandrel, and a cross-member suitable for supporting the first and second spacers, the cross-member including an adjustment system for adjusting the positions of the first and second spacers and suitable for positioning the first and second spacers apart respectively from the first and second cheekplates of the impregnation mandrel so as to hold a first portion of fiber texture that extends along the first cheekplate pressed against the first cheekplate, and a second portion fiber texture that extends along the second cheekplate pressed against the second cheekplate, without blocking rotation of the impregnation mandrel.

A guiding device for guiding a fiber texture on an impregnation mandrel of a winding machine, the device including a first radial spacer for placing facing a first cheekplate of the impregnation mandrel, a second radial spacer for placing facing a second cheekplate of the impregnation mandrel, and a cross-member suitable for supporting the first and second spacers, the cross-member including an adjustment system for adjusting the positions of the first and second spacers and suitable for positioning the first and second spacers apart respectively from the first and second cheekplates of the impregnation mandrel so as to hold a first portion of fiber texture that extends along the first cheekplate pressed against the first cheekplate, and a second portion fiber texture that extends along the second cheekplate pressed against the second cheekplate, without blocking rotation of the impregnation mandrel.

An assembly for debulking an uncured stack of plies of fiber reinforced composite material positioned on a forming tool, including a force application element and a heat source, associated with the force application element. The heat source is positioned in at least one of the following positions: spaced apart from a top ply to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies from the top ply through a bottom ply of the uncured stack of plies; with the forming tool positioned between the heat source and the uncured stack of plies, the heat source to heat the forming tool, to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies in a direction from the bottom ply through the top ply; or between the uncured stack of plies and the forming tool, to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies in the direction from the bottom ply through the top ply.

An assembly for debulking an uncured stack of plies of fiber reinforced composite material positioned on a forming tool, including a force application element and a heat source, associated with the force application element. The heat source is positioned in at least one of the following positions: spaced apart from a top ply to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies from the top ply through a bottom ply of the uncured stack of plies; with the forming tool positioned between the heat source and the uncured stack of plies, the heat source to heat the forming tool, to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies in a direction from the bottom ply through the top ply; or between the uncured stack of plies and the forming tool, to directionally heat the uncured stack of plies in the direction from the bottom ply through the top ply.

In an embodiment, a paint roller manufacturing system and method uses a fabric-coating applicator to apply a fabric adhesive onto a portion of a perforated paint roller cover fabric material having a plurality of perforations through which adhesive may flow, and into the plurality of perforations and into interstitial spaces of the fabric material, to yield a length of coated fabric. An inner strip and an outer strip are wound about a mandrel in offset relation. A strip-coating applicator is used to apply a strip adhesive to the outer strip as it is wound about the mandrel. Simultaneously with the step of applying the strip adhesive to the outer strip, a portion of the coated paint roller fabric material is received at the outer strip and the length of coated fabric is wound about at least the outer strip to form a paint roller tube.