Example mechanical supports or mandrels are described for composite part curing. In one example, a mandrel includes a housing, and components within the housing and positioned to create a central opening. An expander is also positioned in the central opening, and the expander has a width that increases along a length of the expander. A narrow end of the expander is positioned in the central opening. An actuator is provided to move the expander into the central opening causing the components to expand the housing, and to retract the expander from the central opening causing the components to collapse the housing.

A system for manufacturing a composite assembly includes a first mandrel, a second mandrel, a first wrap plate, and a second wrap plate. The first wrap plate and the second wrap plate are positionable in side-by-side relation for receiving a wrap material stack. The first wrap plate and/or the second wrap plate are translatable to a wrap plate open position defining a wrap plate gap between the first and second wrap plate surface edge for receiving a bladder. The second mandrel is translatable to a mandrel open position defining a mandrel gap between the first and second mandrel surface edge. The wrap plate gap and the mandrel gap are configured to receive the wrap material stack formed around a bladder. The first and second wrap plate are configured to fold a first and second material stack base portion into overlapping relation with each other on the bladder top.

A fiber-reinforced plastic component includes a three-dimensional component plastic member and at least one reinforcement fiber rod. The three-dimensional component plastic member determines at least parts of a shape of the plastic component. The three-dimensional component plastic member has at least one void which is open to at least one side and in which the at least one reinforcement fiber rod is placed.

Methods and devices of fabricating a stringer for a vehicle. The stringer can be constructed from two charges that are formed together into the stringer. During fabricating, the ends of the charges can be formed in a die cavity. When the ends are misaligned in the die cavity, one of the charges can be moved in the die cavity to align the ends. The device used for fabricating the charges can include a punch with separate punch plates that move the ends of the charges into the die cavity. The punch plates can be separately moved to adjust the position of the charges and align the ends.

A composite forming station for forming a T-profile composite part from a planar laminate. The composite forming station includes in-line rollers arranged along a forming direction, wherein a thickness and/or edge angle each roller is greater than the preceding roller, wherein the rollers gradually splay apart feet sections of the planar laminate to convert the laminate to the T-profile composite part.

Flexible extrusions of selected die patterns may be slid or snapped together to create bundles of slidably-interlocked extrusions that may be used to create structural components for architectural and a plurality of other construction purposes. Components such as standard rectangular construction beams, arches, domes, architectural trees, cylinders, molds, puzzling mazes, furniture, rollercoaster track, and other applications are illustrated and described in embodiments herein. Bundles of slidably-interlocked extrusions may be formed into a straight beam, bent into an arch, or twisted into other forms as desired. Bundles of slidably-interlocked extrusions may for example, comprise subsets of different length bundles of extrusions that may extend the length create long-span support beams or that may branch away at an angle from the starting beam to form a treelike structure.

A process for producing a plastic-metal composite component composed of at least one hollow profile and at least one application of plastic to be applied to the outside by means of injection molding or compression.

A structural polymeric composite includes a stiffening layer. The composite is made in a continuous extrusion process in which the stiffening layer is pulled through a cross-head die as a polymer is extruded over it. The layer includes a film or textile carrier, a filler of carbon fibers, fiberglass, organic fibers or minerals forming a mat. A binder may be dispersed over the mat and a second carrier applied. The mat is subjected to heat and pressure to soften the carriers and binder so they penetrate into the interstices of the filler and binds mechanically with them and the carriers and binder bind chemically with each other to form the stiffening layer. A polymer is then extruded over the stiffening layer, which may be used flat, provided with holes or punches for composite action with the polymer, formed into a profile, or segmented to provide spaced-apart stiffening layers.

A shaping device for producing a profiled component includes a lay-on unit, a press-on unit and a pressure application unit. The lay-on unit has a support surface for laying on a semi-finished product to be shaped. The press-on unit presses a semi-finished product to be shaped onto the support surface. The pressure application unit has, at least on the side that faces the semi-finished product, a bendable shell for lying on the semi-finished product in an unshaped first state and for lying thereon in a shaped second state, as well as a pressure-transmitting and deformable filling. The pressure application unit can be arranged between the press-on unit and a semi-finished product to be shaped. The press-on unit has a bendable surface lying on the pressure application unit, which bendable surface transmits the force for the shaping onto the pressure application unit. The semi-finished product to be shaped may be a fibre-reinforced composite material.

An apparatus for manufacturing a molded body assembly includes: a to-be-molded body holder configured to hold a to-be-molded body placed thereon; a raw material roll placement portion in which a mold raw material roll is placed; a mold holder configured to hold a leading edge portion of an uncut mold extending from the mold raw material roll, and to move relative to the to-be-molded body holder; a transfer unit configured to transfer a fine transfer pattern of the uncut mold to the to-be-molded body placed on and held by the to-be-molded body holder, a cutting unit; and a controller configured to control the to-be-molded body holder, the mold holder, the transfer unit, and the cutting unit configured to cut the uncut mold at a predetermined position in a longitudinal direction thereof, thereby manufacturing a mold body assembly.