An apparatus is arranged to control a quantity of binder resin that is carried by a thread, the apparatus comprising at least one first tine row being arranged parallel and displaceably to at least one second tine row, wherein a guide track for the thread is formed transversely to the tine rows and a displacement of at least one tine row the guide track. A method for controlling the quantity of binder resin by using tines is described as well.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.

An apparatus for depositing a radius filler, made of a homogeneous material, into a groove, formed in a workpiece comprises a chassis, first means for extruding the radius filler along an extrusion axis, second means for providing the homogeneous material to the first means, and third means for compacting the radius filler in the groove. The apparatus also comprises a first sensor configured to provide first-sensor output. The apparatus further comprises a controller, operatively coupled to the first means, the second means, and the first sensor. Based on the first-sensor output, the controller is configured to determine the first geometric characteristics of the groove. In addition, based on the first geometric characteristics, the controller is configured to control second geometric characteristics of the radius filler, extruded by the first means, as the tool center point is moved relative to the groove.

A thermoplastic prepreg includes a mat, web, or fabric of fibers and hollow glass microspheres that are positioned atop the mat, web, or fabric of fibers or dispersed therein. The thermoplastic prepreg also includes a thermoplastic polymer that is fully impregnated through the mat, web, or fabric of fibers and the hollow glass microspheres so that the thermoplastic prepreg has a void content of less than 3% by volume of the thermoplastic prepreg. The thermoplastic material is polymerized monomers and oligomers in which greater than 90% by weight of the monomers or oligomers react to form the thermoplastic material.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

A thermoplastic prepreg includes a mat, web, or fabric of fibers and hollow glass microspheres that are positioned atop the mat, web, or fabric of fibers or dispersed therein. The thermoplastic prepreg also includes a thermoplastic polymer that is fully impregnated through the mat, web, or fabric of fibers and the hollow glass microspheres so that the thermoplastic prepreg has a void content of less than 3% by volume of the thermoplastic prepreg. The thermoplastic material is polymerized monomers and oligomers in which greater than 90% by weight of the monomers or oligomers react to form the thermoplastic material.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.

A thermoplastic prepreg includes a mat, web, or fabric of fibers and hollow glass microspheres that are positioned atop the mat, web, or fabric of fibers or dispersed therein. The thermoplastic prepreg also includes a thermoplastic polymer that is fully impregnated through the mat, web, or fabric of fibers and the hollow glass microspheres so that the thermoplastic prepreg has a void content of less than 3% by volume of the thermoplastic prepreg. The thermoplastic material is polymerized monomers and oligomers in which greater than 90% by weight of the monomers or oligomers react to form the thermoplastic material.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.

An impregnation section and a method for impregnating fiber rovings with a polymer resin are disclosed. The impregnation section includes an impregnation zone and a gate passage. The impregnation zone is configured to impregnate the plurality of rovings with the resin. The gate passage is in fluid communication with the impregnation zone for flowing the resin therethrough such that the resin impinges on a surface of each of the plurality of rovings facing the gate passage and substantially uniformly coats the plurality of rovings. The method includes impinging a polymer resin onto a surface of a plurality of fiber rovings, and substantially uniformly coating the plurality of rovings with the resin. The method further includes traversing the plurality of coated rovings through an impregnation zone. Each of the plurality of rovings is under a tension of from about 5 Newtons to about 300 Newtons within the impregnation zone.