A fibrous texture forming the fibrous reinforcement of a turbomachine blade made of composite material which has a three-dimensional weaving between warp yarns or strands made of first fibers and weft yarns or strands made of first fibers, the texture including a blade root portion, a blade airfoil portion and a free end, the texture extending along the transverse direction between a first edge corresponding to a leading edge of the blade and a second edge corresponding to a trailing edge of the blade. The blade airfoil portion has a reinforced area extending along the longitudinal direction from the free end over a first length, and along the transverse direction from the second edge over a second length less, the reinforced area including weft yarns or strands made of second fibers different from the first fibers, the second fibers having an elongation at break greater than the first fibers.

An object of the present invention is to provide a stitched fiber-reinforced substrate material capable of suppressing the formation of microcracks in a fiber reinforced composite material. The stitched fiber-reinforced substrate material of the present invention is a stitched fiber-reinforced substrate material formed by stitching reinforcement fiber sheets made of reinforcement fibers using stitching yarns that exhibit an in-plane shear strength transition rate of 5% or more. The stitching yarn is preferably adhered by an organic compound having a polar group.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg product includes a belt or conveyor, a prepreg applicator that positions a thermoplastic prepreg atop the belt or conveyor, a foam applicator that applies a foam mixture atop the thermoplastic prepreg, a heating mechanism that heats the thermoplastic prepreg and the foam mixture to cause the foam mixture to react atop the thermoplastic prepreg, and a laminator that is configured to press the thermoplastic prepreg and foam mixture to control a thickness of the resulting thermoplastic prepreg product. The thermoplastic prepreg includes a fabric, mat, or web of fibers and a thermoplastic material that is impregnated within the fabric, mat, or web of fibers. The thermoplastic material is formed from in situ polymerization of monomers and oligomers. The foam mixture includes an isocyanate, a polyol blend, and a blowing agent.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg product includes a belt or conveyor, a prepreg applicator that positions a thermoplastic prepreg atop the belt or conveyor, a foam applicator that applies a foam mixture atop the thermoplastic prepreg, a heating mechanism that heats the thermoplastic prepreg and the foam mixture to cause the foam mixture to react atop the thermoplastic prepreg, and a laminator that is configured to press the thermoplastic prepreg and foam mixture to control a thickness of the resulting thermoplastic prepreg product. The thermoplastic prepreg includes a fabric, mat, or web of fibers and a thermoplastic material that is impregnated within the fabric, mat, or web of fibers. The thermoplastic material is formed from in situ polymerization of monomers and oligomers. The foam mixture includes an isocyanate, a polyol blend, and a blowing agent.

A fiber preform for use in an overmolding process is provide that includes a fiber bundle arranged in a predetermined pattern and attached to itself with thread stitches to form at least one preform layer. At least one intumescent material is associated with the at least one preform layer. A vehicle component having fire resistant characteristics is also provided that includes a housing having a first side and a second side. The housing has a shape that defines the vehicle component. An intumescent material is provided on at least one of the first side and the second side of the housing.

A method may comprise: laying up a first plurality of plies of material comprising thermoplastic resin and fiber to form an inner skin preform, the inner skin preform being a continuous sheet including alternating peaks and valleys; laying up a second plurality of plies of material comprising thermoplastic resin and fiber to form an outer skin preform; and joining the inner skin preform to the outer skin preform.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: reducing a bulk factor of chips of chopped fiber while forming the chips into a pre-consolidated charge; shaping portions of the pre-consolidated charge into shaped volumetric charges that fit within a die; and compression molding the shaped volumetric charges within the die.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: reducing a bulk factor of chips of chopped fiber while forming the chips into a pre-consolidated charge; shaping portions of the pre-consolidated charge into shaped volumetric charges that fit within a die; and compression molding the shaped volumetric charges within the die.

A manufacturing method of a control surface of an aircraft, the control surface including an upper skin, a lower skin, ribs joining the upper skin and the lower skin and located along a chordwise direction of the control surface. The manufacturing method includes the steps of providing a single composite preform comprising the upper skin, the lower skin and the ribs, and curing the single composite preform such that an integrated box comprising the upper skin, the lower skin and the ribs is formed.

The present application discloses a method of making a preform for use in manufacturing a component made of a composite material. The method includes stitching fibers onto a film to form a fiber bed in a two-dimensional shape, removing the film from the fiber bed, and adjusting the fiber bed into a three-dimensional shape to form the preform.