An apparatus and method for the automated manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) composite-based objects is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a material feeder, a printer, a powder system, a transfer system, and optionally a fuser. The method comprises inserting a stack of substrate sheets into a material feeder, transferring a sheet of the stack from the material feeder to a printer, depositing fluid on the single sheet while the sheet rests on a printer platen, transferring the sheet from the printer to a powder system, depositing powder onto the single sheet such that the powder adheres to the areas of the sheet onto which the printer has deposited fluid, removing any powder that did not adhere to the sheet, optionally melting the powder on the substrate, and repeating the steps for as many additional sheets as required for making a specified 3D object.

To provide a polyarylene sulfide (PAS) resin composition and a PAS resin molded article that are excellent in mechanical strengths such as impact resistance while maintaining excellent heat resistance of the PAS resin, and methods for producing the PAS resin composition and the PAS resin molded article. Specifically, provided are a method for producing a long fiber-reinforced PAS resin molded article, the method including obtaining a long fiber-reinforced PAS resin composition containing a PAS resin and a fiber reinforcing material having a fiber length of more than 5 mm, subsequently subjecting the resin composition and a PAS resin to dry blending, and subsequently subjecting the dry-blended substance to melting and subsequently to melt-molding; the long fiber-reinforced PAS resin composition; and a method for producing the long fiber-reinforced PAS resin composition.

There is provided a process for preparing a prepreg (31) comprising reinforcement fibre (13) impregnated with a thermosetting resin matrix (20), said process comprising: a) providing a layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13); b) applying a layer (24) of a first thermosetting resin matrix (20) to the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) and bringing the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) into contact with the support surface (5) of a first continuous belt (3), so that the layer (24) of first thermosetting resin matrix (20) is positioned between, and in contact with, the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) and the support surface (5) of the first continuous belt (3); c) heating the layer (24) of first thermosetting resin matrix (20) applied to the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) in contact with the support surface (5) of the first continuous belt (3); d) bringing the second surface (17) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) into contact with the support surface 9) of a second continuous belt (7); e) heating the layer (24) of first thermosetting resin matrix (20) and the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) between the support surfaces of the first and second continuous belts (3, 7) so that the first thermosetting resin matrix (20) impregnates the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13); f) cooling the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) impregnated with the first thermosetting resin matrix (20) between the support surfaces of the first and second continuous belts (3, 7); and g) removing the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) impregnated with the first thermosetting resin matrix (20) from the support surfaces of the first and second continuous belts (3, 7).

There is provided a process for preparing a prepreg (31) comprising reinforcement fibre (13) impregnated with a thermosetting resin matrix (20), said process comprising: a) providing a layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13); b) applying a layer (24) of a first thermosetting resin matrix (20) to the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) and bringing the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) into contact with the support surface (5) of a first continuous belt (3), so that the layer (24) of first thermosetting resin matrix (20) is positioned between, and in contact with, the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) and the support surface (5) of the first continuous belt (3); c) heating the layer (24) of first thermosetting resin matrix (20) applied to the first surface (15) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) in contact with the support surface (5) of the first continuous belt (3); d) bringing the second surface (17) of the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) into contact with the support surface 9) of a second continuous belt (7); e) heating the layer (24) of first thermosetting resin matrix (20) and the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) between the support surfaces of the first and second continuous belts (3, 7) so that the first thermosetting resin matrix (20) impregnates the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13); f) cooling the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) impregnated with the first thermosetting resin matrix (20) between the support surfaces of the first and second continuous belts (3, 7); and g) removing the layer (24) of reinforcement fibre (13) impregnated with the first thermosetting resin matrix (20) from the support surfaces of the first and second continuous belts (3, 7).

Methods of making prepregs are described. The methods include the steps of forming a fiber-containing substrate, and contacting the fiber-containing substrate with a resin mixture. The resin mixture may include polymer particles mixed in a liquid medium, and the polymer particles may be coated on the fiber-containing substrate to form a coated substrate. The liquid medium may be removed from the coated substrate to form the prepreg. The prepregs may be used to make fiber-reinforced articles.

The method for producing a unidirectional carbon fiber tape, the method comprising: passing a first portion of a strand of fiber through an oven to carbonize the first portion, thereby converting carbon fiber precursor fiber of the first portion to carbon fiber, wherein the first portion comprises carbon fiber precursor fiber; and impregnating the carbon fiber of the first portion with thermoplastic matrix material to form impregnated fiber, while a second portion of the strand of fiber that is upstream of the first portion is passing through the oven to convert carbon fiber precursor fiber of the second portion to additional carbon fiber.

A semifinished product for making a composite fiber molded part is made by first spinning from a row of orifices of a spinning nozzle low-melting fibers of a thermoplastic. These low-melting fibers are then combined into a laminated semifinished product with high-melting reinforcement fibers of the same thermoplastic but having a melting temperature higher than the melting temperature of the low-melting fibers.

A sheet molding compound includes an epoxy resin composition meeting (I) and/or (II): (I) a component has a hydroxy group equivalent weight of 20 to 120, and (II) carbon fibers are bundle-shaped aggregates of discontinuous carbon fibers such that in a plane that has a largest width perpendicular to an alignment direction of the carbon fibers, two acute angles, referred to as angle a and angle b, formed between the alignment direction of the carbon fibers and sides formed by arrays of both ends of the carbon fibers in the bundle-shaped aggregates are 2 or more and 30 or less, the epoxy resin composition has a viscosity at 30 C. of 3.0104 Pa.Math.s or more and 1.0106 Pa.Math.s or less, and the epoxy resin composition has a viscosity at 120 C. of 1.0102 Pa.Math.s or more and 5.0103 Pa.Math.s or less.

A sheet molding compound includes an epoxy resin composition meeting (I) and/or (II): (I) a component has a hydroxy group equivalent weight of 20 to 120, and (II) carbon fibers are bundle-shaped aggregates of discontinuous carbon fibers such that in a plane that has a largest width perpendicular to an alignment direction of the carbon fibers, two acute angles, referred to as angle a and angle b, formed between the alignment direction of the carbon fibers and sides formed by arrays of both ends of the carbon fibers in the bundle-shaped aggregates are 2 or more and 30 or less, the epoxy resin composition has a viscosity at 30 C. of 3.0104 Pa.Math.s or more and 1.0106 Pa.Math.s or less, and the epoxy resin composition has a viscosity at 120 C. of 1.0102 Pa.Math.s or more and 5.0103 Pa.Math.s or less.

The present invention provides a fiber-reinforced resin intermediate material, including not only a thermoplastic resin but also a thermosetting resin, in which defects such as voids are difficult to be generated and which is excellent in shaping ability; and a method for manufacturing the same. The fiber-reinforced resin intermediate material according to the present invention is a fiber-reinforced resin intermediate material formed by attaching a resin to an outer surface part of a reinforcing fiber substrate formed of reinforcing fibers subjected to opening and heating the resin to a temperature equal to or higher than the melting point of the resin to impregnate the reinforcing fiber substrate with the resin, wherein the reinforcing fiber substrate has void space that is opened on an outer surface thereof and the resin is in a semi-impregnated state.