A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material having an outer surface; and (is) at least one consolidated fibrous insert having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement having a plurality of ordered fibers arranged in a predetermined manner. The fibrous insert is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert and the mass of polymeric material are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier will be a mass of activatable material.

A method of manufacturing a product with skin includes: attaching a preformed base material to a vacuum forming die on a back surface of the base material, disposing a skin material as a material of the skin on a front surface of a base material, and sucking the skin material through the vacuum forming die and the base material to deform a main portion of skin material so as to be in close contact with the front surface of the base material; cutting a surplus portion of the skin material not being in close contact with the front surface of the base material with a trim blade so that a distal end portion remains around the main portion, thereby forming the skin having the distal end portion; and winding the distal end portion of the skin around the back surface of the base material by a winding mechanism.

A composite article assembly arrangement includes an all-in-one assembly station for supporting certain two-workpiece or composite article assembly methodologies with a view toward a preferred lid assembly application. The all-in-one assembly station includes a stationary main base plate, opposed intermediate compactor plates, and opposed outer plates, which compactor plates and outer plates are movable relative to the stationary main base plate. One or more continuous webs bearing thermoformed first and second workpieces are directed through the assembly station, which assembly station operates to both separate the first and second workpieces from the web(s) as directed therethrough and assemble the first and second workpieces in one clapping movement of the compactor plates and outer plates relative to the main base plate. The main base plate comprises an axial alignment chamber or cavity that operates to mechanically or structurally maintain axial alignment of the first and second workpieces during workpiece assembly.

A method is provided for forming a structural panel. During this method, a core structure is formed by shaping a first portion of a sheet of ribbon material to form a first baffle and a first septum. Thermoplastic material is then overmolded onto the ribbon material, between the first baffle and the first septum, to form a first set of walls.

A container including a side wall having a hollow interior, an outwardly extending flange positioned above an upper end of the side wall, a lower end of the side wall having a first wall positioned thereon, a second wall extending upwardly from the first wall into the hollow interior of the side wall, a third wall extending inwardly and downwardly from the second wall, and a base extending inwardly from the third wall. A method of thermoforming the beverage container using a thermoforming operation is also provided.

A thermoforming system and related methods for manufacturing thermoplastic parts, such as interior panels for aircraft, may include a roll-to-roll operation and a forming press having at least one selectively rotatable tool. The rotatable tool, which may include a mold and/or a die, may be multifaceted, such that different faces of the tool have different mold arrangements for different forming characteristics.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling. A liner sheet may be attached to the feedstock sheet prior to, during, or after forming and can be peelable therefrom.

A method of producing a laminated article comprising placing a first metal skin, a core, and a second metal skin freely onto each other as discreet layers to provide a layered component; and forming the layered component into a shaped article via a die prior to producing a laminated article by applying pressure and heat to the shaped article, wherein at least the first skin moves relative to the core and/or second skin during the forming.

The disclosure relates to forming shaped thermoplastic articles having smooth peripheries. Many thermoplastic articles have sharp edges formed upon molding or cutting the article from a feedstock sheet. Such sharp edges can damage thin plastic films or flesh which they contact, and smoothing the edges is desirable. Described herein are methods of forming a smooth periphery for such sharp-edged articles by rolling over the sharp edge. The smoothing operation is performed by forming a deflectable flange including a bend region separated from the potentially sharp peripheral edge by a spacer, deflecting a portion of the deflectable flange, and softening at least one bent portion of the deflectable flange to yield a smooth periphery upon cooling.

A manufacturing procedure for ceiling trims for vehicles. The ceiling trims comprise at least one first coating sheet and at least one second coating sheet that extend along one of the sides of the first sheet, joined via a layer of heat-stable polyurethane adhesive, comprising a step of applying a gas-phase catalyst on such sheets through a thermoforming mould that starts before the mould is completely closed and ends before the mould is completely opened. As a result of the application of a gas-phase catalyst we prevent the use of demoulding agents to facilitate extraction of the ceiling trim formed inside the mould.