A curable resin composition containing: (a) at least one resin; and (b) curative selected from the group consisting of (i) a mixture of at least one low temperature curative and at least one high temperature curative or (ii) a curative that has a low temperature curative part and a high temperature curative part wherein the amount of the low temperature curative is sufficient to cause enough resin-curative addition reaction to effect B-staging in the full resin-curative formulation, the amount of the high temperature curative is sufficient to cause the resin to cure catalytically but insufficient to cause resin-curative addition reaction in the final cure, and the ratio of the resin (a) to the curative (b) is greater than or equal to about 5. The present composition may be used to make prepregs for automotive or aerospace application.

A method for making a bicycle crank arm includes (a) providing an inner frame unit, (b) winding a first bundle of unidirectional continuous fibers on the inner frame unit to form an intersecting pattern, (c) impregnating the intersecting pattern with a curable resin material to obtain an impregnated structure, and (d) molding the impregnated structure in a mold.

A lightweight suspension upright or knuckle including: a bearing connection interface having a first sleeve element and a second, radially outer, sleeve element and further including a BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body; at least one attachment interface configured to connect the suspension upright or knuckle to a respective control or support element; and a supporting structural body mechanically connecting the bearing connection interface with the at least one attachment interface. The supporting structural body is shaped as a reticular frame including first blade elements chemically and mechanically interconnected to each other and to the outer lateral surface; each blade element consisting in one or more mats or plies of continuous fibers embedded in a polymer matrix, stacked onto one another and that have been compression molded together and with the annular body. Also, a method for obtaining a lightweight suspension upright or knuckle for a vehicle providing a bearing connection interface.

A method for fabricating emulated wood with pores and fibers, comprising: immersing a plurality of synthetic fibers configured parallel in a plane into a resin so that the resin is coated on the surfaces of the plurality of synthetic fibers and in the gaps between the plurality of synthetic fibers; placing the plurality of synthetic fibers between two sheets, wherein the two sheets are planar sheets made from a uniform composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, a foaming agent, and a crosslinking agent; carrying out a heat-press process on the two sheets so that the foaming agent undergoes microcellular foaming and forms dense closed pores in the two sheets, and so that the composition on inner surfaces of the two sheets expands towards the plurality of synthetic fibers and penetrates through the gaps between the plurality of synthetic fibers; and cooling the two sheets to yield an emulated wood board.

A method for producing a structural component part (1, 33) from a fiber-reinforced plastic according to a three-dimensional winding process. A threadlike fiber material (12) is supplied on at least one bobbin (18) and constructed as a towpreg semifinished product is wound around at least one filament carrier (11) in a winding pattern by a computer-controlled winding device. The towpreg semifinished product is a mixture (30) of a thermoset resin, a hardener, an accelerator and plastic fibers (29) embedded in the mixture (30). The fiber material (12) is guided on the filament carrier (11) by a guide element (24) having a circular outlet cross section and arranged at a fiber guide device (25), the fiber material (12) deflected by the guide element (24) when the winding pattern is formed. The fiber material (12) is brought in contact with the guide element (24) during a deflection.

A winding apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced component by a three-dimensional winding process includes a robot arm having at least two winding heads. The at least two winding heads are attached next to each other or above each other on the robot arm and are each associated with a respective holder for receiving a respective winding support that a respective fiber strand is windable around to form the component. The respective holders are arranged next to each other on a conveyor device and have a winding position for winding with the respective fiber strand and a mounting position for mounting the respective holders before a winding process and for removing the respective holders after the winding process.

A method for fabricating emulated wood with pores and fibers, comprising: immersing a plurality of synthetic fibers configured parallel in a plane into a resin so that the resin is coated on the surfaces of the plurality of synthetic fibers and in the gaps between the plurality of synthetic fibers; placing the plurality of synthetic fibers between two sheets, wherein the two sheets are planar sheets made from a uniform composition comprising a thermoplastic elastomer, a foaming agent, and a crosslinking agent; carrying out a heat-press process on the two sheets so that the foaming agent undergoes microcellular foaming and forms dense closed pores in the two sheets, and so that the composition on inner surfaces of the two sheets expands towards the plurality of synthetic fibers and penetrates through the gaps between the plurality of synthetic fibers; and cooling the two sheets to yield an emulated wood board.

Disclosed are a composite layer, a composite layer lamination and a method of manufacturing a composite layer. The composite layer includes: a resin core formed in a plate-shape and comprising with a plurality of guide protrusions protruding along an edge of the resin core as being spaced apart at a predetermined distance from each other and a plurality of guide notches between the plurality of guide protrusions; and a reinforcing fiber wound around the resin core via the plurality of guide notches functioning as a guide for the reinforcing fiber.

In a method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank, a fiber bundle impregnated with a thermosetting resin base material is wound around an outer surface of a liner in a state where tension is applied to the fiber bundle in a filament winding step. The filament winding step includes a pressure-bonding step and a cutting step. In the pressure-bonding step, a terminal end portion which is a winding end of the fiber bundle is thermocompression-bonded to an outer peripheral portion of the fiber bundle wound around the liner. In the cutting step, a surplus portion of the fiber bundle is cut by a cutting tool.

A tie rod suitable for use with known concrete forming systems is constructed from a non-metal fiber, such as fiberglass, that is wound about a pair of opposed thimble elements. The resultant tie rod is as strong as a metal tie rod without the drawbacks of conventional metal tie rods. Each of the thimble elements has a main body having a channel formed in an outer surface of the main body, and the fiberglass fiber is disposed within the channel when wound thereabout.