The invention relates to a method of manufacturing a body, the method comprising: forming a plurality of layers (301) of composite material comprising reinforcement fibre and polyaryletherketone, a first layer (301) of the plurality of layers (301) being shaped such that in a first region it is narrower along a first axis than a second layer (301); stacking the plurality of layers (301) within a mould cavity (905) of a mould tool (900) such that the first layer (301) defines a first side of the stack and the second layer (301) is within the stack; and compression moulding the stacked plurality of layers (301) within the mould cavity (905); wherein the mould cavity (905) is defined by at least one surface of the mould tool (900) shaped to align the slacked plurality of layers (301) in the first region such that a resulting compression moulded body is thinner in the first region than in a second region.

A method for manufacturing a part for a wind turbine blade, and in particular a part of a shear web for a wind turbine blade, is described. The method comprises pultruding the part, wherein an in-line shaping of the part is performed, to provide a part having a cross-sectional profile which varies in the longitudinal length of the part. Providing a shear web having a portion which varies in cross-sectional profile results in production of a wind turbine blade part which can be accurately controlled to have precise geometrical profile corresponding to a desired blade profile, with minimal waste of materials.

Methods for manufacturing a reinforced composite structure for an aircraft and devices used in such methods are provided. A device includes a base, a first support member fixedly attached to the base, and a second support member fixedly attached to the base and aligned longitudinally with the first support member. The first support member and the second support member are spaced a first distance apart. Two pinching wheels are spaced a second distance apart. The two pinching wheels are positioned proximate to ends of the first support member and the second support member. The second distance is less than the first distance. The two pinching wheels are configured to receive a composite material layout between them and to cause two lengths of the composite material layout to contact each other.

A method produces a fiber-composite hollow component from a fiber-composite material which contains at least one fibrous material and one matrix material. The fiber-composite hollow component is formed from at least two fiber-composite half-shells which in a joining edge region of the fiber-composite half-shells are joined to one another such that a cavity is configured between the joined-together fiber-composite half-shells.

Methods of punch forming a composite charge are presented. A forming tool is placed in contact with a composite charge. A plurality of actuators connected to the forming tool is simultaneously activated to drive the forming tool towards the composite charge. The plurality of actuators is driven at a plurality of rates to generate a variable cross-section in the composite charge. The plurality of actuators is simultaneously stopped.

Curved stiffener for a turbomachine cowl composed of a resin-impregnated fibrous reinforcement, including a stack of a plurality of layers of fibers stacked along the thickness direction and extending on the entire width of the fibrous reinforcement, each layer of fibers having a plurality of fibers parallel to each other extending along a direction inclined relative to the length direction, the fibers of two consecutive layers of fibers along the thickness direction have directions inclined relative to each other, and the layers of fibers are sewn together by sewing threads extending along the length direction, the fibrous reinforcement includes a layer of reinforcing fibers having a plurality of fibers parallel to each other extending along the length direction, the layer of reinforcing fibers extending at least on the central part, over a width smaller than the width of the fibrous reinforcement.

A web (12) is produced by hand layup, resin transfer moulding or vacuum infusion. The web (12) comprises a waved profile (17) defining a plurality of crest and valleys, the stitching yarns (32) thereof may optionally be aligned with the direction of the crests. The web (12) comprises one or more integrated projecting flanges (26) defining a bonding surface for connection with the spar caps (11) of the wind turbine blade (5). This web saves weight and reduces costs. There is also a wind turbine blade (5) and a manufacturing method.

A method for molding a composite material includes arranging a laminate of fiber sheets on a molding die with a part of the laminate facing a recess of the molding die; covering the laminate with a covering member to hermetically seal a space between the covering member and the molding die; sucking atmosphere in the space between the covering member and the molding die to draw in the part of the laminate into the recess and to shape the laminate; and molding the composite material including the product portion and the excess portion by curing the laminate after shaping.

The invention pertains to a method for integrating a fitting fitted between two wings of a composite profile comprising the steps of: obtaining a preform of a fitting impregnated with a thermosetting resin, comprising two flanges and a rib; pre-curing the laminate preform of the fitting to obtain a partial polymerization of the preform; laying up a laminate preform of the profile so that fibers impregnated with a thermosetting resin included in two of the wings of the laminate preform of the profile are laid up over the two flanges of the preform of the partially polymerized fitting; and completely polymerizing an assembly comprising the laminate preform of the profile and the laminate preform of the partially polymerized fitting while maintaining into contact the flanges of the laminate preform of the fitting with the wings of the laminate preform of the profile.

An exemplary inventive molding device includes two mold components characterized by matching rounded-star shapes. Each mold component includes eight congruent rounded-tip projections and eight congruent apertured sections separated from each other by the projections and describing a ring shape. The projections correspond to the equiangular points of a star. Each section has a medial hole and is interposed between and connects two projections. The mold components are joined so that their respective projections and holes are even with each other and fasteners are installed through the holes. Appropriate introduction and curing of a castable material inside the joined mold components produces a flexible device suitable for use as part of a biomimicking soft robot.