A thermoplastic filament comprising multiple polymers of differing flow temperatures in a geometric arrangement is described. A method for producing such a filament is also described. Because of the difference in flow temperatures, there exists a temperature range at which one polymer is mechanically stable while the other is flowable. This property is extremely useful for creating thermoplastic monofilament feedstock for three-dimensionally printed parts, wherein the mechanically stable polymer enables geometric stability while the flowable polymer can fill gaps and provide strong bonding and homogenization between deposited material lines and layers. These multimaterial filaments can be produced via thermal drawing from a thermoplastic preform, which itself can be three-dimensionally printed. Furthermore, the preform can be printed with precisely controlled and complex geometries, enabling the creation of a filament or fiber with a wide range of applications. A method is also described for including an interior thread that adds structural reinforcement or functional properties, such as electrical conductivity or optical waveguiding, to the filament.

A wind turbine blade including an elongate reinforcing structure, the reinforcing structure comprising a plurality of strips of fibre-reinforced polymer arranged into a stack structure, and at least one adjacent pair of the plurality of strips including an infusion promoting layer, wherein the infusion promoting layer is a fabric comprising a plurality of twisted yarns. The invention is also expressed as a method of assembling a wind turbine blade.

A serving tray comprised of at least one synthetic material and an insert which provides a non-slip top surface of the serving tray. The textured relief is preferably made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) which allows a glass or other item to be placed on the serving tray without the item sliding or slipping while the tray is in motion. The tray may be fabricated through a compression or an injection molding technique. As the tray is being fabricated, the TPU is mechanically bonded with the top surface of the tray while a textured relief is simultaneously defined into the top surface. The textured relief includes a plurality of protrusions and a corresponding plurality of indentations which provide adequate frictional force to the item being placed on the tray so as to substantially prevent its lateral movement.

A serving tray comprised of at least one synthetic material and an insert which provides a non-slip top surface of the serving tray. The textured relief is preferably made of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) which allows a glass or other item to be placed on the serving tray without the item sliding or slipping while the tray is in motion. As the tray is being fabricated, the TPU is mechanically bonded with the top surface of the tray while a textured relief is simultaneously defined into the top surface. The textured relief provides adequate frictional force to an item being placed on the tray so as to substantially prevent its lateral movement. The tray also includes an inner support structure disposed on its inner surface. The inner support structure provides an upward facing edge which allows a plurality of trays to be easily and efficiently stacked or nested on one another.

A method and apparatus is presented. A layer of composite material is laid up on a forming tool. A bend is formed in the layer on the forming tool to form a bent layer. A laminate stack and the bent layer are assembled to form the composite filler.

In a 3D composite printer, toolpaths defining fill material shells are received, as are toolpaths defining support material shells. A 3D toolpath defining a long fiber composite material curved shell is also received. A fill material deposition head traces the toolpaths to deposit some of the fill material shells or support material shells at least in part non-parallel to a printing substrate. A long fiber deposition head traces the 3D toolpath at least in part non-parallel to the printing substrate to deposit the long fiber composite material curved, concave, ring, tube, or winding shells to enclose, surround, or envelop at least a portion of the fill or support material shells.

A shear web mould system for manufacturing a wind turbine component in form of an I-shaped shear web having a web body and a first web foot flange at a first end of the web body and a second web foot flange at a second end of the web body is described. The system comprises a central moulding portion for forming at least a part of the web body, a first moulding plate for forming at least a part of the first web foot flange, and a second moulding plate for forming at least a part of the second web foot flange. The angles of the first moulding plate and the second moulding plate relative to the central moulding portion are adjustable.

The present invention relates to a wind turbine blade mould comprising a first mould part and a second mould part, where said first mould surface is configured for moulding a pressure side shell of a wind turbine blade, where said second mould surface is configured for moulding a suction side shell of a wind turbine blade, and where the wind turbine blade mould and thus also a wind turbine blade moulded in said mould comprise a first end, a second end, a pressure side shell, a suction side shell, and further comprise a leading edge area and a trailing edge area. The present invention also relates to a wind turbine blade and a manufacturing method for producing a wind turbine blade using a wind turbine mould as mentioned above.

A method of manufacturing a moulded article from first and second moulding compounds includes attaching a first moulding component to a carrier tool, placing the carrier tool and the attached first moulding component in a mould, applying a first moulding process, removing the carrier tool, placing a second moulding component in the mould, and applying a second moulding process to shape the first and second moulding components and bond the first moulding component to the second moulding component. A moulded article is also disclosed.

A disposable mold core for producing a fiber-reinforced component includes a support core having a granulate and a binder. The support core has a hard shell formed of the binder and the granulate, and an inner core which is binder-free and formed of the granulate. A related method of producing a fiber-reinforced component is disclosed.