An apparatus for molding a part includes a plunger cavity, a plunger, and a mold cavity, wherein the plunger is oriented out-of-plane with respect to a major surface of the mold cavity, and first and second vents couples to respective first and second portions of the mold cavity. In a method, resin and fiber are forced into the mold cavity from a plunger cavity, and at least some of the fibers and resin are preferentially flowed to certain region in the mold cavity via the use of vents.

Chopped fiber composite systems and methods are disclosed. Sorting systems include a conveyor, an imager, a plurality of receptacles, a pneumatic device, and controller. Molding systems include a conveyor, an imager, a mold, a pneumatic device, and a controller. The controller directs the pneumatic device to alter the freefall of chopped fiber composite pieces based on characteristics of the chopped fiber composite pieces as they drop from the conveyor and into a receptacle or a mold. Sorting and molding methods include dropping chopped fiber composite pieces, detecting characteristics of the dropping pieces, and directing the pieces based on the detected characteristics.

Illustrated and described are a method and a device for laminating a profiled fibre moulding with a thermoplastic film. The film is laminated onto a surface of the fibre moulding to be coated by heat and differential pressure. To improve the lamination of the fibre moulding and to achieve uniform lamination thicknesses over the entire fibre moulding, the method includes the following steps: fixing at least an edge of the fed film to a base plate, heating the film, deforming the film via a moulding tool, feeding the fibre moulding, joining the fibre moulding to the pre-formed film, and removing the laminated fibre moulding.

The invention is directed to a vehicle pneumatic tire wherein strengthening plies are provided with steel cords running parallel to one another. The belt plies can be used, as isolated electrically conductive plates, for supplying electricity to electrical consumers such as sensors and actuators installed in the tire. Adjacent belt plies can be connected by puncture sensors to be able to identify damage to the belt caused by metallic parts penetrating from the outside, such as nails, on the basis of a change in the electrical resistance.

Thermoformed molded articles are made containing and from fabrics containing spandex and cellulose ester fibers. In the process for making the molded article, a fabric is layed up in a mold a thermoformed at a temperature not exceeding 195° C., and for a residence time sufficient to obtain a molded article that retains its shape upon release from the mold, said fabric comprising cellulose ester fibers. The three-dimensional molded articles can now be made containing sustainably derived fibers, e.g. cellulose ester fibers, that have good shape retention, comfort, and hand. Examples of such molded articles include support garments, such a brassiers.

Polymeric composite stents reinforced with fibers for implantation into a bodily lumen are disclosed.

Disclosed are a polyamide resin composition comprising a fiber reinforced polyamide pellet, a molded article comprising the polyamide resin composition and a method of manufacturing the molded article. The polyamide resin composition includes the fiber reinforced polyamide pellet, which can be produced by pultrusion, such that moldability and mechanical properties of molded articles may be sufficient using the recycled polyamide 66 resin. In addition, although the polyamide resin composition contains a less amount of inorganic substance, mechanical properties of the molded article are sufficient, weight of molded articles can be reduced and production costs can be reduced.

A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier (10) that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material (12) having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite Insert (14) or overlay (980) having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous Insert (14) or overlay (980) 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 (14) or overlay (980) and the mass of polymeric material (12) are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier (10) may be a mass of activatable material (126). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (980) may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

A method of manufacturing a biodegradable dry cleaning bag is disclosed, the method including loading an environmentally friendly slurry into a hopper, extruding the environmentally friendly slurry, passing the environmentally friendly slurry through a die, inflating the environmentally friendly slurry into a cylindrical shape, thereby creating a cylindrical member, passing the cylindrical member over a first roller, and rolling the cylindrical member onto a roll.

Methods and apparatus for manufacturing a microwavable food container include: forming a wire mesh over a mold comprising a mirror image of the microwavable food container; immersing the wire mesh in a fiber-based slurry bath; drawing a vacuum across the wire mesh to cause fiber particles to accumulate at the wire mesh surface; and removing the wire mesh including the accumulated fiber particles from the slurry bath; wherein the slurry comprises a moisture barrier, an oil barrier, and a vapor barrier.