A method of producing a reinforcing fiber preform includes: holding at least one substrate laminate by a shaping mold composed of at least two molds that face each other, wherein the at least one substrate laminate is selected from a substrate laminate produced by laminating multiple reinforcing fiber substrates each having a fixing material applied to at least one surface thereof and a substrate laminate produced by laminating multiple reinforcing fiber substrates with the fixing material interposed therebetween; and subsequently applying an electric current to the substrate laminate in a direction of lamination to heat the reinforcing fiber substrates and thereby apply heat to the fixing material to fix substrate layers in the substrate laminate to each other; wherein a means of making electric resistance in a fixing area is relatively lower compared to that in a non-fixing area in the substrate laminate.

Herein are disclosed apparatus and methods for impinging heated fluids onto the surfaces of substrates to heat the surfaces of the substrates so as to facilitate melt-bonding the substrates to each other to form a laminate. Also are disclosed are laminates in which a fibrous web is bonded to a substrate in a surface-bonded manner and/or is bonded in a loft-retaining manner. The substrate may comprise protrusions on the surface of the substrate opposite the surface that is bonded to the fibrous web.

Examples are disclosed that relate to lightweight and thin composite panels. One example provides a composite panel comprising a mesh core, a first outer skin layer couple to a first side of the mesh core, and a second face layer coupled to a second side of the mesh core.

A composite fabric includes a nonwoven fabric layer having non-bonded areas and a structured film layer discontinuously bonded to the nonwoven fabric layer. The discontinuously bonded nonwoven fabric layer and the structured film layer share an overlapping area with at least one set of coincident bond sites. The discontinuously bonded nonwoven fabric does not have another bonding pattern in the overlapping area distinct from the at least one set of coincident bond sites. A method of forming a composite fabric is also described. The method includes forming a fiber layer including a mat of at least partially unconsolidated fibers, positioning a structured film layer and the fiber layer such that they overlap, and discontinuously bonding the mat into a discontinuously bonded nonwoven fabric while simultaneously bonding the structured film layer to the nonwoven fabric layer. An apparatus for forming a composite fabric is also described.

A method for manufacturing a sandwich panel as a semi-finished product where at least one layer of a non-metallic material is positioned between at least two metallic layers. At least one of the metal layers is shaped into a three dimensional layer and the metal layers are material closured to each other by a tack weld on the metallic contacts between the metallic layers to enable resistance weldability of the semi-finished product in order to connect the semi-finished product to a desired combination of solutions.

A thermoformable sheet includes an exterior film, a printed pigment layer, an adhesive layer, an inner layer, and an interior sealing layer. The exterior film includes between 50% and 100% polyolefin-based polymers, by weight. The inner layer includes between 60% and 100% of polypropylene polymer, by weight. The inner layer further includes a thickness between 100 microns and 350 microns. The printed pigment layer and the adhesive layer are located between the exterior film and the inner layer.

A treated liquid crystal polymer resin sheet includes a main surface, a non-fiberized portion in which fibrous crystalline portions and a non-crystalline portion filling a gap between the crystalline portions are provided, and a fiberized portion in which the fibrous crystalline portions is exposed at the main surface with a gap between the crystalline portions that is unfilled.

There is provided a laminating system (30) comprising a laminating module (200) and a transportation module (100) wherein the transportation module (100) is arranged to automatically drive the laminating module (200) over a surface (10) to be laminated. Here the surface (10) to be laminated is large and maintained substantially stationary. The transportation module (100) includes a retaining means and a drive means. The retaining means resists movement of the laminating module (200) relative to the surface (10) except when the laminating module is driven by the drive means. The laminating module (200) includes an unwind unit (210) adapted to receive a roll of laminate (20). The laminate (20) comprises an adhesive film and first release layer. The unwind unit (210) is adapted to allow the laminate to be unwound from the roll. A first release layer discard unit is provided. The first release layer discard unit is adapted to remove the first release layer from the laminate. The laminating module (200) includes a first pressing unit (240). The first pressing unit (240) is adapted to press the film onto the surface (10). Here, the retaining means is adapted to resist a pressing force applied by the first pressing unit (240) and acting to move the laminating module (200) away from the surface. As the transportation module (100) automatically drives the laminating module (200) over the surface, the pressing unit (240) presses the film to the surface.

Disclosed is disassembly device for disassembling component such as touch display screen, the component comprising a first substrate and substrates which are arranged oppositely and between which adhesive is provided. The device comprises oppositely arranged two fixture mechanisms which fix the first substrate and the second substrate, respectively, and which can relatively move close to or away from each other. The device further comprises an adhesive processing mechanism, such that an adhesive force between the adhesive after processing and the first (and/or second) substrate is less than the adhesive force between the adhesive before processing and the first (and/or second) substrate. With the disassembly device according to the embodiments of the disclosure, the mutually attached first substrate and second substrate can be efficiently disassembled without damaging the first substrate and the second substrate.

An acoustic blanket absorbs acoustic energy and reduces noise in a launch vehicle. The acoustic blanket may be overlaid on a wall of a payload fairing of the launch vehicle. Materials and construction of the acoustic blanket allow for a relatively thin and light sound barrier. The acoustic blanket may comprise vertically-lapped polyester that is overlaid with a lightweight melamine foam. This combination of materials creates an acoustic impedance mismatch between layers that leads to absorption of acoustic energy across a relatively broad range of frequency bands. The acoustic blanket has a particular heat seal pattern that helps absorb noise while allowing the acoustic blanket to be relatively soft and flexible, which is useful for attaching the acoustic blanket to a curved wall of a fairing or other launch vehicle shapes. The acoustic blanket utilizes micro-perforations on multiple sides to allow for movement of air/venting while maintaining the bulk materials inside.