A method for producing a prepreg, includes the steps of (1) an opening step of opening glass fiber bundles to form plural glass fiber filaments, and (2) a step of aligning the plural glass fiber filaments formed in the previous opening step, on a thermosetting resin composition-coated surface of a carrier material so as to make the filaments run nearly parallel to each other in one direction thereon to form a prepreg. A method for producing a laminate, includes a step of preparing two or more prepregs formed in the previous step (2), laminating them in such a manner that, in at least one pair of prepregs, the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in one prepreg differs from the running direction of the plural glass fiber filaments in the other prepreg, and heating and pressing them.

Disclosed herein are devices and methods for manufacturing uncured, near-net shape plies. Such devices include: a plurality of spools, each dispensing a dry tow; optionally, a plurality of spreaders to spread the dry tows; optionally, a means to combine the dry tows into a plurality of tapes or bundles; a plurality of feeders, each carrying a tow, tape or bundle, and adapted to maintain the tows, tapes or bundles in a parallel arrangement; a cutting apparatus adapted to independently cut each individual tow, tape or bundle to a pre-determined length; optionally, a conveyor adapted to transport the cut tows, tapes or bundles away from the cutting apparatus; an in-line resin infuser adapted to impregnate the dry tows, tapes or bundles with resin material; and a receiver for the cut tows, tapes or bundles, wherein the cut tows, tapes or bundles are impregnated and configured in the form of a near-net shape ply.

A reinforced composite is provided that includes at least one planar fiber reinforcement or fabric formed from a plurality of fibers. The fiber reinforcement or fabric has a first side and a second side. The reinforced composite further includes a chemical treatment coated on at least one of said first side and second side and a matrix material.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg includes a double belt mechanism that is configured to compress a fiber mat, web, or mesh that is passed through the double belt mechanism, a resin applicator that is configured to apply monomers or oligomers to the fiber mat, web, or mesh, and a curing oven that is configured to effect polymerization of the monomers or oligomers and thereby form the thermoplastic polymer as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is moved through the curing oven. The double belt mechanism compresses the fiber mat, web, or mesh and the applied monomers or oligomers as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is passed through the curing oven so that the monomers or oligomers fully saturate the fiber mat, web, or mesh. Upon polymerization of the monomers or oligomers, the fiber mat, web, or mesh is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer.

A method for manufacturing an impregnated fibrous material comprising at least one fibrous material made of continuous fibres and at least one thermoplastic polymer matrix comprises a step of pre-impregnating the fibrous material with a thermoplastic polymer matrix in powder form. This step is carried out dry in a tank comprising a fluidized bed, while keeping the level h of the powder and the mass m of the powder present in the tank substantially constant. The level h is from hi to hi−3%, during implementation of the pre-impregnation step, and hi is the initial level of the powder in the tank at the start of implementation of the pre-impregnation step, the mass m is from mi to mi±0.5% during implementation of the pre-impregnation step, and mi is the initial mass of the powder in the tank at the start of implementation of the pre-impregnation step.

The invention relates to an impregnated yarn, a ribbed thin-walled composite product comprising such an impregnated yarn, and a method of making them. Such an impregnated yarn (10d; 10e) comprises at least two continuous strands (10a; 10b) comprising plant fibers (11), said strands (10a; 10b) being impregnated with thermoplastic material (12a) in at least 60% of their volume, each of said strands (10a; 10b) being individually twisted and all of said strands (10a; 10b) also being twisted in a configuration (10d) held by the thermoplastic material (12a).

A resin-integrated fiber sheet 1 for vacuum forming for producing a fiber reinforced resin molded body through vacuum forming includes: unidirectional continuous fibers 2 that are spread fibers of a continuous fiber group and arrayed in parallel in one direction; bridging fibers 3 lying in directions crossing the unidirectional continuous fibers 2; and thermoplastic resin 4 present on part of the surface of the unidirectional continuous fibers 2 to unify the unidirectional continuous fibers 2 and the bridging fibers 3. A fiber reinforced resin molded body of the present invention is a vacuum formed body in which two or more of the resin-integrated fiber sheets 1 are stacked. A method for producing the molded body of the present invention includes subjecting the resin-integrated fiber sheets 1 to vacuum forming from a lower mold with a vacuum line and pressurizing the sheets with compressed air from an upper mold. Thus, the present invention provides a resin-integrated fiber sheet for vacuum forming having excellent shapeability and avoiding voids, a molded body including the same, and a method for producing the molded body including the same.

Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

An apparatus for applying a liquid matrix to a fiber tow includes a belt press arranged to receive the fiber tow and compress it between two moving belts and a matrix application roller arranged to receive liquid matrix and transfer it to the fiber. The apparatus also includes a second matrix application component arranged adjacent to the matrix application roller so as to form a first gap between the component and the matrix application roller. The matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to the belt press so as to form a second gap between the matrix application roller and a belt of the belt press; and wherein the second gap is larger than the first gap.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg product includes a belt or conveyor, a prepreg applicator that positions a thermoplastic prepreg atop the belt or conveyor, a foam applicator that applies a foam mixture atop the thermoplastic prepreg, a heating mechanism that heats the thermoplastic prepreg and the foam mixture to cause the foam mixture to react atop the thermoplastic prepreg, and a laminator that is configured to press the thermoplastic prepreg and foam mixture to control a thickness of the resulting thermoplastic prepreg product. The thermoplastic prepreg includes a fabric, mat, or web of fibers and a thermoplastic material that is impregnated within the fabric, mat, or web of fibers. The thermoplastic material is formed from in situ polymerization of monomers and oligomers. The foam mixture includes an isocyanate, a polyol blend, and a blowing agent.