A method for rapid manufacturing of three dimensional discontinuous fiber preforms is provided. The method includes the deposition of a polymeric material containing fibers on a surface to form a tailored charge for compression molding. The reinforced polymeric material may be a thermoplastic or a reactive polymer with viscosity low enough to allow flow through an orifice during deposition, yet high enough zero shear viscosity to retain the approximate shape of the deposited charge. The material can be deposited in a predetermined pattern to induce the desired mechanical properties through alignment of the fibers. This deposition can be performed in a single layer or in multiple layers. The alignment is achieved passively by shear alignment of the fibers or actively through fiber orientation control or mixing. The fibers can be of the desired material, length, and morphology, including short and long filaments.

An apparatus and method for the automated manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) composite-based objects is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a material feeder, a printer, a powder system, a transfer system, and optionally a fuser. The method comprises inserting a stack of substrate sheets into a material feeder, transferring a sheet of the stack from the material feeder to a printer, depositing fluid on the single sheet while the sheet rests on a printer platen, transferring the sheet from the printer to a powder system, depositing powder onto the single sheet such that the powder adheres to the areas of the sheet onto which the printer has deposited fluid, removing any powder that did not adhere to the sheet, optionally melting the powder on the substrate, and repeating the steps for as many additional sheets as required for making a specified 3D object.

An apparatus and method for the automated manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) composite-based objects is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a material feeder, a printer, a powder system, a transfer system, and optionally a fuser. The method comprises inserting a stack of substrate sheets into a material feeder, transferring a sheet of the stack from the material feeder to a printer, depositing fluid on the single sheet while the sheet rests on a printer platen, transferring the sheet from the printer to a powder system, depositing powder onto the single sheet such that the powder adheres to the areas of the sheet onto which the printer has deposited fluid, removing any powder that did not adhere to the sheet, optionally melting the powder on the substrate, and repeating the steps for as many additional sheets as required for making a specified 3D object.

A method for use in forming a composite structure that includes dispensing a first sheet of composite material, cutting the first sheet of composite material to form one of a plurality of plies of composite material, and providing the plurality of plies of composite material to a forming tool one at a time in a ply laydown sequence. A first sequential ply in the ply laydown sequence is provided, and then a second sequential ply in the ply laydown sequence is automatically provided after the first sequential ply has been provided.

Systems and methods for manufacturing a composite member. The system and methods are configured to move different types of composite plies from different supply stations. The composite plies are moved along a conveyance member and then with a transfer station to a forming tool. One or more forming members form the composite plies onto the forming tool.

A positioning member for positioning a semifinished product on at least one positioning means in a processing plant for processing the semifinished product. The positioning member may be connected to the semifinished product and may be equipped with at least one arranging element for contacting the positioning means. A semifinished fiber product includes at least one component area forming a component as well as at least one overlapping area for arranging a positioning member. A method for preparing a semifinished product that is arrangeable at least in a processing plant for processing a semifinished product.

Provided is a conveyor for conveying a tire component, in particular a tread for retreading, wherein the conveyor includes a support surface that extends in a direction of conveyance to support the tire component during conveyance in the direction of conveyance, wherein the support surface is provided with a surface structure that is arranged to contact seventy-five percent or less than seventy-five percent of the downwardly facing surface area of the tire component, wherein the support surface is arranged to be held stationary during conveyance of the tire component and wherein the conveyor is provided with one or more manipulators to manipulate the position of the tire component on the stationary support surface by sliding the tire component over the stationary support surface.

An apparatus and method for the automated manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) composite-based objects is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a material feeder, a printer, a powder system, a transfer system, and optionally a fuser. The method comprises inserting a stack of substrate sheets into a material feeder, transferring a sheet of the stack from the material feeder to a printer, depositing fluid on the single sheet while the sheet rests on a printer platen, transferring the sheet from the printer to a powder system, depositing powder onto the single sheet such that the powder adheres to the areas of the sheet onto which the printer has deposited fluid, removing any powder that did not adhere to the sheet, optionally melting the powder on the substrate, and repeating the steps for as many additional sheets as required for making a specified 3D object.

The invention relates to a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a product from a starting material. At least one material batch is collected onto a conveyor or into a conveyor from material portions, the mate-rial batch is heated to a desired temperature and/or a desired temperature is maintained in the material batch on the conveyor or in the conveyor, the conveyor is moved to transfer the material batch to a product manufacturing device in which the product is manufactured from the material batch by a shape-giving tool, and the mate-rial batch is measured or weighed, and the material portions are adjusted based on the measurement results. In addition, the invention relates to the use of the method.

The invention relates to a production system (1) for laying fiber tapes (2), said production system (1) comprising: a laying device (5) having at least two roll-out devices (9); an application device (6) having an application surface (32) for receiving the fiber tape (2), wherein the fiber tape (2) can be rolled out in strips onto the application surface (32); a manipulation device (7) for manipulating the fiber tape (2) applied to the application device (6), wherein the manipulation device (7) has a receiving surface (59) for receiving the fiber tape (2). The application surface (32) of the application device (6) is divided into at least two sub-regions (35) when seen over the width (34) of the application device (6), wherein each of the sub-regions (35) is assigned to a roll-out device (9) and wherein the at least two sub-regions (35) of the application surface (32) and the respective related roll-out device (9) of the laying device (5) can be moved relative to one another in the longitudinal extension (33) of the application surface (32) independently of the further roll-out device (9) and the further sub-region (35).