The present invention applies to a molding method for a fiber-reinforced plastic structure having an internal cavity. Firstly, grain groups, which mainly consist of a plurality of high-rigidity grains, are accommodated in bags, and a plurality of cores are formed. A reinforcing fiber substrate, is placed between the plurality of adjacent cores so as to be interposed therebetween. For example, a plurality of molding base materials are prepared by surrounding each core with a prepreg, and the plurality of molding base materials are combined and placed inside a molding die, and the molding base materials are compression molded. When compression molding, a part of the outer surface of the cores is locally pressurized, and the internal pressure of the cores is increased, changing the shape thereof, thus eliminating voids that are present between the cores and the prepreg and/or the prepreg and the molding surface of the die.

A method for determining pane thicknesses and a wedge angle of a coated windshield for a projection arrangement of a head-up display. A wedge angle and a combination of glass thicknesses are determined by means of which the glass ghost image and the layer ghost image are optimally reduced. The method proceeds from a starting thickness of the two glass panes of the windshield for which that wedge angle is determined, in an iterative process, that represents an optimal compromise between the minimization of the glass ghost image and the minimization of the layer ghost image. Then, the glass thicknesses are determined varied within a specified range for each combination of the optimal wedge angles. Thus, it is possible, iteratively, to identify that combination of glass thicknesses that results in the least occurrence of ghost images, in addition to the associated optimal wedge angle.

Tooling for use in forming a variable taper component is provided. The tooling includes an inner mandrel and an outer mandrel disposed around the inner mandrel. The inner mandrel includes a master insert defining opposed tapered edge faces, an external surface having a variable taper and a plurality of recesses configured to receive at least a portion of the variable taper component, and a tapered internal surface. The inner mandrel also includes a plurality of interlocking pieces arranged concentrically around the master insert, and a tapered inner sleeve disposed against the tapered internal surfaces of the plurality of interlocking pieces and the master insert. The outer mandrel defines a corresponding plurality of recesses configured to receive at least a portion of the variable taper component, wherein a maximum width of the interlocking pieces and the master insert is smaller than a minimum width of ends of the variable taper component.

A wrinkle removal plate can maintain manufacturing accuracy while significantly reducing costs. A wrinkle removal plate for use in a press machine that molds a workpiece into a drawn product having a desired shape by press molding that uses a pair of molds comprising a first mold provided with a cavity and a second mold provided with a core, wherein the wrinkle removal plate is positioned at corner parts, which are to be drawn, of the opposing surfaces of the cavity and core, and is formed from a plurality of wrinkle removal parts that each have arms extending in two directions along the outer periphery of the corner parts.

A method of manufacturing a medical component includes preparing a first sheet of an elastomeric material, arranging at least one electronic device in the first sheet of elastomeric material to obtain an elastomeric preform, and arranging the elastomeric preform in a mold and molding the elastomeric preform therein to cure the elastomeric material and form the medical component having the at least one electronic device embedded therein.

This disclosure is directed to a thermoplastic composite material forming method and tooling used to perform the method. More specifically, this disclosure is directed to a method of fabricating large, complex thermoplastic composite part shapes with a consolidation tool having a conformable tooling bladder that heat thermoplastic material in the tool and provide thermoplastic material consolidation pressure in directions in the tool to form a part shape of thermoplastic composite material. A novel tooling concept is used to fabricate large, complex thermoplastic composite part shapes which are not easily producible using traditional methods. The tooling concept employs a consolidation tool that provides a method to apply thermoplastic material consolidation pressure by a conformable tooling bladder that provides thermoplastic material consolidation pressure in directions in the tool that are not achievable by conventional clamshell type molds where the mold parts move in substantially vertical tool opening and tool closing directions.

Some embodiments of a compression mold for forming a rib-and-sheet part includes a mold cavity and a mold insert. A sheet is placed in the mold cavity, and the mold insert is placed on the sheet. A preform assemblage is placed in a gap that is formed between the mold insert and the wall of the mold cavity. A mold core is biased above the preform assemblage, prior to molding operations, via a compression spring.

A component for a vehicle interior is disclosed. The component may comprise a structural substrate comprising a fiber panel and a structure comprising a resin. The fiber panel may comprise a thickness along a periphery; the structure may comprise a border of the structural substrate along the thickness of the periphery of the fiber panel. The periphery of the fiber panel may comprise an edge; the structure may be formed on the edge. The fiber panel may comprise a compression-formed fiber panel. The fiber panel may comprise a plurality of fibers and a resin configured to bind the fibers. The structure may comprise a feature providing an ancillary component; the feature may comprise a molded resin. The structure may be formed in a hole in the fiber panel. The component may comprise at least one of a center console; floor console; door panel; instrument panel; headliner; overhead console; sun visor.

A sound-absorbing panel comprising a padding layer comprising heat-bonded synthetic fibers is described. The sound-absorbing panel has a first outer face and a second outer face which are spaced from each other so as to form a panel thickness between them. The sound-absorbing panel also comprises a channel within the panel thickness. The padding material between at least one of the outer faces of the panel and the channel has a density greater than the density of the padding material far from the channel so that the panel is more rigid in the region of said channel.

Systems and methods are provided for securing laminates to mandrels. One embodiment is a method for facilitating layup of preforms, the method including selecting a mandrel that includes at least one receptacle, disposing a first vacuum bag atop the mandrel that covers the receptacle, selecting a Ply Location Template (PLT) that includes a securement element, aligning a portion of the securement element with the receptacle, pressing the portion of the securement element downward into the first vacuum bag and driving the portion of the securement element into the receptacle, and abutting a preform against the PLT.