A method for manufacturing a composite structure in which a first member and a structure material as a second member are integrated, the method including: an arrangement step of arranging a structure precursor including a resin and reinforced fibers in a mold made of the first member; a heating step of heating the structure precursor to equal to or higher than a temperature at which a storage elastic modulus (G′) of the structure precursor is less than 1.2×10.sup.8 Pa; a shaping step of expanding the structure precursor by heating to form a structure material as a second member, and bringing the structure material into close contact with the first member to obtain a composite structure; and a cooling step of cooling the composite structure.

A process and assembly for producing a structural article, as well as an article produced according to any process and assembly. A mold has a base and a hinged lid, either or both of which include a cavity interior which defines a negative of the structural article to be produced. A structural insert placed within the mold, prior or subsequent to a plasticized and structural forming foam material also being placed within the mold. The foam cures and sets in encapsulating fashion around the insert so that, upon removal, the insert is coated within the formed material.

A method and apparatus includes a substrate, a foam that is applied to the substrate to form a least a portion of an interior trim part, at least one holder fixed to the substrate, and at least one reinforcement member supported by the at least one holder such that, when the foam is applied, the at least one reinforcement member is suspended within the foam.

A door panel manufacturing process is provided by constructing a high load conveyor line capable of controlling speed and duration, subsequently placing a finished door panel mold on the high load conveyor line. The conveyor line can be used to control a shifting speed and duration, and a de-molding agent can be sprayed inside the door panel mold, followed by spraying a high-density foam resin to form a shell. The door panel mold further has a framework or a reinforcement member mounted therein, and a low-density foam resin is injected; after the foam resin is formed and cooled, the door panel made of foam resin is completed. The process solve issues of high defective rate and insufficient surface strength associated with the conventional foam door panel, and is capable of significantly reducing the electricity required as well as reducing logging of woods, thereby realizing environmental protection.

A method for making structural foam parts having continuous aligned fibers includes placing an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms in an injection mold, creating a melt flow of resin and, optionally, short, loose fiber, and adding foaming agent to the melt flow. When the foaming agent/melt flow mixture is introduced into the injection mold, the foaming agent foams. The assemblage is structured and positioned so that fibers therefrom adopt a desired alignment and position in the final part. Structural foam fills the remainder of the volume of the part.

A method of manufacturing building panels includes assembling a frame of a building panel. The frame defines at least one cavity and at least one injection aperture in fluid communication with the at least one cavity. The method also includes positioning the frame on one of a base and a shelf of a multi-panel consolidation device having a plurality of shelves, with the shelves being in an expanded configuration, and at least substantially enclosing the at least one cavity. The method also includes forcing the shelves of the multi-panel consolidation device into a collapsed configuration, and injecting an expandable polymer through the at least one injection aperture into the at least one cavity. The method further includes forcing the shelves into an expanded configuration after a predetermined period of time selected to permit the expandable polymer to form a foam bonded to the frame.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a frame member for a window or a door, the method comprising the steps of providing a sheet of metal, rollforming the sheet of metal into a frame shell having a predetermined profile, introducing a foaming material into the frame shell, and arranging the frame shell in a calibration tube until the foam material has set. The sheet of metal has a thickness of 0.25 mm or less.

The present invention further relates to a frame member, a frame structure and use of such frame member.

A method and apparatus includes a substrate, a foam that is applied to the substrate to form a least a portion of an interior trim part, at least one holder fixed to the substrate, and at least one reinforcement member supported by the at least one holder such that, when the foam is applied, the at least one reinforcement member is suspended within the foam.

A method for producing a vehicle seat member in which a frame member having protrusions is integrally molded to a foamed resin molded body is provided. The method comprises an in-mold foam molding step of placing the frame member in a mold, packing prefoamed resin particles, and molding the foamed resin molded body by in-mold foam molding; and a demolding step of removing the mold to obtain the vehicle seat member, wherein in the in-mold foam molding step, the foamed resin molded body is molded so that (BA)/B is 13/1000 or less, wherein A is an outer dimension of the foamed resin molded body in the vehicle seat member obtained by the demolding step and B is an inner dimension of the mold corresponding to the outer dimension of the foamed resin molded body.

A method of forming a composite structure including coupling a plurality of components together forming a joint: wherein the plurality of components are oriented to form a radius gap therebetween: forming a filler structure that includes a closed cell foam core that has a porosity within a range defined between about 20 percent and about 40 percent by volume of the closed cell foam core and wherein the closed cell foam core is formed from a silicone-based material. The method also includes positioning the filler structure in the radius gap: and applying at least one of heat or pressure to the plurality of components and the filler structure.