A method for producing a high-pressure tank capable of winding a reinforcing fiber bundle around a liner without deteriorating tank performance. The method for producing a high-pressure tank by winding a resin-impregnated strip-shaped reinforcing fiber bundle around a rotating liner so as to form a fiber-reinforced resin layer on the outer surface of the liner includes while winding the strip-shaped reinforcing fiber bundle around the liner, concurrently winding another bundle of fibers narrower than the strip-shaped reinforcing fiber bundle around the liner so as to cross the strip-shaped reinforcing fiber bundle.

A method of three-dimensionally shaping articles, such as articles that are difficult to transport, includes the following successive steps: placing at least one flexible cord (1) on a former (10), the cord (1) incorporating a heating electrical resistance surrounded by at least a first set of yarns of thermoplastic polymer material; connecting the flexible cord (1) to an electrical power supply for a given duration to cause the thermoplastic polymer of at least the first set of yarns surrounding the heating resistance to soften, the cord then taking on the shape imposed by the former (10); cooling the cord; and optionally removing the former (10) in order to obtain the three-dimensional object.

A method of manufacturing a reinforced pipe (7) comprising: wrapping a pipe (1) in reinforcing tape (2) to form a wrapped pipe having an outer circumference consisting of a first circumferential portion (4) and a second circumferential portion (6); and passing the first circumferential portion (4) over one or more heating elements (3) to fuse the reinforcing tape (2) of said first circumferential portion (4); wherein: the first circumferential portion (4) is between 1% and 50% of the outer circumference; and the second circumferential portion (6) is not passed over a heating element (3) and is not fused. The method is advantageous in that it can provide reinforced pipes (7) in a simpler and cheaper way because it is not essential that the entirety of the outer circumference of the reinforced pipe (7) is fused. A reinforced pipe (7) produced according to the method of the present invention is also provided.

An apparatus and method for consolidating a pipe that has been wrapped with reinforcing tape, is provided. The apparatus comprises two or more pipe consolidation devices, each having a first end, a second end, and comprising: first and second support members arranged at the first end and having a gap therebetween; and an optional third support member at the second end. Each device further comprises a peripheral band that extends around the first, second, and optionally the third support members and is substantially unsupported in the gap between the first and second support members. The apparatus additionally comprises a mounting plate having a central aperture, and two or more of the devices mounted on the mounting plate such that the first end of each device is arranged bearing against a pipe extending through the central aperture. A method of manufacturing reinforced pipe is also provided.

There is provided a high-pressure tank manufacturing method that ensures a shorten heating period compared with a conventional one and eliminates a need for taking out a material for heating after heating. A high-pressure tank manufacturing method includes: disposing a conductive heating material on an outer periphery of a resin liner; winding a conductive fiber with which thermosetting resin is impregnated around the outer periphery of the resin liner on which the heating material is disposed; and heating the heating material and the fiber on the outer periphery of the resin liner by induction heating to harden the thermosetting resin.

A method of making a composite pipe has the steps of (a) providing one or more sources of composite tape, the composite tape being formed of reinforcing fibres embedded in a thermoplastic matrix; (b) helically winding the composite tape(s) around a cylinder under the application of heat to form a pipe comprising fused, concentric layers of adjacently positioned, helically-wound composite tape; (c) scanning a region where edges of wound composite tape are expected to be, to generate scanning information; (d) controlling the gap between further adjacent windings by (1) using the scanning information to determine wound composite tape edge position(s), and (2) using the determined wound composite tape edge position(s) to adjust the winding process during winding; (e) repeating steps (c) and (d). The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus for making a composite pipe.

A method of manufacturing a coupler for an air suspension includes: preparing a topping cord sheet and a rubber band; connecting the topping cord sheet and the rubber band to each other by attaching the rubber band to an outer circumferential surface of the topping cord sheet; and vulcanizing an intermediately formed body made by the connecting of the topping cord sheet and the rubber band to each other.

A method of manufacturing a coupler for an air suspension includes: preparing a topping cord sheet and a rubber band; connecting the topping cord sheet and the rubber band to each other by attaching the rubber band to an outer circumferential surface of the topping cord sheet; and vulcanizing an intermediately formed body made by the connecting of the topping cord sheet and the rubber band to each other.

The invention relates to a method and a device for manufacturing a pipe shell from an insulating material by means of which the cycle times can be further reduced while the quality of the pipe shell is simultaneously improved, by at least one web (29) of the insulating material which is provided with a binding agent being wound around a core (19) by means of at least two opposing belts (12, 13) which wrap around the core (19) partially. The method steps are characterized in that the at least one wound-up web (32) of insulating material is removed in a radial direction of the core (19) which is, however, not opposite to the direction in which the at least one web (29) of insulating material was fed by the one belt (12), especially by the wound-up web (32) being discharged through the same belt (12).

A method for manufacturing a composite pressurized-fluid vessel including winding a first polyolefin resin-based tape thereby forming a first layer of the vessel, depositing an intermediate second layer on the first layer, consisting of a material having variable permeability properties depending on the temperature and permeability below a pre-determined temperature threshold and non-permeability above the temperature threshold, winding a second resin-based tape on the intermediate second layer thereby forming a third layer, and cooling the intermediate second layer to a temperature below the temperature threshold while the first and third layers are each kept at a temperature above the melting temperature of their resin. Wherein the tape forming the third layer is based on a different resin from the first layer and during the step of depositing the intermediate second layer.