Disclosed are reinforced structures. The structures are comprised of reinforced elements that have continuous fibers embedded in a matrix material. The reinforced elements are combined in a matrix material to form a desired shape of reinforced structure.

A sheet metal member forming method comprises placing a fiber bundle of a predetermined length, via a thermosetting resin, in a predetermined position on a surface of a sheet metal member, forming a coating film on at least a part of the sheet metal member after the placing of the fiber bundle, and while heating and drying the coating film, heat-curing the thermosetting resin to bond the fiber bundle to the sheet metal member.

A composite wheel assembly and method of fabricating the same is provided. The wheel assembly includes a composite wheel rim, a wheel center, and a plurality of attachment fasteners for attaching the wheel center to the wheel rim. The wheel rim includes a plurality of attachment inserts that are configured to selectively engage with respective attachment fasteners. Each attachment insert is encapsulated by a plurality of composite layers of the wheel rim or is otherwise secured to the wheel rim. The attachment inserts extend from and/or are positioned within a drop well region of the wheel rim. The method of fabricating the wheel assembly includes forming first and second preforms and positioning the same onto a mold assembly. The method further includes positioning the attachment inserts between the first and second preforms such that the attachment inserts are secured therebetween.

Provided is a method of manufacturing an adaptable pre-cast resin-infused carbon-fiber beam, which method includes the steps of arranging a plurality of elongate carbon-fiber blocks side by side; arranging sheets to enclose the blocks and to extend over opposing faces of adjacent blocks; arranging the sheets to converge as an outwardly projecting elongate bead at a junction between adjacent blocks; and pulling on the elongate bead to inhibit resin flow between blocks during a resin infusion step. Also provided is a pre-cast adaptable carbon-fiber beam manufactured using that method; a method of manufacturing a wind turbine rotor blade; and a wind turbine rotor blade.

A method of forming a sandwich structure including at least partially filling an open volume of an open cellular core with a sacrificial mold material, consolidating the sacrificial mold material to form a sacrificial mold, laying up a composite facesheet on each of at least two surfaces of the open cellular core, co-curing the composite facesheets by applying a consolidation temperature and a compaction pressure to the composite facesheets to form the sandwich structure, and removing the sacrificial mold. The compaction pressure is greater than a compressive strength of the open cellular core and less than a combined compressive strength of the open cellular core and the sacrificial mold.

Proposed are a carbon frame and a method of manufacturing the same capable of improving torsional stiffness. The method includes the steps of: (a) preparing at least two forms; (b) wrapping up the forms with vinyl sheets; (c) laminating carbon prepregs on the vinyl sheets; (d) combining the forms to put the combined forms in a mold; and (e) injecting heat and wind into the vinyl sheets.

A joint structure includes a first member having a fit-in groove, a second member made of a material different from a material of the first member and having an insertion section to be inserted into the fit-in groove, and a plurality of bonding layers having different hardness and formed between the fit-in groove and the insertion section.

An in-situ melt processing method for forming a fiber thermoplastic resin composite overwrapped workpiece, such as a composite overwrapped pressure vessel. Carbon fiber, or other types of fiber, are combined with a thermoplastic resin system. The selected fiber tow and the resin are prepared for impregnation of the tow by the resin. The resin is melted; and, carbon fiber is impregnated with the melted resin at the filament winding machine delivery head. The molten state of the composite is maintained and is applied, in the molten state, to the heated surface of a workpiece. The portion of the surface being wrapped is heated to the melting point of the thermoplastic resin so that the molten composite more efficiently adheres to the heated surface of the workpiece and so that the uppermost layer of fiber resin composite is molten when overwrapped resulting in better adherence of successive layers to one another.

A method for manufacturing a reinforced shell part for a wind turbine blade includes providing a shell having an inner surface, optionally arranging a plurality of fibre layers on the inner surface of the shell to form a base part of a reinforced section, providing a preform of a first inlay, arranging the preform of the first inlay on the inner surface of the shell and/or on the base part of the reinforced section, providing a preform of a second inlay, arranging the preform of the second inlay on the inner surface of the first shell part and/or on the base part of the reinforced section, and arranging at least one pultrusion layer on the preform of the first inlay, the preform of the second inlay, and the inner surface of the shell and/or the base part of the reinforced section.

A method for manufacturing a connection and/or transmission mechanical part disposed between two structures, which consists in carrying out the following successive operations: making a rigid framework, through operations of shaping at least one rod or the like, in order to replicate the volume shapes of the part and create, at determined locations, segments with shapes suited to optimise the strength and the rigidity of the part, incorporating into the framework at least one element suited to make an interface of the part with either one of the structures, moulding a plastic matrix around the framework.