The disclosure relates to photovoltaic modules comprising one or more photovoltaic cells embedded in a fiber-reinforced composite thermosetting material, wherein at a front side of the photovoltaic cells, the fiber-reinforced composite material comprises a substantially transparent resin, and substantially transparent fibers, and wherein the refractive indices of the resin and the glass fibers are substantially the same. In particular, the fibers can be glass fibers treated with aminosilane coupling agents and the resin can be an epoxy resin. Further disclosed are methods of manufacture of photovoltaic modules comprising one or more crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells comprising: providing a mold, one or more photovoltaic cells in the mold, and reinforcement fibers in the mold and positioning a bag surrounding the mold cavity. Then a vacuum is created in the bag substantially gradually, and the resin is infused with the mold due to the created vacuum.

A method for manufacturing a composite-material casing for a gas turbine, includes producing by three-dimensional weaving a fiber texture in the form of a strip, winding of the fiber texture around several superimposed turns on a mandrel with a profile corresponding to that of the casing to be manufactured in order to obtain a fiber preform of a shape corresponding to that of the casing to be manufactured, and densifying the fiber preform by a matrix. During the winding of the last turn of the fiber texture on the mandrel, at least one stiffening element is interposed between the before-last turn and the last turn of the fiber texture. The stiffening element projects over the outer surface of the before-last turn of the fiber texture. The stiffening element has an axial section of omega-type shape.

The present disclosed subject matter relates to a method for producing a composite component, in particular for a gliding board, roller board or skateboard. The method comprises introducing a bottom mat made of reinforcing fibers, above this a flat core made of plastic, and above this a top mat made of reinforcing fibers into an opened mold, closing the mold, introducing an uncured plastics matrix into the closed mold, allowing the plastics matrix to cure in the closed mold, opening the mold, and demolding the composite component. The core is provided on its lower and upper sides with a plurality of spacer nubs, which keep the bottom and top mats in the closed mold at a distance from the lower and upper sides.

This invention relates in general to an improved foam blank for a surfcraft and in particular, to an improved reinforced foam blank and a method of manufacturing the same. The foam blank has a top blank face, an opposed bottom blank face, a pair of shaped rails extending between the opposed top and bottom blank faces at blank face edges, an enclosed core space and a midline axis extending between a nose region and a tail region and which divides the foam blank into two substantially equal regions. At least one longitudinally extending slotted aperture is formed in any one or more of the top, the bottom or the rails, such that the slotted aperture extends into the enclosed core space. At least one flexible spine is bonded to be fixed within the at least one longitudinally extending slotted aperture.

A method of manufacturing a polymer composite having an embedded functionality includes the following steps: providing a dry non-conductive fiber fabric having a nominal weight from 25-600 g/m.sup.2; selecting a paste having viscosity below 600 Pa-s, the paste being a conductive paste, dielectric paste and/or a sensing paste; and applying the selected paste on the dry non-conductive fiber woven fabric by either screen-printing or micro-dispensing, thus making a printed functionality. The method further includes the step of forming a laminate having the dry non-conductive fiber woven fabric having the printed functionality and at least one additional fabric or core; and obtaining a polymer composite from the laminate.

A panel (20) having opposite surfaces (22, 24), and including sheets (42, 43) and elongated cores or voids (40). The cores/voids extend parallel along a first direction (X), are arranged mutually adjacent in a second direction (Y), and include an outermost core/void (40a) along a panel edge (26). Each sheet includes a medial portion (44, 45) between two adjacent cores/voids, a first lateral portion (46, 47) folded away from the medial portion over one adjacent core/void, and towards the second direction along the first surface, and a second lateral portion (48, 49) folded away from the medial portion over another adjacent core/void, and towards a negative second direction (−Y) along the second surface. The sheets include an enveloping sheet (43), the first lateral portion (47) thereof extending into a folded lateral region (50, 52) that at the panel edge is folded around the outermost core/void, and extends in the negative second direction back towards the second surface.

There is provided an automated lamination system for embedding printed electronic element(s) in a composite structure. The automated lamination system includes a supply of composite prepreg material, a layup tool assembly, and a modified automated lamination apparatus laying up layer(s) of the composite prepreg material on the layup tool assembly, to form the composite structure. The modified automated lamination apparatus includes a section preparation pre-printing apparatus preparing section(s) on a top surface of a top layer of the layer(s), to obtain prepared section(s), and includes a non-contact direct write printing apparatus mechanically coupled to the section preparation pre-printing apparatus, and includes one or more supplies of electronic element materials, printed with the non-contact direct write printing apparatus, on each of the prepared section(s), to obtain the printed electronic element(s), that are embedded in the composite structure. The automated lamination system further includes a control system and a power system.

Composite structures and methods of forming composite structures are provided. A composite structure as disclosed herein incorporates one or more composite structure components, such as composite panels and composite inserts. A composite panel is formed from one or more sheets of fiber reinforced thermoplastic material. Composite inserts can include one or more composite blocks or braided sleeves. A composite block can be formed as a stacked or molded structure from trimmings or waste produced during the formation of the composite structures. A braided sleeve can include a seamless, woven sleeve formed of reinforcing fibers and thermoplastic threads. In a completed composite structure, composite inserts are at least partially disposed within a volume defined by surfaces of composite panels. The various composite structures and inserts can be given a final shape and can be fused to one another in a molding and fusing step.

A cushioning element includes a fabric, a first cushioning element on a first side of the fabric, and a second cushioning element on a second side of the fabric. The first cushioning element and second cushioning element may be superimposed. The fabric may include a first layer and a second layer that are superimposed, with the first cushioning element secured to and protruding from the first layer and the second cushioning element secured to and protruding from the second layer. Each of the first cushioning element and second cushioning element may include a plurality of interconnected walls formed from an elastomeric gel material. The walls of the first cushioning element and second cushioning element may be aligned or offset.

A method for forming a cushioning element comprises molding a first cushioning element on a first side of a fabric and molding a second cushioning element on a second side of the fabric. The first cushioning element and second cushioning element may be superimposed. The fabric may include a first layer and a second layer that are superimposed, with the first cushioning element secured to and protruding from the first layer and the second cushioning element secured to and protruding from the second layer. Each of the first cushioning element and second cushioning element may include a plurality of interconnected walls formed from an elastomeric gel material. The walls of the first cushioning element and second cushioning element may be aligned or offset.