A method for manufacturing a curved composite casing for a turbomachine, notably for a low-pressure compressor of an aircraft turbojet engine, includes the following sequence of steps: (a) draping a preform by automatic placement of carbon fibres on a concave form, referred to as a female form; (b) laying a glass-fibre ply on a convex form, referred to as a male form; (c) transferring the preform onto the convex form, covering the glass-fibre ply on the convex form. Step (b) laying includes a phase (α) of laying a metal strip and/or an epoxy profile on the convex form, then a phase (β) of covering the metal strip with the glass-fibre ply.

A first stack is formed by stacking a first sheet of metal foil, a first prepreg, and a second sheet of metal foil, one on top of another. The first prepreg is thermally cured by thermally pressing these members to make a double-sided metal-clad laminate. Conductor wiring is formed by partially removing the first sheet of metal foil from the double-sided metal-clad laminate to make a printed wiring board. After a third sheet of metal foil has been preheated, the conductor wiring of the printed wiring board, a second prepreg, and the third sheet of metal foil are stacked one on top of another and thermally pressed together. The first insulating layer has a lower linear expansion coefficient than any of the first sheet of metal foil or the second sheet of metal foil does.

A laminate structure may include: an aluminum layer; a glass composite layer adjacent to the aluminum layer; and/or a carbon composite layer adjacent to the glass composite layer, opposite to the aluminum layer. The glass composite layer may include one or more glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg plies. The carbon composite layer may include one or more carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg plies. A laminate structure may include: a first aluminum layer; a first glass composite layer adjacent to the first aluminum layer; a first carbon composite layer adjacent to the first glass composite layer, and opposite to the first aluminum layer; and/or a second glass composite layer adjacent to the first carbon composite layer, and opposite to the first glass composite layer. The first glass composite layer may include one or more glass-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg plies. The first carbon composite layer may include one or more carbon-fiber-reinforced thermoplastic prepreg plies.

A composite structure comprises stacked sets of laminated fiber reinforced resin plies and metal sheets. Edges of the resin plies and metal sheets are interleaved to form a composite-to-metal joint connecting the resin plies with the metal sheets.

A method for manufacturing a semifinished product or part is disclosed in which a metal support embodied as a metal sheet or blank is covered with at least one prepreg containing a thermally cross-linkable thermosetting matrix with endless fibers, the thermosetting matrix of the prepreg is pre-cross-linked by means of heating, and the metal support covered with the pre-cross-linked prepreg is formed into a semifinished product or part by means of deep drawing or stretch deep drawing. In order to enable plastic deformation in fiber-reinforced regions of the metal support, it is proposed that during the pre-cross-linking of the thermosetting matrix of the prepreg, its matrix is transferred into a viscosity state that is higher than its minimum viscosity and prior to reaching its gel point, the prepreg is formed together with the metal support.

In manufacturing an electrothermal heater mat, there is provided a preform which comprises a laminated stack of dielectric layers which are made of thermoplastic material and include a central layer or group of layers which include(s) reinforcement and first and second outer groups of layers which do not include reinforcement. The preform includes a heater element and the preform has a first configuration. The preform is then heated to a temperature (e.g. 180° C.) between the glass-transition temperature of the thermoplastic material and the melting point of the thermoplastic material, and the heated preform is formed into a second configuration which is different to the first configuration so as to produce the heater mat.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a plate having a plurality of print heads arranged in a grid and each configured to discharge a curable material, and at least one shuttle having a plurality of print heads arranged in a row and each configured to discharge a curable material. The additive manufacturing system may also include at least one cure enhancer associated with at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle. The at least one cure enhancer may be configured to cure the curable material as the curable material is being discharged. The additive manufacturing system may further include at least one actuator configured to move at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle during discharge of the curable material.

Systems and methods of forming fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composites with electrostatic dissipative properties are described herein. The FRP composite is bonded to a surface and integrates a grounding system to dissipate electro-static energy, thus eliminating the potential risk of explosion. The system can be used for structures that require reinforcement and that are susceptible to electro-static explosions.

The present invention relates to a wind turbine blade comprising a lightning protection system with at least one tip end lightning receptor arranged at an outer surface of the blade and a down conductor extending within the blade. The blade comprises carbon fibre reinforced spar caps, wherein electrically conductive meshes are connected between the respective tip end of each spar cap to the tip end lightning conductor.

A spar cap for a rotor blade of a wind power installation, having a longitudinal extent from a first end to a second end, a transverse extent orthogonal to the longitudinal extent, and a thickness orthogonal to the longitudinal extent and to the transverse extent. A method for producing a spar cap as mentioned at the outset. The spar cap has a longitudinal extent from a first end to a second end, a transverse extent orthogonal to the longitudinal extent, and a thickness orthogonal to the longitudinal extent and to the transverse extent, at least two tiers of a first fiber composite material, and at least one tier of a second fiber composite material, wherein the first fiber composite material has a matrix material and/or fibers which is/are different from that/those of the second fiber composite material, the second fiber composite material is disposed in a portion adjacent to the second end, in the direction of the thickness between the at least two tiers of the first fiber composite material, and the at least one tier of the second fiber composite material terminates ahead of the second end.