Disclosed is an apparatus for producing a fiber composite preform. The apparatus includes a lower mold and a molding unit for molding a preform by pressing a fiber composite placed on a surface of the lower mold while the molding unit is deformed in accordance with a shape of the surface of the lower mold.

A method and system for forming a self-sealing volume includes an elastomeric composite structure. The structure includes layers of a cast polyurethane derived from a neat polyurethane monomer reaction mixture that does not substantially react at room temperature. The polyurethane monomer reaction layer includes a reaction product of an organic polyisocyanate and a reactive hydrogen-containing material reacted with a mixture of a monomeric polyol and polymeric polyols. The structure may further include one or more layers of a fabric that have been precoated with an aliphatic polyurethane, and one or more sealing layers. A fuel impermeable inner liner may be positioned in an inner region. The sealing layers may comprise at least one of partially vulcanized natural rubber (NR), polyisoprene (IR), styrene butadiene (SBR), or a blend of SBR with NR or IR. A dimensionally correct, self-sealing volume may be created by inflating the volume during its cure.

An absorbent article includes an absorber disposed between a permeable upper-side sheet and an impermeable back-side sheet; a surface embossment that is provided at least on each side of an area corresponding to a body fluid discharge part, extends in a longitudinal direction of the absorbent article, and is formed by indenting the permeable upper-side sheet and the absorber together; and an absorber embossment that is disposed away from the surface embossment and closer to a center in a width direction than the surface embossment, extends along the surface embossment, and is formed by indenting the absorber such that a space is formed between the permeable upper-side sheet and the absorber.

A preformed foundation support for a vessel gyro-stabilization system, comprises at least three of a first side support, a second side support, a third side support, and a fourth side support. The side supports define an opening for accommodating at least a portion of a vessel gyro-stabilization system, and the side supports comprise a cuttable portion for custom fitting the preformed foundation support in a vessel. The preformed foundation support structure is installed in the vessel by cutting the cuttable portion of the preformed foundation support for custom fitting the preformed foundation support to the structure support of the vessel. The preformed foundation support structure can be manufactured as a molded fiberglass structure.

A preform is infused with a resin to form a composite laminate. The preform is placed between a mold and a vacuum bag. An offset tool is placed to permit the vacuum bag to lift away from a surface of the preform in a controlled amount. A charge of the resin is injected between the vacuum bag and the preform to lift the vacuum bag off the surface of the preform and move the vacuum bag toward the offset tool, so that the resin occupies a volume between the vacuum bag and the preform. The preform is infused with the resin by applying a super-atmospheric pressure to an outer surface of the vacuum bag to transport the resin from the volume between the vacuum bag and the preform into a volume within the preform. The resin in the preform is cured, forming the composite laminate.

Methods for forming composite articles include providing a non-crimp fabric (NCF) comprising a plurality of fiber plies maintained in a layup by stitching, wherein the stitching exhibits a lower structural tolerance to heat and/or UV light relative to the fiber plies, selectively degrading the stitching in one or more areas using heat or UV light, draping the NCF on a contoured article, applying a polymer matrix material to the draped NCF, and curing the polymer matrix material to form a contoured composite article. The stitching can be degraded in regions of the NCF which, when draped on the contoured article, correspond to topological features of the contoured article. Degrading the stitching can comprise breaking the stitching. The fiber plies can comprise carbon fibers, glass fibers, and/or basalt fibers. The contoured article can be tooling and/or an automotive component. The NCF can be a bi-axial NCF.

A tool and method for fixing a textile sleeve about an elongate member is provided. The tool includes at least one clamp assembly having opposed heating clamp members movable between open and closed states and opposed cooling clamp members movable between open and closed states. Each of the heating and cooling clamp members have respective heating and cooling clamp surfaces configured for clamping abutment with the textile sleeve. The heating clamp surfaces are operably connected to a source of power to be selectively heated and the cooling clamp surfaces are operably connected to a source of coolant to be selectively cooled. A carrier is configured to support the textile sleeve for movement from a loading position to a location between the heating clamp members; from the heating clamp members to a position between the cooling clamp members, and from the position between the cooling clamp members to an unloading position.

Embodiments of the present invention provide a self-molding composite system for insulation and covering operations. The self-molding composite system may be cured to form any desired shaped for insulation and covering operations. The composite system comprises one or more layers that may create a rigid layered composite when cured. The one or more layers of the composite system may include a base layer that is a braided, knit, or non-woven fiber based substrate, an interstitial matrix layer, and customizable top coat. The customizable top coat may be a solvent based polymer solution that includes various additives that may include color pigments, additives for additional abrasion protection, additives for thermal protection, and/or additives for creating various textures or visible appearances to the composite system.

A method for applying fibre material on a vertical surface is provided. The method has the following steps: spraying an adhesive on the vertical surface; applying the fibre material on the sprayed surface; spraying additional adhesive on the fibre material for another layer of fibre material; applying another layer of fibre material on the sprayed fibre material; and injecting the layers of fibre material with a resin.

The invention relates to a process for extracting polyester from packaging. In particular, the invention relates to packaging comprising one or more dyes such as black packaging. The claim process uses a two stage extraction process to convert waste polyester in clean, reusable polyester.

The invention relates to a process for extracting polyester from fabric. In particular, fabric comprising polyester and one or more dyes. The claimed process uses a multistage mechanism to separate dyes from polyester containing garments and reconstitute the polyester.