Extruded molds and methods for manufacturing composite structures using the extruded molds are disclosed. The molds may include recessed or raised longitudinal features to impart a corresponding shape to the molded composite structures. The composite structures may be panels used to construct cargo vehicles, for example.

A vent structure includes: a first housing component having an opening portion for ventilation; a gas-permeable membrane that is attached to the first housing component to close the opening portion; and a laser welding portion that joins the first housing component with the gas-permeable membrane. The gas-permeable membrane includes a main body including a fluororesin film and a porous resin sheet that is laid on the main body. The porous resin sheet is located on the surface side of the vent structure. Both of the main body and the outer peripheral portion of the porous resin sheet that projects outwardly from the main body are fixed to the first housing component by the laser welding portion.

The present invention relates to methods of manufacturing composite products having a surface effect. In some examples described, a composite product has a simulated surface, for example a stone-effect surface formed by pressing a particulate-form surface material (30) and a sheet-form curable material (40) onto a substrate (44) having an open-celled structure. In other examples, a laminate product having a veneer is formed by pressing a veneer and a sheet-form material onto a substrate including a porous structure. The veneer may comprise a wood material. In other examples, a surface effect material is bonded to a skin by pressing a sheet-form curable material to a mold surface and the surface effect material. Where the surface effect material has a high thermal conductivity, the composite product formed can feel cool to the touch.

Embodiments of the present invention provide systems and methods for using nonwoven materials for evacuation slides, life rafts, life vests, and other life-saving inflatable devices. The nonwoven materials have a substrate layer with continuous filaments formed in various directions.

Disclosed is a non-flammable thermal insulating composite substrate for motor vehicles including: a textile component constituted by a layer of needle-sewn non-woven fabric composed of a percentage of pre-oxidized polyacrylonitrile fiber included between 40% and 70%, preferably 58% and of the remaining percentage of polyethylene glycol-terephthalate fiber, the textile component having weight preferably 400 gr/m.sup.2; and a barrier fixed to the textile component using a spreading process, constituted by a thermoplastic resin based on low density polyethylene added with non-halogen flame retardants, the barrier having weight preferably 100 gr/m.sup.2. The composite substrate has the following features: a thickness included between 2 mm and 5 mm, preferably 3.8 mm; a weight included between 300 gr/m.sup.2 and 700 gr/m.sup.2, preferably 500 gr/m.sup.2; odorless; no emission of fumes; dimensionally stable, even at heatstroke, with a maximum variation of 1%; and non-flammability.

Expandable substrates, which are referred to as blanks, are created by compressing thermobonded nonwovens after heating the binder material above its melting temperature, and then cooling the compressed nonwovens so that the binder material hardens and holds the fibers of the nonwoven together in a compressed configuration with stored kinetic energy. A mold for the component to be manufactured can be partially filled with a number of boards (or blanks) in a stacked, vertically, adjacent or even random orientation. Upon application of heat to the boards or blanks or parts in the mold, the binder material is melted so as to allow the nonwoven material to expand in one or more directions, and thereby fill all or part of the mold. Upon cooling, the binder material again hardens, and the molded component is retrieved from the mold.

A thermally expandable and electrically conductive material capable of providing lightning strike protection and burn-through resistance, containing electrically conductive fibers; thermally expandable particles; and a curable matrix resin comprising one or more thermoset resins, wherein the electrically conductive fibers and the thermally expandable particles are embedded in the curable matrix resin.

A three-dimensional netted structure having an upper surface, a lower surface, two side surfaces a left end surface, and a right end surface, including at least a plurality of filaments helically and randomly entangled and thermally bonded together, wherein the filaments are formed out of a thermoplastic resin by extrusion molding followed by cooling with a liquid; and the netted structure is four-surface molded, the upper surface, the lower surface and the two side surfaces being molded. An apparatus and a method for manufacturing the three-dimensional netted structure.

The present invention relates to a sound absorbing and insulating material and a method for manufacturing the same, more particularly to a sound absorbing and insulating material obtained by impregnating a polyimide binder into a nonwoven fabric formed of a heat-resistant fiber, having superior sound-absorbing property, flame retardancy, heat resistance and heat resistance, thus being applicable to parts maintained at high temperatures of 300 C. as well as at room temperature and moldability due to the use of the polyimide binder, and a method for manufacturing the same.

A process for the production of storage-stable epoxy prepregs is provided. In addition, composites produced from the prepregs based on epoxides and acids having groups reactive to free-radical polymerization is provided.