A method of compacting a plurality of pre-formed composite stiffeners prior to the plurality of pre-formed composite stiffeners being co-cured with a composite skin includes providing a caul plate with a plurality of stiffener receptacles and a skin-facing surface. The plurality of pre-formed composite stiffeners is positioned within the plurality of stiffener receptacles, each of the plurality of pre-formed composite stiffeners having a skin-contacting surface. A caul sheet having a mold surface that replicates a surface shape of the composite skin is positioned against the mold surface. The caul sheet is compacted against the caul plate such that the skin-contacting surfaces of the plurality of pre-formed composite stiffeners acquire the surface shape of the composite skin, thereby generating an assembly of compacted stiffeners.

A tube (10) and a method of constructing such a tube, the tube (10) being in the form of a composite film structure comprising a co-extrusion of a plurality of layers bonded together to provide an integrated structure. The layers comprise an inner layer (11), an intermediate layer (12) and outer layer (13). The intermediate layer (12) is of a material compatible with two adjacent layers (11, 13) between which it is interposed, wherein the intermediate layer (12) provides a bridge between the two layers (11, 13) to provide the tube (10) as an integrated structure. The exterior surface (15) of the tube (10) is optionally treated or modified or is provided with a coating, typically for bonding with another substance such as a resinous binder. A hollow structure in the form of a tubular element configured as a pipe and constructed using the tube (10) is also disclosed.

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 heatshield is made of a heatshield material including an insulative-fiber matrix fully impregnated with a polyphenylene sulfide resin. The heatshield material may be a multi-layer fiber matrix having higher-weight forms at an outer ablative surface and lower-weight forms more inwardly, for insulation. In one example, PPS fiber is combined with carbon or carbon precursor fibers and both woven into fabric form and manufactured into nonwoven sheet stock. The final tailored stackup may be needled together, and the needled fabric stackup saturated with molten PPS resin.

The resin composite of the present invention has a polyamide-based resin expanded sheet, and a fiber-reinforced resin layer integrally laminated on a surface of the polyamide-based resin expanded sheet.

A moisture wicking heat shrink sleeve for aircraft cabin moisture control incorporates a heat shrinkable tube of predetermined length receivable over a structural member. A moisture absorbing layer is adhered to a surface of the heat shrinkable tube with the heat shrinkable tube and adhered moisture absorbing layer configured for radial contraction from a first expanded condition to a second contracted condition upon application of heat.

Fabrication of ballistic resistant fibrous composites having improved ballistic resistance properties. More particularly, ballistic resistant fibrous composites having high interlaminar lap shear strength between component fiber plies or fiber layers, which correlates to low composite backface signature. The high lap shear strength, low backface signature composites are useful for the production of hard armor articles, including helmet armor.

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 mobile platform which is designed to equip a cable-driven parallel robot, characterized in that the platform is configured to support at least one roll of a fabric made of composite material, and to permit the unwinding of said at least one roll, in order to carry out draping of a preform, in particular a dry preform, by controlled displacement of the platform above a draping line.

Lightweight, structurally reinforced thermoplastic objects comprising at least one reinforcement zone are manufactured by providing a heatable rigid forming chamber with a chamber volume. At a temperature below the thermoplastic softening temperature, the chamber is loaded with a plurality of thermoplastic lofting bodies and a plurality of thermoplastic reinforcement bodies wherein the lofting bodies are heat-loftable bodies comprising a thermoplastic matrix containing an elastically compressed assembly of reinforcement fibers embedded therein, lofty non-woven bodies comprising an elastically compressible assembly of reinforcement fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Upon closing the chamber, lofting bodies of lofty non-wovens are elastically compressed, producing an internal pressure. After heating the chamber above softening temperature, reinforcement bodies and lofting bodies are ow thermoplastically formable, and lofting bodies configured as heat-loftable bodies produce a second internal pressure. After a predetermined processing time, the chamber is cooled yielding a structurally reinforced object.