Provided is a flat fiber-reinforced plastic strand which is produced by curing a twisted resin-impregnated strand and has no disturbed fiber orientation, and a flat fiber-reinforced plastic strand sheet which is produced by using said flat fiber-reinforced plastic strands. According to a method of manufacturing the flat fiber-reinforced plastic strand 2, (a) a twisted resin-impregnated strand f2 in an uncured state, the strand including a plurality of reinforcing fibers f, is fed in a state of tension between a pair of heated steel belts 41A and 41B facing each other and making rotation movements; and (b) the resin-impregnated strand f2 is sandwiched and heated by the steel belts 41A and 41B, and pressurized from both sides of the strand f2 to form a cross section of the strand into a flat shape, and, with the shape being kept, a resin is cured and cooled.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises depositing a segment of a continuous flexible line along a print path. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a photopolymer-resin component that is partially cured. The method also comprises delivering a predetermined or actively determined amount of curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line at a controlled rate while advancing the continuous flexible line toward the print path and after the segment of the continuous flexible line is deposited along the print path to at least partially cure at least the portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line.

Calendering installation for the production of a reinforcing ply (600) for a tire, which has a frame (100), two extruders (200, 300) for feeding elastomer material, a reinforcing-thread feeding device (400), a calender (500) having a first pair of counter-rotating rollers, with a first working roller (52) and a first shaping roller (51), and a second pair of counter-rotating rollers, with a second working roller (53) and a second shaping roller (54), wherein a calendering nip (59) is formed between the working rolls (52, 53) in order to receive a first calendered rubber ply (57) delivered by the first pair of rollers (51, 52), a second calendered rubber ply (58) delivered by the second pair of rollers (53, 54), and the reinforcing threads (45) in order to supply the calendered reinforcing ply (600), which is conveyed to the outlet of the installation via guide rollers (62, 63).

According to the invention, the two extruders (200, 300) are superposed and arranged on either side of a horizontal plane P extending at the level of the guide rollers (62, 63).

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The method comprises applying a thermosetting resin to a non-resin component of a continuous flexible line while pushing the non-resin component through a delivery guide and pushing the continuous flexible line out of the delivery guide. The continuous flexible line further comprises a thermosetting resin component that comprises at least some of the thermosetting resin applied to the non-resin component. The method further comprises depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along the print path.

A method of additively manufacturing a composite part comprises pushing a continuous flexible line through a delivery guide. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a photopolymer-resin component that is partially cured. The method also comprises depositing, via the delivery guide, a segment of the continuous flexible line along a print path. Additionally, the method comprises delivering curing energy at least to a portion of the segment of the continuous flexible line deposited along the print path.

Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an conduit nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to drag the filament from the conduit nozzle.

A fiber tow and methods for separating a fiber tow are disclosed. The fiber tow may include adjacent filaments and a polymer coating covering at least a portion of the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may include a polymer that is configured to contract in a direction generally parallel to the adjacent filaments and expand in a direction generally perpendicular to the adjacent filaments. The polymer coating may contract/expand in response to an energy source, such as heat or a UV light source. The methods may include coating at least a portion of a plurality of filaments with a polymer, bundling the filaments into a fiber tow, and exposing the fiber tow to an energy source to contract the polymer in a direction generally parallel to the filaments and to expand the polymer in a direction generally perpendicular to the filaments. The filaments may be carbon fiber filaments.

A high pressure container has enhanced pressure resistant strength, and a method for manufacturing such high pressure container. The high pressure container includes a sealable hollow liner and a reinforcement layer including a composite carbon fiber bundle covering an outer surface of the hollow liner, wherein the reinforcement layer is wound around the outer surface of the hollow liner and fixed with a cured product of thermosetting resin, and a stress relaxation portion including the cured product of thermosetting product and a plurality of carbon nanotubes between a carbon fiber contained in one composite carbon fiber bundle and a carbon fiber contained in the other composite carbon fiber bundle.

A system for additively manufacturing a composite part is disclosed. The system comprises a housing and a nozzle. The nozzle is supported by the housing. The nozzle comprises an outlet, sized to dispense a continuous flexible line. The continuous flexible line comprises a non-resin component and a photopolymer-resin component. The system also comprises a feed mechanism, supported within the housing. The feed mechanism is configured to push the continuous flexible line out of the outlet of the nozzle. The system further comprises a light source, supported by the housing. The light source is configured to deliver a light beam to the continuous flexible line after the continuous flexible line exits the outlet of the nozzle to at least partially cure the photopolymer-resin component of the continuous flexible line.

A positioning jig (25) and a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising moulding a first and a second blade shell portion in respective first and second mould tools; positioning a shear web (15) in a spanwise direction within a first shell portion (20) in a said first mould tool (7); anchoring said shear web in position in said first shell portion; and closing said second shell portion (21) over said first shell portion to thereby generate a wind turbine blade shell defining a chordwise extent between a in trailing edge and a leading edge thereof, and a spanwise extent between a root region and a tip thereof and wherein said shear web, bordered by a first (24) and a second longitudinal edge, extends in a thickness direction of said blade; said method further comprising: providing a positioning jig; and securing said positioning jig to said shear web, prior to its introduction into said first shell portion and guiding said shear web into its predetermined standing position in said first shell portion, with its first longitudinal edge adjacent said first shell portion, by engaging a reference surface (33) of said positioning jig with a locating surface (12) at said first mould tool thereby to bring said positioning jig into its guide position with said shear web in its predetermined standing position; and removing said positioning jig from said first mould tool prior to closing said second shell portion over said first shell portion. A shear web, especially an upper edge thereof, may be additionally secured to the blade shell using ligaments (30) prior to removal of the positioning jig.