A method for producing a structural component part (1) from a fiber-reinforced plastic according to a three-dimensional winding process. Threadlike or strand-shaped fiber material (12) supplied on at least one bobbin (18) is wound around at least one filament carrier (11) in at least one winding pattern by at least one computer-controlled winding device (10). The fiber material (12) is laid down on the filament carrier (11) with a filament tensile force (F.sub.ZN) that is preadjusted by a control device (14). The filament tensile force (F.sub.Zist) is controlled depending on location and/or depending on path in order to take into account specific lay-down locations (29) on the filament carrier (11) in which a lay-down path (28) predefined by the winding pattern is departed from owing to the local geometry at preadjusted filament tensile force (F.sub.ZN).

A belt made up of an elastomeric belt body, an electrically conductive tensile cord such as carbon fiber cord in a cord layer reinforcing the belt body, an outer layer of electrically conductive thermoplastic material such as polypropylene film, and an electrically conductive fabric layer residing between the tensile cord layer and the outer layer and providing electrical continuity between the outer layer and the tensile cord. An electrically conductive thread may be woven in the fabric and may present at both surfaces of the fabric and contact both the outer layer and the tensile cord to provide the electrical continuity there between.

Provided is a bushing for manufacturing a three-dimensional composite preform using a tow made of a fiber reinforced polymer. The bushing includes a base plate in which one or more through-holes are formed, and a plurality of spools spaced apart from each other on the base plate. A flat top is formed at an end portion of the spools, and grooves are formed on outer surfaces of the plurality of spools in a circumferential direction thereof.

Fiber composite components can be formed by winding fibers along tracks of a winding spool of a winding core. The fibers may either be pre-coated with a curable resin, or the curable resin may be applied to the fibers after the fibers are wound along the tracks of the winding spool of the winding core. The curable resin may also and/or alternatively be applied to a mold that receives the fibers wound about the winding spool. The curable resin may then be cured, after which the winding spool and the winding core may be removed in order to release the fiber composite component. In some cases, the winding spool may be removed from the fiber composite component by moving the winding spool inwardly towards an inside of the winding core.

The invention relates to a method for making a composite part including an assembly of superimposed webs of reinforcement threads imbedded at least partially in a polymer matrix, said part including at least one curved area and the method comprising steps of draping or stacking plies of a composite material, characterized in that, in at least one area adjacent to a curved area, at least one draping or stacking step is carried out with a ply of composite material, that comprises a web, or twisted thread web, including at least one twisted reinforcement thread in order to at least compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the surface of the web; the invention also relates to the composite materials thus obtained.

The invention relates to a composite material in which at least one reinforcement thread is deposited on a surface according to a path having at least one curved area on the deposition surface, wherein the reinforcement thread is connected to the surface by a polymeric binder. A twist is applied to the reinforcement thread before the deposition thereof at least in order to compensate the length differences of the extreme paths of the thread on either side of the width as measured in a direction parallel to the deposition surface.

A carbon filter is disclosed. Such a carbon filter includes a carbon-based core having a central cavity, a layer of a polymer-based filter material surrounding the carbon-based core, and at least one end cap fixedly attached to the carbon-based core.

A method of producing a pre-impregnated fibrous material including a fibrous material of continuous fibres and a thermoplastic polymer matrix, wherein the pre-impregnated fibrous material is produced in a single unidirectional strip or in a plurality of parallel unidirectional strips, the method including the following steps: (i) impregnating the fibrous material in the form of a strand or a plurality of parallel strands with the thermoplastic polymer in the form of a powder in a fluid bed; and (ii) shaping the strand or parallel strands of the fibrous material impregnated as in step (i) by calendering by at least one heating calender in the form of a single unidirectional strip or of a plurality of parallel unidirectional strips, the heating calender, in the latter case, including a plurality of calendering grooves, and the pressure and/or a spacing between the rollers of the calender being regulated by an auxiliary system.

A lineal product includes a substrate having an outer surface, a thermoplastic base layer applied to the outer surface, and a second thermoplastic layer applied over at least a portion of the base layer, the second layer having a hardness of at least 1 H pencil hardness.

A steering-column assembly for a motor vehicle may include a steering spindle rotatably mounted in a steering-column tube, which steering-column tube is mounted in a console that connects the steering-column directly or indirectly to a body of the motor vehicle. At least one of the components of the steering-column, such as the console, for example, may include a fiber composite component that can be formed by winding fibers along tracks of a winding spool of a winding core, introducing a curable resin into the fibers or a mold to be used with the wound fibers, curing the wound fibers, and removing the winding spool and the winding core so as to release the fiber composite component. The fiber composite component may then be fitted into the steering column assembly.