An electric machine comprising a stator (50), a rotor (29) radially inward of the stator and comprising a plurality of surface permanent magnets (44) and a rotor sleeve (46) surrounding the rotor. The rotor sleeve comprises a plurality of layers of fibre reinforced matrix material (56, 60). The rotor sleeve defines a rotor sleeve radius to radial thickness ratio (r:t) between 20 and 40, and the electric machine has a maximum rotor rotational speed greater than 15000 RPM.

A multiaxial textile fabric has at least two thread layers and at least one nonwoven layer. Each thread layer is made of multifilament reinforcement yarns arranged parallel to one another and so as to lie adjacently next to one another within the thread layers, wherein at least one thread layer is at least partially directly contacted by the nonwoven layer, and cut-out sections are provided within the nonwoven layer, the cut-out sections having a size of at least 4 mm.sup.2. The multiaxial textile fabric also includes a fiber-reinforced composite material.

A stitched multi-axial reinforcement and a method of producing a stitched multi-axial reinforcement. The stitched multi-axial reinforcement may be used in all such applications that reinforcements are generally needed and especially in such applications where either Vacuum Infusion technology or Resin Transfer Molding (RTM) technology for distributing the resin in the mold is used. The stitched multi-axial reinforcement is especially applicable in the manufacture of wind turbine blades, boats, sporting equipment, storage tanks, bus, trailer, train and truck panels, etc., and generally in all such structures that are subjected to stress in more than one direction.

A sound wave absorbing laminate composite material structure for an aircraft including stacked plies of a hybrid composite material, wherein each of the hybrid composite material plies includes first polymer material tows parallel to a warp direction, second polymer material tows parallel to a weft direction, and sound absorbent material tows parallel to the warp direction, wherein the first and second polymer material tows carbon or glass fiber reinforcing polymer.

A squeezable, white polypropylene film is disclosed having a novel balance of conformability, stiffness, modulus, opacity, and whiteness. The film includes an ABCBA structure having a core layer of polypropylene resin with an elastomeric copolymer and a cavitating agent. Two intermediate layers of polypropylene resin are present on either side, the intermediate layers optionally including an elastomeric copolymer and a pigmenting agent. Two polymer skin layers surround the two intermediate layers. The resins are co-extruded into a biaxially oriented film having a thickness between 40 to 70 pm for use in pressure-sensitive labeling applications.

Described herein are details for designing and manufacturing enhanced shock and impact resistant helicoidal lay-ups by combining nanomaterials, variable pitch and partial spirals, Thin unidirectional fiber plies, hybrid materials, and/or curved fibers within a ply. The helicoidal structures created in the prescribed manners can be tuned and pitched to desired wavelengths to dampen propagating shock waves initiated by ballistics, strike forces or foreign material impacts and can arrest the propagation of fractures including catastrophic fractures. These enhancements open the helicoidal technology up for use in such applications as consumer products, protective armor, sporting equipment, crash protection devices, wind turbine blades, cryogenic tanks, pressure vessels, battery casings, automotive/aerospace components, construction materials, and other composite products.

Described herein are details for designing and manufacturing enhanced shock and impact resistant helicoidal lay-ups by combining nanomaterials, variable pitch and partial spirals, Thin unidirectional fiber plies, hybrid materials, and/or curved fibers within a ply. The helicoidal structures created in the prescribed manners can be tuned and pitched to desired wavelengths to dampen propagating shock waves initiated by ballistics, strike forces or foreign material impacts and can arrest the propagation of fractures including catastrophic fractures. These enhancements open the helicoidal technology up for use in such applications as consumer products, protective armor, sporting equipment, crash protection devices, wind turbine blades, cryogenic tanks, pressure vessels, battery casings, automotive/aerospace components, construction materials, and other composite products.

A creep resistant material comprises a core layer (12) of rigid polyurethane with a first tensile reinforcement layer (17) applied on one surface and a second tensile reinforcement layer (17) applied on the other opposed surface of the core layer, the entire respective first and second tensile reinforcement layers being in contact with the first and second surface of the core layer of the material.

A preform for fabricating a wheel rim and a method of making a preform is provided. The preform includes a main section and at least one secondary section, each section being formed from composite materials, such as triaxially braided composite material that includes fibers oriented in at least three directions. The main section forms at least part of a lateral section of the preform and the secondary section forms at least part of a radial portion of the preform, the radial portion of the preform being generally perpendicular to the lateral section of the preform. The preform is fabricated from a plurality of composite layers, at least some being custom composite layers having a plurality of axial fibers interwoven intermittently with substantially consistent first and second sets of biased fibers. In some embodiments, the preform is initially fabricated in an intermediate configuration prior to being moved to a final configuration.

A multiaxial product including at least three thread layers, each of the thread layers being formed by multi-filament reinforcing yarns which are arranged within thread layers so as to be mutually parallel and next to one another so as to be adjacent, at least two thread layers being arranged within multiaxial product wherein thread layers define a 0° direction within multiaxial product and the at least one further thread layer being arranged at an angle of more than±10° with respect to 0° direction within multiaxial product, the at least two thread layers in 0° direction directly following one after the other, based on relative arrangement of the at least three thread layers within multiaxial product, without a further layer of multi-filament reinforcing yarns therebetween. Further, a method for producing multiaxial product, further relating to composite produced from multiaxial product and to a method for producing composite from multiaxial product.