A method of forming fiber-reinforced composites. The method includes stabilizing two or more carbon fibers tows together (a) with a stabilizing resin and (b) in-line with a commercial carbon fiber production process to form a semi-finished tape; and impregnating the semi-finished tape with a matrix resin in a process offline of the carbon fiber production process to form a prepreg.

A depositing head for a plurality of rovings each coming from a bobbin and having a longitudinal axis, the depositing head including a plurality of line roller pairs for rolling the rovings from the bobbins, each roller pair being intended to be associated, in operation, with only a given single roving and including an upstream roller and a downstream roller relative to the direction of unwinding of the rovings, the rollers rotating independently of one another.

The invention relates to the use of a yarn spool handling container (1) for a yarn spool (2). The yarn spool handling container (1) comprises a frame or a housing (6). With respect to the frame or housing (6), a spindle (15) is rotatably supported. In the yarn spool handling container (1) a winding and unwinding of the technical yarn occurs. The yarn spool (2) is arranged in the yarn spool handling container (1) even during stocking and transport.

A method for spreading a tow of textile non-braided filaments, preferably chemical or inorganic fibres comprises providing a tow of textile non-braided filaments extending along its own main direction and having a section transverse to the main direction with a predetermined thickness and a predetermined width, feeding the tow along a travel path and spreading the tow in order to increase its width and reduce its thickness, defining a spread tow. The step of spreading the tow includes immersing the tow in a bath and generating in the bath a sequence of transverse waves crossing the tow transversely to the main direction in order to separate and place the individual filaments side by side, thereby spreading the tow, wherein the tow entering the bath and/or the spread tow extracted from the bath is/are unsized.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a combined yarn bundle including the steps of bringing the two or more carbon fiber precursor yarns which travel approximately parallel to one another into contact with a first roller at a wrap angle of 20 or more. Then, the two or more carbon fiber precursor yarns are split into two and brought into contact with a pair of second rollers, so that the carbon fiber precursor yarns are rotated approximately 90 between the first roller and the pair of second rollers. Next, the carbon fiber precursor yarns delivered from one second roller are brought into contact with a third front roller and a third rear roller, and the carbon fiber precursor yarns delivered from the other second roller are brought into contact with the third rear roller without bringing them into contact with the third front roller, so that these carbon fiber precursor yarns are combined on the third rear roller. Thereafter, the carbon fiber precursor yarns delivered from the third rear roller are brought into contact with a fourth roller to obtain a combined yarn bundle. A ratio of a distance L between axes of the first roller and of the pair of second rollers to a yarn width W of the carbon fiber precursor yarn on the first roller, L/W, is 18 or more and a tension of the combined yarn bundle after delivered from the fourth roller is 0.11 cN/dtex or more.

A yarn producing apparatus produces carbon nanotube (CNT) yarn by aggregating CNT fibers, A substrate support supports a CNT forming substrate, a winding unit continuously draws the CNT fibers, a yarn producing unit aggregates the CNT fibers, a status monitor monitors a state of the CNT yarn, and a supply state changing mechanism changes a supply state of the CNT fibers, based on a result of monitoring by the status monitor.

Systems and methods are directed to a pull-through winding method, and a manufacturing fixture, or mandrel, that guides the layup of material in the pull-through winding method, for fabrication of a three-dimensional load bearing structure. These systems and methods allow fibers of material of the 3D load bearing structure to be pulled as straight as possible during winding, and maintained as straight as possible during curing, to take full advantage of properties associated with the fiber or filament-based materials used in these structures, including, for example, carbon fiber material. The manufacturing fixture includes a plurality of pull-through slots at end portions thereof, that provide for the pulling of the fiber-based material, and the application and maintenance of tension in the material that maintains the alignment of the fibers as the material is wound, cured and hardened.

A method of forming fiber-reinforced composites. The method includes stabilizing two or more carbon fibers tows together (a) with a stabilizing resin and (b) in-line with a commercial carbon fiber production process to form a semi-finished tape; and impregnating the semi-finished tape with a matrix resin in a process offline of the carbon fiber production process to form a prepreg.

A yarn producing apparatus produces CNT (carbon nanotube) yarn from CNT fibers while causing the CNT fibers to run. The yarn producing apparatus includes an aggregating unit that aggregates the CNT fibers, and a twisting and winding device that twists the CNT fibers aggregated by the aggregating unit. The aggregating unit includes an adjusting mechanism that adjusts the aggregation state of the CNT fibers.

A method of spreading fibres, the method comprises providing a continuous fibre bundle having an initial width W.sub.a and causing the fibre bundle to run, in a running direction, through tensioning means and past or through fluid flow means, the tensioning means intermittently varying the tension in the fibre bundle and the fluid flow means producing a fluid flow through the fibre bundle as the tension varies in the fibre bundle, whereby the width of the fibre bundle increases to a spread width W.sub.b. Apparatus (1) is also disclosed, which apparatus (1) comprises a tensioning means (3) to intermittently vary the tension in the fibre bundle (2) and a fluid flow means (4) for producing a flow of fluid through the bundle (2).