A passive tensioning system is disclosed for composite material that is dispensed by a composite placement machine. A spool is mounted on a spool shaft and material on the spool is pulled from the spool and applied to a surface. The tensioning system has a drag brake on the spool shaft and a drag brake control for the drag brake. A dancer roll is mounted on a linear slide having a spring force and a slide control is provided for the linear slide. A control system continually varies the drag brake control and the slide control to control the tension of the composite material based on the instantaneous operating characteristics of the composite placement machine.

A fibre splicer (1) is disclosed that includes a splicing chamber (2) for receiving fibres to be spliced having an opening of in a side thereof, a chamber pad (3) for selectively sealing the opening of the splicing chamber (2) and a valve (9). The valve (9) has an unobstructed fluid pathway there-through, the valve (9) extending from the chamber (2) and being reconfigurable between a first configuration prohibiting fluid flow along the pathway and a second configuration permitting fluid flow along the pathway.

A method for splicing two bundles (1, 2) of multifilament textile fibers comprises: inserting an end portion of a first bundle (1) into a first end of a heat-shrinkable sheath (10) and an end portion of a second bundle (2) into a second end of the sheath, axially opposite the first end, until the ends of the end portions of the two bundles are facing each other; inserting a curable organic material inside the sheath (10) in a space separating the end portions of the bundles (1, 2); heating a portion of the heat-shrinkable sheath (10) surrounding a joining portion (9) to a predetermined temperature; curing the curable organic material; and removing the sheath (10).

There is provided a fiber bundle drawing apparatus that can draw a fiber bundle traverse-wound around a bobbin and having a laterally-elongated cross-sectional shape while maintaining the cross-sectional shape, and cause the fiber bundle to travel along a fixed course. The fiber bundle drawing apparatus includes: a bobbin holder configured to hold the bobbin in a rotatable state; a turning mechanism configured to receive the fiber bundle drawn from the bobbin, and to turn and deliver the fiber bundle, thereby reducing change in course of the fiber bundle in a direction parallel to a center axis of the bobbin; and a twist prevention mechanism provided between the bobbin holder and the turning mechanism in a path of the fiber bundle in the apparatus, and including a support portion and a rotation suppression portion, the support portion coming into contact with the fiber bundle, the rotation suppression portion being disposed to face the support portion with a gap through which the fiber bundle passes, the gap having a distance greater than or equal to a thickness of the fiber bundle and less than or equal to a width of the fiber bundle.

A fiber guide that guides fibers in a fiber processing system. The fiber guide has a surface having apertures through which fibers can pass in a direction from an upstream side of the surface to a downstream side of the surface. The apertures include at least one pair of apertures adjacent to and spaced from one another. The inlet of the first aperture is offset from the inlet of the second aperture. The offset is in the direction in which the fibers pass from the upstream side of the surface to the downstream side of the surface. A distance (d1) between the inlet of the first aperture and the inlet of the second aperture is larger than a distance (d2) between the first aperture and the second aperture measured transverse to the direction in which the fibers can pass.

A fiber guide that guides fibers in a fiber processing system. The fiber guide has a surface having apertures through which fibers can pass in a direction from an upstream side of the surface to a downstream side of the surface. The apertures include at least one pair of apertures adjacent to and spaced from one another. The inlet of the first aperture is offset from the inlet of the second aperture. The offset is in the direction in which the fibers pass from the upstream side of the surface to the downstream side of the surface. A distance d1 between the inlet of the first aperture and the inlet of the second aperture is larger than a distance d2 between the first aperture and the second aperture measured transverse to the direction in which the fibers can pass.

A filament winding apparatus includes a bobbin driving unit, a winding device, and a tension applying device. A filament winding method using the filament winding apparatus includes a temporary suspending step of temporarily suspending operation of the winding device in the middle of winding the fed-out fiber portion around the workpiece. In the temporary suspending step, the length of the feeding path is increased by moving the pressing member while causing the pressing member to press against the fed-out fiber portion in a state of continuing to feed out the fed-out fiber portion from the fiber roll portion.

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.

An entanglement apparatus includes a controller and a nozzle rotatably mounted for rotation about a nozzle axis. An entanglement section is coupled to a fluid supply and defines openings positionable to face overlapped ends of the fiber tows. At least one of the openings extends along an angled direction relative to the nozzle axis to create adjacent or overlapping fluid distribution paths, and two or more of which are disposed in irregular intervals along the entanglement section and relative to another two or more of the paths. The controller regulates a preselected property of the fluid supply, including a rotation characteristic of the nozzle to randomize the paths. The apparatus directs the fluid through the openings and along the paths toward the overlapped ends of the fiber tows while the nozzle is rotating about the nozzle axis and while the fiber tows, other than their overlapped ends, are maintained stationary.

A carbon nanotube collection apparatus includes: a collection room having an opening part communicating with a carbon nanotube production apparatus; a winding member arranged inside the collection room and configured to wind a carbon nanotube passed through the opening part from the carbon nanotube production apparatus to form a carbon nanotube wound body; and a separation mechanism configured to move the carbon nanotube wound body from a base end side toward a tip end side of the winding member to separate the carbon nanotube wound body from the winding member.