Methods of making fiber-containing prepregs are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, and applying a reactive resin composition to the plurality of fibers to make a mixture of the plurality of fibers and the resin composition. The reactive resin composition may include at least one of monomers and oligomers capable of polymerizing into a polymerized resin matrix. The mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers, oligomers, or both polymerize to form a fiber-resin amalgam that includes the polymerized resin matrix. The fiber-resin amalgam may be formed into the fiber-containing prepreg. Also described are methods of forming a fiber-reinforced composite that includes the prepreg.

According to one implementation, a fiber width adjustment device includes: a feeder and an adjuster. The feeder feeds a tape material in a length direction of the tape material. The tape material consists of fibers for a fiber reinforced resin after or before the fibers are impregnated with a resin. The adjuster has a path for the tape material. The path is formed by at least a bottom and a pair of wall surfaces. The interval of the wall surfaces decreased gradually. The width of the tape material which passed the path is changed by adjusting a part of the path. The tape material passes through the part of the path while contacting with the bottom and the wall surfaces.

A method and apparatus for the additive manufacturing of three-dimensional objects are disclosed. Two or more materials are extruded simultaneously as a composite, with at least one material in liquid form and at least one material in a solid continuous strand completely encased within the liquid material. A means of curing the liquid material after extrusion hardens the composite. A part is constructed using a series of extruded composite paths. The strand material within the composite contains specific chemical, mechanical, or electrical characteristics that instill the object with enhanced capabilities not possible with only one material.

A reinforced composite is provided that includes at least one planar fiber reinforcement or fabric formed from a plurality of fibers. The fiber reinforcement or fabric has a first side and a second side. The reinforced composite further includes a chemical treatment coated on at least one of said first side and second side and a matrix material.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg includes a double belt mechanism that is configured to compress a fiber mat, web, or mesh that is passed through the double belt mechanism, a resin applicator that is configured to apply monomers or oligomers to the fiber mat, web, or mesh, and a curing oven that is configured to effect polymerization of the monomers or oligomers and thereby form the thermoplastic polymer as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is moved through the curing oven. The double belt mechanism compresses the fiber mat, web, or mesh and the applied monomers or oligomers as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is passed through the curing oven so that the monomers or oligomers fully saturate the fiber mat, web, or mesh. Upon polymerization of the monomers or oligomers, the fiber mat, web, or mesh is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer.

The invention relates to an impregnated yarn, a ribbed thin-walled composite product comprising such an impregnated yarn, and a method of making them. Such an impregnated yarn (10d; 10e) comprises at least two continuous strands (10a; 10b) comprising plant fibers (11), said strands (10a; 10b) being impregnated with thermoplastic material (12a) in at least 60% of their volume, each of said strands (10a; 10b) being individually twisted and all of said strands (10a; 10b) also being twisted in a configuration (10d) held by the thermoplastic material (12a).

A method for producing a sheet molding compound including impregnating a resin composition into carbon fibers. The method is characterized in that the bulkiness H.sub.o of the carbon fibers before an impregnation step is 3 mm or more, the compression ratio R.sub.c (H.sub.c/H.sub.o) of the carbon fibers in the impregnation step is less than 1, the thickness of the sheet molding compound is 10 mm or less, and the content Wc of the carbon fibers is 40% by mass or more. The method for producing a sheet molding compound can produce a sheet molding compound having the excellent impregnation property into carbon fibers and thus can be preferably used for exteriors, structures, and the like of an automotive member, a railroad vehicle member, an aerospace vehicle member, a ship member, a housing equipment member, a sport member, a light vehicle member, a civil engineering and construction member, an OA equipment.

Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

An apparatus for applying a liquid matrix to a fiber tow includes a belt press arranged to receive the fiber tow and compress it between two moving belts and a matrix application roller arranged to receive liquid matrix and transfer it to the fiber. The apparatus also includes a second matrix application component arranged adjacent to the matrix application roller so as to form a first gap between the component and the matrix application roller. The matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to the belt press so as to form a second gap between the matrix application roller and a belt of the belt press; and wherein the second gap is larger than the first gap.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg product includes a belt or conveyor, a prepreg applicator that positions a thermoplastic prepreg atop the belt or conveyor, a foam applicator that applies a foam mixture atop the thermoplastic prepreg, a heating mechanism that heats the thermoplastic prepreg and the foam mixture to cause the foam mixture to react atop the thermoplastic prepreg, and a laminator that is configured to press the thermoplastic prepreg and foam mixture to control a thickness of the resulting thermoplastic prepreg product. The thermoplastic prepreg includes a fabric, mat, or web of fibers and a thermoplastic material that is impregnated within the fabric, mat, or web of fibers. The thermoplastic material is formed from in situ polymerization of monomers and oligomers. The foam mixture includes an isocyanate, a polyol blend, and a blowing agent.