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.

The invention relates to a glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a sheathed continuous multifilament strand comprising a core that extends in the longitudinal direction and a polymer sheath which intimately surrounds said core, wherein the core comprises an impregnated continuous multifilament strand comprising at least one continuous glass multifilament strand, wherein the at least one continuous glass multifilament strand is impregnated with an impregnating agent, wherein the polymer sheath consists of a thermoplastic polymer composition comprising a thermoplastic polymer, wherein the glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastic polymer composition comprises a liquid color composition comprising a pigment and a liquid carrier comprising a dicarboxylic acid ester and/or an unsaturated long-chain aliphatic fatty acid having 13 to 21 carbon atoms.

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.

Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding in which fluctuations of the dispersion state of the fiber bundle in the molding is small, the generation of a resin pool is suppressed, and fluctuations in physical properties such as tensile strength and modulus of elasticity are suppressed; a method for manufacturing the same, and a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin material. Provided is a fiber-reinforced resin material molding comprising: a fiber bundle comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibers; and a matrix resin, wherein a coefficient of variation in fiber content of the reinforcing fibers per unit zone of 0.1 mm square on a cut face along a thickness direction is 40% or less.

A resin supply unit of a manufacturing apparatus supplies a resin to a roller surface of an impregnated roller which is capable of rotating at a constant speed. A transport mechanism brings the fiber bundle into contact with the resin on the roller surface and thereby forms a tow prepreg while the fiber bundle is being transported. A fineness acquisition unit acquires as a fineness acquisition value a fineness, which is defined by a mass per unit length of the fiber bundle during conveyance thereof before being brought into contact with the resin. A resin supply amount control unit controls the resin supply amount based on the fineness acquisition value, in a manner so that a resin content of the tow prepreg becomes a target resin content.

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.

Disclosed is a fiber-reinforced composite and methods and apparatuses for making the same. Some fiber-reinforced composites include a matrix material including a thermoplastic material and a non-woven fibrous region having a plurality of continuous fibers dispersed in the matrix material, wherein the width and the length of the non-woven fibrous region are substantially equal to the width and the length, respectively, of the liber-reinforced composite, wherein the non-woven fibrous region has a mean relative area fiber coverage (RFAC) (%) of from 65 to 90 and a coefficient of variance (COV) (%) of from 3 to 20, and wherein each of the plurality of continuous fibers is substantially aligned with the length of the fiber-reinforced composite.

A method of manufacturing continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic components includes receiving, by a movable die, spread dry fiber tows. The method also includes receiving, by the movable die and from a polymer extruder fluidically coupled to the movable die, molten polymer. The method also include wetting, by the movable die, the spread fiber tows with the molten polymer. The method also includes maintaining, by the movable die, the wet fiber tows spread as the wet fiber tows exit the die. The method also includes depositing, by the movable die, a layer of the wet fiber tows on a printing surface. The movable die is configured to move along the printing surface to form a thermoplastic component of one or more layers of fiber tows on the printing surface.

The present invention relates to a method of producing a prepreg, in which a matrix resin is applied to a reinforcing fiber sheet, where the sheet can continuously run without clogging due to generated fuzz, even at a high running speed, and where the sheet can be efficiently impregnated with the matrix resin. The prepreg is produced by a method which includes a step of allowing a reinforcing fiber sheet to pass horizontally or slantingly through the inside of a coating section storing a matrix resin to apply the matrix resin to the reinforcing fiber sheet, where the coating section includes a liquid pool and a narrowed section which are in communication with each other, where the liquid pool has a portion whose cross-sectional area decreases continuously along a running direction of the reinforcing fiber sheet, and wherein the narrowed section has a slit-like cross-section and has a smaller cross-sectional area than the largest cross-sectional area of the liquid pool.

A process for the production of a fibre-composite material, the process including the following steps: a) a fibre bundle is conducted over at least one deflection bar having radially circumferential rounded elevations, thus being expanded; b) the expanded fibre bundle is subsequently drawn into an impregnation chamber; c) a melt is applied to the expanded fibre bundle; and d) the fibre bundle impregnated with melt is drawn through a take-off die at the end of the apparatus, and a corresponding device, which achieves very good impregnation quality.