A method for manufacturing floor panels, wherein these floor panels have a thickness of 2 to 6 millimeters and comprises at least a substrate and a decor provided thereon, wherein said substrate substantially consists of thermoplastic material and filler materials, wherein said filler materials form at least 40 percent by weight of said substrate, and wherein the method comprises at least the step of providing a first solid substrate layer by means of extrusion, wherein said substrate layer comprises said thermoplastic material and filler; the step of providing said decor by directly printing the substrate; and the step of liquidly applying a lacquer layer on said decor, and subsequently hardening said lacquer layer by UV light.

A method for manufacturing a panel including a reinforcement sheet having the steps of: providing a first layer of thermoplastic material, providing a reinforcement sheet, laying the reinforcement sheet and the first layer onto each other, applying a second layer of thermoplastic material on top of the reinforcement sheet at a side facing away from the first layer, at least partially melting the thermoplastic materials of the first layer and the second layer, adhering the at least partially melted first layer, the at least partially melted second layer and the reinforcement sheet to each other so as to form the panel. Additionally, the reinforcement sheet and the first layer are adhered to each other by pressing them together after at least partially melting the thermoplastic material of the first layer, but before applying the second layer of thermoplastic material onto the reinforcement sheet.

A method for manufacturing a panel including a reinforcement sheet comprises the steps of: providing a first layer of thermoplastic material, providing a reinforcement sheet, laying the reinforcement sheet and the first layer onto each other, applying a second layer of thermoplastic material on top of the reinforcement sheet at a side facing away from the first layer, at least partially melting the thermoplastic materials of the first layer and the second layer, adhering the at least partially melted first layer, the at least partially melted second layer and the reinforcement sheet to each other so as to form the panel, wherein the reinforcement sheet and the first layer are adhered to each other by pressing them together after at least partially melting the thermoplastic material of the first layer, but before applying the second layer of thermoplastic material onto the reinforcement sheet.

An insulation panel has an insulation core layer disposed that includes at least a first particulate and a second particulate of a plurality of discrete puffed polysaccharide particulates that defines a plurality of voids within the core layer. The first particulate is at least partially adhered to at least the second particulate at one or more bonded areas without the use of external non-water-soluble adhesives.

A structure material includes a resin, reinforced fibers, and voids, a volume content of the resin being within a range of 2.5% by volume or more and 85% by volume or less, a volume content of the reinforced fibers being within a range of 0.5% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less, the voids being contained in the structure material in a rate within a range of 10% by volume or more and 97% by volume or less, a thickness St of the structure material satisfying a conditional expression: StLf.sup.2.Math.(1cos(f)) where a length of the reinforced fibers is Lf and an oriented angle of the reinforced fibers in a sectional direction of the structure material is f, and a compression strength in an in-plane direction at 50% compression of the structure material measured in accordance with JIS K7220 being 3 MPa or more.

The purpose of the present invention is to obtain a fiber-reinforced plastic that is capable of controlling anisotropy, has excellent mechanical characteristics, has little variation, has excellent heat resistance, and has good fluidity during forming. A production method for fiber-reinforced plastic, having: a step in which a material (A) (100) including a prepreg base material is obtained, said prepreg base material having cuts therein and having a thermoplastic resin impregnated in reinforcing fibers (110) arranged in parallel in one direction; a step in which a pressurizing device is used that applies a substantially uniform pressure in a direction (X) orthogonal to the travel direction of the material (A) (100) and the material (A) (100) is caused to travel in the one direction and is pressurized while being heated to a prescribed temperature (T), an angle (.theta.) of 20-20 .degree. being formed between the orthogonal direction (X) and a fiber axial direction (Y) for the reinforcing fibers (110) of the prepreg base material; and a step in which the material (A) (100) pressurized by the pressurizing device is cooled and the fiber-reinforced plastic is obtained.

A panel including at least a substrate of thermoplastic material and a top layer with a printed decor and a translucent or transparent wear layer. The substrate includes three layers, including a lowermost layer, a central layer and an uppermost layer, all made from thermoplastic material, where the thermoplastic material of the central layer is more rigid than the thermoplastic material of the lower most layer and the uppermost layer.

An impregnation system and a method for impregnating a textile fabric for composite components are described. A matrix 2 can be applied to a textile fabric 1 in such a way that the matrix 2 penetrates it at least partially and/or at least on one side. A first and a second endless belt 1 each designed as a belt loop are provided for the impregnation system. Between the first 4 and the second belt loop 5, the textile fabric 1 can guided on the mutually facing surfaces 6 of the belt loops and can be impregnated there. The deflection rollers 7 are provided in the respective belt loop 4, 5 of the respective endless belts at the deflection areas, with at least one roller being adjustable in the direction of the mutually facing surfaces 6 of the belt loops 4, 5. By adjusting the rollers 8 in the y direction, the wrap angle and thus the pressure exerted on the textile fabric during impregnation is controlled.

A continuous polymer sheet casting apparatus includes first and second endless belts positioned in face to face relationship to each other for a portion of their lengths to form between their inside surfaces a mold cavity for molding a polymeric sheet therebetween, and a container in fluid communication with the mold cavity, the container configured to introduce a liquid monomer or liquid polymer and curing agent and/or initiator to the cavity for polymerization therein; a controlled cooling apparatus in thermal communication with the mold cavity, configured to cool and solidify the polymeric sheet as it moves through the mold cavity, wherein either the first, the second, or the first and second endless belts include a microstructured optical quality tool area on at least a portion of said belt or belts. A mold and process for molding is also disclosed.

A panel for forming a floor covering, where this panel includes a substrate including at least a layer of thermoplastic material, where the panel, above the layer, comprises at least also a printed decor and a translucent or transparent wear layer. The layer also includes at least individual fibers having a length greater than 1 millimeter, where the individual fibers are loose and freely distributed within the layer of thermoplastic material.