A method for controlling the thickness of a continuous elongated element made of elastomeric material, applied according to coils wound on a forming support, includes: advancing a head end of the continuous elongated element toward the forming support; subjecting, during the advancement, the continuous elongated element to a first stretching with a first stretch coefficient before applying on the forming support; and subjecting, during the advancement, the continuous elongated element to a second stretching with a second stretch coefficient during the application on the forming support. During the first stretching, a span of the continuous elongated element adjacent to the head end is stretched with a supplementary stretch coefficient greater than the first stretch coefficient, in a manner so as to confer, also to the span adjacent to the head end, a stretch and a section similar or substantially equivalent to those of the rest of the continuous elongated element.

A method of manufacturing a molded article, which comprises: (a) a step of manufacturing the molded article by use of a laminate that has a first layer comprising polypropylene, and a second layer comprising one or more selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polyamide, an ethylene-vinyl alcohol copolymer, and an ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer.

A method for controlling the thickness of a continuous elongated element made of elastomeric material, applied according to coils wound on a forming support, includes: advancing a head end of the continuous elongated element toward the forming support; subjecting, during the advancement, the continuous elongated element to a first stretching with a first stretch coefficient before applying on the forming support; and subjecting, during the advancement, the continuous elongated element to a second stretching with a second stretch coefficient during the application on the forming support. During the first stretching, a span of the continuous elongated element adjacent to the head end is stretched with a supplementary stretch coefficient greater than the first stretch coefficient, in a manner so as to confer, also to the span adjacent to the head end, a stretch and a section similar or substantially equivalent to those of the rest of the continuous elongated element.

A molding apparatus includes a movable molding surface with molding cavities, a pressure shoe with a stationary outer surface that defines in cooperation with the molding surface a pressure zone, and a resin source configured to introduce molten resin into the pressure zone to be forced into the molding cavities by pressure in the pressure zone. The molding surface is movable with respect to the pressure shoe to introduce molding cavities to the pressure zone to be filled with resin while the outer surface of the pressure shoe and the molding surface define in between an entrance gap of decreasing width upstream of the pressure zone. The outer surface of the pressure shoe is spaced from the molding surface in the pressure zone to define a minimum gap at which the outer surface of the pressure shoe has a slope parallel to the molding surface. The pressure shoe is adapted to be held in a flexed condition against resin in the pressure zone while forcing resin into the cavities, with the outer surface of the pressure shoe curved upstream of the pressure zone.

A method for producing a preform for manufacture of a fiber-reinforced plastic molding. The method includes: fixing a resin-equipped film rolled out from a roll state including a release film and a fixing resin and containing a partially-cured thermosetting resin, to a surface of the dry fiber fabric rolled out from a roll with the fixing resin interposed therebetween, thereby obtaining a first dry fiber fabric; separately fixing the resin-equipped film to a surface of the dry fiber fabric rolled out from a roll with the fixing resin interposed therebetween, and detaching the release film, thereby obtaining one or more second dry fiber fabrics; and laminating the second dry fiber fabrics on a surface of the first dry fiber fabric with the fixing resin of the second dry fiber fabrics interposed therebetween.

An apparatus for producing a web of fibrous material includes a roll having incisions with a depth of 0.01-2.00 mm, a width of 0.01-2.00 mm, and a pitch 0.01-10.00 mm, and rotated at a peripheral velocity v.sub.1 equal to the velocity of an upstream apparatus unit; a belt stretched between transmission rollers that advances at a velocity v.sub.2 less than v.sub.1, wherein v.sub.1/v.sub.2 lies between 1.05 and 1.40; a presser roller rotating at a peripheral velocity v.sub.2, associated with a presser system acting to press the belt against the metal roll with a pressure of 1-200 kg per centimeter; and a system that feeds a sheet of pliable fibrous material between the belt and the roll, the belt having a longitudinal elongation of no more than 5%, dimensional stability along its entire length, a thickness of 1-10 cm, and a hardness 24-70 Shore.

According to the invention, there is provided a method of compressing an uncured man-made vitreous fibre web, the web having two opposed major faces. The method comprising the steps: passing the web along a path; and subjecting the web to thickness compression by applying compression to the two major opposed faces of the web. Compression of each of said major faces of the web is applied by passing the path between converging continuous or discontinuous compression surfaces. Further, the respective major face of the web that is being compressed is in contact with one of the converging compression surfaces, and said converging compression surface is inclined towards the path. Additionally, each inclined converging compression surface applies an amount of compression to the major face of the web with which the respective inclined converging surface is in contact, wherein the amount of compression applied to at least one of the two opposing major faces of the web is adjustable.

A fiber-reinforced plastic producing method capable of easily producing a fiber-reinforced plastic in which swelling and warpage are less likely to occur and of which excellent mechanical characteristics and isotropy are ensured, and a fiber-reinforced plastic in which swelling and warpage are suppressed from occurring. The fiber-reinforced plastic producing method has a step for obtaining a material (A) including a prepreg base material in which a region (B), where reinforcing fibers pulled and aligned in one direction are impregnated with a matrix resin and a plurality of cuts (b) are formed, and a region (C), where a plurality of cuts (c) are formed, are alternately formed in a direction orthogonal to a fiber axis of the reinforcing fiber, a step for hot-pressing the material (A) while moving the material (A) under specific conditions, and a step for cooling the pressed material (A) to obtain the fiber-reinforced plastic.

An apparatus for producing a web of fibrous material includes a roll having incisions with a depth of 0.01-2.00 mm, a width of 0.01-2.00 mm, and a pitch 0.01-10.00 mm, and rotated at a peripheral velocity v.sub.1 equal to the velocity of an upstream apparatus unit; a belt stretched between transmission rollers that advances at a velocity v.sub.2 less than v.sub.1, wherein v.sub.1/v.sub.2 lies between 1.05 and 1.40; a presser roller rotating at a peripheral velocity v.sub.2, associated with a presser system acting to press the belt against the metal roll with a pressure of 1-200 kg per centimeter; and a system that feeds a sheet of pliable fibrous material between the belt and the roll, the belt having a longitudinal elongation of no more than 5%, dimensional stability along its entire length, a thickness of 1-10 cm, and a hardness 24-70 Shore A.

Sheet having fastening elements, comprising a base strip made of thermoplastic material and at least one element made from the strip, the element consisting of a stem extending in a transverse, in particular vertical, direction to the plane of the base strip, and having a cross section which is substantially uniform or decreases from the base strip towards the apex of the stem, in particular as far as the apex of the stem, and a part forming a head which protrudes laterally from the apex of the stem.