Systems and methods for a caul plate for an irregular surface. One embodiment is a caul plate for co-curing or co-bonding a first composite part and a second composite part. A body of the caul plate includes a lower surface to face a top surface of the first composite part, a reference edge to locate the second composite part on the first composite part, and an upper surface that is opposite to the lower surface. The lower surface includes one or more bends to match one or more slopes in the top surface of the first composite part. The one or more bends correspond with ply changes in the first composite part.

A method, apparatus, system, and computer program product for fabricating a composite part. Composite materials are laid up on a mandrel. A caul is placed over the composite materials laid up on the mandrel. An inner mold line of the caul is sized to an outer surface of the composite materials in a cured state. The composite materials laid up on the mandrel with the caul over the composite materials is cured to form the composite part. The composite materials expand to the inner mold line of the caul during curing of the composite materials to form the composite part.

A ply transporting and compacting apparatus comprises a rigid frame, a top-layer sheet of flexible rubber material fastened to the frame, and a bottom-layer sheet of perforated flexible rubber material having openings. The apparatus also comprises a middle-layer sheet of flow media material disposed in a first plenum area that is defined between the top and bottom layer sheets. The apparatus further comprises a moving device coupled to the frame and arranged to lower the frame and sheets onto a composite ply at a trimming location to pick up the composite ply with a suction force when a vacuum is drawn in the first plenum area to create the suction force through the openings of the bottom-layer sheet.

A lightweight and durable window well is composed of a long fiber reinforced thermoplastic (LFRT). The lightweight and durable window well has at least some fibers that are omnidirectional relative to the other fibers in the thermoplastic. Additionally, at least some fibers of the LFRT have a length greater than 40 mm. The window well also has a body having a plurality of ribs interposed between a plurality of wall surface portions. Additionally, each rib is positioned between two different wall surface portions and is defined by a variable height and a variable depth. Furthermore, the wall surface portions have a variable thickness that varies from a minimal thickness of less than 3 mm to a maximum thickness of greater than 5 mm, with the wall surface being thicker near the ribs than at portions furthest from the ribs in the wall surface.

A method of manufacturing a transport refrigeration unit is provided. The method includes providing an enclosure including an outer layer and a supporter. Providing the enclosure includes supplying one of a first material and a second material to a mold. This also includes supplying the other of the first material and the second material on the one of the first material and the second material that is supplied to the mold. Also, this includes curing the first material and the second material integrally that are supplied to the mold. The first material forms into the outer layer and the second material forms into the supporter. The second material includes a plurality of reinforcing fibers.

The application relates to a nonwoven composite containing a plurality of solid regions and a plurality of porous regions. The solid and porous regions form a repeating pattern on the surface of the composite. The solid regions contain a solid region nonwoven layer, an optional solid region polymer-fiber infused layer, and a solid region cap layer. The solid region nonwoven layer contains a plurality of first staple fibers and less than about 5% by volume of a first polymer. The solid region cap layer contains the first polymer and less than about 5% by volume of the first staple fibers. The porous regions contain a porous region nonwoven layer and a porous region polymer-fiber infused layer. The porous region nonwoven layer contains a plurality of the first staple fibers and less than about 5% by volume of a first polymer. The porous region polymer-fiber infused layer contains a plurality of pores.

The application relates to a nonwoven composite containing a plurality of solid regions and a plurality of porous regions. The solid and porous regions form a repeating pattern on the surface of the composite. The solid regions contain a solid region nonwoven layer, an optional solid region polymer-fiber infused layer, and a solid region cap layer. The solid region nonwoven layer contains a plurality of first staple fibers and less than about 5% by volume of a first polymer. The solid region cap layer contains the first polymer and less than about 5% by volume of the first staple fibers. The porous regions contain a porous region nonwoven layer and a porous region polymer-fiber infused layer. The porous region nonwoven layer contains a plurality of the first staple fibers and less than about 5% by volume of a first polymer. The porous region polymer-fiber infused layer contains a plurality of pores.

The present invention provides an apparatus for recycling composite material and a method for recycling composite material by using same, the apparatus including: a mixing tank in which pulverized products of fiber-reinforced waste plastic are dispersed and mixed in water together with a filler, thereby forming a composite material mixture; a fixing agent addition part for forming a recyclable material by supplying, to the composite material mixture, a fixing agent that aggregates the pulverized products of the fiber-reinforced waste plastic and the filler; and a filtering tank in which the recyclable material is supplied such that a recyclable composite sheet is formed.

A manufacturing method of a halogen-free flame-retardant thermoplastic braided fiber reinforced polymer composite board, comprising steps of: preparing a recycled material containing a halogen-free flame-retardant thermoplastic braided fiber reinforced polymer composite; adding a polymer base material to the recycled material to form a core layer material and extruding the core layer material with a low shear extruder; hot pressing the core layer material by rollers to obtain a recycled fiber core layer; preparing a reinforcement layer containing a fiber material or a fabric with pores; and stacking and hot pressing the recycled fiber core layer and the reinforcement layer.

An intensifier mechanism for forming stacked material includes a support, a first body coupled to the support, and a second body having a main portion, a pivoting portion, and a joint. The main portion is coupled to the support and the joint movably couples the main portion to the pivoting portion. The joint allows the pivoting portion to pivot in relation to the main portion when the membrane moves towards the bottom wall.