This invention relates to a wind turbine blade with retrofitted coating in and around areas where the blade is especially exposed to erosion damages, which is established by the coating including a glue layer, a fiber reinforced polymer layer and one or more non-reinforced polymer layers over the fiber reinforced layer, since the polymer layers stretch themselves out over the fiber reinforced layer and includes areas of the wind turbine blade's surface, which are less exposed to erosion damages. A method for creation of such a wind turbine blade and creation of such a coating and the coating itself, is also established with the invention.

This invention relates to a wind turbine blade with retrofitted coating in and around areas where the blade is especially exposed to erosion damages, which is established by the coating including a glue layer, a fiber reinforced polymer layer and one or more non-reinforced polymer layers over the fiber reinforced layer, since the polymer layers stretch themselves out over the fiber reinforced layer and includes areas of the wind turbine blade's surface, which are less exposed to erosion damages. A method for creation of such a wind turbine blade and creation of such a coating and the coating itself, is also established with the invention.

A cover for a utility vault and a method for making such covers. The cover is formed from fiberglass reinforcement layers and a polymer mix matrix. The reinforcement layers include a bottom reinforcement layer, one or more edge reinforcement layers, and a top reinforcement layer. A first portion of the edge reinforcement layer overlaps a portion of the bottom reinforcement layer and a second portion of the edge reinforcement layer overlaps a portion of the top reinforcement layer. The reinforcement layers are formed from fiberglass fabric and may include fiberglass layers whose fibers are oriented quadraxially. The polymer mix impregnates the fabric layers and forms the bulk of the cover. The polymer matrix bonds the reinforcement layers so that forces applied across the top and bottom layers are communicated to the edge reinforcement layer. The polymer matrix includes a thermoset polymer resin and an expanded glass bead filler.

In one version there is provided a test system including a layup tool having a layup surface, and two fairing bars attached to the layup surface. The test system includes the composite laminate having a plurality of stacked plies, and positioned between the two fairing bars. The test system includes fiber distortion initiator(s) positioned at one or more locations under, and adjacent to, one or more plies of the plurality of stacked plies. The test system includes two caul plates with a gap in between, and positioned over the composite laminate. When the test system undergoes a pressurized cure process with a vacuum compaction, a restricted outward expansion of the plurality of stacked plies by the fairing bars, and a pressure differential region formed by the one or more fiber distortion initiators at the one or more locations, create the controlled and repeatable out-of-plane fiber distortion in the composite laminate.

In one version there is provided a test system including a layup tool having a layup surface, and two fairing bars attached to the layup surface. The test system includes the composite laminate having a plurality of stacked plies, and positioned between the two fairing bars. The test system includes fiber distortion initiator(s) positioned at one or more locations under, and adjacent to, one or more plies of the plurality of stacked plies. The test system includes two caul plates with a gap in between, and positioned over the composite laminate. When the test system undergoes a pressurized cure process with a vacuum compaction, a restricted outward expansion of the plurality of stacked plies by the fairing bars, and a pressure differential region formed by the one or more fiber distortion initiators at the one or more locations, create the controlled and repeatable out-of-plane fiber distortion in the composite laminate.

A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank includes: forming a preform by winding a carbon fiber around a liner to form a fiber layer on an outer periphery of the liner; and impregnating the fiber layer of the preform with a curable resin and curing the curable resin. When winding the carbon fiber around the liner, a metal wire together with the carbon fiber is wound around the liner.

A method for manufacturing a high-pressure tank includes: forming a preform by winding a carbon fiber around a liner to form a fiber layer on an outer periphery of the liner; and impregnating the fiber layer of the preform with a curable resin and curing the curable resin. When winding the carbon fiber around the liner, a metal wire together with the carbon fiber is wound around the liner.

A cross-corrugated support structure includes a sheet having a first and a second set of corrugations. The first set of corrugations is defined by a series of alternating ridges and grooves that extend the length of the sheet in a first direction. The second set of corrugations is also defined by a series of ridges and grooves that extend the length of the sheet in a second direction that intersects with the first direction. The intersection of the first and second set of corrugations creates cross-corrugations throughout the sheet. To provide compressive and tensile strengths suitable for large-scale construction applications, the sheet may be made of a carbonaceous material such as carbon fiber or graphite treated to rigidly retain a shape including the first and second set of corrugations within the sheet. The sheet may be reinforced by securing support members or additional corrugated sheets to the sheet.

The present disclosure concerns a method for manufacturing a composite panel including a cellular central core interposed between two skins. The manufacturing method includes the steps of manufacture of an element with a cellular structure comprising a cellular core structure interposed between two layers of structural plies intended to form the skins, positioning of the element with a cellular structure within a mold, formation of drains on either side of the cellular core structure, infusion of the element with a cellular structure so as to impregnate it with a resin, carrying out a draining of the resin through the drains in the element with a cellular structure during the infusion step, the drains having a geometry configured to provide draining, and polymerization of the impregnated element with a cellular structure to form the composite panel.

A molding system and methods of forming a structure are presented. The molding system is configured to sequentially form features of a structure. The molding system comprises a first tool comprising a number of features configured to completely form a first set of radii of a structure and a number of partial forming features configured to partially form a second set of radii of the structure, and a second tool comprising a number of completion features configured to complete shaping of the second set of radii.