A molded-material manufacturing apparatus includes a deposition section configured to deposit a material containing fibers in air to form a web, a first heating section of a noncontact type configured to heat the web, and a second heating section of a contact type configured to heat and pressurize the web heated in the first heating section to form a molded material.

Provided is a method for producing a sheet molding compound, including impregnating a resin composition into carbon fibers. The viscosity at 25° C. of the resin composition is 300 to 20000 mPa.Math.s, the temperature Tc of the carbon fibers is 15° C. to 115° C. when sandwiched between the resin compositions on carrier films disposed on upper and lower sides, and the content of the carbon fibers in the sheet molding compound is 35% to 30% by mass. The method for producing a sheet molding compound can produce SMC having an excellent impregnation property into carbon fibers regardless of the carbon fiber content and thus can be preferably used for exteriors, structures, and the like of an automotive member, a railroad vehicle member, an aerospace vehicle member, a ship member, a housing equipment member, a sport member, a light vehicle member, a civil engineering and construction member, an OA equipment, etc.

Provided is a method for producing a sheet molding compound, including impregnating a resin composition into carbon fibers. The viscosity at 25° C. of the resin composition is 300 to 20000 mPa.Math.s, the temperature Tc of the carbon fibers is 15° C. to 115° C. when sandwiched between the resin compositions on carrier films disposed on upper and lower sides, and the content of the carbon fibers in the sheet molding compound is 35% to 30% by mass. The method for producing a sheet molding compound can produce SMC having an excellent impregnation property into carbon fibers regardless of the carbon fiber content and thus can be preferably used for exteriors, structures, and the like of an automotive member, a railroad vehicle member, an aerospace vehicle member, a ship member, a housing equipment member, a sport member, a light vehicle member, a civil engineering and construction member, an OA equipment, etc.

A method for manufacturing a composite part reinforced with nanotubes, includes stacking a plurality of composite plies of prepreg and at least one composite ply integrating nanotubes, the at least one composite ply integrating nanotubes being positioned in an inter-ply space between two composite plies of prepreg, wherein the at least one composite ply integrating nanotubes is a ply having a thermoplastic component, the nanotubes being integrated in the thermoplastic component.

A method for manufacturing a composite part reinforced with nanotubes, includes stacking a plurality of composite plies of prepreg and at least one composite ply integrating nanotubes, the at least one composite ply integrating nanotubes being positioned in an inter-ply space between two composite plies of prepreg, wherein the at least one composite ply integrating nanotubes is a ply having a thermoplastic component, the nanotubes being integrated in the thermoplastic component.

A manufacturing method of an SMC of the present invention comprises (i) forming chopped carbon fiber bundles by chopping a continuous carbon fiber bundle having a filament number of NK with a rotary cutter, (ii) fragmentation-processing the chopped carbon fiber bundles by using a fragmentation-processing apparatus comprising a rotating body, (iii) forming a carbon fiber mat by depositing the fragmentation-processed chopped carbon fiber bundles on a carrier film traveling below the rotary cutter, and (iv) impregnating the carbon fiber mat with a thermosetting resin composition, wherein N is 20 or more, and the fragmentation-processing apparatus comprises a first pin roller and a second pin roller which are disposed side by side, each having a rotation axis parallel to a rotation axis direction of the rotary cutter.

A drainable house wrap and method of making same includes a flexible weather-resistant sheet layer, and a plurality of raised spacers coupled to the sheet layer, wherein each spacer comprises at least a first strand overlapping a second strand, and wherein the plurality of raised spacers form at least one drainage path for the drainable house wrap.

An impregnation device includes an impregnation unit, a first supply unit, a second supply unit, and a supply controller. The impregnation unit impregnates a bundle of transported continuous fibers with a resin mixture. The first supply unit supplies a resin of a first composition to the impregnation unit. The second supply unit supplies a resin of a second composition that is different from the resin of the first composition to the impregnation unit. The supply controller controls an amount of resin supplied from the first supply unit and the second supply unit to the impregnation unit.

An impregnation device includes an impregnation unit, a first supply unit, a second supply unit, and a supply controller. The impregnation unit impregnates a bundle of transported continuous fibers with a resin mixture. The first supply unit supplies a resin of a first composition to the impregnation unit. The second supply unit supplies a resin of a second composition that is different from the resin of the first composition to the impregnation unit. The supply controller controls an amount of resin supplied from the first supply unit and the second supply unit to the impregnation unit.

Methods of making fiber-containing prepregs are described. The methods may include the steps of providing a plurality of fibers, and applying a reactive resin composition to the plurality of fibers to make a mixture of the plurality of fibers and the resin composition. The reactive resin composition may include at least one of monomers and oligomers capable of polymerizing into a polymerized resin matrix. The mixture may be heated to a polymerization temperature where the monomers, oligomers, or both polymerize to form a fiber-resin amalgam that includes the polymerized resin matrix. The fiber-resin amalgam may be formed into the fiber-containing prepreg. Also described are methods of forming a fiber-reinforced composite that includes the prepreg.