Disclosed herein are methods for isolating a composite material from the environment, as well as the isolated composite material. Also disclosed herein are methods for shaping a composite material that include the use of isolated composite materials. For example, disclosed is a method for mechanical thermoforming of a composite material to form a shaped composite material.

A method and apparatus for constructing a tubular assembly 40 comprising an inner portion (24) and a further portion (23) surrounding the inner portion. The inner portion (24) comprises reinforcement (37) and the further portion (23) being formed from a strip (50) of material comprising two opposed longitudinal marginal side portions (53). The apparatus comprises an assembly station (220) comprising a wall (253). The apparatus comprises means for advancing the inner portion (21) along a first path (231) extending passed the wall (253), and means for advancing the strip (50) along a second path (232) and causing the strip to encircle the wall (253) and thereby wrap about and surround the inner portion (21). The apparatus further comprises means (321) for introducing resinous binder into the reinforcement (37) as the strip (50) is being wrapped about the inner portion (21).

A method of forming a fibre article, comprising: providing a former having a contoured forming surface; locating a fibre preform between a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm, the second diaphragm being offset from the forming surface; drawing a vacuum between the first and second diaphragms so as to hold the preform captive between the diaphragms; displacing the diaphragms relative to the former so as to bring a part of the second diaphragm adjoining the preform into partial conformity with the former; drawing a vacuum between the second diaphragm and the former so as to increase the conformity between the said part of the second diaphragm and the former; and setting the preform in its configuration.

Disclosed herein are methods for isolating a composite material from the environment, as well as the isolated composite material. Also disclosed herein are methods for shaping a composite material that include the use of isolated composite materials. For example, disclosed is a method for mechanical thermoforming of a composite material to form a shaped composite material.

A method for forming a fibre article, the method comprising: locating a fibre preform between a first diaphragm and a second diaphragm, the preform comprising a heat-activatable binder; drawing a vacuum between the first and second diaphragms so as to hold the preform captive between the diaphragms; positioning a first heater plate in contact with the first diaphragm; positioning a second heater plate in contact with the second diaphragm; drawing a vacuum between the first diaphragm and the first heater plate so as to increase the contact between the first diaphragm and the first heater plate; releasing the vacuum between the first diaphragm and the first heater plate; and drawing a vacuum between the second diaphragm and the second heater plate so as to increase the contact between the second diaphragm and the second heater plate.

A controlled shear vacuum forming method that includes forming a three-dimensional (3D) structure from a preform material on a molding tool using restraints during vacuuming to prevent wrinkling. The restraints are withdrawn during vacuuming to allowing the preform material to come into contact with the sidewalls of the molding tool in a gradual manner. Such forming method is particularly suitable for forming wing spars with bent sections and/or curved contours.

Disclosed herein are methods for shaping a composite material (110) that include the use of a woven or non-woven veil (120). Also disclosed herein are shaped composite materials formed using such methods, which show significant improvement in wrinkling.

A method for forming a composite structure includes the steps of: forming a fiber-reinforced polymer paste to a shape of a cavity of a dry fiber preform structure; heating said dry fiber preform structure having said fiber-reinforced polymer in said cavity to an infusion temperature; infusing resin into said dry fiber preform structure and around said fiber-reinforced polymer; and curing said resin-infused fiber preform structure and said fiber-reinforced polymer at a cure temperature higher than said infusion temperature.

A composite armour for a flexible pipe includes a composite profile and a reinforcement tape. The composite profile includes longitudinally oriented reinforcement fibres embedded in a polymer matrix. The reinforcement tape includes a woven tape comprising fibres impregnated with a polymer material, in such a way that the weft thread of the reinforcement tape is orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the profile, and the warp thread is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the profile.

A hot drape-forming method for shaping fibrous preforms and prepreg plies into complex geometries. For shaping fibrous preforms, the hot drape-forming method includes: a) dividing the total number of preforms into a plurality of sub-preforms (S1, S2, S3); and b) consecutively shaping each sub-preform (S1, S2, S3) by applying vacuum pressure and heat, wherein the shaping of all sub-preforms (S1, S2, S3) are carried out in the same tool housing (10) over the same molding surface. The resulting shaped preform (S1, S2, S3) is ready for resin infusion. The same method can also be used to shape resin-impregnated prepreg plies.