An airframe or a part thereof 3, for example a skin assembly or a profile such as a structural profile, comprises: a wall W having an aperture A therethrough, wherein the wall W provides a frame F surrounding, at least in part, the aperture A; a panel P conforming with the aperture A; and wherein the airframe or the part 3 thereof is configurable in: a first configuration, wherein the panel P and the frame F are mutually spaced apart; and a second configuration, wherein the panel P is received in the frame F and wherein the frame F resists movement of the panel P in two or three mutually orthogonal directions.

A ball bat includes a continuous tape of fiber material wrapped around the longitudinal axis in a helix extending along the longitudinal axis. Interlaminar interfaces between adjacent turns of the tape are oriented obliquely relative to the longitudinal axis. In some embodiments, the ball bat includes a preform structure, the tape being wrapped around the preform structure. In some embodiments, the ball bat includes a flared element on the preform structure. An end of the continuous tape may be positioned on an angled surface of the flared element. An outer skin may be positioned over the tape. Methods of making ball bats may include attaching a first end of a fiber tape to a flared element on a preform structure or a mandrel and wrapping the fiber tape around the preform structure or mandrel in a helix extending along the longitudinal axis of the preform structure or mandrel.

A method and apparatus for tacking and trimming a thermoplastic tow. A thermoplastic tow is received from a braiding system over a braided structure on a surface. The thermoplastic tow is tack welded to the braided structure. A portion of the thermoplastic tow is trimmed to thereby trim the thermoplastic tow received over the braided structure.

A method for manufacturing a composite barrel structure includes fabricating a first plurality of composite panels that are assemblable into a first partial composite barrel section. The fabricating includes assembling a first layup of composite material and, concurrently, assembling at least one additional layup. The fabricating further includes heating the first layup with the at least one additional layup. A system for fabricating a plurality of panels that are assemblable into partial barrel sections includes a first workstation for fabricating a first plurality of composite panels that are assemblable into a first partial composite barrel section. The first workstation includes a first assembly station configured to concurrently assemble a first layup of composite material and at least one additional layup and a first heating station configured to heat the first layup concurrently with the at least one additional layup to yield the first plurality of composite panels.

An apparatus and method for laminating fibers for direct manufacturing of a preform, in which rows of fibers are drawn at the same time and are arranged in the form of a preform. The apparatus for laminating fibers for direct manufacturing of a preform according to an aspect of the present invention is an apparatus which supplies reinforced fibers to a table 22 and laminating the reinforced fibers thereon, so as to manufacture a fiber preform by laminating the reinforced fibers on the table 22, the apparatus including: a reinforced fiber supply robot 30 configured to supply a predetermined length of a plurality of reinforced fibers, on which a thermoplastic resin is coated; at least one or more edge fixing robots 40 configured to press and fix an end of the reinforced fibers drawn from the reinforced fiber supply robot 30 to the table 22 while the reinforced fibers are adhered as the thermoplastic resin is melted. Particularly, the reinforced fiber supply robot 30 includes: a plurality of reels 33, around which the reinforced fibers F coated with the thermoplastic resin are wound; a plurality of supply rollers 34 configured to transfer the reinforced fibers F, drawn from the plurality of reels, to the table 22 to supply the reinforced fibers thereto; a cutter configured to cut the reinforced fibers F, supplied through the plurality of supply rollers 34, into a predetermined length; and a compression roller 37 configured to press the end of the reinforced fibers F, cut by the cutter, to the table 22.

A method for manufacturing a fiber formed body includes forming a fiber board into a predetermined outer shape while forming a pattern on an outer surface of the fiber board by compressing the fiber board, a forming at least one positioning member by compressing the fiber board, and positioning, relative to a cutoff device, the fiber board using the positioning member, and cutting off a cutoff target part of the fiber board using the cutoff device. In the method for manufacturing the fiber formed body, formation of the pattern during the forming of the outer shape and formation of the positioning member during the forming of the positioning member are simultaneously performed.

In accordance with at least one aspect of this disclosure, a composite structure can be formed of or including a plurality of composite strips. The plurality of composite strips include one or more filler strips which can have at least one filler edge having a filler edge geometry between a first surface and second surface, the second surface being opposite the first surface. The filler edge geometry can be configured to prevent formation of one or more gaps between one or more adjacent composite strips.

A method for preparing a part using a rigid tool surface having a shape. The method includes applying a breather sheet comprising gas-permeable material over the rigid tool surface. A vacuum bag is applied over the breather sheet, and a vacuum pressure is applied underneath the vacuum bag to conform the breather sheet and the vacuum bag to the shape of the rigid tool surface. A resin pre-impregnated ply is applied over the vacuum bag, and the part is positioned over the ply.

A method for impregnating a fibrous preform by injection or infusion, comprising steps of: —providing a mold having at least two portions, said mold presenting an inlet orifice and a vent orifice placed on opposite sides of the mold; —placing a fibrous preform in a portion of the mold; —placing a thermo-expandable seal in a passage formed between an inside wall of the mold and the fibrous preform, said passage extending substantially along the direction (X) extending between the opposite sides of the mold; —closing the mold; —heating the mold so that the thermo-expandable seal expands and shuts off said passage; and—impregnating the fibrous preform with an impregnation material.

A method of manufacturing a plurality of wear liner segments may comprise selecting a number of wear liner segments for a wear liner assembly. The wear liner assembly may be annular in shape. The number of wear liner segments may selected based on minimizing a waste portion of a textile board and/or maximizing a production capacity of a plurality of the wear liner assembly.