A process for producing a component for an aircraft for the frame, e.g. formers and stringers. Aircraft are being increasingly constructed of polymeric fiber composite to reduce weight. Here, fiber composites were originally composed of thermoset polymer and carbon fibers. Thermoplastic fiber composites are increasingly a research focus. An example is poly(ether ether ketone). However, production of components of thermoplastic fiber composites is complex. An improved process for producing such components includes producing a sheet-like object with a thermoplastic fiber composite having a thermoplastic polymer material and reinforcing fibers embedded therein, forming the sheet-like object for a semifinished part, and solidification of the semifinished part to give the component. Components obtainable by this process are also disclosed.

A process for producing a component for an aircraft for the frame, e.g. formers and stringers. Aircraft are being increasingly constructed of polymeric fiber composite to reduce weight. Here, fiber composites were originally composed of thermoset polymer and carbon fibers. Thermoplastic fiber composites are increasingly a research focus. An example is poly(ether ether ketone). However, production of components of thermoplastic fiber composites is complex. An improved process for producing such components includes producing a sheet-like object with a thermoplastic fiber composite having a thermoplastic polymer material and reinforcing fibers embedded therein, forming the sheet-like object for a semifinished part, and solidification of the semifinished part to give the component. Components obtainable by this process are also disclosed.

A method for processing massive fiber bundles includes massive fiber-bundle formation and massive materials handling, wherein plural small-diameter bundles are unified, while more or less preserving their legacy cross-sectional form. It also includes bending, such as to create non-linear preforms, and preform-charge fabrication. Embodiments of the invention operate to help preserve a desired fiber alignment throughout a part fabricated from relatively large-diameter fiber bundles.

Methods for manufacturing composite components having complex geometries are provided. In one exemplary aspect, a method includes laying up each of a plurality of laminates to an initial shape with a substantially planar geometry or a gently curved geometry. Then, a laid up laminate is formed to a final shape for each predefined section defined by the composite component to be manufactured. Thereafter, the laminates formed to their respective final shapes are stacked to build up the complex geometry of the composite component. Next, the composite component can be cured and finish machined as necessary to form the completed composite component.

Techniques for flexible, on-site additive manufacturing of components or portions thereof for transport structures are disclosed. An automated assembly system for a transport structure may include a plurality of automated constructors to assemble the transport structure. In one aspect, the assembly system may span the full vertically integrated production process, from powder production to recycling. At least some of the automated constructors are able to move in an automated fashion between the station under the guidance of a control system. A first of the automated constructors may include a 3-D printer to print at least a portion of a component and to transfer the component to a second one of the automated constructors for installation during the assembly of the transport structure. The automated constructors may also be adapted to perform a variety of different tasks utilizing sensors for enabling machine-learning.

Methods and apparatus for additive manufactures of complex parts using co-aligned continuous fibers are disclosed. Filament subunits having complex shapes are fabricated and inserted into a mold cavity. The layup is compression molded to form a complex part having high tensile strength.

Disclosed are: a fiber-reinforced resin article which includes, on at least one face of a unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet (UDS), a plurality of chopped sheets (CS) of a unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet which is the same as or different from the abovementioned unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet (UDS), wherein the ratio of the chopped sheets (CS), with respect to 100 parts by mass of the unidirectional fiber-reinforced resin sheet (UDS), is at least 40 parts by mass and no more than 100 parts by mass; a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin article, said method having a step for positioning a plurality of the chopped sheets (CS), and a step for heating and pressurizing; and a laminate including the fiber-reinforced resin article and a foam layer.

A fiber-reinforced resin composite having high peeling strength between a fiber-reinforced resin and a resin foam. The fiber-reinforced resin composite (10) is a fiber-reinforced resin composite (10) including a skin (11) and a resin foam (12), the resin foam including a foamed resin (16), the skin including a fiber sheet (14), a thermoplastic matrix resin (15), and the foamed resin (16) that is continuous from the resin foam and is impregnated into the skin.

A fiber-reinforced resin composite having high peeling strength between a fiber-reinforced resin and a resin foam. The fiber-reinforced resin composite (10) is a fiber-reinforced resin composite (10) including a skin (11) and a resin foam (12), the resin foam including a foamed resin (16), the skin including a fiber sheet (14), a thermoplastic matrix resin (15), and the foamed resin (16) that is continuous from the resin foam and is impregnated into the skin.

Disclosed herein a method for making a unidirectional continuous fiber-reinforced resin composite material. A resin plasticized and molten by an extruder is transported to a coating guide roller through a die head, and a hot-melt resin film layer with uniform thickness is formed on a roller surface of the coating guide roller. Simultaneously, the coating guide roller guides the hot-melt resin to continuously and uniformly coat on a row of flattened unidirectional continuous fibers along the roller surface of the coating guide roller. Subsequently, the coated flattened unidirectional continuous fibers pass through an open dip-coating roller device to effectively combine with the hot-melt resin to obtain a composite material of the hot-melt resin and fibers, which passes through a cooling and forming device to a winder under a driving force of a main traction to obtain the unidirectional continuous fiber-reinforced resin composite material.