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.

Systems and methods are provided for hardening wing panel preforms. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a wing panel for an aircraft. The method includes loading a wing skin preform onto a contour of an Outer Mold Line (OML) tool, applying stringer preforms to troughs of an Inner Mold Line (IML) tool, aligning the OML tool with the IML tool, and assembling the IML, tool and the OML tool into a cartridge that molds a wing panel preform comprising the wing skin preform and the stringer preforms. The method further includes inserting the cartridge into a press, and hardening the wing panel preform into a composite part while the cartridge resides in the press.

A beaded panel includes a base panel and a beaded panel doubler made of a first fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The beaded panel doubler is joined to the base panel to supplement a stiffness of the base panel.

Disclosed is a clamping tong for securing a shell part of a wind turbine blade in a mould and a mould comprising a clamping tong. The clamping tong comprises a first tong segment, a second tong segment and a third tong segment. The third tong segment has a clamping surface for applying a clamping force on a mould section, such as a mould flange of the mould. The clamping tong is configured to reposition the clamping surface between a clamping state and a release state. The distance between the clamping surface and the first tong axis in the clamping state is shorter than the distance between the clamping surface and the first tong axis in the release state. Thereby, the clamping surface may provide the clamping force on the mould section in the clamping state. The first tong segment is attachable to the mould.

A method of manufacturing a wrinkle coupon includes providing a thermoplastic laminate having a laminate outer surface and opposing laminate side edges, and comprised of multiple plies. Each ply is comprised of reinforcing fibers pre-impregnated with thermoplastic resin. The method additionally includes placing a wrinkle-forming element across the laminate outer surface such that the wrinkle-forming element extends between the laminate side edges. In addition, the method includes applying heat to the thermoplastic laminate, and applying compaction pressure on the wrinkle-forming element against the laminate outer surface in a manner urging the wrinkle-forming element into the thermoplastic laminate, and causing the wrinkle-forming element to form a wrinkle as an out-of-plane deformation in one or more of the plies. The method also includes allowing the thermoplastic laminate to cool, and cutting a wrinkle coupon out of a region of the thermoplastic laminate containing the wrinkle.

Methods of designing and producing a connecting rod using carbon fiber reinforced epoxy molding compound composite material are provided, such that the method allows connecting rod designer to machine several different connecting rod designs, lengths, and beams. The material is molded into a near-net shape. After molding, the blank is machined into the final shape of a connecting rod and the material is sealed.

The present invention relates to a method of assembling a rim, in particular a bicycle rim of composite material. The invention further relates to a rim obtainable by such a method.

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.

An apparatus and a method for preparing a multi-directional continuous fiber-reinforced composite material. The apparatus includes an electrostatic fiber-splitting device configured to controllably split a fiber bundle, a powder spreading device configured to spread a powder, and a pre-press molding device configured to cut the fiber and compact the powder. The electrostatic fiber-splitting device includes a rotatable fiber-splitting table. The pressing plate is controlled by an electromagnet, and the pressing plate is energized to generate a high-voltage electrostatic field to disperse the continuous fiber bundle into monofilament fibers.

An automated manufacturing method and system and in-mold coated plastic article produced thereby are provided. The system includes a combination compression and injection mold and a plurality of program-controlled manipulators. An automatic sprayer supported on a first manipulator sprays at least a portion of a mold surface with an in-mold coating composition. An end effector supported on a second manipulator picks up a heated blank of moldable plastic sheet material from an oven and places the heated blank in the mold. An inner portion of the heated blank is forced into an article-defining cavity of the mold and into contact with at least a portion of the composition. The composition and the inner portion cure and bond to one another and a plastic compatible with the plastic of the sheet is injected into the mold so as to form the coated plastic article.