Provided is a method of shaping a composite blade made of a composite material by curing prepreg in which reinforcing fibers are impregnated with resin. A foaming agent disposed in an internal space of the composite blade contains a plurality of foaming bodies and foaming agent resin. The foaming bodies foam by being heated. The foaming agent resin cures by being heated. The foaming bodies include low-temperature side foaming bodies and high-temperature side foaming bodies. The low-temperature side foaming bodies foam in a low temperature range during a curing step. The high-temperature side foaming bodies foam in a high temperature range corresponding to temperatures higher than the low temperature range during the curing step.

A fiber reinforced plastic molded body includes a layered body, a resin member, unidirectional fiber reinforced resins each constituted from a unidirectional continuous fiber, a matrix resin, and a woven fabric fiber reinforced resin of one or two or more layers, wherein when the layered body is divided into equal halves in its thickness direction, an amount of the resin member present in a region (R1) which is a side from a dividing center line whereon the woven fabric fiber reinforced resin is layered is referred to as Am1, and an amount of the resin member present in a region (R2) which is a side whereon the woven fabric fiber reinforced resin is not layered is referred to as Am2, Am2/Am1 is 2 to 25.

Systems and methods are provided for compacting laminates. One embodiment is a method for compacting a laminate onto a surface of a forming tool. The method includes placing the laminate onto the forming tool, disposing a compaction device over the laminate, gripping the compaction device to the forming tool, compacting the laminate with a pressure foot of the compaction device, and removing the compaction device from the forming tool.

A composite material structure manufacturing jig (10) is used when manufacturing a composite material structure by adhering prepreg to a framework structure including a frame component that includes a channel extending along a longitudinal direction of the frame component. The composite material structure manufacturing jig (10) is inserted in the channel of the frame component and used therein. The jig (10) includes a tubular body (11) formed of an elastic material containing a reinforcement fiber, the body (11) including a trapezoidal transverse section that is a cross section orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the body (11), the trapezoidal transverse section including an upper base and a lower base longer than the upper base. An inner surface of the body (11) is coated with an inner peripheral film (16) serving as a gas barrier layer.

A caul body for forming a composite structure comprises a laminate having at least one carbon layer and at least one silicone layer. The at least one silicone layer defines an outer surface of the laminate. The laminate has a first region and a second region. A thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the first region is greater than a thickness of the at least one carbon layer in the second region. The first region has a hardness value greater than a hardness value of the second region.

Provided is a spur gear component including a plurality of teeth protruding in a radial direction, extending in an axial direction, and arranged at equal pitches in a circumferential direction, the spur gear component including a fiber material having a shape corresponding to an arrangement pattern of the plurality of teeth and wound in a spiral shape around a center axis.

A composite material includes a fibrous reinforcement and a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix includes two interpenetrating phases, namely a thermoset phase and a continuous thermoplastic phase. The thermoset phase and the thermoplastic phase form a matrix microstructure. The matrix microstructure includes a thermoplastic matrix formed by the thermoplastic phase. The matrix microstructure includes a multitude of thermoset particles formed by the thermoset phase. The thermoset particles have dimensions in a range between 0.1 μm and 10 μm.

A system and method for forming an integral flange in an end portion of a composite laminate structure, such as an aerospace or other vehicle structure. First and second tool components cooperate to support the structure during a layup process, with the second tool component imparting an initial angle to the end portion. A third tool component includes a male radius positioned at an apex of the initial angle. A heater heats a succession of localized areas along the end portion to lower a viscosity of the resin. A roller applies pressure to the succession of localized areas after each is heated so as to push them around and against the third tool component to form a flange angle and the integral flange. The heater and the roller may make multiple passes along the end portion, with the roller angle increasing with each pass until the flange angle is achieved.

A reinforcing fiber tape material having a reinforcing fiber strand, used for resin injection molding, characterized in that the tape material is formed by being restrained and integrated with reinforcing fibers forming the reinforcing fiber strand or/and a plurality of reinforcing fiber strands with each other by a resin material arranged on at least one of surfaces of the reinforcing fiber strand and another resin material arranged on one of the surfaces different in softening point from the resin material, and both the resin materials have matrix resin permeability, a production method thereof, and a reinforcing fiber layered body and a fiber reinforced resin molded body using the reinforcing fiber tape material.

The present invention realizes the production of a molded composite article that has superior appearance, that is capable of preventing or reducing a deterioration of mechanical properties, and that is superior in productivity. A sheet of a unidirectional material is fixed to a specific part of a lower mold, a force in an out-of-plane direction is applied to a specific part of a zone of the sheet which zone is to undergo shear deformation or compressive deformation, and the sheet is preformed, thereby obtaining a preform. Heat and pressure are applied to the preform in a mold, thereby obtaining a molded composite article having a desired shape.