A strip of curable prepreg comprising unidirectional fibers aligned with the length of the strip, the fibers being at least partially impregnated with curable thermosetting resin and comprising a flexible polymeric sheet on an outer face of the strip, wherein the strip has a substantially rectangular cross-section defining a width and a thickness of the strip.

Additive manufacturing systems and methods used for creating 3D parts from continuous-fiber reinforced composites such as, e.g., carbon-fiber or glass-fiber pre-impregnated tape are provided. The systems and methods lay tape in successive layers and cut each layer according to a 2D slice of a 3D CAD file. During the placement of each piece of tape, a laser welds the tape to other tape, eliminating the need for post-processing of each layer. By utilizing tape instead of large fiber-reinforced sheets, the systems and methods described herein reduce waste compared to known manufacturing techniques.

The invention relates to a system for shaping laminar composite materials, comprising a base (1) with at least one longitudinal mandrel element (2) comprising a shape to be given to a stack of composite material (3) arranged on the mandrel element (2) for obtaining a formed stack (3′) of composite material, and at least one pressure rolling forming device (4) assembled in a support carriage (5) such that it is capable of placing the pressure rolling forming device (4) in at least one position in which it rolls over the stack of composite material (3) pressing it against the mandrel element (2) for forming it and obtaining the formed stack (3′), the pressure rolling forming device (4) comprising a rolling hollow cover (4a) made of elastically flexible material with a tread (4b), and the rolling hollow cover (4a) being susceptible to containing: a fill fluid at a fill pressure and/or a plurality of particles (27) which allow the tread (4b) to elastically adapt to the shape of the mandrel element (2) and exert a chosen pressure on the stack of composite material (3).

The manufacturing method object of the invention comprises the following stages: A) stacking strips of prepreg material on a laminating tool (14), so that an angled laminated part (2) is obtained comprising a central section (2a) contained in a first plane (12), at least one side section (2b) contained in a second plane (13), and at least one bending axis (5) between the central section (2a) and the at least one side section (2b), so that, the first plane and the second plane form an angle α; B) forming of the angled laminated part (2) comprising bending along the bending axis (5) the, at least, one side section with respect to the central section (2a), obtaining a formed part (6); C) curing, of the formed part (6).

A system for manufacturing a composite part. The system comprises fiber placement devices, an overhead track system, and a scheduling controller. The fiber placement devices are configured to operate in a coordinated manner to place fibers at locations on a tool used for manufacturing the composite part. The overhead track system comprises a linear track running co-axial to the tool. The overhead track system is associated with the fiber placement devices and configured to move the fiber placement devices to the locations along a length of the tool. The scheduling controller is configured to coordinate operation of the fiber placement devices such that the fiber placement devices perform tasks simultaneously to place the fibers in a desired configuration on the tool.

A composite piece tool used to create a composite piece. The tool includes a substrate having a substrate surface, walls disposed on the substrate and extending from the substrate surface in a thickness direction of the composite piece to define opposite locations of longitudinal composite piece ends and composite piece sides, a tooling surface disposed to occupy an entirety of a space delimited by the walls and on which the composite piece formed and a servo controller coupled to the tooling surface and configured to move the tooling surface upwardly and downwardly relative to the substrate surface and walls to form the composite piece.

Self supporting prepreg with tack for use in automatic process for laying up prepreg to form three dimensional parts is provided herein.

A method for manufacturing a lining panel with an integrated electrical connector for a lining of a passenger cabin of an aircraft or spacecraft. An additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technique is used to laterally form electrically conductive pins on a panel body of the lining panel to provide an electrical connector. The electrically conductive pins connect to electric lines attached to or formed on or into the panel body. A lining panel with an integrated electrical connector for a lining of a passenger cabin of an aircraft or spacecraft is disclosed. The lining panel has a panel body, electric lines attached to or formed on or into the panel body, and an electrical connector with electrically conductive pins formed laterally on the panel body of the lining panel using an AM or 3D printing technique. The electrically conductive pins are configured to connect to the electric lines.

A winding method and apparatus for producing a consolidated metal matrix composite is described. The methods are directed to winding softened metal matrix composite tape and layering the resulting softened metal matrix composite tape onto a rotating mandrel in a prescribed pattern on the surface of the mandrel to form a consolidated metal matrix composite. Upon cooling, the matrix metal solidifies and the resulting consolidated metal matrix composite may be removed from the mandrel. The consolidated metal matrix composites may be produced in a variety of shapes, such as cylinder, a tapered cylinder, a sphere, an ovoid, a cube, a rectangular solid, a polygonal solid, and panels.

A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade shell part is described. Fibre mats and a root end insert are laid up in a mould part in a layup procedure by use of an automated layup system. The fibre mats are laid up by use of a buffer so that the fibre mats may continuously be laid up on the mould surface, also during a cutting procedure. The root end insert is prepared in advance and mounted on a mounting plate. The root end insert is lowered onto the mould by use of the mounting plate and a lowering mechanism. After the wind turbine blade shell has been moulded, the mounting plate is removed.