Method of moulding a moulding material to form a moulded part of carbon fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material in which a sheet moulding compound is moulded which can provide panels, for example for use as vehicle body panels, which have the combination of very low thickness, very light weight, very low warping and surface defects, and very low anisotropy with regard to localised fibre and resin distribution and their associated appearance and mechanical properties.

A resin-integrated fiber sheet 1 for vacuum forming for producing a fiber reinforced resin molded body through vacuum forming includes: unidirectional continuous fibers 2 that are spread fibers of a continuous fiber group and arrayed in parallel in one direction; bridging fibers 3 lying in directions crossing the unidirectional continuous fibers 2; and thermoplastic resin 4 present on part of the surface of the unidirectional continuous fibers 2 to unify the unidirectional continuous fibers 2 and the bridging fibers 3. A fiber reinforced resin molded body of the present invention is a vacuum formed body in which two or more of the resin-integrated fiber sheets 1 are stacked. A method for producing the molded body of the present invention includes subjecting the resin-integrated fiber sheets 1 to vacuum forming from a lower mold with a vacuum line and pressurizing the sheets with compressed air from an upper mold. Thus, the present invention provides a resin-integrated fiber sheet for vacuum forming having excellent shapeability and avoiding voids, a molded body including the same, and a method for producing the molded body including the same.

According to one implementation, a composite material structure includes a corrugated stringer and a panel. The corrugated stringer has a corrugated structure including portions each having hat-shaped cross section. The corrugated stringer is made of a composite material. The panel is integrated with the corrugated stringer. The panel is made of a composite material. Further, according to one implementation, a manufacturing method of a composite material structure includes: setting a textile on a laminated body of prepregs; and producing the composite material structure by covering the laminated body with a bagging film, forming a vacuum state in a space covered with the bagging film, impregnating the textile with the resin, and thermal curing of the laminated body of the prepregs. The laminated body is a panel before curing. The textile has a structure corresponding to a corrugated stringer.

A method for forming fiber composite preforms, the preform (1) include a web (2), a flange (3) and a bent part (2.1), and the method includes: laying-up a laminate (4) onto a tooling (5), the laminate (4) comprising lateral and transverse edges (4.1, 4.2) and the tooling (5) comprising a male part (7) comprising a surface (7.1) and a lateral wall (7.2), the web (2) being configured to be located over the surface (7.1) of the male part (7) and the flange (3) being configured to be located over the lateral wall (7.2) of the male part (7); forming the preform (1) over the male part (7); clamping the lateral edges (4.2) of the laminate (4) to the tooling (5) such that the web (2) and the flange (3) of the laid-up laminate (4) are kept under tensional loads, and bending a longitudinal portion of the male part (7).

The disclosed composite structure provides a reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite part with a high-quality surface finish. This may be used as a vehicle part or body panel, such as an interior vehicle part or exterior body panel. Additionally, the surface finish may be coloured, such that the surface does not need to be painted or wrapped to achieve a desired surface colour, and the surface may protect inner layers from UV radiation, either by virtue of the material of the surface itself, or the incorporation of a UV-absorbing additive. Specifically, the disclosed composite structure comprises a structural layer comprising reinforcing fibres, such as glass or carbon fibres, and a thermoplastic body polymer. The structure further comprises a surface layer providing a surface finish to the composite structure, the surface layer comprising a thermoplastic surface polymer substantially free from reinforcing fibres.

A carbon fiber tape material is favorable in followability to molds and impregnation with matrix resins, and capable of enhancing the productivity in producing a reinforcing fiber laminate by a method of fiber placement and capable of providing a molded body with high mechanical strength when the material is impregnated with a resin and molded. The carbon fiber tape material has a carbon fiber bundle group including a plurality of carbon fiber bundles arranged in parallel with the fiber orientation direction and a fabric are integrated, and satisfies (a) to (c): (a) the fabric includes one or more thermoplastic resins; (b) the carbon fiber tape material excluding the fabric is between 120 g/m.sup.2 and 400 g/m.sup.2 in basis weight; and (c) the fabric elongation rate with a load of 80 mN/50 mm applied to the fabric is 5% to 100% in at least one direction of the fabric.

A bond assembly includes a fixture having a first section movably coupled to a second section. The first section and the second section are disposed opposite one another. A bladder assembly is mounted to at least one of the first section and the second section. The bladder assembly is configured to apply controlled, localized pressure and heat to a component receivable between the first section and the second section.

A bond assembly includes a fixture having a first section movably coupled to a second section. The first section and the second section are disposed opposite one another. A bladder assembly is mounted to at least one of the first section and the second section. The bladder assembly is configured to apply controlled, localized pressure and heat to a component receivable between the first section and the second section.

A molding system and methods of forming a structure are presented. The molding system is configured to sequentially form features of a structure. The molding system comprises a first tool comprising a number of features configured to completely form a first set of radii of a structure and a number of partial forming features configured to partially form a second set of radii of the structure, and a second tool comprising a number of completion features configured to complete shaping of the second set of radii.

A molding system and methods of forming a structure are presented. The molding system is configured to sequentially form features of a structure. The molding system comprises a first tool comprising a number of features configured to completely form a first set of radii of a structure and a number of partial forming features configured to partially form a second set of radii of the structure, and a second tool comprising a number of completion features configured to complete shaping of the second set of radii.