The invention relates to a method for the manufacture of thermoplastic fibrous materials comprising forming at least one foamed liquid comprising water and at least one foaming agent, forming a dispersion by dispersing fibers including long fibers in said at least one foamed liquid comprising water and at least one foaming agent, mixing the dispersion with a foamable liquid or dispersion comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer, forming at least one foamed dispersion, and conveying the foamed dispersion or dispersions to a foraminous support and draining liquid trough the foraminous support to form a web or a sheet, to obtain the thermoplastic fibrous material. The invention also relates to materials and products obtainable by the method, and uses related thereto.

A set of augmented reality (AR) or virtual reality (VR) glasses are disclosed. The glasses comprise a fiber reinforced structure. The fiber reinforced structure includes a continuous fiber component. The fiber reinforced structure also includes a thermoplastic material injection molded over the continuous fiber component, wherein the thermoplastic material surrounds the continuous fiber component. The glasses also comprise electronics that are coupled to the fiber reinforced structure, wherein the electronics are configured to facilitate presentment of imagery onto a lens of the glasses.

A composite product substantially reduced the impact force imposed by hard impactor which travelled at the speed in the range of 400 m/s to 1400 m/s simultaneously damping the vibrations and shocks appeared therein is disclosed. At the same time it is light weight with the weight lower than that of 22 to 38 kg/m2and is flexible to adopt the shape suitable for the end applications. A method of manufacturing the composite product of the invention is also disclosed.

A composite product substantially reduced the impact force imposed by hard impactor which travelled at the speed in the range of 400 m/s to 1400 m/s simultaneously damping the vibrations and shocks appeared therein is disclosed. At the same time it is light weight with the weight lower than that of 22 to 38 kg/m2and is flexible to adopt the shape suitable for the end applications. A method of manufacturing the composite product of the invention is also disclosed.

Described herein are methods and systems for forming composite stringer assemblies or, more specifically, for shaping composite charges while forming these stringer assemblies. A system comprises a bladder, having a bladder core, and a bladder skin. The bladder core is formed from foam. The bladder skin is formed from an elastic material and encloses the bladder core. When a composite stringer assembly is formed, the bladder is positioned over a charge base. The charge base later becomes a stringer base, such as a fuselage section or a wing skin. A charge hat is then positioned over the bladder and is conformed to the bladder. A combination of the bladder skin and the bladder core provides support during this forming operation and later while the stringer assembly is cured. In some examples, the bladder core is collapsible for the removal of the bladder from the cavity of the stringer assembly.

A fiber block molding apparatus comprising: —a mold having a lower part and an upper part forming between them a cavity for forming a fiber blank into a fiber block article upon closing the mold; —a conveyor system for receiving the fiber blank to be molded at a receiving position, transporting the fiber blank via a heater for activation of a binding agent, and delivering the heated fiber blank into the lower part of the mold at a delivery end of the conveyor system, and —a horizontal position shifting arrangement for shifting the horizontal position of the delivery end of the conveyor system relative to the lower part of the mold between a first and a second position to lay the fiber blank on the lower part of the mold.

A fiber block molding apparatus comprising: —a mold having a lower part and an upper part forming between them a cavity for forming a fiber blank into a fiber block article upon closing the mold; —a conveyor system for receiving the fiber blank to be molded at a receiving position, transporting the fiber blank via a heater for activation of a binding agent, and delivering the heated fiber blank into the lower part of the mold at a delivery end of the conveyor system, and —a horizontal position shifting arrangement for shifting the horizontal position of the delivery end of the conveyor system relative to the lower part of the mold between a first and a second position to lay the fiber blank on the lower part of the mold.

In an embodiment, an energy-absorbing device can comprise: a polymer reinforcement structure, wherein the polymer reinforcement structure comprises a polymer matrix and chopped fibers; and a shell comprising 2 walls extending from a back and forming a shell channel, wherein the shell comprises continuous fibers and a resin matrix; wherein the polymer reinforcement structure is located in the shell channel.

A die comprises a concave die, a blank holder, and a punch passing through the blank holder. The concave die has a first reference surface, a second reference surface that forms the bottom of a concave shape, and an upright surface connecting the first reference surface and the second reference surface. The blank holder has a blank holder surface that sandwiches a prepreg together with the first reference surface. The punch has a punch surface that sandwiches the prepreg together with the second reference surface, and a punch side face that sandwiches the prepreg together with the upright surface. There is a prescribed relationship between R1, which is the radius of curvature of the corner formed by the second reference surface and the upright surface, and R3, which is the radius of curvature of the corner formed by the punch surface and the punch side face.

A die comprises a concave die, a blank holder, and a punch passing through the blank holder. The concave die has a first reference surface, a second reference surface that forms the bottom of a concave shape, and an upright surface connecting the first reference surface and the second reference surface. The blank holder has a blank holder surface that sandwiches a prepreg together with the first reference surface. The punch has a punch surface that sandwiches the prepreg together with the second reference surface, and a punch side face that sandwiches the prepreg together with the upright surface. There is a prescribed relationship between R1, which is the radius of curvature of the corner formed by the second reference surface and the upright surface, and R3, which is the radius of curvature of the corner formed by the punch surface and the punch side face.