A fiber-reinforced material includes a discontinuous reinforcing fiber aggregate of a discontinuous reinforcing fiber having a number average fiber length of 3 to 100 mm and a matrix resin, the discontinuous reinforcing fiber aggregate including a plurality of discontinuous reinforcing fiber bundles having a predetermined number of unidirectionally-bundled single yarns of the discontinuous reinforcing fiber, wherein the discontinuous reinforcing fiber bundle has a cut surface inclined at a predetermined angle with respect to an orientation direction of the single yarn of the discontinuous reinforcing fiber bundle and has different fiber bundle lengths defined as a distance between both ends along the orientation direction of the single yarn of the discontinuous reinforcing fiber bundle, the shorter the fiber bundle length of the discontinuous reinforcing fiber bundle, the smaller a tip angle defined as an acute angle at an end of a two-dimensional plane projection of the discontinuous reinforcing fiber bundle.

A system for debundling fiber tow into chopped fibers is provided that has one or more reels of fiber tow, a cutting element configured to receive the fiber tow to form chopped fiber, and a tube with introduced gas flow configured to receive the chopped fiber. A moving belt is positioned under the tube to collect the chopped fiber. A dispenser is positioned along the moving belt for applying a binder or additive. A treatment chamber receives the treated chopped fiber. A process for debundling fiber tow into chopped fibers is provided that supplies one or more reels of fiber tow to a cutting system, drops the chopped fiber into a tube with introduced gas flow to debundle the chopped fiber with a vortex, collects the chopped fiber exiting the tube onto a moving belt, chemically treats the chopped fiber, and provides the chemically treated chopped to a treatment chamber.

A fiber-reinforced resin material (1) in which: a matrix resin composition (S) is impregnated in a sheet-shaped fiber bundle group (F) formed from multiple fiber bundles (f); of the fiber bundles (f) in a specific area (A) in a cross-section along the planar direction, the proportion Q1 of fiber bundles (f) with a fiber axis direction of greater than 90 to 45, the proportion Q2 of fiber bundles (f) of greater than 45 to 0, the proportion Q3 of fiber bundles (f) of greater than 0 to 45 and the proportion Q4 of fiber bundles (f) of greater than 45 to 90 are all at least 15%; and of the fiber bundles (f) in a specific area (B) in a cross-section along the thickness direction, the proportion Q5 of fiber bundles (f) with a fiber axis direction of 10 to 10 is not more than 97%.

A structure material includes a resin, reinforced fibers, and voids, a volume content of the resin being within a range of 2.5% by volume or more and 85% by volume or less, a volume content of the reinforced fibers being within a range of 0.5% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less, the voids being contained in the structure material in a rate within a range of 10% by volume or more and 97% by volume or less, a thickness St of the structure material satisfying a conditional expression: StLf.sup.2.Math.(1cos(f)) where a length of the reinforced fibers is Lf and an oriented angle of the reinforced fibers in a sectional direction of the structure material is f, and a compression strength in an in-plane direction at 50% compression of the structure material measured in accordance with JIS K7220 being 3 MPa or more.

A structure material includes a resin, reinforced fibers, and voids. The structure material includes a volume content of the resin being within a range of 2.5% by volume or more and 85% by volume or less, a volume content of the reinforced fibers being within a range of 0.5% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less, the voids being contained in the structure material in a rate within a range of 10% by volume or more and 97% by volume or less, a thickness St of the structure material satisfying a conditional expression: StLf.sup.2.Math.(1cos(f)), and a specific bending modulus of the structure material represented as Ec.sup.1/3.Math..sup.1 being within a range of 3 or more and 20 or less, and a bending modulus Ec of the structure material being 3 GPa or more.

A method and apparatus for fabricating a short length carbon fiber preform with a through thickness reinforcement is disclosed herein. The starting media for fabricating a net shape (e.g., annular disc) may meet specific requirements including a sufficient fiber volume and a binding mechanism compatible with the needle-punching process.

An automated process is provided for debundling carbon fiber tow that includes feeding a carbon fiber tow into a chopper. The carbon fiber tow is cut to form lengths of chopped tow portions. The lengths of chopped tow portions are distributed on a moving conveyor. The lengths of chopped tow portions are exposed to a first plasma discharge from a first plasma source on the moving conveyor to create debundled carbon fibers. Alternatively, the carbon fiber tow is exposed to the first plasma discharge prior to being cut into lengths. A system for applying chopped fibers to a sheet of molding compound includes a chopper for cutting a carbon fiber tow into lengths of chopped tow portions. A conveyor belt receives the lengths of chopped tow portions. At least one plasma generating source is arrayed across of the conveyor.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material having excellent productivity at low cost for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molded article having excellent strength properties. Provided is a method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material containing a plurality of cut fiber bundles and a resin impregnated between filaments of the cut fiber bundles, the method comprising an integrated material manufacturing step for obtaining an integrated material by collecting a sheet-shaped fiber bundle aggregate obtained by arranging and spreading a plurality of consecutive fiber bundles in a width direction.

According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a fully impregnated thermoplastic prepreg includes a mechanism for moving a fabric or mat and a drying mechanism that removes residual moisture from at least one surface of the fabric or mat. The system also includes a resin application mechanism that applies a reactive resin to the fabric or mat and a press mechanism that presses the coated fabric or mat to ensure that the resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the coated fabric or mat is moved to polymerize the resin and thereby form a thermoplastic polymer so that upon exiting the oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer. During at least a portion of the process, humidity in the vicinity of the coated fabric or mat is maintained at substantially zero.

A method and apparatus for fabricating a short length carbon fiber preform with a through thickness reinforcement is disclosed herein. The starting media for fabricating a net shape (e.g., annular disc) may meet specific requirements including a sufficient fiber volume and a binding mechanism compatible with the needle-punching process.