A system and method for forming a composite part. The apparatus comprises a sleeve that molds a composite material. The sleeve has a first face and a second face. The second face has features to mold the composite material. The first face comprises a first inclined surface having an angle less than about 90 degrees and greater than about 0 degrees.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

An example method of forming a composite structure includes applying a laminated charge onto an expandable pallet, moving the expandable pallet in a linear motion relative to a plurality of rollers, and progressively urging the laminated charge into a continuously expanding recess defined by the expandable pallet using the plurality of rollers. The plurality of rollers are oriented in a serial configuration so as to shape the laminated charge into at least part of a shape of the composite structure.

An apparatus for applying a liquid matrix to a fiber tow includes a belt press arranged to receive the fiber tow and compress it between two moving belts and a matrix application roller arranged to receive liquid matrix and transfer it to the fiber. The apparatus also includes a second matrix application component arranged adjacent to the matrix application roller so as to form a first gap between the component and the matrix application roller. The matrix application roller is positioned adjacent to the belt press so as to form a second gap between the matrix application roller and a belt of the belt press; and wherein the second gap is larger than the first gap.

A shaping method for shaping a stack produced by layering and forming into a flat shape a plurality of sheet-shaped composite materials includes a first shaping step of shaping the stack along a fold line extending along the longitudinal direction of the stack such that a first region and a second region, which are disposed to sandwich the fold line, form a first bending angle, and a second shaping step of shaping along the fold line the stack shaped via the first shaping step such that the first region and the second region form a second bending angle that is smaller than the first bending angle. In the first shaping step and the second shaping step, the stack is shaped in a state wherein the first region is maintained below the softening temperature of the resin material, while the second region is being heated to the softening temperature or higher.

A fiberglass reinforced aerogel composite may include coarse glass fibers, glass microfibers, aerogel particles, and a binder. The coarse glass fibers may have an average fiber diameter between about 8 μm and about 20 μm. The glass microfibers may have an average fiber diameter between about 0.5 μm and about 3 μm. The glass microfibers may be homogenously dispersed within the coarse glass fibers. The aerogel particles may be homogenously dispersed within the coarse glass fibers and the glass microfibers. The fiberglass reinforced aerogel composite may include between about 50 wt. % and about 75 wt. % of the aerogel particles. The binder bonds the coarse glass fibers, the glass microfibers, and the aerogel particles together.

The present disclosure relates to a CFRP structural body having improved flame retardancy, and a carbon fiber prepreg capable of giving a CFRP structural body having improved flame retardancy.

A CFRP structural body comprising CFRP, in which the CFRP structural body is molded from a carbon fiber prepreg comprising a carbon fiber mat formed of chopped carbon fiber bundles with a filament count of 3K or less impregnated with a resin composition, a carbon fiber content of the CFRP is 60% by mass or more, and the CFRP structural body does not have a portion with a thickness of less than 4 mm; and a prepreg comprising a carbon fiber mat impregnated with a resin composition, in which the carbon fiber mat is formed of chopped carbon fiber bundles with filament counts of 3K or less, and a carbon fiber content of the prepreg is 60% by mass or more.

A production device for a production of thermoset semifinished products comprises at least one material application unit (12) for applying a material (14) to a carrier element (16), wherein the production device further comprises at least one recording unit (18), which has at least one sensor element (20), for recording a thickness (22) of the material (14) applied to the carrier element (16).

Systems and methods for bending a composite based reinforcing bar (C-bar), are disclosed, including a bending apparatus, having a bending platform including a plurality of stationary supports, a pair of movable supports, and a control assembly. Each pair of stationary support and corresponding movable support are configured to engage a pair of flanges of the C-bar.

A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic prepreg includes a double belt mechanism that is configured to compress a fiber mat, web, or mesh that is passed through the double belt mechanism, a resin applicator that is configured to apply monomers or oligomers to the fiber mat, web, or mesh, and a curing oven that is configured to effect polymerization of the monomers or oligomers and thereby form the thermoplastic polymer as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is moved through the curing oven. The double belt mechanism compresses the fiber mat, web, or mesh and the applied monomers or oligomers as the fiber mat, web, or mesh is passed through the curing oven so that the monomers or oligomers fully saturate the fiber mat, web, or mesh. Upon polymerization of the monomers or oligomers, the fiber mat, web, or mesh is fully impregnated with the thermoplastic polymer.