According to one implementation, a prepreg lamination apparatus includes first and second rollers, a table, and a feed structure. The first roller sends out a first prepreg tape which is a part of material of an FRP. The second roller sends out a second prepreg tape which is another part of the material of the FRP. The table is for laminating the first and second prepreg tapes directly or indirectly. The feed structure is adapted to feed out the first and second prepreg tapes in a feeding direction by moving the first and second rollers relatively to the table while performing at least one of movement of the first roller relatively to the second roller, and rotation of at least one of the first and second rollers relatively to the table around an axis which is not parallel to each of rotation axes of the first and second rollers.

Disclosed is a method for producing components from fiber-reinforced thermoplastic on the basis of fiber tapes impregnated with matrix material. The method includes manufacturing a multitude of semi-finished products, each of which has a plurality of non-consolidated layers of fiber tapes. The semi-finished products are placed in a consolidation device in such a way that the semi-finished products are in direct contact with one another. The semi-finished products are then consolidated using the consolidation device and the semi-finished products are at least partially joined to one another during the consolidation process. The joined semi-finished products are then cut apart using a cutting device.

A reinforcement sheet has a composite layer including fibres and a polymer A and a coating layer including polymer B, each polymer having at least 65 mol % of a repeat unit of formula:

##STR00001##

wherein for each polymer A and B, t1, and w1 independently represent 0 or 1 and v1 represents 0, 1 or 2. A method of forming the reinforcement sheet is also disclosed, in addition to a method for forming an article comprising a laminate of the reinforcement sheets and the article comprising such a laminate. The repeat unit may be ether-ether-ketone.

A thermal insulated composite wall panel for use in insulated trailers, containers and insulated compartments, including a first liner panel, a second liner panel having a layer of fibers and at least one structural polymer resin layer disposed coplanar to and bonded with the layer of fibers, thereby forming a laminate liner panel, and an insulated core layer disposed intermediate to and bonded with the first and the second liner panels. The layer of fibers is adjacent the insulated core layer and is lofted prior to being bonded to the insulated core layer.

A method of manufacturing a radius filler may include providing a plurality of fibers, braiding the plurality of fibers into a braided preform, shaping the braided preform into a braided radius filler, and cutting the braided radius filler to a desired length.

Disclosed is a method for producing components from fiber-reinforced thermoplastic. The method involves manufacturing a multitude of semifinished products, each of which includes a plurality of impregnated fabric layers that are joined to one another only locally, as well as a frame structure having at least one cutout. The semifinished products are consolidated using a consolidation device, an inlay element being placed in each cutout before the semifinished products are consolidated.

An apparatus for forming a fiber-bundle-based preform from a preform precursor material includes a process head coupled to a robotic arm. The process head has at least two rollers, a heated region, and a cooled region. A length of preform precursor material is passed through the rollers and fixed at a first end thereof. The process head moves relative to the preform precursor material, following a path defined by the movement of the robotic head. The path comports with the desired shape of the fiber-bundle-based preform. As the process head moves, it softens a portion of the preform precursor material, which then passes through the two rollers, the combination thereof incrementally altering the shape of preform precursor material to that of the preform. After passing the rollers, the newly formed region of preform is cooled to set its shape. The process head continues to move relative to the preform precursor material until the preform is fully formed.

The present invention relates to a molding material, having: (A): a fiber substrate made of carbon fibers 5 mm or longer; (B): at least either an epoxy (meth)acrylate resin or an unsaturated polyester resin; (C): (C-1) inorganic fibrous filler with a cross-sectional area of at least 0.8 μm.sup.2, or (C-2) inorganic flaky filler with a cross-sectional area of at least 0.05 μm.sup.2, both of which have an aspect ratio of 2.0 or higher and a length of less than 3 mm; and (D): a polyisocyanate compound.

A die tool for forming a C-section component having radiused shoulders, the includes a cylindrical inner die and an outer die having a cylindrical central portion connected to opposing end flanges by respective radiused concave portions. A portion of the inner die is arranged to be disposed between the end flanges of the outer die and spaced apart therefrom to define a cavity corresponding to the desired cross-section of the C-section component to be formed. The radiused convex and concave portions have a radius of curvature that varies about the circumference of the respective inner and outer dies. The inner and outer dies are rotatable such that the radius of curvature of the radiused convex and concave portions where the inner and outer dies are adjacent to one another varies as the inner and outer dies are rotated.

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).