The present disclosure relates to a spar cap (10) for a wind turbine blade (1000) comprising: a plurality of spar cap layers (20) and a first interlayer (30) arranged between the first spar cap layer (20a) and the second spar cap layer (20b) and comprising: a number of first interlayer areas (31), including a first primary interlayer area (31a), comprising a first number of interlayer sheets (33) comprising a first plurality of fibres (35); and a number of second interlayer areas (32), including a second primary interlayer area (32a), comprising a second number of interlayer sheets (34) comprising a second plurality of fibres (36), wherein the first number of interlayer sheets (33) is of a different characteristic than the second number of interlayer sheets (34).

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a flow of a material through a vehicle component. In some embodiments, the methods include determining a first plurality of dimensions and a second plurality of dimensions associated with a flow medium based on one or more flow properties of the vehicle component, the flow medium including a plurality of baffle layers and a plurality of spacers. The methods may further include generating at least one baffle layer based on the first plurality of dimensions, and generating at least some of the plurality of spacers based on the second plurality of dimensions, the plurality of spacers being positioned on top of the at least one baffle layer.

A method of manufacturing a flexible element configured for pressing against composite material received on a mold surface of a mold during cure, including placing a porous material over the mold surface, forming a sealed enclosure containing the mold surface and the porous material, infusing a curable liquid material such as silicone in liquid form into the enclosure under vacuum and through the porous material, curing the liquid material to form the flexible element, and opening the enclosure and disengaging the flexible element from the mold. In a particular embodiment, the flexible element is a pressure pad.

A method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced composite by means of a vacuum assisted resin transfer molding, comprising the steps of placing a fiber material in a mold, placing a flow distribution medium onto the fiber material, and covering the fiber material (1) and the flow distribution medium with a vacuum foil for forming a closed mold cavity between the mold and the vacuum foil is described. It is characterized in using a flow distribution medium with a thickness depending on a pressure gradient over the vacuum foil.

A method for preparing a polyurethane composite by a vacuum infusion process, a polyurethane composite prepared by said method and use thereof. The method for preparing a polyurethane composite by a vacuum infusion process of the present invention can reduce raw materials and production costs.

An apparatus can include a base mold and a silicone bag attached to the base mold. The base mold and the silicone bag can define a primary chamber in fluid communication with a primary vacuum port and a resin channel in fluid communication with the primary chamber. Resin can be injected into the resin channel and, with the assistance of a vacuum pressure applied at the primary vacuum port, resin flows from the resin channel into the primary chamber where it infuses a porous material. The base mold and silicone bag also define an outer vacuum channel that holds the silicone bag in place. The apparatus can be used in a method of manufacturing composite materials.

A pultrudate (1) with fibres running in the longitudinal direction (L) and a resin matrix which surrounds the fibres, and a top and a bottom side (2, 4), wherein the top side (2) has continuous elevations (5) and/or grooves (3) and the bottom side (4) has continuous grooves (3) or elevations (5), which are arranged such that elevations (5) and grooves (3) of one pultrudate (1) interact with grooves (3) and elevations (5) of the adjacent pultrudate (1′).

A method for identifying a fiber-reinforced plastic component includes the acts of providing a fiber preform, applying a label to the fiber preform and holding it in place, inserting the preform together with the label in a mold and closing the mold, and infiltrating the preform with a plastic compound and curing it in the closed mold. In order to reliably identify the plastic component, the label comes to rest on a flow aid portion formed on the inner mold wall which has at least one channel-shaped depression. The longitudinal extension of the flow aid portion projects beyond the label.

A turbine blade and a method of manufacturing the wind turbine, wherein the wind turbine blade comprises a composite structure and a surrounding layer. The composite structure comprises a stack of pultruded elements where an infusion-promoting layer is arranged between adjacent pairs of pultruded elements (18). The infusion-promoting layers have a higher permeability than the surrounding layer so that the resin flows at a higher speed within the stacked structure than in the surrounding layer.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade using a two-step curing process, wherein the second curing is performed in the presence of a resin flow medium (76) comprising a curing inhibitor.