An underwater structure includes a half cylinder with ribs arranged on an interior surface. The half cylinder and the ribs are a semi-monocoque structure including a fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite.

A reinforced preform includes a sheet of reinforced material having opposed first and second edges, with each edge having a respective first connection point located therealong. The preform also includes first and second tethers, with each tether being attached at a respective first end thereof to a respective one of the first connection points and having a respective second end thereof terminating in at least one of: a respective loop tied at the respective second end, a respective knot tied at the respective second end, a respective graspable member to which the respective second end is connected, and an attachment to a respective second connection point located along a perimeter of the sheet. A method and mold for molding a reinforced preform are also disclosed.

In one embodiment, a method may comprise heating a composite material into a viscous form, wherein the composite material comprises a thermoplastic and a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is randomly arranged within the thermoplastic. The method may further comprise extruding a plurality of strands of the composite material, wherein extruding the plurality of strands causes the plurality of reinforcement fibers within each strand to align. The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of strands of the composite material to form a mold tool, wherein the mold tool is configured to mold a composite structure at a heated temperature, and wherein the mold tool comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property, wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property is based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the mold tool.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced resin molded article capable of preventing oxidation and degradation of a liner making up a preform at a high temperature, and such a manufacturing device thereof. Prior to pouring resin into a mold, the method fills inert gas (nitrogen gas, for example) into the mold. After filling inert gas (nitrogen gas, for example) into the mold, the method closes an upper mold (second mold) placed with a gap (second gap) with a preform (i.e., brings it closer to the preform).

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced resin molded article capable of effectively reducing the occurrence of a preform with poor resin impregnation, and such a manufacturing device thereof. After it is detected that a predetermined amount (the same amount) of resin has been individually poured into a plurality of cavities provided in a mold, the fiber layers of preforms are impregnated (compressively filled) with resin. Pressure sensors for detecting a resin injection amount are used. When closing runners, a small gap is formed in the runners.

The invention relates to a molding device (1) and a method for the manufacture of structured or semistructured composite components comprising a polymer resin (50) and a fibrous substrate (51). According to the invention, the device comprises a mold (2) comprising a bottom and a lateral surface, a part (10) that is movable along the lateral surface of the mold, comprising a compression surface (14) forming a cavity (7) with the bottom and the lateral surface (5) of said mold (2), characterized in that the movable part (10) comprises a vacuum-drawing channel (13, 23) opening into a chamber (25, 42) located above the cavity and communicating with said cavity (7).

The present invention relates to the use of thermoplastic polymer compositions for impregnating reinforcing materials in the form of fabric or industrial fabrics for the manufacture of composite materials. The field of the invention is that of composite materials as well as molding/consolidation processes and obtained parts. The invention more particularly relates to a method of manufacturing a composite article by injection molding comprising at least the steps of introducing at least one reinforcement fabric into a preheated mold, partial closure of the mold, a temperature rise step of the mold, optionally a step of maintaining the temperature of the mold before injection of a thermoplastic polymer composition, a step of injecting a thermoplastic polymer composition into the mold, a step of mold closure to the final part thickness allowing the flow of the resin through the reinforcing fabric, a cooling step and a recovery step of the obtained composite article.

A molding method is performed for molding a composite material in which resin is injected in a state in which a fiber base material is disposed in a cavity formed in a metal mold and the resin is cured to form the composite material. The molding method includes enhancing wettability of a portion of the fiber base material, and disposing the portion of the fiber base material in a narrow portion in which a gap constituting the cavity is smaller than other locations.

A manufacturing method of a turbomachine airfoil, such as an outlet guide vane airfoil, comprising positioning a first fibrous wall preform on a first mold portion, placing at least one core on the first wall preform, positioning a second fibrous wall preform on the core, assembling a second mold portion to the first mold portion so as to form a mold around the first and second wall preforms, applying a hardening treatment to the first and second wall preforms, removing the core, and positioning a reinforcing structure between the first wall preform and the second wall preform.

A reinforced preform includes a sheet of reinforced material having opposed first and second edges, with each edge having a respective first connection point located therealong. The preform also includes first and second tethers, with each tether being attached at a respective first end thereof to a respective one of the first connection points and having a respective second end thereof terminating in at least one of: a respective loop tied at the respective second end, a respective knot tied at the respective second end, a respective graspable member to which the respective second end is connected, and an attachment to a respective second connection point located along a perimeter of the sheet. A method and mold for molding a reinforced preform are also disclosed.