A structural reinforcement for an article including a carrier (10) that includes: (i) a mass of polymeric material (12) having an outer surface; and (ii) at least one fibrous composite insert (14) or overlay (960) having an outer surface and including at least one elongated fiber arrangement (e.g., having a plurality of ordered fibers). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (960) is envisioned to adjoin the mass of the polymeric material in a predetermined location for carrying a predetermined load that is subjected upon the predetermined location (thereby effectively providing localized reinforcement to that predetermined location). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (960) and the mass of polymeric material (12) are of compatible materials, structures or both, for allowing the fibrous insert or overlay to be at least partially joined to the mass of the polymeric material. Disposed upon at least a portion of the carrier (10) may be a mass of activatable material (126). The fibrous insert (14) or overlay (960) may include a polymeric matrix that includes a thermoplastic epoxy.

A method and system for impregnating a source of fiber tow is provided. A stream of fiber tow is drawn through a tow guide to align the fiber tow with a predetermined path. The stream is drawn in tension across a series of tow spreader pins, that include convex spreading surface aligned with the predetermined tow path. As the fiber tow is drawn over spreading surfaces, the fibers tend to spread and/or fan out along that surface. The stream of fiber tow now being spread to a greater width and reduced thickness, the spread fiber tow is drawn through an impregnation die that includes a plurality of resin supply conduits. Resin melt is applied to the spread fiber tow from one or more directions to fully impregnate the fiber tow. The prepreg fiber tow is then drawn to a converging die which removes excess resin and converge to a fiber tow product. An angled drive roller is utilized to pull the fiber tow with sufficient force to overcome dry and viscous friction in the system components.

A wind turbine blade having a spar cap and a shear web system is described. The spar cap comprises a pultruded strip of fibrous reinforcing material with a first datum feature visible at a surface of the pultruded strip. The shear web system comprises a second datum feature, wherein the first datum feature of the spar cap is aligned with the second datum feature of the shear web system.

A process unit and methods are disclosed. One process unit including a pultrusion unit having a pultrusion channel, with the pultrusion channel being limited by at least one shaping wall. The process unit further includes an extrusion unit having an extrusion channel and an opening for removing the extrudate out of the extrusion channel, a cutting unit having a moving cutting element for cutting off the extrudate with the moving cutting element, and a conveying device for conveying a raw extrudate from the pultrusion unit into the extrusion unit. The cutting unit comprises a component that can be caused to move in a rotational manner and the component is mechanically coupled to the cutting element by a mechanical coupling device, such that the rotational movement of the component determines the movement of the cutting element.

The invention relates to a process for the production of a tape comprising a plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein each of the sheathed continuous multifilament strands comprises a core that extends in the longitudinal direction and a polymer sheath which intimately surrounds said core, wherein each of the cores comprises an impregnated continuous multifilament strand comprising at least one continuous glass multifilament strand, wherein the at least one continuous glass multifilament strand is impregnated with an impregnating agent, wherein the process comprises the steps of: d) providing the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, e) placing the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands in parallel alignment in the longitudinal direction, f) grouping the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein steps e) and f) are performed such that the sheathed continuous multifilament strand can be consolidated and g) subsequently consolidating the plurality of sheathed continuous multifilament strands to form the tape, wherein the sheathed continuous multifilament strands are prepared by the sequential steps of a) unwinding from a package the continuous glass multifilament strands, b) applying the impregnating agent to the continuous glass multifilament strands to form the impregnated continuous multifilament strands and c) applying the sheath of the thermoplastic polymer composition around the impregnated continuous multifilament strands to form the sheathed continuous multifilament strands, wherein the sheathed continuous multifilament strands of step d) are the sheathed continuous multifilament strands obtained by step c) and wherein the sheathed continuous multifilament strands of step d) are subjected to step e) without cutting.

A method for producing a partially contoured, fiber-reinforced plastic profile includes providing a plurality of first reinforcing fibers. The first reinforcing fibers are combined to produce a uni-, bi-, or tridirectional fiber bundle. The fiber bundle is impregnated with a first plastic matrix. The impregnated fiber bundle is supplied to a unit for at least partial shaping or for at least partial shaping and at least partial curing of the first plastic matrix to produce a fiber-reinforced plastic base element. Second reinforcing fibers are provided for at least partial application to the fiber-reinforced plastic base element. The fiber-reinforced plastic base element is provided with the second reinforcing fibers for at least partial fiber-reinforced profiling and/or shaping to produce an at least partially contoured, fiber-reinforced plastic strand and the at least partially contoured, fiber-reinforced plastic strand is cut to produce an at least partially contoured, fiber-reinforced plastic profile.

Hollow composite dowel bar assemblies, their manufacture, and apparatus for manufacture. The dowel bar assemblies may include an elongate and hollow core, a protective jacket coating at least the sidewall exterior of the core, and a sealing structure coupled with each end of the combined core and jacket, that are configured to protect the core from the environment.

Disclosed herein a method and equipment for making a unidirectional continuous fiber-reinforced resin composite material. A resin plasticized and molten by an extruder is transported to a coating guide roller through a die head, and a hot-melt resin film layer with uniform thickness is formed on a roller surface of the coating guide roller. Simultaneously, the coating guide roller guides the hot-melt resin to continuously and uniformly coat on a row of flattened unidirectional continuous fibers along the roller surface of the coating guide roller. Subsequently, the coated flattened unidirectional continuous fibers pass through an open dip-coating roller device to effectively combine with the hot-melt resin to obtain a composite material of the hot-melt resin and fibers, which passes through a cooling and forming device to a winder under a driving force of the main traction to obtain the unidirectional continuous fiber-reinforced resin composite material.

A method of making a pultruded deck board attachment fastened to a substructure to provide a stiffer and stronger deck board than a wood, wood composite, or plastic deck board, wherein the pultruded deck board attachment, along with any fasteners, is covered and protected with a walking surface that is, in examples, snapped in to place.

A method for producing a reinforcing bar by pultrusion, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a source of fibres; b) assembling the fibres into a bundle; c) impregnating the bundle with a thermosetting resin; d) eliminating excess resin from the bundle; e) compressing the bundle in a centripetal manner; f) exposing the bundle to a radiant energy source; g) spraying particles onto a surface of the bundle; and h) exposing the bundle to radiation in order to initiate, on the surface of same, the polymerisation of the resin. The present invention also concerns a system provided with corresponding devices in order to be able to implement the method. The present invention also concerns a reinforcing bar obtained with the described method and/or system.