Various embodiments related to three dimensional printers, and reinforced filaments, and their methods of use are described. In one embodiment, a void free reinforced filament is fed into an extrusion nozzle. The reinforced filament includes a core, which may be continuous or semi-continuous, and a matrix material surrounding the core. The reinforced filament is heated to a temperature greater than a melting temperature of the matrix material and less than a melting temperature of the core prior to extruding the filament from the extrusion nozzle.

The present invention provides a method for post-curing a profile (14) of fibre-reinforced plastic material comprising the steps of: • a supplying the profile, wherein the profile (14) is wound round a winding body (13) and wherein, as a result of the winding in the profile, stresses are present in the profile and said profile comprises a number of fibres extending along one another, which are embedded in a partially cured thermosetting matrix material, • b by means of a heat treatment device, carrying out a heat treatment on the profile (14) while the profile is wound round the winding body (13), and during said heat treatment the matrix material is post-cured, wherein the glass-transition temperature of the matrix material is increased as a result of the heat treatment and wherein the temperature to which the profile is exposed during the heat treatment remains below the glass-transition temperature during the heat treatment, wherein the stresses remain constant and as a result the shape is retained both in cross-section as well as radius of curvature of the profile, at least in the stress-free state, despite the heat treatment and despite winding the profile (14) round the winding body (13) prior to the heat treatment. The present invention also provides a profile manufactured by the method, and use of a profile manufactured by the method.

A method of manufacturing a coated article comprises injecting a feedstock with a polymer resin to provide a resin-injected feedstock, pulling the resin-injected feedstock through a pultrusion die to form a pultrusion substrate having one or more profile surfaces, adhering an adhesive material comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane onto at least a portion the one or more profile surfaces to form one or more adhesive tie layers on the pultrusion substrate, and applying one or more coating materials onto the one or more adhesive tie layers to form one or more coating layers on the one or more adhesive tie layers to provide a coated pultrusion article, wherein an adhesion strength between the one or more coating layers and the one or more adhesive tie layers is higher than a corresponding adhesion strength would be between the one or more coating layers and the pultrusion substrate.

A pultruded material includes a thermosetting resin, and a reinforced fibers impregnated with the thermosetting resin. The thermosetting resin includes a solid resin that contains a fire-resistant resin having a median oxygen index of equal to or higher than, a long-chain fatty acid ester that has a median number of carbons per molecule within a range equal to or more than 3 and equal to or less than 1000, and that has a median flash point within a range equal to or higher than 150 degrees Celsius, and an additive that has a median BET specific surface area within a range equal to or more than 150 m.sup.2/g and equal to or less than 250 m.sup.2/g, and that has a median primary particle diameter within a range equal to or more than 5 nanometers and equal to or smaller than 20 nanometers.

Marine vessels, including combatant (naval) vessels are produced inexpensively without requiring the use of as many skilled personnel as is conventional. The vessel produced has a high strength metal truss structure (both above and below the water line) capable of carrying major hull loads. A number of curved or doubly curved composite (e. g. GRP) panels produced by vacuum assisted resin transfer molding are fastened by bolts, marine adhesives, and/or rivets to the below water line portions of the truss structure where necessary to handle slamming loads and to reduce water resistance and wake. Substantially flat composite pultruded panels are fastened to the truss structure both above the water line, and below the water line where the resistance to slamming loads and reduction of water resistance and wake are not critical. Necessary equipment is installed within the open truss volume before the above-water-line panels are fully installed.

The invention relates to a fiber reinforced polymer composite material and a preparation method thereof, wherein the fiber reinforced polymer composite material comprises a polymeric resin matrix in a continuous phase, and chemical fiber fabric and reinforced fibers dispersed in the polymeric resin matrix, and the chemical fiber fabric covers the reinforced fibers so as to avoid exposure of the reinforced fibers to an outside surface of the composite material. The invention reduces or even avoids exposure of the reinforced fibers of the fiber reinforced polymer composite material, and can be used for manufacturing cable bridges, frames of doors, windows and curtain walls, etc. The method for preparing the fiber reinforced polymer composite material of the invention effectively improves the performance of the composite material and also reduces the cost of surface treatment and increases production efficiency.

Equipment for forming a tubular rod of fibrous material comprises: a gathering station constructed to receive a continuous supply of fibres and to gather the fibres into a bundle as the fibres advance through the equipment; a divider arranged in the path of the fibres through the equipment and constructed to from a cleft along the length of the bundle as it advances through the equipment; a mandrel positioned in the path of the bundle of fibres in alignment with the divider and constructed to form the cleft into a passage through the bundle of fibres as the bundle of fibres advances over the mandrel; and a die constructed and arranged to cooperate with the mandrel to form the fibres in a tubular configuration around the mandrel.

Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for producing a preferably strand-like extrudate.

A method is disclosed for additively manufacturing a composite structure. The method may include coating a continuous strand with a matrix, discharging a composite tubular structure made from the coated continuous strand, and exposing the matrix in the composite tubular structure to light to cure the matrix during discharging. The method may also include depositing a material layer onto an internal surface of the composite tubular structure as the composite tubular structure is being discharged, and wiping a squeegee over the material layer.

A method of manufacturing a structural member includes preheating a plurality of fibers to a first temperature, moving the preheated fibers along an assembly line, applying a binder having a viscosity lower than 25 centipoise to at least one of the preheated fibers, providing a die shaped to receive the preheated fibers, wherein the die moves together with the preheated fibers along at least a portion of the assembly line, maintaining a temperature of the plurality of fibers at a temperature substantially similar to the first temperature, and compressing the plurality of fibers within the die while maintaining a temperature.