An extruder (1) and a method for producing high-fiber volume reinforced thermoplastic resin structures (50), as well as a tape (156) having opposing resin rich portions (302) and a fiber rich portion (304) disposed therebetween and a method for impregnating at least one fiber roving (142) with a polymer resin to form a tape (156. The extruder (1) includes an impregnation die (3) having a channel (4) that applies pressurized molten thermoplastic resin to a plurality of rovings (142) drawn through the channel (4), and a die (3) faceplate (5) facing the downstream side (34) of said die (3). The faceplate (5) has a plurality of sizing holes (42) or a slot (75) arranged along a line that the resin-impregnated rovings (142) are simultaneously drawn through that remove excess resin and pultrude the resin-impregnated rovings (142) into rod-shaped or sheet-shaped structures. The faceplate (5) is spaced apart from the downstream side (34) of the die (4) to provide a gap (6) between the die (4) and a back side of the faceplate (5).

A system is disclosed for use in manufacturing a composite structure. The system may include a support configured to move in a plurality of directions during manufacturing of the composite structure, and a head coupled to the support. The head may have a housing that is configured to receive a liquid matrix and at least one continuous fiber and configured to discharge a tubular structure. The head may also have a nozzle operatively connected to the housing and configured to deposit a material layer onto a surface of the tubular structure as the tubular structure is discharging from the housing, and a squeegee associated with the nozzle and configured to wipe over the material layer. The head may further have a first cure enhancer operatively connected to the housing and configured to cure the liquid matrix in the tubular structure during discharge, and a second cure enhancer configured to cure the material layer deposited by the nozzle.

A system for pultruding a beam, such as a pultruded beam of natural fibers, comprises a pulling mechanism continuously pulling on a preform of yarns including a thermoplastic matrix and fibers, the pulling mechanism being downstream of the system. A sequence is provided in the system and has a pre-heating module to pre-heat the preform. A first die has a tapering channel portion heated such that the preform reaches a desired low viscosity temperature for resin in the thermoplastic matrix to impregnate the fibers. A vacuum module has a vacuum cavity to remove air from the preform exiting the first die. A second die has a tapering channel portion heated such that the preform is at the desired low viscosity temperature for resin in the thermoplastic matrix to further impregnate the fibers. A cooling module to cool the beam before the beam reaches the pulling mechanism. A system for pultruding beams is also provided.

An alternating pressure melt impregnation device and a melt impregnation method, including having a resin melt squirted from each resin melt runner on an upper die and a lower die of a melt injection area, and thus the squirted resin melt is enable to be squirted directly on an upper surface and a lower surface of a continuous fiber bundle which is entering into an impregnation chamber. Impregnation and infiltration for both surfaces of the continuous fiber bundle are primarily completed by a squirted pressure. The resin melt inside the impregnation chamber flows to a decompression chambers at both sides of the impregnation chamber. When the resin melt flows to a throttle plate, a re-impregnation for the continuous fiber bundle is realized. Then the pressure is decreased and a section of the resin melt is enlarged and a radial flow is generated due to the Barus effect.

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.

A head is disclosed for use with a manufacturing system. The head may have a housing that discharges a tubular structure, and a cure enhancer connected to the housing and selectively activated to cure the tubular structure during discharge from the housing. The head may also have a nozzle that discharges a fill material into the cured tubular structure.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating preforms. One embodiment is a method comprising acquiring tows of fiber reinforced material, selecting a number of tows to utilize for a bundle having an aggregate shape, assembling the tows together into the bundle, curving the assembled tows by slipping the assembled tows with respect to each other, drawing the bundle through a die to bind the bundle into a preform, enforcing a longitudinally varying cross section along the preform, and locking in a curvature of the preform.

The invention relates to a process for manufacturing a preimpregnated fibrous material containing a fibrous material made of continuous fibers and at least one thermoplastic polymer matrix, wherein the preimpregnated fibrous material is produced as a single unidirectional tape or of a plurality of parallel unidirectional tapes and wherein the process includes a step of impregnating, in particular fully and homogeneously, the fibrous material that is in the form of a roving or of several parallel rovings with the at least one thermoplastic polymer matrix that is in powder form, the impregnating step being carried out by a dry route in a tank and the control of the amount of the at least one thermoplastic polymer matrix in said fibrous material being achieved by control of the residence time of said fibrous material in the powder, with the exclusion of any electrostatic process with intentional charging.

A head is disclosed for use with a continuous manufacturing system. The head may have a housing, a fiber guide rotatably disposed at least partially inside the housing, and a diverter disposed at an end of the housing. The diverter may be configured to divert radially outward a matrix-coated fiber passing through the fiber guide.

Equipment for forming a tubular rod from a bundle of fibrous material comprising a mandrel constructed to form a space within the bundle of fibres; the mandrel includes a passage for delivering a treatment fluid to facilitate the formation of the fibres into a tubular structure as the fibre bundle as the bundle passes over the mandrel.