A method of preparing a composite article including providing a first bias assembly with a first bias roll; providing a first non-bias assembly with a first non-bias roll; positioning the first bias assembly to a dispensing position; dispensing a bias ply from the first bias roll along a bias path on a mold; cutting the bias ply; positioning the first non-bias assembly to a dispensing position; dispensing a non-bias ply from the first non-bias roll; and cutting the non-bias ply; wherein the bias path and the non-bias path are substantially parallel.

A base material is provided for molding in which reinforcing fibers are oriented at three or more different orientation angles. In this base material, the reinforcing fibers oriented at one or two of the three or more orientation angles are continuous fibers, and the reinforcing fibers oriented at the other orientation angles are discontinuous fibers.

Methods of manufacturing a structural component each include providing a preformed layered structure including a plurality of layers each having reinforcing fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix material, heating the layered structure in a cavity formed between a contour surface and an abutment member to a first temperature, which is greater than a melting point of the thermoplastic matrix material, and cooling the layer structure in the cavity to a solidification temperature which is, e.g., less than the melting point of the thermoplastic matrix material, while applying a compression pressure. According to a method, the compression pressure is generated by using a magnet device to generate a magnetic field directed transversely to the contour surface, which pulls or compresses the abutment member and the contour surface relative to each other. According to a further method, inductive heating of the cavity occurs.

The invention relates to a vehicle rim having a rim body made from a fiber composite material, the rim body having two rim flange areas and a rim bed area connecting the two rim flange areas, and at least one rim flange area being reinforced by at least one fiber bundle and this at least one fiber bundle being surrounded by a compression wrap. The invention also relates to a vehicle wheel with the vehicle rim and to a production method for the vehicle rim.

A panel structure includes: a panel made of metal; and a reinforcement joined to the panel and made of a plurality of FRP layers including continuous fibers, in which each of the plurality of FRP layers has a single fiber direction, at least one layer out of the plurality of FRP layers has a fiber direction different from that of another layer, in the plurality of FRP layers, a proportion of layers having an angular difference in the fiber direction of 30° or more is 15% or more of all of the layers, and when calculating, by defining a long side direction being a long direction of a long edge of the panel as a 90° direction and a direction orthogonal to the 90° direction as a 0° direction, each of a 90° direction component and a 0° direction component regarding the fiber direction of each FRP layer of the reinforcement joined to the panel, by using a trigonometric function, an expression (1) is satisfied.

A base material is provided for molding in which reinforcing fibers are oriented at three or more different orientation angles. In this base material, the reinforcing fibers oriented at one or two of the three or more orientation angles are continuous fibers, and the reinforcing fibers oriented at the other orientation angles are discontinuous fibers.

Disclosed herein is a device for producing composite components including at least one wound fiber reinforced polymer layer, including: a support with a first holding device and a second holding device for mounting a liner in between, where the first and the second holding device are such that the liner can rotate around a central rotation axis which extends through the first holding device and the second holding device, and at least two movable arms for feeding a fiber structure, where the support is established such that the liner can be moved axially parallel to the central rotation axis and each movable arm for feeding the fiber structure can be moved perpendicular to the central rotation axis. Further disclosed herein is a process for producing composite components using the device.

In an example, a composite structure having a variable gage is described. The composite structure includes a first end having a first gage, a second end having a second gage, which is less than the first gage, a plurality of continuous plies, and a plurality of drop-off plies. Each continuous ply extends from the first end to the second end. Each drop-off ply includes a tip having a tapered shape. Each drop-off ply extends from the first end to a respective position of the tip of the drop-off ply between the first end and the second end. The tips of the plurality of drop-off plies are arranged in a monotonically-inward pattern.

A composite stiffener for a stiffener reinforced panel is disclosed. The stiffener has a longitudinal direction and a run-out region which terminates at an end of the stiffener. The stiffener also has a constant section region inboard of the run-out region in the longitudinal direction and having a constant cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction with a crown between adjacent foot portions. The run-out region has a changing cross section transverse to the longitudinal direction with a crown between adjacent foot portions and the crown reduces in height towards the end of the stiffener forming a ramp. The composite stiffener comprises a number of blankets of non-crimp fabric layers.

An apparatus for forming a composite shaft may comprise an axial fiber strip dispensing assembly and a hoop fiber strip dispensing assembly. The axial fiber strip dispensing assembly may include a plurality of fiber strip guides located circumferentially about a center axis. The plurality of fiber strip guides may be configured to dispense a plurality of circumferentially adjacent first fiber strips with the plurality of circumferentially adjacent first fiber strips extending in a generally axial direction. The hoop fiber strip dispensing assembly may be configured to dispense a second fiber strip circumferentially about the center axis.