An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a first print stage configured to discharge a first type of composite structure. The additive manufacturing system may also include a second print stage configured to discharge a second type of composite structure. The additive manufacturing system may further include a support configured to move the first and second print stages.

A head is disclosed for use with an additive manufacturing system. The head may include a nozzle configured to discharge multiple fiber strands oriented transversely adjacent each other relative to a travel direction of the head. The head may also include a matrix supply separately associated with each of the multiple fiber strands.

An additive manufacturing system is disclosed. The additive manufacturing system may include a plate having a plurality of print heads arranged in a grid and each configured to discharge a curable material, and at least one shuttle having a plurality of print heads arranged in a row and each configured to discharge a curable material. The additive manufacturing system may also include at least one cure enhancer associated with at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle. The at least one cure enhancer may be configured to cure the curable material as the curable material is being discharged. The additive manufacturing system may further include at least one actuator configured to move at least one of the plate and the at least one shuttle during discharge of the curable material.

A system is disclosed for additively manufacturing a structure. The system may include a feeder configured to feed a thin-film material through the system, and a cutter configured to cut out of the thin-film material a pattern associated with a shape of the structure at a particular layer within the structure. The system may also include a placer configured to place the pattern in at least one of a desired location and a desired orientation.

An composite heater is disclosed. The heater may include a base additively manufactured from a first matrix material, and a heating element additively manufactured adjacent the base from a second matrix material and an electrically and thermally conductive fiber that is at least partially encased in the second matrix material. The heater may also include a control mechanism configured to selectively complete a circuit between a power supply and the electrically and thermally conductive fiber.

A composite radius filler include a base portion and a tip portion. The base portion is formed of composite plies varying in overall width along an overall lengthwise direction and defining a variable cross-sectional shape of the base portion along the lengthwise direction. The base portion includes at least one transition zone having a transition start and a transition end along the lengthwise direction. The composite plies of the base portion are arranged in one or more stacks each stack having a predetermined fiber orientation angle sequence and a stack width that changes within the transition zone. The tip portion includes a plurality of composite plies formed into a generally triangular cross-sectional shape and stacked on top of the base portion.

The purpose of the present invention is to obtain a fiber-reinforced composite material having excellent appearance or mechanical characteristics, whereby a three-dimensional shape is molded with high productivity while appearance defects such as fiber meandering or wrinkling are suppressed. In this method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material, when a stack in which a plurality of sheet-shaped prepregs (X) in which a plurality of continuously arranged reinforcing fibers are impregnated with a matrix resin composition are layered in different fiber directions is molded into a three-dimensional shape by a molding die (100) provided with a lower die (110) and an upper die (112), a stretchable sheet (10) or a resin film (Y) used in the stack (12) is utilized. In this method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced composite material, the stack may be pre-molded to obtain a preform, and the preform may be furthermore compression-molded to obtain a fiber-reinforced composite material.

A method of manufacturing a composite component comprises forming a core, surrounding the circumference of the core with a first layer of fabric, applying a second layer of fabric having a different coefficient of thermal expansion from the first layer such that the second layer extends around at least a portion of the circumference of the core and curing the component such that the second layer imparts a compressive or tensile force on the core.

The disclosure relates to assemblies of thin-walled tubes and mandrels for use in thin wall catheter liners. For example, an assembly is provided that includes a thin-walled PTFE tube comprising walls with a thickness of less than 0.004 inches, positioned over a filled mandrel comprising PTFE with one or more fillers incorporated therein. The disclosure further provides, independently, thin-walled tubes and filled mandrels, as well as methods of making and using such components.

A component can be formed from a non-crimp fibre material, by using a forming tool over which a layer of non-crimp fibre is to be drawn, wherein the layer of non-crimp material is drawn over the tool by forming boards extending around all or part of the periphery of the tool using an elastic material.