Method of manufacturing a structural member includes moving fibers (130) along an assembly line (100), applying binder to spaced apart fibers (130) extending across a first area, and applying a traction agent (178) to at least one of the fibers and the binder. A tapered die (180) has a first portion (195) with a first greater diameter positioned to receive the fibers and a second portion with a second lesser diameter positioned downstream of the first portion. Guiding the fibers along the die and decreasing a distance between the plurality of fibers with the die. After decreasing the distance between the plurality of fibers, the fibers extend across a second area that is smaller than the first area, and the plurality of fibers are shaped with a shaping station. Traction agent increases friction between at least one of the fibers and either an adjacent fiber or the die during shaping.

A system for producing rebar includes a pultruding machine configured to receive a flexible rebar preform. The flexible rebar preform includes at least one reinforcement filament, and at least one thermoplastic filament. The at least one reinforcement filament, and the at least one thermoplastic filament are arranged in a selected distribution across a cross-section of the preform. The pultruding machine includes a pulling apparatus, a rebar cutting apparatus, and a bending apparatus. The pultruding machine is configured to heat the flexible rebar preform to a first temperature. The first temperature is greater than or equal to a melt temperature of the thermoplastic filaments. The pulling apparatus is configured to pull the flexible rebar preform through a pultrusion die to form the rebar. The rebar cutting apparatus is configured to cut the rebar at a prespecified length. The bending apparatus is configured to bend the cut rebar to a prespecified bend geometry.

Clear polyurethane fiber reinforced composites are produced by a pultrusion process with a polyurethane-forming system that includes: (a) a clear, aliphatic polyisocyanate having a viscosity at 25 C. of no more than 1000 centipoise, (b) a colorless polyol component comprising an amine-initiated polyol having a molecular weight of from about 150 to about 400 and an OH functionality greater than or equal to 3, and (c) a catalyst. These fiber-reinforced composites are characterized by both excellent weathering characteristics and excellent physical properties.

A continuous forming apparatus of a fiber reinforced composite includes a tension detection mechanism, a drive motor, and a drive control device. The drive control device is configured so that a material roll is rotationally driven in a delivery direction of a reinforced fiber base material during a time period from a time point of end of pressurization in a forming process to a time point of end of a pulling-out process, and is also configured to perform tension control on the reinforced fiber base material based on a detected tension value from the tension detection mechanism and a target tension value, during a time period from a time point of start of the pulling-out process to a time point of end of the pressurization in the forming process in a next forming operation.

A pultrusion device and method are provided for producing a fiber-reinforced continuous section which has a second cross-sectional profile that is discontinuous in a direction of pultrusion with a press forming device for shaping the continuous section. The press forming device includes a first shaping device for producing the continuous section with a continuous cross-sectional profile and a second shaping device, which follows on from the first shaping device in the direction of pultrusion, for shaping the second discontinuous cross-sectional profile of the continuous section. A punching tool is arranged between the first shaping device and the second shaping device and is designed to bring about a local change in shape of the continuous cross-sectional profile, at least in a defined portion of the continuous section, in order to produce a first discontinuous cross-sectional profile of the continuous section.

An apparatus for fabricating a composite structural member includes: a polymer mold with a mold cavity and an inlet, wherein the inlet is fluidly coupled to the mold cavity and receives a fluid that includes a polymer; a fiber inlet that is disposed on a first end of the mold cavity and includes a fiber-positioning plate; and a tensioner that exerts a tensile force on one or more fiber strands that are routed through the fiber positioning plate.

A 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours.

A 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours.

A 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours.

A 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours.