Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: reducing a bulk factor of chips of chopped fiber while forming the chips into a pre-consolidated charge; shaping portions of the pre-consolidated charge into shaped volumetric charges that fit within a die; and compression molding the shaped volumetric charges within the die.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part, the method comprising: reducing a bulk factor of chips of chopped fiber while forming the chips into a pre-consolidated charge; shaping portions of the pre-consolidated charge into shaped volumetric charges that fit within a die; and compression molding the shaped volumetric charges within the die.

The instant application discloses, among other things, ways to manufacture reduced density thermoplastics. A rapid foaming process which may create a polymer product by saturating thermoplastic sheet or preforms, heating, and then forming into final shape, is described. The polymer product may include an integral solid skin. This method may be utilized with any thermoplastic. The material handling, saturation methods, and end products are also described.

A manufacturing process and the semi-finished product of thermoplastic material obtained therefrom, for obtaining products with aesthetic patterns which can be perceived in semitransparency also in depth is disclosed. The process includes: (i) producing at least two initial elements of thermoplastic material with even but different aesthetic patterns, having a different concentration of the dominating coloring, at least the dominating coloring being of the bleeding type in the specific thermoplastic material; (ii) shaping the two initial elements into strips or loaves being of a submultiple width, not below ⅕ of a characteristic dimension of the desired finished product; (iii) inserting at least two of the strips or loaves having different concentration of the dominating coloring, into a workform, arranging them side by side according to a direction of side-by-side arrangement; and (iv) undergoing pressure and heat to allow the melting and hardening of the thermoplastic material into a single body.

A manufacturing process and the semi-finished product of thermoplastic material obtained therefrom, for obtaining products with aesthetic patterns which can be perceived in semitransparency also in depth is disclosed. The process includes: (i) producing at least two initial elements of thermoplastic material with even but different aesthetic patterns, having a different concentration of the dominating coloring, at least the dominating coloring being of the bleeding type in the specific thermoplastic material; (ii) shaping the two initial elements into strips or loaves being of a submultiple width, not below ⅕ of a characteristic dimension of the desired finished product; (iii) inserting at least two of the strips or loaves having different concentration of the dominating coloring, into a workform, arranging them side by side according to a direction of side-by-side arrangement; and (iv) undergoing pressure and heat to allow the melting and hardening of the thermoplastic material into a single body.

The invention concerns a machine for manufacturing plastic items comprising, in series, along the manufacturing line: a rotatable roll (1) of plastic material in the form of at least one strip; a shaper (4) for forming tubes from said strips and means (5) for longitudinally welding said tubes; means (6) for cutting the tubes transversely, arranged so as to form tube sections (10); means for transferring and depositing said sections in holding and moving means; an oven (8) in which said tube sections move; a first turret (9) supporting moulds; means for processing the tube sections in the first turret; means for blowing a pressurised fluid into the moulds; a second turret (14) for discharging the bottles from said moulds.