A main object of the present invention is to provide beneficial improvements relating to a method for producing a fiber reinforced plastic product, the method including curing while pressurizing a prepreg preform by using a core having a fusible part as means for pressurizing. A method for producing a fiber reinforced plastic product, the method including: a core preparation step of preparing a core comprising a fusible part and an outer skin covering the fusible part; a molding step of disposing a prepreg preform inside a mold together with the core, and heating and pressurizing the prepreg preform in the mold to obtain a cured product; and a core removal step of removing materials of the fusible part from the cured product, in the molding step, at least a portion of the prepreg preform being pressurized by expansion of the core, in which the fusible part comprises a first fusible part and a second fusible part having a fusion temperature higher than that of the first fusible part, a material of the first fusible part and a material of the second fusible part are incompatible with each other, and in the molding step, the first fusible part fuses partially or entirely, while the second fusible part does not fuse partially or entirely.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced plastic molded body, the method including: performing thermocompression molding, by using a molding die, on a molding precursor which is obtained by arranging a prepreg including a thermosetting resin and a fiber around a thermoplastic solid body.

The present invention applies to a molding method for a fiber-reinforced plastic structure having an internal cavity. Firstly, grain groups, which mainly consist of a plurality of high-rigidity grains, are accommodated in bags, and a plurality of cores are formed. A reinforcing fiber substrate, is placed between the plurality of adjacent cores so as to be interposed therebetween. For example, a plurality of molding base materials are prepared by surrounding each core with a prepreg, and the plurality of molding base materials are combined and placed inside a molding die, and the molding base materials are compression molded. When compression molding, a part of the outer surface of the cores is locally pressurized, and the internal pressure of the cores is increased, changing the shape thereof, thus eliminating voids that are present between the cores and the prepreg and/or the prepreg and the molding surface of the die.

Lightweight and strong components having any desired shape, form, or geometry may be manufactured using thermally expanding mandrels by the processes described herein. A thermally expanding mandrel may be formed from an expanding material composition including thermally expanding particles, e.g., micronized rubber particles, and water-soluble binder material, e.g., gypsum plaster. Component material may be applied to the mandrel, and the mandrel may be inserted into a molding tool. Upon application of heat to the mandrel, the mandrel may expand, and compress and cure the component material into a component within the molding tool. Following formation of the component, the mandrel may be washed out of the component, e.g., using pressurized water, and the expanding material composition may be recycled and/or reused.

A mold insert assembly includes a base section having a base side removably attachable to a base plate of a mold and a first interface surface having a notched portion thereon. A first section includes a first interface side with a first interconnecting tab sized to engage the notched portion of the base section when the first interface side abuts the first interface surface, the first section further including an adjoining side having an interconnecting notch. A second section includes a second interface side having a second interconnecting tab, where the second interconnecting tab is sized to engage the interconnecting notch of the first section when the second interface side abuts the adjoining side, and where the base section, the first section, and the second section when assembled form a contoured insert configured to create a contoured cavity in a part formed within the mold.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced plastic molded body by which, when a molded article having a hollow part is being molded using a molding mold, it is possible to deform the peripheral surface area of a core by increasing the pressure inside the core without using pressurized gas or pressurized fluid. A group of particles and the like including a particle group and a core block is accommodated in a flexible bag to form a core. The particle group is composed of multiple rigid particles. The core is arranged inside a prepreg containing a resin and fibers, and the prepreg including the core is arranged inside a molding mold and is molded by applying pressure.

A cascade for a jet engine thrust reverser is fabricated by co-consolidating pre-consolidated thermoplastic strongbacks and vanes. The strongbacks are reinforced with continuous fibers, and the vanes are reinforced with discontinuous fibers.

A mold insert assembly includes a base section having a base side removably attachable to a base plate of a mold and a first interface surface having a notched portion thereon. A first section includes a first interface side with a first interconnecting tab sized to engage the notched portion of the base section when the first interface side abuts the first interface surface, the first section further including an adjoining side having an interconnecting notch. A second section includes a second interface side having a second interconnecting tab, where the second interconnecting tab is sized to engage the interconnecting notch of the first section when the second interface side abuts the adjoining side, and where the base section, the first section, and the second section when assembled form a contoured insert configured to create a contoured cavity in a part formed within the mold.

The surface of a tooling insert is coated with a polymer layer having a low surface energy in order to cover surface irregularities and thereby provide a smooth surface against which a composite part may be compression molded.

The present invention applies to a molding method for a fiber-reinforced plastic structure having an internal cavity. Firstly, grain groups, which mainly consist of a plurality of high-rigidity grains, are accommodated in bags, and a plurality of cores are formed. A reinforcing fiber substrate, is placed between the plurality of adjacent cores so as to be interposed therebetween. For example, a plurality of molding base materials are prepared by surrounding each core with a prepreg, and the plurality of molding base materials are combined and placed inside a molding die, and the molding base materials are compression molded. When compression molding, a part of the outer surface of the cores is locally pressurized, and the internal pressure of the cores is increased, changing the shape thereof, thus eliminating voids that are present between the cores and the prepreg and/or the prepreg and the molding surface of the die.