A method for use in ply compaction in forming a composite structure. The method includes positioning a ply of material on a forming tool having a web surface and at least one flange surface extending from the web surface, positioning a chassis at a first location along a length dimension of the forming tool, selectively rotating a flange forming device, that is coupled to the chassis, about a yaw axis based on a relative orientation of the flange forming device to the at least one flange surface, applying, with the flange forming device, the ply of material onto the forming tool, moving the chassis relative to the forming tool to position the chassis at a second location along the length dimension of the forming tool, and repeating the selective rotation and the application steps at the second location.

A method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade includes the use of an apparatus having an engagement part. The engagement part has: a support element having a first support edge and a second support edge, a belt extending around the support element and forming a primary engagement edge of the engagement part along the first support edge of the support element. The method includes: providing one or more pre-shaped elements, including a first pre-shaped element, in a first element position, positioning the engagement part in a first position, moving the support element in a first direction with a first velocity to extend underneath the first pre-shaped element, and at the same time moving the belt relative to the support element around the first support edge in a primary direction from below the first support edge to above the first support edge with a primary velocity.

An end effector for handling a sheet of flexible material. The end effector includes a support frame and manipulator assemblies, each attached to the support frame by a support mount. The manipulator assemblies include a holding tool having a lifting surface. The manipulator assemblies include a linear actuator, and the holding tool is connected to the linear actuator by a multiaxial joint. A drive provides—the displacement of the holding tool by the linear actuator. The end effector includes resilient members each rigidly affixed to two adjacent holding tools and positioned in a space providing a mutual distance between opposing faces of the adjacent holding tools, where each holding tool is connected to—adjacent holding tools—by the resilient members. The resilient members are configured to non-permanently deform in the space when adjacent holding tools are displaced relative to each other along displacement axes.

An apparatus and method for the automated manufacturing of three-dimensional (3D) composite-based objects is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a material feeder, a printer, a powder system, a transfer system, and optionally a fuser. The method comprises inserting a stack of substrate sheets into a material feeder, transferring a sheet of the stack from the material feeder to a printer, depositing fluid on the single sheet while the sheet rests on a printer platen, transferring the sheet from the printer to a powder system, depositing powder onto the single sheet such that the powder adheres to the areas of the sheet onto which the printer has deposited fluid, removing any powder that did not adhere to the sheet, optionally melting the powder on the substrate, and repeating the steps for as many additional sheets as required for making a specified 3D object.

The present disclosure provides three-dimensional (3D) printing systems, apparatuses, software, and methods for the production of at least one requested 3D object. The 3D printer includes a material conveyance system, filtering system, and unpacking station. The material conveyance system may transport pre-transformed material against gravity. The 3D printing described herein comprises facilitating non-interrupted material dispensing through a component of the 3D printer, such as a layer dispenser.

The present invention relates to a container having a cavity, wherein the cavity has a cavity pressure and comprises fibre material suitable for manufacturing one or more fibre-reinforced composite components for a wind turbine blade, and at least a part of the fibre material touches a first part of a wall of the container, at least the first part of the wall consisting of a flexible airtight material, and a ratio of an entire volume of non-cured polymer in the cavity to an entire volume of the fibre material in the cavity is less than 0.3, and the container is adapted to prevent inflow of a polymer into the cavity. A method for preparing such a container is also disclosed. A method for laying fibre material into a mould is also disclosed.

Methods and apparatus for additive manufactures of complex parts using co-aligned continuous fibers are disclosed. Filament subunits having complex shapes are fabricated and inserted into a mold cavity. The layup is compression molded to form a complex part having high tensile strength.

A method for producing carbon fiber reinforced resin molded article of the present invention includes press-molding a mixture-made body including carbon fiber and thermoplastic resin to produce the article that is composed of CFRP. The method further includes perforating pores into the mixture-made body, before press-molding mentioned above. As, in perforating, at least the pores are formed so as to penetrate through a hardened part of a surface of the mixture-made body, the article made of the CFRP that does not have poor appearance, such as whitening or marble pattern, can be produced.

A system and a method for manufacturing laminated composite components is described. The system may include a cutting station configured to separate component layers from a ply of composition material according to a predefined pattern, a build station configured to stack the component layers according to a predetermined orientation, and a finishing station configured to compact the stacked component layers and provide the laminated composite component to an installation station.

A composite forming apparatus includes an end effector and a forming feature that is coupled to the end effector. The end effector moves the forming feature relative to a forming tool to form a composite ply over a forming surface of the forming tool or over previously formed composite material on the forming surface of the forming tool. The composite forming apparatus further includes a positioning member engaged with the forming feature. The engagement between the positioning member and the forming feature facilitates a position between the forming feature and the composite ply to promote uniform application of compaction force over the forming surface of the forming tool.