A composite prepreg laminate such as a hat type-stringer is formed on a contoured mandrel using a combination of mechanical sweeping and vacuum forming.

A sealing member for a powder slush molding apparatus includes an elastomeric main body comprising a head portion, an anchor portion, and a neck portion extending between and joining the head portion and the anchor portion. The head portion of the sealing member defines at least one interior channel that is centered on a midline of the elastomeric main body and which has a polygonal sectional shape. The polygonal sectional shape of the at least one interior channel, and its location on the midline, permits the head portion of the sealing member to attain a measure of compressibility that helps limit the force needed to compress the head portion without rendering the sealing member too flexible that it cannot adequately retain its shape. The sealing member is useful in establishing a seal between a shell and a powder box of a powder slush molding apparatus.

The present invention relates to a method and a mould system (66) for manufacturing at least two preforms for moulding a wind turbine blade. The preforms include at least one preform of a first shape and at least one preform of a second shape. The preform mould structure (68) has a moulding surface (70) of variable shape such that the shape of the moulding surface (70) can be varied at least between a first and a second configuration by using actuators.

A plant for the continuous vulcanisation of mixtures of natural or synthetic latex inside a plurality of vulcanisation moulds aligned close to each other, each including: a base and a lid able to be removably coupled; an advancing mechanism for advancing the moulds along guides inside a vulcanising oven; and a sprayer for spraying the mixture inside the bases before entry into the vulcanising oven. The plant includes: an assembly set and a disassembly set of the moulds, belonging respectively to the input station and to the output station of the vulcanising oven; a first transport mechanism for transferring each base from the disassembly set to the assembly set; a second transport mechanism for transferring each lid from the disassembly set to the assembly set. The vulcanising oven includes a tunnel with a radiofrequency set for vulcanising the mixture.

The invention relates to a production mold for a rotor blade of a wind turbine plant, having two mold half-shells (3, 4) which during a production method of the rotor blade are disposed so as to be at least temporarily beside one another, and having at least one inner walkway (2c, 2d) that runs along so as to be between the two mold half-shells (3, 4), characterized by at least one escape path (40) which runs along below at least one of the two mold half-shells (3, 4).

A composite prepreg laminate such as a hat type-stringer is formed on a contoured mandrel using a combination of mechanical sweeping and vacuum forming.

Disclosed is a master model (1) defining a useful surface having a complex shape, including a set of juxtaposed frames (2a, 2b, 2c), each frame including a panel having a useful edge (8), the frames being disposed parallel and held rigidly connected with predefined spacings such that the useful edges of same form the useful surface. The panel of each frame includes a blind slot (10) forming an opening passing through the thickness, and the frames are rigidly connected by a spar (3, 3a, 3b, etc.) suitable for being inserted (6) in the lengthwise direction (L) of same into the slots and including transverse notches (11) for receiving and holding the frames, each notch being arranged to receive, by a relative transverse translational movement (7) of the spar relative to the frames, the part in question of the panel of each frame.

A mold for coating a pipeline section with molten coating material from an injection molding machine, wherein the mold comprises a shell of impervious material reinforced by an exoskeleton of non-distensible material. An assembly for supporting a mold comprising a plurality of mutually separable shell bodies for coating a pipeline section, wherein the assembly comprises motorized opening and closing of the shell bodies in a straight line. An assembly for supporting a bent pipeline section wherein the assembly comprises a base and a pair of arms extending from the base, wherein each arm comprises a respective clamping collar for clamping a bent pipe section between the arms. A vehicle for induction heating a bent pipeline section, wherein the vehicle comprises: a helical induction coil; and wheels arranged to guide movement of both ends of the induction coil through a tubular inside face of a bent pipeline section.

The disclosed subject matter provides a system and method for facilitating bonding of various turbine blade components, including trailing edge inserts, or flatbacks, to the trailing edge of a wind turbine blade. The system disclosed herein ensures a consistent force is applied from root to top thereby preventing defects, e.g. paste voids, from forming. Additionally, a consistent bonding gap can be achieved due to the consistent application of force from the root to tip of the blade.

A hybrid mold includes (a) an Invar® eggcrate structure, (b) an Invar® interim working surface and (c) a CF composite material overlay. The eggcrate and interim working surface are welded or otherwise connected together to form a unitary base mold. The CF overlay is bonded to the interim working surface. The CF overlay is easily reconfigurable and can be replaced without destroying the integrity of the base mold.