An apparatus for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material comprises a housing, comprising a barrel and a receptacle. The receptacle comprises a base, a lid, positionable relative to the base and relative to the barrel such that the housing is in an open state or a closed state, and a de-gassing port. The apparatus comprises a gasket that is in contact with the lid, the base, and the barrel when the housing is in the closed state. The apparatus comprises a piston, movable between a retracted position, in which the piston, in its entirety, is in the barrel, and an extended position, in which a portion of the piston is in the receptacle and another portion of the piston is in the barrel. The apparatus comprises a seal, which is in contact with the piston and the barrel, and a drive system, configured to control movement of the piston.

Disclosed is a vacuum apparatus for applying a vacuum to a reinforcement lay-up during in composite manufacture, and a method of use. The vacuum apparatus comprises a vacuum port component (100) having body portion (102) defining a contact surface (104) and an internal cavity. A vacuum port (108) for connection to a vacuum pump is oriented away from the contact surface communicates with the internal cavity. The vacuum port component can be connected to vacuum component (200) body portion also defining a contact surface and an internal cavity (207), and further comprising a plurality of inlet apertures or slots (206) extending therethrough and in communication with the vacuum component internal cavity.

An apparatus for consolidating fiber-reinforced resin material comprises a housing, comprising a barrel and a receptacle. The receptacle comprises a base, a lid, positionable relative to the base and relative to the barrel such that the housing is in an open state or a closed state, and a de-gassing port. The apparatus comprises a gasket that is in contact with the lid, the base, and the barrel when the housing is in the closed state. The apparatus comprises a piston, movable between a retracted position, in which the piston, in its entirety, is in the barrel, and an extended position, in which a portion of the piston is in the receptacle and another portion of the piston is in the barrel. The apparatus comprises a seal, which is in contact with the piston and the barrel, and a drive system, configured to control movement of the piston.

A heated composite tool, useful for forming, debulking, and/or curing prepreg materials, including a composite build structure having a shape of a composite part that is to be produced, configured to receive and support prepreg materials during lay-up, and including a heating structure physically coupled to the composite build structure, and comprising at least one heating element, including a carbon nanotube structured layer defining a current path having first and second ends and first and second electrical terminals electrically coupled to the first and second ends and a first isolation ply disposed between the composite build structure and the at least one heating element, the first isolation ply forming an electrical insulating gap between the at least one heating element and the composite build structure, wherein the carbon nanotube structured layer is responsive to an electromotive force applied across the first and second electrical terminals to heat the tool.

A process for fabricating a partially polymerized prepreg material. Fibers are impregnated with thermosetting resin. The resin is partially polymerized to a degree of polymerization between 10% and 60%. The thermosetting composite parts are produced by drape forming of the prepreg material. The material laid-up in the form of tapes and heated at a temperature above the glass transition temperature of the prepreg state. The laid-up material is pressed and cooled to return the laid-up material to a temperature below the glass transition temperature of the prepreg state in question.

Methods and apparatus to remove gas and vapor from a panel for a decorative layer are disclosed. An example apparatus includes a first press plate of a hot press to engage a first surface of a panel. The hot press is to apply heat to the panel via the first press plate to cure resin of the panel. A first portion of the first press plate is composed of a permeable material to remove at least one of gas or vapor from the panel to deter the at least one of gas or vapor from exerting a pressure on a decorative layer to be coupled to the panel to deter separation of a portion of the decorative layer from the panel.

Methods and apparatus to form venting channels on a panel for a decorative layer are disclosed. An example method includes contacting an outer surface of a tool to an outer resin layer of a panel. The outer surface of the tool has protrusions. The example method includes moving the outer surface of the tool on the outer resin layer of the panel in a first direction to cause the protrusions of the tool to form first venting channels on the outer resin layer of the panel and coupling a decorative layer to the outer resin layer of the panel via an adhesive layer. The first venting channels are to vent at least one of gas or vapor away from the decorative layer to deter separation of a portion of the decorative layer from the outer resin layer.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing a slab comprising solid fillers and organic binders. More in detail the present method comprises a method for manufacturing a slab having a front layer and a rear layer, said slab comprising fillers, organic binders and additives. The present method furthermore relates to a slab obtained according to the present method.

In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.