A composite laminate stiffener is formed to contour with reduced ply wrinkling using constrained creep forming. The tooling apparatus is provided with flexible cauls which constrain the stiffener during the contour forming process. The creep forming is carried out at a slow enough rate so that friction or shear resistance between the resin and fibers of the plies remains low enough that slippage can occur and significant compression stresses are not generated rate, allowing relaxation of residual stresses in the stiffener.

The purpose of the present invention is to further enhance the strength of a manufactured composite structure by further suppressing the occurrence of wrinkling. A method for manufacturing a composite structure, the method comprising: a lamination step for layering a plurality of fiber sheets and molding a plate-form laminate; a forming step for forming a recess formed by a curved surface in a prescribed portion of the laminate; a short-direction deformation step for deforming the laminate in the short direction thereof after the forming step to configure a long-direction cross-section of the laminate in a prescribed shape; and a long-direction deformation step for deforming the laminate in the long direction after the forming step, so that the recess formed in the forming step deforms, to configure a short-direction cross section in a prescribed shape.

A unit configured to form a tube for producing sealed packages starting from a sheet of packaging material having opening devices pre-applied thereon, comprises at least one guiding assembly configured to interact with the sheet of packaging material to fold it gradually into a tube shape; the guiding assembly comprises a plurality of folding rollers delimiting a passage for the sheet of packaging material and each having a lateral wall configured to cooperate in contact with the sheet of packaging material to control the folding thereof; the folding rollers comprise at least one folding roller having at least one recess on the lateral wall thereof, the recess defining a slot configured to be engaged by the opening devices.

An apparatus for molding a pouch, the pouch having a first seating part and a second seating part, that are connected to each other, the pouch being configured such that when an electrode assembly is mounted and sealed therein, the first seating part and the second seating part are folded to cover top and bottom surfaces of the electrode assembly, and the first seating part and the second seating part are in contact with each other. The apparatus includes, a lower mold in which a first groove recessed by a predetermined depth from a top surface thereof is formed, and a second groove is additionally recessed from a bottom surface of the first grove; and an upper mold on which a flat portion is formed on one surface thereof, which is inserted into the first groove, and a protrusion inserted into the second groove protrudes from the flat portion.

A method for producing clad duct from a laminate is disclosed. The laminate is a sheet of thermoplastic material bonded to an insulative foam board. V-shaped grooves are formed in the foam board, opposite the sheet. The sheet is heated in the vicinity of one of the grooves, until pliable. The sheet is then bent, where it has become pliable, to close the groove. The heated and bent sheet is then cooled until it is no longer pliable and retains its bent shape. The heating, bending, and cooling steps are repeated for the other grooves until edges of the laminate are brought together. The edges are then sealed.

A method of making a tube (60) includes forming at least one tube layer (101, 106, 108); and forming at least one film layer (102, 103, 104) on the at least one tube layer, wherein the at least a portion of the at least one film layer does not completely overlap the at least one tube layer.

A duct that, in cross section, has one or more rounded portions is disclosed together with a method and a machine for producing it. The duct can be made from rigid foam panels with a facing on at east one side of the panels. A crimping element is used to form several substantially parallel indentations or crimps on a faced side of a panel, without breaching the facing, so that the crimped panel can be manipulated to form a section of duct with the crimps extending longitudinally. Depending on the number of crimps, the duct will appear more or less round in cross section although the crimped foam panels can be manipulated to have cross sections of different shapes such as oval. Adjacent duct sections may be joined, for example, with tape or bands, several of which are described.

Cap wrinkling in a contoured composite hat stringer is reduced by constraining the cap as the hat stringer is being formed from a flat composite charge. The cap is constrained by an inflatable bladder placed in a tool set used to form the composite charge.

The invention relates to a foil tape (10) for sealing joints between structural elements (30, 31) which are joined to one another, for example in house-building between masonry and a door or window jamb, wherein the foil tape (10) has a functional membrane (1), a textile (4) joined, preferably all-over, to the functional membrane (1) on a top side or an underside, and at least in certain areas an adhesive layer (2) applied in certain areas to that side of the membrane (1) which is averted from the textile (4), wherein the foil tape (10) is folded to produce a folded body (20), so that sections of the textile (4) lie on top of one another at least in certain areas, the sections of the textile (4) lying on top of one another being welded to one another partially and in particular in a punctiform pattern by supplying energy to the folded body (20).

A method of manufacturing a fan blade for a gas turbine engine. The method includes providing a compression mould having an internal mould surface corresponding to an outer profile of a fan blade, providing opposing first and second laminates to form a shell corresponding to the mould surface, each laminate comprising a lay-up of plies of fibre reinforcement material, applying a core material comprising quasi-isotropic short fibre reinforced resin in the compression mould so that with the compression mould in a moulding configuration the core material is enclosed by the shell, the core material and the shell forming a pre-form for the fan blade, applying pressure to compress the pre-form so that it conforms to the mould surface, and applying heat to cure the pre-form.