A method of determining a void volume during manufacture of a composite pipe formed of concentric layers of adjacently positioned, helical windings of composite tape has the steps of: (a) scanning the surface of a layer of adjacently positioned, helical windings to generate scanning information; (b) using the scanning information to locate gap(s) between adjacent windings and to determine the number of gaps and characteristic dimensions of each gap in the layer; and (c) generating a calculated void volume of the layer, using the number of gaps and the characteristic dimensions of each gap for the layer. The invention also relates to a corresponding apparatus for determining a void volume during manufacture of a composite pipe formed of concentric layers of helically wound composite tape.

An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface and also includes a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes melting together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

Methods of making a composite article are provided herein. The method can include an unwinding step including unwinding a fiber substrate material from a creel at an unwinding velocity and an impregnation step including applying an uncured resin composition to the fiber substrate material to form a resin-fiber material. The method further includes a winding step comprising applying the resin-fiber material onto a shaped surface at a winding velocity and a solidifying step comprising applying heat to the resin-fiber material to initiate an exothermic reaction comprising polymerization, cross-linking, or both of the uncured resin composition. Temperature of the resin-fiber material can be monitored during operation of the method and a polymerization front velocity set point (v.sub.pfs) and an operating polymerization front velocity (v.sub.pfo) can be determined. Parameters can be adjusted to maintain a v.sub.pfo that is substantially the same as the v.sub.pfs. Systems for performing said methods are also provided.

Methods of making a composite article are provided herein. The method can include an unwinding step including unwinding a fiber substrate material from a creel at an unwinding velocity and an impregnation step including applying an uncured resin composition to the fiber substrate material to form a resin-fiber material. The method further includes a winding step comprising applying the resin-fiber material onto a shaped surface at a winding velocity and a solidifying step comprising applying heat to the resin-fiber material to initiate an exothermic reaction comprising polymerization, cross-linking, or both of the uncured resin composition. Temperature of the resin-fiber material can be monitored during operation of the method and a polymerization front velocity set point (v.sub.pfs) and an operating polymerization front velocity (v.sub.pfo) can be determined. Parameters can be adjusted to maintain a v.sub.pfo that is substantially the same as the v.sub.pfs. Systems for performing said methods are also provided.

Systems and methods for bending a composite based reinforcing bar (C-bar), are disclosed, including a bending apparatus, having a bending platform including a plurality of stationary supports, a pair of movable supports, and a control assembly. Each pair of stationary support and corresponding movable support are configured to engage a pair of flanges of the C-bar.

Systems and methods for bending a composite based reinforcing bar (C-bar), are disclosed, including a bending apparatus, having a bending platform including a plurality of stationary supports, a pair of movable supports, and a control assembly. Each pair of stationary support and corresponding movable support are configured to engage a pair of flanges of the C-bar.

In manufacturing an electrothermal heater mat, there is provided a preform which comprises a laminated stack of dielectric layers which are made of thermoplastic material and include a central layer or group of layers which include(s) reinforcement and first and second outer groups of layers which do not include reinforcement. The preform includes a heater element and the preform has a first configuration. The preform is then heated to a temperature (e.g. 180° C.) between the glass-transition temperature of the thermoplastic material and the melting point of the thermoplastic material, and the heated preform is formed into a second configuration which is different to the first configuration so as to produce the heater mat.

In a method for producing helical coils, in particular for coil screens, a filament is conveyed in a filament conveying direction through a first channel portion of a first rotation body, and subsequently conveyed through a second channel portion of a second rotation body which rotates synchronously with the first rotation body. The filament is subsequently wound around a protruding winding mandrel, such that a helical coil is produced from the filament by a continuous feed of the windings of the filament wound around the winding mandrel. A heated heating fluid flows with an excess pressure through the first channel portion and the second channel portion, arranged downstream, and in the process heats the filament conveyed through the first channel portion and subsequently through the second channel portion. The filament emerging from the second channel portion is deformed, using a deformation apparatus, prior to winding onto the winding mandrel.

In a method for producing helical coils, in particular for coil screens, a filament is conveyed in a filament conveying direction through a first channel portion of a first rotation body, and subsequently conveyed through a second channel portion of a second rotation body which rotates synchronously with the first rotation body. The filament is subsequently wound around a protruding winding mandrel, such that a helical coil is produced from the filament by a continuous feed of the windings of the filament wound around the winding mandrel. A heated heating fluid flows with an excess pressure through the first channel portion and the second channel portion, arranged downstream, and in the process heats the filament conveyed through the first channel portion and subsequently through the second channel portion. The filament emerging from the second channel portion is deformed, using a deformation apparatus, prior to winding onto the winding mandrel.

A disclosed sizing roller apparatus for a folding process of a battery cell includes: a table fixing and supporting a battery cell; a base plate disposed on a side of the table; a plurality of sizing rollers disposed on the base plate and each having a rotation axis, which is inclined inward toward a folding portion of the battery cell, to press the folding portion of the battery cell in contact with the folding portion; and a plurality of air spray nozzles disposed on the base plate and spraying air to the plurality of sizing rollers.