A method for producing a plastic tank having one or more reinforcements. The method includes forming at least one part of the tank wall with a semi-finished panel made of plastic having at least one outer layer composed of a first thermoplastic, forming a reinforcement for the tank wall with at least one fibre-reinforced structural component comprising a matrix composed of a second thermoplastic that is weldable to the first thermoplastic. The fibre-reinforced structural component is then applied to a predefined region of the at least one outer layer of the semi-finished panel. The fibre-reinforced structural component is then fused with the outer layer of the semi-finished panel by applying heat to the semi-finished panel and the applied fibre-reinforced structural component. The fused fibre-reinforced structural component and semi-finished panel is then formed into a final shape. Optionally, the formed component is then connected to at least one other part of the tank wall to form the complete tank wall.

The present invention is directed to an acoustical baffle that has use in vehicle interiors, such as an interior headliner. In particular, the baffle can provide improved acoustics while maintaining a desired airflow resistance and can be configured to provide for different sound attenuation characteristics at selected locations of the baffle construction.

A fiber-reinforced polymer composite assembly, that includes a plurality of sheets, each formed from a composite mixture including a fibrous material and a resin, wherein each of the first plurality of sheets are cut to one or more predetermined dimensions. The plurality of sheets are configured to form a stack, and wherein the stack is shaped by positioning the stack on a mold and pressing and consolidating/curing the stack to form a doubly-curved geometric shape. An insert may be positioned between the plurality of sheets, prior to the pressing and consolidating/curing, wherein the fibrous material may in include paper, and wherein the resin includes one of a thermoset resin or a thermoplastic resin.

Methods of manufacturing composite sandwich components (100) and composite sandwich components overcome drawbacks in the prior art. For example, the large number of resin filled perforations that are unavoidable when manufacturing prior art composite sandwich components is avoided.

The invention relates to a multilayered pultruded structures having a weatherable cap layer over a pultruded substrate. The cap layer provides improved weatherability, chemical resistance and surface quality for pultruded structures. The cap layer is either an acrylic, vinyl or styrenic cap layer covered with a thin layer blend of polyvinylidene fluoride and acrylic polymers, or a cross-linked acrylic outer layer. A useful cap layer would be a UV resistant acrylic cap layer, such as a Solarkote® resins from Arkema, covered by a co-extruded blend of polyvinylidene fluoride, such as Kynar® resins from Arkema, with an acrylic resin, such as Plexiglas® resins from Arkema. The highly weatherable and chemical resistant pultruded structure is especially useful in window and door profiles.

The present invention relates to multi-layered composite structures and to methods for the preparation thereof. The present multi-layered composite structures are light weight and capable of high load bearing making the present multi-layered composite structures especially suitable to be used as load bearing structures in, for example, automotive. Specifically, the present invention relates to methods comprising the steps of a) providing a mould for said multi-layered composite structure; b) layering said mould with two or more layers forming the outer surface of said multi-layered composite; c) filling said layered mould with a mixture comprised of non-expanded heat-expandable microspheres and closing said mould; and d) subjecting said closed mould to a temperature of 80° C. to 140° C. during 1 to 230 minutes thereby providing a relative pressure in said closed mould of 0.1 to 20 bar through expansion of said heat-expandable microspheres thereby forming a multi-layered composite structure in said mould with a foam enforced inner core and a multi-layered outer surface; and e) separating the multi-layered composite structure from said mould.

A composite laminate structure includes one or more layers of prepreg and a thermoplastic polyurethane film layer on the surface of the one or more prepregs. A method of making a composite laminate structure including a thermoplastic polyurethane film is also provided.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fiber reinforced resin molded article capable of preventing oxidation and degradation of a liner making up a preform at a high temperature, and such a manufacturing device thereof. Prior to pouring resin into a mold, the method fills inert gas (nitrogen gas, for example) into the mold. After filling inert gas (nitrogen gas, for example) into the mold, the method closes an upper mold (second mold) placed with a gap (second gap) with a preform (i.e., brings it closer to the preform).

A method of additive manufacturing including generating a stress model driven slice file for a structure and additively manufacturing a variable density foam core with respect to the stress model driven slice file such that a density of the variable density foam core is varied relative to a modeled stress in the structure manufactured with the variable density foam core. An additively manufactured structure includes a composite skin bonded to the variable density foam core.

Methods for manufacturing foam wall structures are described. The methods include placing a wall structure proximate to a robotic arm, orienting an imaging device so that the imaging device on the robotic arm faces a cavity in the wall structure, surveying the cavity using the imaging device, determining a spray foaming pattern to fill the cavity to a selected depth with a foam layer, orienting the spray nozzle so the spray nozzle faces the cavity, and spray-applying the foam-forming composition into the cavity to the selected depth by passing the foam-forming composition through the spray nozzle to form the foam layer. Foam wall structure manufacturing systems that are suitable for carrying out such methods are also described.