An example method of forming a composite structure is described that includes applying a laminated charge onto an expandable pallet, moving the expandable pallet at a translation rate and relative to a die conveyor that comprises a plurality of die sections, and driving the plurality of die sections on the die conveyor at an angle relative to the expandable pallet so as to drive the plurality of die sections progressively deeper into a recess defined by the expandable pallet and shape the laminated charge into at least part of a shape of the composite structure.

A resin impregnating device (1) is used in a method for producing a reinforcing bar and has a chamber for holding a liquid thermoplastic resin. A plurality of guide plates (4A-4C) is arranged in the chamber along a traveling direction of a plurality of strands of reinforcing fiber material (Fb). Through holes (41) in two of the guide plates (4A, 4C) guide or spread the strands of the reinforcing fiber material Fb away from each other, and a single through hole (42) in an intermediate one of the guide plates (4B) guides or converges all the strands of the reinforcing fiber material (Fb) towards each other.

A method of manufacturing a coated article comprises injecting a feedstock with a polymer resin to provide a resin-injected feedstock, pulling the resin-injected feedstock through a pultrusion die to form a pultrusion substrate having one or more profile surfaces, adhering an adhesive material comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane onto at least a portion the one or more profile surfaces to form one or more adhesive tie layers on the pultrusion substrate, and applying one or more coating materials onto the one or more adhesive tie layers to form one or more coating layers on the one or more adhesive tie layers to provide a coated pultrusion article, wherein an adhesion strength between the one or more coating layers and the one or more adhesive tie layers is higher than a corresponding adhesion strength would be between the one or more coating layers and the pultrusion substrate.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a pultruded strip for an elongate structure. The method includes the step of: providing a pultrusion apparatus including at least a pultrusion die through which a plurality of fibers are pulled to be soaked in a resin, and changing the conduction properties of selected points along the plurality of fibers upstream the pultrusion die.

A method of making tonebars and other components for musical instruments comprises using a pultrusion apparatus to embed or coat glass, plant-based, and/or other fibers in or with a thermosetting, thermoplastic, or catalyzed polymer matrix. The coated fibers are pulled into a continuous bar in a curing and forming die. The bar is then cut into predetermined lengths. Each length is then carefully tuned by cutting and shaping so that when it is struck, it will emit musical notes on a chromatic musical scale. In one aspect, the fibers and resin are selected to produce tonebars for marimbas and xylophones that emulate the sound obtained from highly desirable Honduran rosewood at a fraction of the cost and environmental impact associated with this wood.

A method of manufacturing a coated article comprises injecting a feedstock with a polymer resin to provide a resin-injected feedstock, pulling the resin-injected feedstock through a pultrusion die to form a pultrusion substrate having one or more profile surfaces, adhering an adhesive material comprising a thermoplastic polyurethane onto at least a portion the one or more profile surfaces to form one or more adhesive tie layers on the pultrusion substrate, and applying one or more coating materials onto the one or more adhesive tie layers to form one or more coating layers on the one or more adhesive tie layers to provide a coated pultrusion article, wherein an adhesion strength between the one or more coating layers and the one or more adhesive tie layers is higher than a corresponding adhesion strength would be between the one or more coating layers and the pultrusion substrate.

A pultrusion device for producing fiber-reinforced profiled articles including: a fiber feed for feeding a fiber bundle; an impregnating tool for impregnating the fiber bundle fed by the fiber feed with a pultrusion matrix; and a shaping tool for forming and curing the fiber bundle impregnated with the pultrusion matrix, in order to produce a fiber-reinforced profiled article. The shaping tool is suitable for moving, in the shaping tool, the fiber bundle impregnated with the pultrusion matrix through a plurality of openings, the inner contours of which define the outer contour of the fiber-reinforced profiled article and which are each fixed in the direction of movement of the fiber bundle. The shaping tool is also suitable for changing, during operation of the pultrusion device, cross-sections of the openings perpendicular to the direction of movement in such a way that the cross-sectional areas of the openings remain constant.

A method of manufacturing a product including at least two carbon parts including the step of: manufacturing a first carbon part, manufacturing at least a second carbon part, providing on a surface of one of the first carbon part or second carbon part a plurality of protrusions including a carbon resin, joining together the first carbon part and the second carbon part in such a way that the plurality of protrusions is interposed between the first carbon part and second carbon part for providing physical and electrical connection is provided.

Systems and methods are provided for shaping flat charges. One embodiment is a forming system for shaping a flat charge. The forming system includes female dies that are elongate and are configured to hold the flat charge, and a male die that is elongate and is configured to press into the flat charge between the female dies to form the flat charge while the flat charge is supported, the male die includes notches that extend along a length of the male die and are dimensioned to retain gap fillers of the flat charge at widthwise locations of the flat charge corresponding to corners at the female dies while the flat charge is formed.

A system for sequential circumferential deposition of thermoplastic composite prepreg material to layer plies of prepreg tape, allowing the continuous processing of tubular shapes and rods, comprising a floating mandrel; a first heatable folding shoe configured to heat and wrap a first prepreg tape onto the floating mandrel; a first forming tube configured to heat and pultrude the first prepreg tape so as to form a first layer ply of prepreg tape on the floating mandrel; a second heatable folding shoe configured to heat and wrap a second prepreg tape onto the first layer ply of prepreg tape on the floating mandrel; a second forming tube configured to heat and pultrude the second prepreg tape so as to form a second layer ply of prepreg tape over the first layer ply of prepreg tape on the floating mandrel.