A pulling device is provided for a pultrusion device, having at least one clamping device that can be moved in a pultrusion direction. The clamping device is designed to frictionally seize a pultruded profiled strand to be conveyed, in order to apply a tensile force to the profiled strand. The clamping device has at least three clamping jaws that can be moved in relation to each other, for peripherally clamping the profiled strand.

A pulforming system for forming a three-dimensional article includes a plurality of fibers, a resin injection system, resin, a preform die, a movable first pulling sled, a movable second pulling sled and a cutting station. The first and second pulling sleds form the fibers and resin into an article using a sequential, continual movement process of back-and-forth translational motion in unison to form an article that is three-dimensional in one or more of a longitudinal or transverse direction.

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 for forming a multi-layered structure includes forming a resin-infused fibrous material (70) by applying a liquid resin component (60) onto the fibrous material (32) being pulled through an injection box (110) such that the fibrous material is partially impregnated and surrounded by the liquid resin component to form a resin-infused fibrous material. The resin-infused fibrous material is then introduced to a first die (130) and partially cured to form a partially-cured fiber-reinforced core material (80). The core material exits the first die to an intermediate region, where a polymer layer (40) is then applied onto at least a portion of the outer profile surface of the core material. The material then enters a second die (140), where the liquid resin component is fully cured to form a fiber-reinforced thermoset core material (30) having the polymer layer adhered thereon within the second die, thus forming the multi-layered structure (20).

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 removing a vacuum bag from a composite mold. Removable strips are placed around the perimeter of the component parts and across the parts to create natural break points in the consumable materials used during manufacture of a composite product, e.g. wind turbine blade. The vacuum bag, and other consumable layers, are placed over the removable strip such that when the strips are pulled, the strip tears, in a controlled and complete manner, through each layer of consumables. This eliminates the need to use a knife/scissor to remove the finished product, thereby avoiding risk of injury.

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 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method based upon a 3D variable die system and including one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to continuously produce thermoplastic composite pultrusions with at least one of varying cross-section geometry and constant surface contours, varying cross-section geometry and varying surface contours, and constant cross-section geometry and varying surface contours. The 3D thermoplastic pultrusion system and method including at least one of one or more pairs of shapeable and flexible dual-temperature bands and a rotating assembly that rotates the one or more sets of 3D thermoplastic forming machines to impart a twist to the thermoplastic composite.

A pulling device is provided for a pultrusion device, having at least one clamping device that can be moved in a pultrusion direction. The clamping device is designed to frictionally seize a pultruded profiled strand to be conveyed, in order to apply a tensile force to the profiled strand. The clamping device has at least three clamping jaws that can be moved in relation to each other, for peripherally clamping the profiled strand.

A soft material extruder including a housing having a cavity, an inlet configured to receive a material and an outlet. The extruder also includes a first intermeshed gear pair positioned in the cavity proximate the inlet, the first intermeshed gear pair that when driven is configured to draw material from the inlet into the cavity, a heating element positioned in the cavity proximate the outlet, wherein the heating element is configured to melt material in the vicinity of the outlet and a second intermeshed gear pair positioned in the cavity proximate the outlet, the second intermeshed gear pair forming a gear pump that when driven is configured to push molten material towards the outlet so that molten material is expelled from the outlet.