The disclosed composite structure provides a reinforced thermoplastic polymer composite part with a high-quality surface finish. This may be used as a vehicle part or body panel, such as an interior vehicle part or exterior body panel. Additionally, the surface finish may be coloured, such that the surface does not need to be painted or wrapped to achieve a desired surface colour, and the surface may protect inner layers from UV radiation, either by virtue of the material of the surface itself, or the incorporation of a UV-absorbing additive. Specifically, the disclosed composite structure comprises a structural layer comprising reinforcing fibres, such as glass or carbon fibres, and a thermoplastic body polymer. The structure further comprises a surface layer providing a surface finish to the composite structure, the surface layer comprising a thermoplastic surface polymer substantially free from reinforcing fibres.

Device for producing a preform to a given 3D profile, from at least two warp tapes/filaments (18) placed in a first plane and at least one weft tape/filament (20) placed in a second plane, the first and second planes making a determined angle, characterized in that it comprises feed means (12) for warp tapes/filaments (18) with independent modules, feed means (14) for weft tapes/filaments (20), manoeuvring .sub.[GH19] means (16) for manoeuvring the warp tapes/filaments (18) with respect to the weft tapes/filaments (20), and manoeuvring means (16) for manoeuvring all of the warp tapes/filaments (20), according to said given 3D profile.

A method for manufacturing an insulation member for an appliance includes the steps of forming a porous bag with a woven fabric, filling the porous bag with insulation materials, heat sealing the porous bag, vibrating the porous bag to define a pillow, compressing the pillow within a mold to define a compressed insulation member, and evacuating the compressed insulation member within an insulated structure to define a vacuum insulated structure.

A fiber-reinforced composite material and a method of manufacturing the fiber-reinforced composite material are disclosed. The fiber-reinforced composite material includes a fabric manufactured by weaving a weft including a synthetic fiber and a warp including a synthetic fiber, a carbon fiber, or a combination thereof, and a resin with which the fabric is impregnated and/or coated, wherein the resin includes urethane, urethane acrylate, urea, epoxy, acryl, polycarbonate, polymethyl methacrylate, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl butyral, or any combination thereof.

Fibrous preform for a composite blade and also a composite blade formed by means of such a preform, a rotor and a rotating machine comprising such a blade, the preform comprising a first longitudinal section, configured to form a blade root, and a second longitudinal section, extending from the first longitudinal section, configured to form a portion of an airfoil, wherein the first longitudinal section has a first thickness at its upper end and wherein the second longitudinal section comprises at least one set-back zone having a thickness at least three times less than the first thickness, said set-back zone occupying at least 50% of the second longitudinal section.

A composite material laying structure, a composite material vehicle body, and a composite material laying method, the composite material laying structure comprising a profile provided with multiple quadrilateral cavities reinforced by lap joints after butt joint connection, the quadrilateral cavities comprising square cavities and profile cavities, and the square shape of the square cavities transitioning along the profile into the trapezoidal shape of the profile cavities. The present composite material laying structure employs the laying structure of the composite material profile and a butt joint lap-joint form.

The present application relates to a composite material and a method for molding the same. Firstly, components to be pressed is disposed in a gas-isolation element, and located between two pressing plates. Next, a plate is disposed based on a location of a prepreg element of the components, and then a hot pressing step is performed. After the hot pressing step, a cooling step is performed, thereby producing the composite material of the present application. A dimension of the composite material can be easily adjusted to meet requirements of various applications.

A method for manufacturing a deflection member is disclosed. The method may include the steps of providing an additive manufacturing apparatus that includes at least one radiation source and a vat containing a photopolymer resin, providing a reinforcing member, contacting a surface of the reinforcing member with the photopolymer resin, and directing radiation from the at least one radiation source towards a surface of the reinforcing member to at least partially cure photopolymer resin in contact with the surface of the reinforcing member to create at least a portion of a lock-on layer.

A rim for a bicycle wheel includes a radially inner portion disposed along an inner circumference of the rim. The rim also includes a first sidewall, a second sidewall spaced apart from the first sidewall, and a radially outer tire engaging portion disposed along an outer circumference of the rim. The first sidewall, the second sidewall, the radially outer tire engaging portion, the radially inner portion, or any combination thereof includes a composite laminate. The composite laminate includes a layer of a composite material. The composite material includes a matrix of a polymer-based material and natural fibers of a reinforcing material. A volume of a respective one of the natural fibers of the layer of the composite material is greater before lamination of the composite laminate compared to the volume of the respective one natural fiber after the lamination of the composite laminate.

The present disclosure provides a molding system for fabricating a FRP composite article. The molding system includes a detector, a resin dispenser, a processing module, and a molding machine. The detector is configured to capture a graph of a woven fiber from a top view. The resin dispenser is configured to provide a resin to the woven fiber to form a FRP. The processing module is configured to receive the graph and a plurality of parameters of the FRP. The processing module includes a CNN model, and is configured to use the CNN model to obtain a plurality of predicted mechanical properties of the FRP according to the graph and the plurality of parameters of the FRP. The molding machine is configured to mold the FRP to fabricate the FRP composite article according to the plurality of predicted mechanical properties.