An apparatus and method for splitting a high filament count carbon fiber tow into a set of tows with reduced filament counts. The apparatus is comprised of an electrolyte bath assembly and a splitting assembly comprised of at least one blade. The preferred embodiment of the blades being Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The splitting assembly being positioned within the electrolyte bath or adjacent to the exit of the electrolyte bath.

An apparatus and method for splitting a high filament count carbon fiber tow into a set of tows with reduced filament counts. The apparatus is comprised of an electrolyte bath assembly and a splitting assembly comprised of at least one blade. The preferred embodiment of the blades being Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The splitting assembly being positioned within the electrolyte bath or adjacent to the exit of the electrolyte bath.

A method of producing a partially separated fiber bundle wherein, while a fiber bundle includes a plurality of single fibers travels along a lengthwise direction of the fiber bundle, a separator provided with a plurality of projected parts is penetrated into the fiber bundle to create a separation-processed part, and entangled parts, where the single fibers are interlaced, are formed at contact parts with the projected parts in at least one separation-processed part, thereafter the separator is removed from the fiber bundle, and after passing through an entanglement accumulation part including the entangled parts, the separator is penetrated again into the fiber bundle, characterized in that a separation processing time t1 during being penetrated with the separator and a time t2 from being removed with the separator to being penetrated again into the fiber bundle satisfy Equation (1): 0.03≤t2/(t1+t2)≤0.5.

A method of producing a partially separated fiber bundle wherein, while a fiber bundle includes a plurality of single fibers travels along a lengthwise direction of the fiber bundle, a separator provided with a plurality of projected parts is penetrated into the fiber bundle to create a separation-processed part, and entangled parts, where the single fibers are interlaced, are formed at contact parts with the projected parts in at least one separation-processed part, thereafter the separator is removed from the fiber bundle, and after passing through an entanglement accumulation part including the entangled parts, the separator is penetrated again into the fiber bundle, characterized in that a separation processing time t1 during being penetrated with the separator and a time t2 from being removed with the separator to being penetrated again into the fiber bundle satisfy Equation (1): 0.03≤t2/(t1+t2)≤0.5.

A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.

A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.

A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.

A wire processing system includes a tray having at least one tray surface configured to sequentially receive a first wire and a second wire from a wire feed system of a wire processing machine. The tray surface has a surface feature configured to provide a wire-to-surface coefficient of friction between the tray surface and the first wire higher than a wire-to-wire coefficient of friction between the first wire and the second wire laying on top of the first wire. The wire-to-surface coefficient of friction reduces movement of at least a portion of the first wire relative to the tray surface during movement of the second wire relative to the first wire.

A method of manufacturing and a device for manufacturing a partial split-fiber fiber bundle and a partial split-fiber fiber bundle obtained are characterized by piercing a fiber splitting means provided with a plurality of protruding parts into a fiber bundle formed from a plurality of single fibers while making the fiber bundle travel along the longitudinal direction thereof and creating a split-fiber processed part, forming entangled parts where single fibers are interlaced at contact parts with the protruding parts in at least one split-fiber processed part, thereafter pulling the fiber splitting means out of the fiber bundle, and after passing through an entanglement accumulation part including the entangled parts, once again piercing the fiber splitting means into the fiber bundle.

A method of manufacturing and a device for manufacturing a partial split-fiber fiber bundle and a partial split-fiber fiber bundle obtained are characterized by piercing a fiber splitting means provided with a plurality of protruding parts into a fiber bundle formed from a plurality of single fibers while making the fiber bundle travel along the longitudinal direction thereof and creating a split-fiber processed part, forming entangled parts where single fibers are interlaced at contact parts with the protruding parts in at least one split-fiber processed part, thereafter pulling the fiber splitting means out of the fiber bundle, and after passing through an entanglement accumulation part including the entangled parts, once again piercing the fiber splitting means into the fiber bundle.