Abstract: A rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material forming process. The process includes heating, while under a heating vacuum range, a rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet in a heating zone to a forming temperature to form a heated rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material. The process further includes transferring, while under a feeding vacuum range, the heated rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material from the heating zone to feed the heated rigid thermoplastic polymeric sheet material into a forming zone under the feeding vacuum range. The process also includes forming, in the forming zone, the heated rigid thermoplastic sheet material into a formed article.

Abstract: A heated polymeric sheet material feeding process. The process may include heating a polymeric sheet in a heating zone to a forming temperature to form a heated polymeric sheet material. The process may further include transferring, while under a feeding vacuum range, the heated polymeric sheet from the heating zone to feed the heated polymeric sheet material into a forming zone under the feeding vacuum range.

Abstract: A method of separating carbon fiber tows. The method includes separating two or more first carbon fiber tows from a first tow band onto a second elevation to form two or more second carbon fiber tows from a second tow band. The two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band leave gaps next to first adjacent tows of the two or more first carbon fiber tows remaining from the first tow band after the separating step. The first adjacent tows from the first tow band leave gaps next to second adjacent tows of the two or more second carbon fiber tows from the second tow band.

Abstract: A pickup truck cargo box subassembly includes a load floor composed of a sandwich structure having an upper skin, a lower skin and a core extending therebetween. The upper skin is formed of a composite material including continuous reinforcing fibers. The pickup truck cargo box subassembly also includes a left inner sidewall panel having an integrated left inner sidewall panel joining surface extending horizontally along at least a portion of a length of the left inner sidewall panel. The pickup truck cargo box subassembly also includes a right inner sidewall panel having an integral right inner sidewall panel joining surface extending horizontally along at least a portion of a length of the right inner sidewall panel. The left and right inner sidewall panel joining surfaces join a peripheral portion of the load floor. The pickup truck cargo box subassembly also includes a headboard and a rear cross sill.

Abstract: A method of forming a fiber-reinforced molding compound. The method includes establishing a melt stream of a source material including a first polymeric material having a first melt temperature in an extruder and dosing a composite material into the melt stream. The composite material includes pre-impregnated reinforcing fibers comprising reinforcing filaments and a second polymeric material having a second melt temperature greater than the first melt temperature. The composite material has at least 30% of the reinforcing filaments protected by the polymeric material such that the polymeric material surrounds each filament completely forming a barrier between it and an adjacent filament in the at least 30% of the filaments. The temperature of the melt stream at dosing is below the second melt temperature. The method includes forming a molding compound from the source and composite materials. The method includes dispensing the molding compound to produce a part.

Abstract: A method of forming fiber-reinforced composites. The method includes stabilizing two or more carbon fibers tows together (a) with a stabilizing resin and (b) in-line with a commercial carbon fiber production process to form a semi-finished tape; and impregnating the semi-finished tape with a matrix resin in a process offline of the carbon fiber production process to form a prepreg.

Abstract: A method of forming a fiber-reinforced molding compound. The method includes establishing a melt stream of a source material and dosing a composite material into the melt stream. The composite material includes carbon reinforcing fibers pre-impregnated by a polymeric material. The composite material has at least 30% of the fibers protected by the polymeric material. The method further includes forming a molding compound from the source and composite materials, dispensing the molding compound from the extruder, and using the molding compound to produce a part.

Abstract: A method of forming a fiber-reinforced molding compound. The method includes establishing a melt stream of a source material including a first polymeric material and dosing a composite material into the melt stream. The composite material includes pre-impregnated reinforcing fibers and a second polymeric material. The method further includes forming a molding compound from the source and composite materials and dispensing the molding compound from the extruder. The first and second polymeric materials are different than each other to introduce a functionality into the molding compound that is not present in the second polymeric material. The method further includes using the molding compound to produce a part.