Abstract: A laminated moulded part of fibre-reinforced resin matrix composite material, the moulded part comprising a first ply comprising fibres impregnated with a resin, an outer surface of the first ply defining an outer surface of the laminated moulded part, a rope located around at least a part of a periphery of the first ply, the rope comprising a plurality of strands of fibres twisted together and impregnated with a resin, a second ply comprising fibres impregnated with a resin, the second ply at least partly covering an inner surface of the first ply, at least a portion of a peripheral edge of the second ply being located inwardly of a corresponding portion of the rope, and at least a portion of the periphery of the first ply being folded over so as to wrap around the rope and cover the corresponding peripheral edge of the second ply.

Abstract: A preform moulding material includes two individual unidirectional reinforcement layers of a fibrous reinforcement material and a resin material between adjacent ones of the fibrous reinforcement layers. The resin material is a matrix resin material that partially impregnates and conjoins the fibrous reinforcement layers. Each of the fibrous reinforcement layers includes a fabric that is skewed relative to a lengthwise direction of the preform moulding material and includes a weft of unidirectional fibrous reinforcement material disposed at an angle relative to the lengthwise direction and a warp of fibres in the lengthwise direction. The orientation of the unidirectional fibrous reinforcement material of one of the reinforcement layers differs from the orientation of the unidirectional fibrous reinforcement material of the other reinforcement layer such that the preform moulding material is bi-axial prepreg.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing a multi-layered preform molding material includes a reinforcement material and a resin material. The apparatus includes a mechanism for joining the reinforcement layers together by impregnation of the resin material into the reinforcement material to form the molding material, thereby obviating the need for any additional bonding to join the individual reinforcement layers before impregnation.