Abstract: A blast head for abrasive blasting has a nozzle for directing a blast media at a surface being treated and a housing for containing the blast media after it passes through the nozzle and for facilitating recirculation of the blast media. An adjustment mechanism facilitates varying of the orientation of the nozzle with respect to the surface being treated, so as to facilitate enhanced blasting thereof.

Abstract: A method for the manufacture of low cost "oriented" composite molding compounds using discontinuous fibers embedded in a resin matrix. The method involves the steps of aligning discontinuous fibers by use of a strong electric field while simultaneously inserting the fibers onto a polymer substrate comprised of an uncured resin matrix. A preferred embodiment includes the incorporation of a mesh or a glass capillary array located parallel and adjacent to the polymer substrate to further ensure fiber alignment. After the fibers are attached to the uncured resin matrix, the aligned fibers are forced to lie down parallel along the surface of the polymer substrate by mechanically forcing the fibers flat. The newly formed reinforced polymer films may then be stacked with the fibers of each ply oriented to achieve the desired mechanical properties, and then cured to produce an improved composite laminate which can be machined to form a high strength shaped member.

Abstract: Each of a plurality of multifilament, resin-impregnated rovings (18) is routed through orthogonally disposed guide rollers (222, 224; 242,244) for compaction to a predetermined width and thickness between the radial faces of a compaction backup roller (250) and a compaction roller (254). The force applied to the compaction roller (254) is varied to assure the dimensions of each compacted roving. The compacted rovings (18) are then routed through a bandwidth adjustment assembly (290) that controls the spacing between adjacent rovings such that they emerge in a side-by-side alignment forming a band (90). The band (90) then passes over the surface of a final deliver roller (296) before being wound onto a rotating mandrel (92) in a band edge-to-edge configuration to form a filament-aligned structure. The structure is then cured, causing the flow of the resin impregnation and forming a unified structure.