Abstract: A cooling bushing flange having a reduced amount of precious metal is provided for a glass fiber production apparatus. The flange includes a first portion formed of a precious metal or a precious metal alloy extending outwardly from a bushing and a second portion formed of a non-precious metal. The non-precious metal portion of the flange may be affixed to the precious metal portion by known metal bonding methods. A cooling tube is positioned on the non-precious metal portion to create a thermal seal and prevent molten glass from leaking from the interface of the bushing block and bushing. The precious metal portion of the inventive flange is a fraction of the size of precious metal present in conventional bushing flanges. By reducing the amount of precious metal incorporated in the flange, a significant reduction in the overall cost of the bushing and in the manufacture of glass fibers can be obtained.

Abstract: A process for manufacturing a composite yarn including continuous glass filaments intermingled with continuous organic thermoplastic filaments and an apparatus for implementing the process. The continuous glass filaments come from a bushing and are separated into plural sheets. The continuous organic thermoplastic filaments come from a spinning head and are separated into plural sheets. The thermoplastic filaments are thrown into the glass filaments so as to mingle them, in a ratio of at least one sheet of thermoplastic filaments in each sheet of glass filaments, the mingled filaments then being gathered into at least one composite yarn.

Abstract: A sizing composition containing an epoxy film former, a urethane film former, a silane package that includes an aminosilane coupling agent and an epoxy silane coupling agent, a cationic lubricant, a non-ionic lubricant, an antistatic agent, and at least one acid is provided. The epoxy resin emulsion includes a low molecular weight liquid epoxy resin and one or more surfactants. The epoxy resin preferably has an epoxy equivalent weight from 185-192. The sizing composition may optionally contain a methacryloxy silane. The sizing composition may be used to size glass fibers used in filament winding applications to form reinforced composite articles with improved mechanical properties, wet tensile properties, improved resistance to cracking, and improved processing characteristics.

Abstract: Methods of manufacturing a continuous pipe from thermoplastic materials are provided. The methods include the steps of providing an endless mandrel having a releasable surface, the endless mandrel configured for rotation, forming an inner liner layer on the releasable surface of the endless mandrel, forming an intermediate layer on the inner liner layer, forming an outer layer on the intermediate layer, thereby forming a continuous pipe and cutting the continuous pipe into segments. The method is characterized in that the inner liner layer is made of a thermoplastic material, the intermediate layer is made of commingled thermoplastic material and glass fiber reinforcement material, and the outer layer is made of a thermoplastic material.

Abstract: Forehearths that create a substantially homogeneous temperature to molten glass forming materials across the end position are provided. A gas cavity, a weir, a refractory block, or a heating element in the forehearth may be utilized to reduce a temperature gradient of molten glass forming materials across the end position. Reducing the temperature difference of the molten glass forming material across the end position permits for improved chemical and physical properties of the glass fibers and the end products formed from the glass fibers. In addition, a reduction in the temperature gradient across the end position produces a more homogenous glass fiber and glass product. Further, a reduction in the shear break rate occurs when the molten glass forming material has a temperature that is substantially the same across the end position, which results in a reduction in the breakage of glass fibers and an increase in manufacturing efficiency.

Abstract: A sizing composition for reinforcement fibers that includes one or more film forming agents, a silane coupling agent package, and at least one lubricant surfactant is provided. Optional components such as rheology modifiers, fillers, biocides, and pH modifiers may also be included. Preferred film forming polymers are amide-based polymers. Additionally, the sizing composition is free of polyvinyl alcohol. The absence of polyvinyl alcohol in the size composition reduces or eliminates the production of precipitates from white water in wet-laid processes. The size composition is applied to reinforcement fibers and formed into chopped strand, wet-laid mats that can be used for a variety of purposes, including roofing products. Chopped strand mats formed from fibers sized with the inventive sizing composition maintains or improves the dry tear and tensile strengths compared to chopped strand mats made from fibers sized with a commercial sizing composition that does not contain polyvinyl alcohol.

Abstract: A sizing composition that permits in-line chopping and drying of reinforcement fibers for reinforcing thermoset resins is provided. The size composition includes at least one coupling agent and one or more blocked polyurethane film forming agents. The blocking agent preferably de-blocks at a temperature that permits simultaneous or nearly simultaneous de-blocking and curing of the polyurethane film former. The sized fiber strands may be chopped to form chopped strand segments and dried in a fluidized bed oven, such as a Cratec® drying oven, in-line. The chopped fiber strands may then be used in a bulk molding compound and molded into a reinforced composite article. Chopping the glass fibers in-line lowers the manufacturing costs for products produced from the sized fiber bundles. Further, because the reinforcement fibers can be chopped and dried at a much faster rate with the inventive size composition compared to conventional off-line chopping processes, productivity is increased.

Abstract: A device for chopping fiber strand includes a form, and a strand feeding mechanism that delivers the strand to the form and conveys the strand along the form. First and second grinding wheels may be included to cut the strand into individual segments of desired length as the strand is conveyed along the form. A method of chopping a fiber strand includes the steps of delivering a continuous strand onto a base end of a form, conveying the continuous strand along the form from the base end toward a discharge end and cutting the continuous strand into individual segments of desired length, for example using first and second grinding wheels.

Abstract: A process for preparation of a complex for resin impregnation includes the production of a sheet having at least one layer of a fibrous reinforcing structure and a layer of a thickening material that considerably thickens the sheet, the layers associated in a juxtaposed manner. The process also includes needle bonding of the sheet on the side of the fibrous reinforcing structure by means of barbed needles. The barbed needles pass through at least the layer of a fibrous reinforcing structure and at least partially through the layer of thickening material. The needles move in the direction of the sheet at essentially the same speed as the sheet when they pass through it, with an impact density ranging from 1 to 25 impacts per cm2. The invention also relates to the complex made by the process and to a composite material obtained by impregnation of the complex. The invention makes faster impregnation of the complex possible during manufacture of the composite.

Abstract: A method for filling a muffler with a fibrous material is disclosed. The muffler includes partitions which form a first chamber and second chamber, and a first muffler pipe having an outlet end. A filling aperture at one end of the second muffler pipe is positioned in the first muffler chamber. The second muffler pipe has a filling sleeve therein, the filling sleeve having a filling discharge opening that coordinates with the filling aperture of the second muffler pipe. The first muffler chamber is filled with fibrous material by applying a vacuum source to the first muffler pipe, which draws the fibrous material through the filling aperture. The filling aperture of the second muffler pipe is then positioned into the second muffler chamber, and the second muffler chamber is filled in the same manner as the first muffler chamber. The filling sleeve is then removed from the second muffler pipe.

Abstract: A system for forming a cross-directional fiber reinforcement layer has a feeder for feeding an array of continuous fiber and a chopped fiber dispenser for distributing generally aligned, closely spaced chopped fibers onto the array of continuous fibers in a cross-directional manner.

Abstract: A sizing composition for reinforcement fibers that includes a cationic modified polyurethane dispersion, one or more silane coupling agents, and at least one lubricant is provided. The cationic modified polyurethane dispersion includes a dual end-capped polyurethane selected from a silane-terminated polyurethane, a ketoxime-terminated polyurethane, or a hybrid silane/ketoxime-terminated polyurethane where one end of the polyurethane is terminated with a silane group and the opposing end is terminated with a ketoxime group. The size composition is applied to reinforcement fibers and formed into chopped strand, wet-laid mats that can be used for a variety of purposes, including roofing products. Chopped strand mats formed from fibers sized with the inventive sizing composition maintains or improves the dry tear strengths and wet strengths compared to chopped strand mats made from fibers sized with a commercial sizing composition that does not contain a modified cationic polyurethane dispersion (e.g., SPUD).

Abstract: Reinforcement structures and processes for forming same are provided, wherein the reinforcement structures are adapted for use in forming composite parts. The structures comprise a first reinforcement layer; a second reinforcement layer; and a flexible core layer comprising elongated fibers and a plurality of discrete bodies.

Abstract: A filament forming apparatus has a bushing that includes a high palladium content screen along with structural components and non-structural components. The structural components are formed of a first material having a high creep strength and the ability to withstand corrosive effects of molten mineral materials. The non-structural components are formed of at least a second material that is different from the first material.

Abstract: A strand forming and chopping apparatus includes a bushing for forming a continuous strand, a size applicator for applying a size to the strand, a chopping device for chopping the strand into individual segments and a thread-up apparatus for directing the strand into the chopping device. The thread-up apparatus includes a cot incorporating a cot shoe and a strand guide displaceable between a rest position and a thread-up position where the strand guide holds the strand in a feed position from which the strand is engaged by the cot shoe and delivered to the chopping device.

Abstract: A composite material containing wet chopped strand fibers, gypsum, and a polymer material is provided. The wet fibers are filamentized within the polymer material. In exemplary embodiments, the wet chopped strand fibers are wet-used chopped strand glass fibers. The gypsum may be ?-gypsum, ?-gypsum, or combinations thereof. In at least one embodiment, the polymer is a urea-formaldehyde resin. The composite material may contain a facing layer on at least one exposed major surface of the composite material. A method of forming a composite material that includes mixing gypsum with a polymer material to form a substantially homogeneous matrix and adding a sufficient quantity of wet-used chopped strand fibers to form the composite material is also provided.

Abstract: A filament forming apparatus has a bushing that includes structural components and non-structural components. The structural components are formed of a first material having a high creep strength and the ability to withstand corrosive effects of molten mineral materials. The non-structural components are formed of at least a second material that is different from the first material.

Abstract: A method for filling a muffler with a fibrous material is disclosed. The muffler includes partitions which form a first chamber and second chamber, and a first muffler pipe having an outlet end. A filling aperture at one end of the second muffler pipe is positioned in the first muffler chamber. The second muffler pipe has a filling sleeve therein, the filling sleeve having a filling discharge opening that coordinates with the filling aperture of the second muffler pipe. The first muffler chamber is filled with fibrous material by applying a vacuum source to the first muffler pipe, which draws the fibrous material through the filling aperture. The filling aperture of the second muffler pipe is then positioned into the second muffler chamber, and the second muffler chamber is filled in the same manner as the first muffler chamber. The filling sleeve is then removed from the second muffler pipe.

Abstract: A method of producing a composite part formed of a thermoplastic matrix reinforced with long glass fibers is provided. The method includes supplying a thermoplastic resin and high density glass granules to an injection or injection-compression device containing a single screw. The high density glass granules include long chopped strands formed of glass filaments sized with a sizing composition. The chopped glass strands may have a length from 6 to 30 mm. In addition, the glass granules may have a glass density between 90 and 99.5% and may have a length to diameter ratio (L/D) ratio of less than L, which is expressed in mm. A composite part obtained using the disclosed method is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides composite muffler systems formed of a long fiber thermoplastic. Long fiber thermoplastic technology allows the fibers, to maintain a length sufficient to provide structural strength at lower fiber loading. The long fiber thermoplastic material for forming composite muffler systems also provides increased impact strength and creep resistance as well as chemical and thermal resistance. Mufflers molded with long fiber thermoplastics demonstrate improved dimensional stability as compared to known short fiber based moldings. One suitable muffler structure is a multi-piece muffler assembly including at least one long fiber thermoplastic shell section. In accordance with the present invention, the long fiber thermoplastic material and moldings may also be combined with over-molding of preforms of unidirectional or woven inlays, which provide local structural performance.