Abstract: Lightweight, structurally reinforced thermoplastic objects comprising at least one reinforcement zone are manufactured by providing a heatable rigid forming chamber with a chamber volume. At a temperature below the thermoplastic softening temperature, the chamber is loaded with a plurality of thermoplastic lofting bodies and a plurality of thermoplastic reinforcement bodies wherein the lofting bodies are heat-loftable bodies comprising a thermoplastic matrix containing an elastically compressed assembly of reinforcement fibers embedded therein, lofty non-woven bodies comprising an elastically compressible assembly of reinforcement fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Upon closing the chamber, lofting bodies of lofty non-wovens are elastically compressed, producing an internal pressure. After heating the chamber above softening temperature, reinforcement bodies and lofting bodies are ow thermoplastically formable, and lofting bodies configured as heat-loftable bodies produce a second internal pressure.

Abstract: Sheet-like composite parts are manufactured by: a) providing a substantially planar arrangement (A, B, A?) comprising a core layer (B) comprising a fleece material made of fleece thermoplastic fibers and reinforcement fibers, sandwiched between a pair of skin layers (A, A?), each comprising a skin thermoplastic and optionally reinforcement fibers, one face of the core layer being adjacent and substantially parallel to a skin layer and a second face of the core layer being adjacent and substantially parallel to the other skin layer, b) heating and pressing the sandwich arrangement (A,B,A?) followed by cooling, thereby obtaining the composite part, wherein the compression strength of the composite part is improved with a core layer (B) which is a Z-oriented core layer having reinforcement fibers that are predominantly oriented in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the first and second faces, produced by multiple folding.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite part comprising a core and at least one skin region formed of a low friction UHMWPE skin polymer attached thereto, by: a) providing a mold with a heatable mold cavity; b) loading into the mold cavity UHMWPE powder followed by a core element having a surface with at least one contacting region provided with a plurality of anchoring sites, loading onto the core element, a layer of UHMWPE in powder form adjacent the contacting region, and applying a heat pressing step to melt the skin polymer powder to form a molten skin polymer matrix, and cooling to solidify the skin polymer matrix forming a skin region mechanically engaged into anchoring sites of the core element.

Abstract: Sheet-like composite parts are manufactured by: a) providing a substantially planar arrangement (A, B, A?) comprising a core layer (B) of a fleece material made of fleece thermoplastic fibers and reinforcement fibers, sandwiched between a pair of skin layers (A, A?), of a skin thermoplastic and optionally reinforcing fibers, the faces of the core layers adjacent and substantially parallel the skin layers, b) heating and pressing the sandwich arrangement (A,B,A?) followed by cooling, thereby obtaining the composite part, wherein the compression strength of the composite part is improved by selecting a core layer (B) which is a core layer having reinforcement fibers predominantly oriented in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the first and second faces.

Abstract: A method for producing a planar composite component having a core layer (B), which is arranged between and integrally bonded to two cover layers (A, A?), wherein the cover layers contain a cover-layer thermoplastic and wherein the core layer contains a core-layer thermoplastic, comprises the following steps: a) a heated stack with layer sequence A-B-A? is provided; b) the heated stack (A-B-A?) is pressed; c) the pressed stack is cooled, whereby the planar composite component with consolidated layers integrally bonded to each other is formed. To improve the production method including the producibility of planar 3D components, it is proposed, that at least one of the cover layers (A, A?) in unconsolidated form comprises a fibrous nonwoven layer of 10 to 100 wt.-% thermoplastic fibers of the cover-layer thermo-plastic and 0 to 90 wt.

Abstract: Lightweight, structurally reinforced thermoplastic objects comprising at least one reinforcement zone are manufactured by providing a heatable rigid forming chamber with a chamber volume. At a temperature below the thermoplastic softening temperature, the chamber is loaded with a plurality of thermoplastic lofting bodies and a plurality of thermoplastic reinforcement bodies wherein the lofting bodies are heat-loftable bodies comprising a thermoplastic matrix containing an elastically compressed assembly of reinforcement fibers embedded therein, lofty non-woven bodies comprising an elastically compressible assembly of reinforcement fibers and thermoplastic fibers. Upon closing the chamber, lofting bodies of lofty non-wovens are elastically compressed, producing an internal pressure. After heating the chamber above softening temperature, reinforcement bodies and lofting bodies are ow thermoplastically formable, and lofting bodies configured as heat-loftable bodies produce a second internal pressure.

Abstract: Sheet-like composite parts are manufactured by: a) providing a substantially planar arrangement (A, B, A?) comprising a core layer (B) comprising a a fleece material made of fleece thermoplastic fibers and reinforcement fibers, sandwiched between a pair of skin layers (A, A?), each comprising a skin thermoplastic and optionally reinforcement fibers, one face of the core layer being adjacent and substantially parallel to a skin layer and a second face of the core layer being adjacent and substantially parallel to the other skin layer, b) heating and pressing the sandwich arrangement (A,B,A?) followed by cooling, thereby obtaining the composite part, wherein the compression strength of the composite part is improved with a core layer (B) which is a Z-oriented core layer having reinforcement fibers that are predominantly oriented in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the first and second faces, produced by multiple folding.

Abstract: Sheet-like composite parts are manufactured by: a) providing a substantially planar arrangement (A, B, A?) comprising a core layer (B) of a fleece material made of fleece thermoplastic fibers and reinforcement fibers, sandwiched between a pair of skin layers (A, A?), of a skin thermoplastic and optionally reinforcing fibers, the faces of the core layers adjacent and substantially parallel the skin layers, b) heating and pressing the sandwich arrangement (A,B,A?) followed by cooling, thereby obtaining the composite part, wherein the compression strength of the composite part is improved by selecting a core layer (B) which is a core layer having reinforcement fibers predominantly oriented in a direction (Z) perpendicular to the first and second faces.

Abstract: A method for producing a planar composite component having a core layer (B), which is arranged between and integrally bonded to two cover layers (A, A?), wherein the cover layers contain a cover-layer thermoplastic and wherein the core layer contains a core-layer thermoplastic, comprises the following steps: a) a heated stack with layer sequence A-B-A? is provided; b) the heated stack (A-B-A?) is pressed; c) the pressed stack is cooled, whereby the planar composite component with consolidated layers integrally bonded to each other is formed. To improve the production method including the producibility of planar 3D components, it is proposed, that at least one of the cover layers (A, A?) in unconsolidated form comprises a fibrous nonwoven layer of 10 to 100 wt.

Abstract: A planar composite material comprises an UD fiber layer A made of discrete reinforcing fiber rovings and a fiber nonwoven layer B made of a thermoplastic nonwoven which may contain reinforcing fibers, wherein the layers A and B are needled to each other.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing a composite part comprising, a core (16) and at least one skin region (20, 22) formed of a skin polymer attached thereto, the skin polymer being a low-friction thermoplastic polymer, by: a) providing a mold with a heatable mold cavity; b) loading into the mold cavity a core element having a surface with at least one contacting region provided with a plurality of anchoring sites (10), and—previously or subsequently—loading into the mold cavity a layer of the skin polymer in powder form adjacent said contacting region and embedding the anchoring sites; c) applying a heat pressing step melting the skin polymer powder to form a molten skin polymer matrix (20, 22, 32); d) applying a cooling step, solidifying the skin polymer matrix forming a skin region mechanically engaged into anchoring sites of the core element forming the core.

Abstract: A sheetlike composite material including at least one layer A of a nonwoven thermoplastic fiber web or a thermoplastic film, and at least two unidirectional oriented-fiber layers B and B?, the layers B and B? having a bidirectional fiber orientation. The layers are not only needled but also stitched to one another.

Abstract: A planar composite material comprises an UD fiber layer A made of discrete reinforcing fiber rovings and a fiber nonwoven layer B made of a thermoplastic nonwoven which may contain reinforcing fibers, wherein the layers A and B are needled to each other.

Abstract: A sheetlike composite material including at least one layer A of a nonwoven thermoplastic fiber web or a thermoplastic film, and at least two unidirectional oriented-fiber layers B and B?, the layers B and B? having a bidirectional fiber orientation. The layers are not only needled but also stitched to one another.

Abstract: A planar composite material comprises an UD fiber layer A made of discrete reinforcing fiber rovings and a fiber nonwoven layer B made of a thermoplastic nonwoven which may contain reinforcing fibers, wherein the layers A and B are needled to each other.

Abstract: A sheetlike composite material including at least one layer A of a nonwoven thermoplastic fibre web or a thermoplastic film, and at least two unidirectional oriented-fibre layers B and B?, the layers B and B? having a bidirectional fibre orientation. The layers are not only needled but also stitched to one another.