Abstract: Methods and systems for consolidating an additively manufactured piece. In one embodiment, methods include the step of combining the additively manufactured piece with another piece, for example with another additively manufactured piece or with a piece that is not additively manufactured (e.g. an insert, foam, etc.), so that during a consolidation step, those pieces are assembled or connected together.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for producing a preferably strand-like extrudate.

Abstract: A preformed material for use in fiber-reinforced composite materials, the preformed material including one or more fiber rovings including parallel fibers wherein the fiber rovings include one or more folds in a direction parallel to the direction of the fibers and wherein the unfolded width of the fiber rovings have a width included in a range from 0.3 mm to 5 mm. The fiber density by volume may be included in a range from 10% to 75% of fibers. The thickness of a fiber roving may be included in a range from 50 ?m to 2 mm. The fiber rovings may include from 500 to 12000 fibers. The fiber rovings may include a thermoplastic polymer that forms a first bond within the one or more folds and a second bond between a first fiber roving and a second adjacent fiber roving.

Abstract: One example provides a process unit including a conveying device to convey a hybrid yarn comprising a plurality of fibers and a matrix through a channel bounded by a base body, and a cutting unit having a component configured as a sleeve mounted about the base body, the sleeve rotatable about the base body and including a circular recess at an axial end region which is eccentrically aligned with an axis of rotation of the sleeve, and a cutting element on a slide slidably mounted to the base body and disposed within the circular recess, wherein the slide rests on a support surface of the sleeve bounding the circular recess so that, due to the circular recess being eccentrically aligned with the axis of rotation, a rotational movement of the sleeve causes translational movement of the slide and the cutting element across the channel to cut the hybrid yarn.

Abstract: Methods and systems for consolidating an additively manufactured piece. In one embodiment, methods include the step of combining the additively manufactured piece with another piece, for example with another additively manufactured piece or with a piece that is not additively manufactured (e.g. an insert, foam, etc.), so that during a consolidation step, those pieces are assembled or connected together.

Abstract: A pressure foot device and system comprising a pressure foot device for guiding, forming and applying an elongate fiber tow, wherein the pressure foot device comprises a foot surface comprising a straight foot segment, a groove comprising a flared end and defining a groove midplane, and a foot shaft housing characterized by a foot shaft's axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the straight foot segment and comprised in the groove midplane.

Abstract: A preformed material for use in fiber-reinforced composite materials, the preformed material including one or more fiber rovings including parallel fibers wherein the fiber rovings include one or more folds in a direction parallel to the direction of the fibers and wherein the unfolded width of the fiber rovings have a width included in a range from 0.3 mm to 5 mm. The fiber density by volume may be included in a range from 10% to 75% of fibers. The thickness of a fiber roving may be included in a range from 50 ?m to 2 mm. The fiber rovings may include from 500 to 12000 fibers. The fiber rovings may include a thermoplastic polymer that forms a first bond within the one or more folds and a second bond between a first fiber roving and a second adjacent fiber roving.

Abstract: A preformed material for use in fiber-reinforced composite materials, the preformed material including one or more fiber rovings including parallel fibers wherein the fiber rovings include one or more folds in a direction parallel to the direction of the fibers and wherein the unfolded width of the fiber rovings have a width included in a range from 0.3 mm to 5 mm. The fiber density by volume may be included in a range from 10% to 75% of fibers. The thickness of a fiber roving may be included in a range from 50 ?m to 2 mm. The fiber rovings may include from 500 to 12000 fibers. The fiber rovings may include a thermoplastic polymer that forms a first bond within the one or more folds and a second bond between a first fiber roving and a second adjacent fiber roving.

Abstract: A process unit and methods are disclosed. One process unit including a pultrusion unit having a pultrusion channel, with the pultrusion channel being limited by at least one shaping wall. The process unit further includes an extrusion unit having an extrusion channel and an opening for removing the extrudate out of the extrusion channel, a cutting unit having a moving cutting element for cutting off the extrudate with the moving cutting element, and a conveying device for conveying a raw extrudate from the pultrusion unit into the extrusion unit. The cutting unit comprises a component that can be caused to move in a rotational manner and the component is mechanically coupled to the cutting element by a mechanical coupling device, such that the rotational movement of the component determines the movement of the cutting element.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method comprising, under the control of one or more computer systems or non-volatile storage medium configured with executable instructions: acquiring a digital model comprising two or more spatial dimensions of an object to be manufactured; forming a three-dimensional model decomposition of the object to be manufactured, wherein forming the three-dimensional model decomposition comprises segmenting at least a portion of the digital model comprising two or more spatial dimensions into one or more surface-based component models; and forming, on one or more surfaces of the one or more surface-based component models, one or more paths comprising one or more elongate fiber tow models.

Abstract: A pressure foot device and system comprising a pressure foot device for forming and applying an elongate fiber tow, wherein the pressure foot device comprises a foot surface comprising a straight foot segment, a groove comprising a flared end and defining a groove midplane, and a foot shaft housing characterized by a foot shaft's axis of rotation that is orthogonal to the straight foot segment and comprised in the groove midplane.

Abstract: A preformed material for use in fiber-reinforced composite materials, the preformed material including one or more fiber rovings including parallel fibers wherein the fiber rovings include one or more folds in a direction parallel to the direction of the fibers and wherein the unfolded width of the fiber rovings have a width included in a range from 0.3 mm to 5 mm. The fiber density by volume may be included in a range from 10% to 75% of fibers. The thickness of a fiber roving may be included in a range from 50 µm to 2 mm. The fiber rovings may include from 500 to 12000 fibers. The fiber rovings may include a thermoplastic polymer that forms a first bond within the one or more folds and a second bond between a first fiber roving and a second adjacent fiber roving.

Abstract: Methods and systems for consolidating an additively manufactured piece. In one embodiment, methods include the step of combining the additively manufactured piece with another piece, for example with another additively manufactured piece or with a piece that is not additively manufactured (e.g. an insert, foam, etc.), so that during a consolidation step, those pieces are assembled or connected together.

Abstract: Aspects of the disclosure relate to methods and systems for producing a preferably strand-like extrudate.

Abstract: A process unit and methods are disclosed. One process unit including a pultrusion unit having a pultrusion channel, with the pultrusion channel being limited by at least one shaping wall. The process unit further includes an extrusion unit having an extrusion channel and an opening for removing the extrudate out of the extrusion channel, a cutting unit having a moving cutting element for cutting off the extrudate with the moving cutting element, and a conveying device for conveying a raw extrudate from the pultrusion unit into the extrusion unit. The cutting unit comprises a component that can be caused to move in a rotational manner and the component is mechanically coupled to the cutting element by a mechanical coupling device, such that the rotational movement of the component determines the movement of the cutting element.