Abstract: A fiber-composite sandwich-panel insert is a monolithic structure having a tubular body and a tapered head, wherein an axially aligned bore extends completely through the sandwich panel insert, the monolithic structure comprising a plurality of fibers in a resin matrix, wherein a first group of the plurality of fibers are disposed in the tubular body and have an axial alignment therein, and a second group of the plurality of fibers are disposed at least partially in the tapered head and have a spiral alignment therein.

Abstract: A preform charge is formed by forming an assemblage of preforms, wherein preforms in the assemblage are bonded to a neighboring preform such that the preform charge effectively becomes a single unit. The preform charge can then be added to a mold to fabricate a part via compression molding.

Abstract: A method for fabricating thermoplastic bicycle spokes that securely couple to an end fitting, at one or both ends thereof, via a non-threaded, mechanical interlocking geometry. A spoke body is fabricated from thermoplastic resin, and then thermoplastic material is added, in situ (using the internal geometry of the end fitting as a form). This increases the effective diameter of the spoke at at least one end thereof to create an engagement feature that is adapted to interlock with the internal configuration of the end fitting. Additionally, by virtue of the method, the end of the spoke has a desirable fiber alignment, wherein the fibers substantially align with in-use loads.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for injection molding or compression molding includes an “A” portion of a mold, a “B” portion of the mold, and at least one core plunger/ejector. The core plunger/ejector provides dual functionality, wherein it participates in molding operations by consolidating a feed material in the mold cavity, and also is responsible for separating the part from various mold surfaces and ejecting it from the mold.

Abstract: A method for fabricating thermoplastic bicycle spokes that securely couple to an end fitting, at one or both ends thereof, via a non-threaded, mechanical interlocking geometry. A spoke body is fabricated from thermoplastic resin, and then thermoplastic material is added, in situ (using the internal geometry of the end fitting as a form). This increases the effective diameter of the spoke at at least one end thereof to create an engagement feature that is adapted to interlock with the internal configuration of the end fitting. Additionally, by virtue of the method, the end of the spoke has a desirable fiber alignment, wherein the fibers substantially align with in-use loads.

Abstract: A preform charge is formed by forming an assemblage of preforms, wherein preforms in the assemblage are bonded to a neighboring preform such that the preform charge effectively becomes a single unit. The preform charge can then be added to a mold to fabricate a part via compression molding.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for splaying fibers for the forming preform charges for the production of composite discs, and for the production of composite disc, wherein rotary compaction is applied to an appropriately arranged assemblage of preforms.

Abstract: A shoe plate, which is integrated into footwear, is provided. The shoe plate is relatively less stiff up to a threshold degree of bending, at which point the shoe plate transitions to regime in which the shoe plate becomes relatively stiffer. This occurs at a location proximal to the forefoot of the shoe plate.

Abstract: Methods for fabricating fiber-composite truss structures comprise a) individually molding multiple unit cells of a given size, and subsequently fusing them together in a repeating pattern, b) cross members are consolidated with longerons while maintaining continuity of fiber in the longerons, and c) compression-molded truss components are unioned to continuous fiber beams by means of mechanically interlocking joints.

Abstract: A compression-molding apparatus includes a sleeve plunger and a core pin. The sleeve plunger is movable through a plunger cavity that, in some embodiments, extends through the male portion of the molding apparatus. The sleeve plunger has a bore, and is received by and movable along the core pin, which typically extends upward into the plunger cavity from the female portion of the molding apparatus. In addition to any other functionality, the core pin forms a hole in a molded part. In operation, the fiber-bundle-based-preform feed constituents are placed in the plunger cavity. If any of the preforms are ring-shaped preforms, they are received by the core pin.

Abstract: A multi-material molding apparatus and method includes a single mold having, within a mold cavity, one or more movable partitions that segregate at least first and second molding materials. The first molding material is processed to form a first molded portion of the multi-material part. The second molding material is then flowed, through the movable partition, into contact with the first molded portion. That second molding material is then solidified to form a second molded portion of the multi-material part.

Abstract: An impact-absorbing article includes two outer panels that sandwich a fiber-composite post-and-sheet layer. The post-and-sheet layer includes a plurality of fiber-composite “posts” that extend orthogonally with respect to a base.

Abstract: In an injection/compression-molding process, an assemblage of fiber-bundle-based preforms are placed in a mold cavity of a mold tool. The mold is then fully closed, but not pressurized. An injection charge, which includes resin and optionally short fibers, is placed in a plunger cavity that is in fluidic communication with the mold cavity. The injection charge is liquefied and injected into the mold cavity, pressurizing it to a pressure suitable for compression molding. If not previously liquefied, the resin in fiber-bundle-based preform is liquefied and, under the applied pressure, the resins and fibers are consolidated and then cooled to form a part.

Abstract: A wave spring comprises fiber in a thermoplastic resin matrix, and includes one or more annular wave-springs elements, or one or more curvilinear wave-spring elements. The annular wave-spring elements, which are arrayed in a stack, are not coupled to one another. A wave spring comprising annular wave-spring elements includes an alignment feature for establishing and maintaining the alignment of the wave spring elements. In a wave spring including curvilinear wave-spring elements, a first end of each curvilinear wave-spring element is attached to a first member and a second end of each curvilinear wave-spring element is attached to a second member, the plurality of curvilinear wave-spring elements being disposed between the two members. The plurality of curvilinear wave-spring elements in the array are positioned side by side, the array extending laterally along a length of the first member and second member, and providing a low-profile wave spring.

Abstract: An impact-absorbing article includes two outer panels that sandwich a fiber-composite post-and-sheet layer. The post-and-sheet layer includes a plurality of fiber-composite “posts” that extend orthogonally with respect to a base.

Abstract: A method for designing fiber-composite parts in which part performance and manufacturing efficiency can be traded-off against one another to provide an “optimized” design for a desired use case. In some embodiments, the method involves generating an idealized fiber map, wherein the orientation of fibers throughout the prospective part align with the anticipated load conditions throughout the part, and then modifying the idealized fiber map by various fabrication constraints to generate a process-compensated preform map.

Abstract: A system and methods are disclosed for producing components via additive manufacturing. In one embodiment, a three-dimensional geometry is sliced using a slicing plane to obtain a first two-dimensional geometry. A first polyline is generated based on a first skeleton of the first two-dimensional geometry, and a first slender body is generated based on the first polyline. The first slender body is subtracted from the first two-dimensional geometry to obtain a second two-dimensional geometry. A second polyline is generated based on a second skeleton of the second two-dimensional geometry. A first bundle of fibers is produced based on a segmentation of the first polyline and a second bundle of fibers is produced based on a segmentation of the second polyline. A component is produced from the first and second bundles of fibers using an additive manufacturing process.

Abstract: A molding apparatus for injection molding or compression molding includes an “A” portion of a mold, a “B” portion of the mold, and at least one core plunger/ejector. The core plunger/ejector provides dual functionality, wherein it participates in molding operations by consolidating a feed material in the mold cavity, and also is responsible for separating the part from various mold surfaces and ejecting it from the mold.

Abstract: A multi-part compression mold for forming a complex part having a desired fiber alignment, and methods therefor, are disclosed. The multi-part mold comprises at least three sections. Specific arrangements of fiber-bundle-based preforms are introduced to more than one of the mold sections of the multi-part mold, and subjected to compression molding. The arrangements of preforms, in conjunction with the multi-part mold, result in a complex part having fibers that substantially align with anticipated principle stress vectors that arise in the complex part, when in use.

Abstract: An apparatus for molding a part includes a plunger cavity, a plunger, and a mold cavity, wherein the plunger is oriented out-of-plane with respect to a major surface of the mold cavity, and first and second vents couples to respective first and second portions of the mold cavity. In a method, resin and fiber are forced into the mold cavity from a plunger cavity, and at least some of the fibers and resin are preferentially flowed to certain region in the mold cavity via the use of vents.