Abstract: Provided are a process and an apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape, the process and the apparatus being capable of preventing fiber cut from occurring at the start of production of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape. The provided process includes a resin impregnation step of opening a fiber bundle and impregnating the fiber bundle with molten thermoplastic resin and a through-nozzle passing step of passing the fiber bundle having undergone the resin impregnation step through a slit formed in a nozzle. The through-nozzle passing step includes setting, at the start of production, a gap dimension of the slit to a dimension larger than a normal dimension and changing the gap dimension of the slit to the normal dimension when a predetermined condition is satisfied, after the production start.

Abstract: Provided are a process and an apparatus for producing a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape, the process and the apparatus being capable of preventing fiber cut from occurring at the start of production of the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin tape. The provided process includes a resin impregnation step of opening a fiber bundle and impregnating the fiber bundle with molten thermoplastic resin and a through-nozzle passing step of passing the fiber bundle having undergone the resin impregnation step through a slit formed in a nozzle. The through-nozzle passing step includes setting, at the start of production, a gap dimension of the slit to a dimension larger than a normal dimension and changing the gap dimension of the slit to the normal dimension when a predetermined condition is satisfied, after the production start.

Abstract: A method for connecting a tail end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle of a preceding wound body to a front end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from a new wound body by blowing pressurized air to both of the ends to unravel and entwine both of the reinforcing fiber bundles, wherein the method includes a preparation step for adjusting the amount of a sizing agent contained in the front end of the reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from the new wound body and the tail end of the preceding wound body to 4 wt % or less, and the reinforcing fiber bundles are connected after the preparation step.

Abstract: A method for connecting a tail end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle of a preceding wound body to a front end portion of a reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from a new wound body by blowing pressurized air to both of the ends to unravel and entwine both of the reinforcing fiber bundles, wherein the method includes a preparation step for adjusting the amount of a sizing agent contained in the front end of the reinforcing fiber bundle unwound from the new wound body and the tail end of the preceding wound body to not less than 0 wt % and not more than 4 wt %, and the reinforcing fiber bundles are connected after the preparation step.