Abstract: Methods of making fiber reinforced composite articles are described. The methods may include treating fibers with a sizing composition that includes a polymerization compound, and introducing the treated fibers to a pre-polymerized composition. The combination of the treated fibers and pre-polymerized composition may then undergo a temperature adjustment to a polymerization temperature at which the pre-polymerized composition polymerizes into a plastic around the fibers to form the fiber-reinforced composite article. Techniques for introducing the treated fibers to the pre-polymerized composition may include pultrusion, filament winding, reactive injection molding (RIM), structural reactive injection molding (SRIM), resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), long fiber injection (LFI), sheet molding compound (SMC) molding, bulk molding compound (BMC) molding, a spray-up application, and/or a hand lay-up application, among other techniques.

Abstract: A method for classifying a capture taken by a sensor includes receiving a sequence of a plurality of captures taken by a sensor, each of the captures comprising a plurality of elements; generating, per capture, a plurality of raw probability values, each of the raw probability values being linked to a respective one of a plurality of predetermined classes and indicating the probability that the capture or an element of the capture is associated with the respective class; determining, for a respective one of the captures, a plurality of consolidated probability values in dependence of a plurality of base probability values and a plurality of context probability values, wherein the base probability values represent the raw probability values of the respective capture and the context probability values represent the raw probability values of at least one further capture of the sequence other than the respective capture, the context probability values being normalised according to a normalisation rule; and classi

Abstract: A reinforced thermoplastic product may include a main body and a fabric reinforcing sheet that is disposed within a wall of the main body. The wall of the main body may be formed of or from a cast thermoplastic material and the fabric reinforcing sheet may extend circumferentially around the main body in order to reinforce the wall. The fabric reinforcing sheet may include a plurality of fiber bundles and a thermoplastic material that impregnates each fiber bundle.

Abstract: Fiber-containing polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepregs are described that include a first and second plurality of fibers. The second plurality of fibers is made from a different material than the first plurality of fibers. The PMMA prepregs also contain a polymerized resin that includes polymethyl methacrylate that has been formed from a reactive resin composition that includes methyl methacrylate. Methods of making fiber-containing PMMA prepregs are also described.

Abstract: Methods of making fiber reinforced composite articles are described. The methods may include treating fibers with a sizing composition that includes a polymerization compound, and introducing the treated fibers to a pre-polymerized composition. The combination of the treated fibers and pre-polymerized composition may then undergo a temperature adjustment to a polymerization temperature at which the pre-polymerized composition polymerizes into a plastic around the fibers to form the fiber-reinforced composite article. Techniques for introducing the treated fibers to the pre-polymerized composition may include pultrusion, filament winding, reactive injection molding (RIM), structural reactive injection molding (SRIM), resin transfer molding (RTM), vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM), long fiber injection (LFI), sheet molding compound (SMC) molding, bulk molding compound (BMC) molding, a spray-up application, and/or a hand lay-up application, among other techniques.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a mat of inorganic fibres including the manufacture or supply of a mat of inorganic fibres having two major surfaces, which is strengthened with a chemical binder, or by means of a hydrodynamic method, coating of a first major surface of the mat by means of the application of an aqueous solid dispersion on one of the two sides of the mat, drying the coated mat, printing the coated mat by means of rotary printing, digital printing, screen printing, or offset printing on the first major surface of the coating, optional application of a protective layer onto the first major surface, application of a binder, at least partial drying and at least partial crosslinking of the mat to which binder has been applied, and rolling up of the obtained material web, or cutting to size as sheets.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

Abstract: A device for detecting vehicle lights in an image, the device is configured to receive an image captured by a camera, wherein the image comprises an array of pixels and each pixel of the image has a respective scene brightness value, compress the image to generate a compressed image, wherein the compressed image comprises an array of pixels and each pixel of the compressed image has a respective grey value, calculate for each grey value in the compressed image a corresponding scene brightness value in the image, and detect vehicle lights in the compressed image by using the calculated scene brightness values.

Abstract: A container-handling device includes two rotors, holders that are arranged around a periphery of the first rotor and receptacles around the first rotor such that as it rotates, the receptacles pass through distinct angular ranges. When a receptacle has a container, relative movement therebetween causes its centering element and its counter-bearing to clamp a container between them with the holder engaging the container above the counter-bearing A first partial-stroke occurs while the receptacle is in a first angular region and a second partial-stroke occurs after the receptacle has left the first angular region. During the first partial-stroke, the centering element bears against a container's mouth with a pressure, and, during the second partial-stroke, this pressure increases.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of making a thermoplastic composite concentrates. The method may include melting a low-viscosity reactive resin to form a molten reactive resin. The method may also include fully impregnating a plurality of continuous fibers with the molten reactive resin in an impregnation device. The method may further include polymerizing the molten reactive resin to form a thermoplastic composite strand. In addition, the method may include chopping the thermoplastic composite strand into a plurality of pellets to form a plurality of thermoplastic composite concentrates.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new binder composition which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of composite materials utilizing such new binder composition in the required nonwoven materials. Composite materials using such new binder composition in their nonwoven part are suitable, in particular, for composites materials for interior construction, for linings, floor coverings, and for the manufacture of furniture and similar products.

Abstract: A sensor device (100), for measuring a surface (101), includes a lighting device (103) emitting a light beam (105); an optical device (107) splitting the light beam (105) into partial light beams (109, 111), and emitting the first partial light beam (109) toward a first surface area (113) and emitting the second partial light beam (111) toward a second surface area (115). A light sensor (117) is configured to receive a first surface area reflection (109-1) of the first partial light beam (109) and a second surface area reflection (111-1) of the second partial light beam (111). A processor (119) is configured to detect a distance of the first surface area (113) and of the second surface area (115) to the sensor device (100) based on a position of the first partial light beam reflection (109-1) and the second partial light beam reflection (111-1) on the light sensor (117).

Abstract: Methods of making fiber-resin compositions are described. The methods may include the providing of a thermoplastic resin to an extruder, where the thermoplastic resin may include at least one reactive moiety capable of forming a covalent bond with a coupling agent on a plurality of reactive fibers. The methods may further include combining the thermoplastic resin with the plurality of reactive fibers also supplied to the extruder. The reactive fibers are sized with the coupling agent that reacts with the thermoplastic resin to form the fiber-resin composition, which may be extruded from the extruder. Methods of making fiber-reinforced composite articles from the fiber-resin composition are also described.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of making a thermoplastic composite strand. The method may include melting a reactive thermoplastic resin to form a molten reactive resin. The method may also include fully impregnating a plurality of continuous fibers with the molten reactive resin in an impregnation device. The method may further include polymerizing the molten reactive resin to form a thermoplastic resin matrix. In addition, the method may include cooling the thermoplastic resin matrix to form a thermoplastic composite strand.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process of making a fiber-reinforced composite. Glass fibers may be provided. These glass fibers may be treated with a sizing composition that has a coupling-activator compound with the formula: S-X-(A)n, where S represents a silicon-containing coupling moiety capable of bonding to the surface of glass fibers, X represents a linking moiety, and (A)n, represents one or more polymerization activator moieties. The treated glass fibers may be combined with a resin to make a fiber-resin mixture. The resin may have a monomer, a catalyst, and an activator compound capable of initiating a polymerization of the monomer. The monomer may be a lactam or lactone having 3-12 carbon atoms in the main ring. The fiber-resin mixture may then be cured so that the monomer polymerizes to form a thermoplastic polymer matrix of the fiber-reinforced composite. The thermoplastic polymer matrix may be formed by in situ polymerization initiated from both the surface of the glass fibers and the resin.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new binder composition which is particularly suitable for the manufacture of composite materials utilizing such new binder composition in the required nonwoven materials. Composite materials using such new binder composition in their nonwoven part are suitable, in particular, for composites materials for interior construction, for linings, floor coverings, and for the manufacture of furniture and similar products.

Abstract: Methods of making fiber-resin compositions are described. The methods may include the providing of a thermoplastic resin to an extruder, where the thermoplastic resin may include at least one reactive moiety capable of forming a covalent bond with a coupling agent on a plurality of reactive fibers. The methods may further include combining the thermoplastic resin with the plurality of reactive fibers also supplied to the extruder. The reactive fibers are sized with the coupling agent that reacts with the thermoplastic resin to form the fiber-resin composition, which may be extruded from the extruder. Methods of making fiber-reinforced composite articles from the fiber-resin composition are also described.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a system for manufacturing a polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) prepreg includes a mechanism for continuously moving a fabric or mat and a resin application component that applies a methyl methacrylate (MMA) resin to the fabric or mat. The system also includes a press mechanism that presses the fabric or mat during the continuous movement subsequent to the application of the MMA resin to ensure that the MMA resin fully saturates the fabric or mat. The system further includes a curing oven through which the fabric or mat is continuously moved. The curing oven is maintained at a temperature of between 40° C. and 100° C. to polymerize the MMA resin and thereby form PMMA so that upon exiting the curing oven, the fabric or mat is fully impregnated with PMMA.

Abstract: Methods are described for activating a glass fiber or flake to participate in polymerizing a resin. The methods may include sizing the glass fiber or flake with a sizing composition that includes a solution containing a polymerization initiator, and activating the polymerization initiator by forming a free radical moiety on the polymerization initiator that can initiate the polymerization of the resin. Additional methods of making a glass reinforced composite are described. The methods may include sizing glass fibers or flakes with a sizing composition that includes a solution containing a polymerization initiator, forming a free radical moiety on the polymerization initiator to make activated glass fibers or flakes, and contacting the activated glass fibers or flakes with a polymer resin. The activated glass fibers or flakes initiate the polymerization of the resin around the glass fibers or flakes to form the glass reinforced composite.