Abstract: A woven structure formed by warp and weft tows A, E of fiber reinforcement material includes: a plurality of multi-warp stacks SA, each including a plurality of warp tows A which are in superposition along a longitudinal extent of the warp stack SA, a plurality of multi-weft stacks SE, each including a plurality of weft tows E which are in superposition along the stack SE, wherein one or more multi-warp stacks SA and/or one or more multi-weft stacks SE has an embedded taper structure, including: an embedded tow A1, A2, E1, E2 which has a terminal portion M1, M2 disposed between two locally outermost tows A0, E0 of the respective stack SA SE, the terminal portion M1, M2 terminating at a taper position D1 D2 along the respective path of the stack SA SE; and a method for manufacturing a composite component.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a composite component, including: weaving a multi-layer woven preform from warp and weft tows of fibre-reinforcement material, the woven preform includes: multi-layer weave including: plurality of weft tow layers; plurality of laterally-adjacent stacks extending along the longitudinal direction, primary portion having longitudinal extent along woven preform, the primary portion having one or more edge regions each defining respective lateral side of primary portion; wherein for the or each edge region: the multi-layer weave defines at least the edge region; plurality of stacks in the edge region are binding stacks in which one or more warp tows are interlaced to bind a respective plurality of weft tow layers; weave property differs between binding stacks in the edge region to reduce a thickness of the edge region towards respective lateral side. Also disclosed herein is a woven structure, formed by warp and weft tows of fibre reinforcement material.

Abstract: A woven composite component for an aerospace structure or machine, comprising: a compound member extending from a junction with a feeder member, a noodle element extending in a weft direction through the junction. The feeder member comprises first and second feeder portions either side of the junction, each feeder portion comprising warp tows extending towards the junction. There is a compound set of warp tows extending from the first and second feeder portions, each turning at the junction to define warp tows for the compound member. There is a crossing set of warp tows belonging to the compound set, the crossing set comprising warp tows from the first feeder portion and warp tows from the second portion which cross each other at the junction to pass around the noodle element. There is also disclosed a method of manufacturing a preform for a woven composite component.

Abstract: A manufacturing method comprises: providing a woven fabric comprising a plurality of reinforcing fibre tows and a plurality of thermoplastic polymer yarns woven together; and moulding the woven fabric in a heated mould to form a preform for a composite component.

Abstract: A manufacturing method includes: in a loom, weaving a woven reinforcing fibre fabric including a plurality of reinforcing fibre tows and polymeric material; and heating the woven reinforcing fibre fabric as it exits the loom to cause the polymeric material to melt and/or cure.

Abstract: An apparatus for manufacturing an annular or semi-annular composite component having a circumferentially-extending base and a flange, the apparatus including: a loom for weaving a woven preform of fibre reinforcement material for the composite component; a rotatable mandrel configured to receive and draw the woven preform through the loom for weaving; and a guide disposed between the loom and the rotatable mandrel, configured so that a woven preform drawn by the rotatable mandrel along a guide path under tension engages the guide to transition to a flanged profile at a lip of the guide before being received on the mandrel.