Abstract: Method for manufacturing a dry textile preform, including: pulling a textile fabric sheet; grabbing a first side portion of the sheet between rollers, the rollers forming a first flange of the first side portion of the sheet inclined at a predeterminable angle to the plane of extension of the sheet; grabbing a second side portion of the sheet opposite to the first side portion between other rollers, the other rollers forming a second flange of the second side portion of the sheet inclined at a predeterminable angle to the plane of extension of the sheet; adjusting a difference between the rolling speed of the pair of first rollers and the rolling speed of the pair of second rollers to form a curvature radius of the sheet; and adjusting distance between the rollers perpendicular to the movement direction of the sheet to form a web portion between the first flange.

Abstract: A method of recycling scraps or offcuts of uncured composite material, such as pre-impregnated or “prepreg” scraps or offcuts having reinforcing fibres and uncured polymer matrix material, includes introducing the scraps or offcuts into a mixing device directly; mixing the scraps or offcuts in the mixing device to blend uncured polymer matrix material and reinforcing fibres of the scraps or offcuts into a generally homogenous or consistent mixture; and feeding or conveying the mixture from the mixing device into a shaping mechanism to form a component or semi-finished product and preferably on a continuous basis.

Abstract: A method of repairing an affected area of a component of a fiber-reinforced polymer composite, especially having elongate or continuous reinforcing fibers in a polymer matrix, is disclosed. The method includes: providing a controlled atmosphere around the affected area of the component; heating the component in the affected area within the controlled atmosphere to cause pyrolysis or depolymerization of the polymer matrix in the affected area and thereby to remove the polymer matrix from the affected area; introducing polymer resin into a space left by the pyrolyzed or depolymerized matrix to refill the affected area.

Abstract: A method for producing a textile preform includes manufacturing a multi-layer fiber fabric, which includes a first flange portion and a web portion connected to the first flange portion, deforming a first fiber layer of the first flange portion with respect to the web portion, such that the first fiber layer is at a first flange portion angle to the web portion, a web height of the web portion being set in a variable manner during the deformation of the first fiber layer, and depositing a unidirectional fiber fabric only on the deformed first fiber layer of the first flange portion.

Abstract: Fibre fabric cutting system and method with a first and a second conveyor belt guided along a first and second curved path, respectively. A fibre fabric supply unit supplies a web of fibre fabric to a cutting section of the first curved path. A cutting unit cuts the web of fibre fabric into sheets. The first curved path and the second curved path cooperate to define for the sheets a first transport path including a plurality of vertically spaced levels extending transversally to the vertical direction and arranged one above the other. The cutting section defines the first level and each of the subsequent levels is defined by a section of one of the conveyor belts. Sheets transported along the first transport path move from one level to the next level and are alternately supported against the gravitational force by the first and the second conveyor belt on consecutive levels.

Abstract: A method of producing a composite preform having a profile with variable profile height or width is provided. The method includes: providing a plurality of first fibre layers overlapping or upon one another in or substantially parallel to a primary plane; inserting a second fibre layer via a guide member between two of the first fibre layers at an edge region of the preform profile, such that the second fibre layer extends substantially parallel to the first fibre layers; and positioning the edge region of the preform profile, and thus respective edge regions of the first fibre layers, out of the primary plane to set or determine a dimension of the preform profile in the primary plane.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of forming a curved prepreg strip or sheet, especially for use in fabricating a composite component. The method includes providing a strip or sheet of prepreg material having reinforcing fibres and drawing or conveying the prepreg material in a travel direction, wherein the material is drawn or conveyed in the travel direction at a speed which differs across a width of the strip or sheet transverse to the travel direction. Similarly, the invention relates to an apparatus for forming a curved prepreg strip or sheet, having: a mechanism for drawing or conveying a strip or sheet of prepreg material in a travel direction, wherein the mechanism is configured to draw or convey the strip or sheet of prepreg material in the travel direction at a speed which differs across a width of the strip or sheet transverse to the travel direction.

Abstract: Method for manufacturing a dry textile preform, including: pulling a textile fabric sheet; grabbing a first side portion of the sheet between rollers, the rollers forming a first flange of the first side portion of the sheet inclined at a predeterminable angle to the plane of extension of the sheet; grabbing a second side portion of the sheet opposite to the first side portion between other rollers, the other rollers forming a second flange of the second side portion of the sheet inclined at a predeterminable angle to the plane of extension of the sheet; adjusting a difference between the rolling speed of the pair of first rollers and the rolling speed of the pair of second rollers to form a curvature radius of the sheet; and adjusting distance between the rollers perpendicular to the movement direction of the sheet to form a web portion between the first flange.