Abstract: A vehicle removable roof system including a roof support structure removably attachable to a vehicle, the roof support structure including a plurality of vertically oriented supports and at least one horizontally oriented support. The at least one removable panel configured to engage with the roof support structure. The vehicle removable roof system formed of a light weight sandwich composite structure that affords a high gloss surface without resort to additional processing after production with improved moisture resistance and edges suitable for sealing the removable roof assembly to other vehicle components.

Abstract: A composite sandwich panel assembly including an open area core, a high gloss surface sheet, and a structural skin. The open are core defines a plurality of pores and has a first face and an opposing second face. The high gloss surface sheet is adhered to the first face of the open area core by a first adhesive layer. The high gloss surface sheet has a high gloss surface. The structural skin is adhered to the second face of the open area core by a second adhesive layer. A process for forming the composite sandwich panel assembly includes positioning the high gloss surface sheet, joining the first face of the open area core to the high gloss surface sheet with a first adhesive layer intermediate therebetween, and joining the structural skin to the second face of the open area core with a second adhesive layer intermediate therebetween.

Abstract: Problems of high impact resistance and “warpage” of a molded body are solved by a method for producing a molded body, including: using a mold MA and a mold MB, which are a pair of male and female molds, to compression-mold a material A and a material B in contact with the mold MA and the mold MB, respectively, in which the material A contains a carbon fiber and a thermoplastic resin M1, and the material B contains a glass fiber and a thermoplastic resin M2, the molded body includes a pair of side walls and a connecting wall that is connected to the side walls, the molded body has a wave shape in cross section, and a relationship between a flatness Fa of the molded body and a height h of the side wall satisfies 0?Fa/h<1.3.

Abstract: A vehicle removable roof system including a roof support structure removably attachable to a vehicle, the roof support structure including a plurality of vertically oriented supports and at least one horizontally oriented support. The at least one removable panel configured to engage with the roof support structure. The vehicle removable roof system formed of a light weight sandwich composite structure that affords a high gloss surface without resort to additional processing after production with improved moisture resistance and edges suitable for sealing the removable roof assembly to other vehicle components.

Abstract: A composite sandwich panel assembly including an open area core, a high gloss surface sheet, and a structural skin. The open are core defines a plurality of pores and has a first face and an opposing second face. The high gloss surface sheet is adhered to the first face of the open area core by a first adhesive layer. The high gloss surface sheet has a high gloss surface. The structural skin is adhered to the second face of the open area core by a second adhesive layer. A process for forming the composite sandwich panel assembly includes positioning the high gloss surface sheet, joining the first face of the open area core to the high gloss surface sheet with a first adhesive layer intermediate therebetween, and joining the structural skin to the second face of the open area core with a second adhesive layer intermediate therebetween.

Abstract: There is provided a random mat including carbon fibers and a matrix resin, wherein the carbon fibers in the random mat have an average fiber length in a range of 3 mm to 100 mm, a fiber areal weight of the carbon fibers is 25 to 10,000 g/m2, the carbon fibers include a specific carbon fiber bundles having a specific opening degree in a specific amount per the total carbon fibers, and the specific carbon fiber bundles with a thickness of 100 ?m or more are included in a ratio of less than 3% of the number of the total specific carbon fiber bundles.

Abstract: There is provided a random mat including carbon fibers and a matrix resin, wherein the carbon fibers in the random mat have an average fiber length in a range of 3 mm to 100 mm, a fiber areal weight of the carbon fibers is 25 to 10,000 g/m2, the carbon fibers include a specific carbon fiber bundles having a specific opening degree in a specific amount per the total carbon fibers, and the specific carbon fiber bundles with a thickness of 100 ?m or more are included in a ratio of less than 3% of the number of the total specific carbon fiber bundles.

Abstract: A random mat contains reinforcing fibers having an average fiber length of 3 to 100 mm and a thermoplastic resin, the reinforcing fiber contains reinforcing fiber bundle (A) defined as the bundle composed of the reinforcing fibers of a critical number of single fiber (defined by the following formula (1)) or more, an average thickness of the reinforcing fiber bundles (A) is 100 ?m or less, and the number (n) of the reinforcing fiber bundles (A) per unit weight (g) of the reinforcing fibers satisfies the following formula (I): Critical number of single fiber=600/D (1) (wherein D is the average fiber diameter (?m) of the reinforcing fiber), and 0.65×104/L<N (I) (wherein L is the average fiber length (mm) of the reinforcing fiber).

Abstract: Friction-weld assemblies and methods of spin-welding are provided, where the components being joined are polymeric components. Designs provided for the polymeric components enable the use of relatively low speeds and pressures to achieve superior friction weld joints between the components. Further, large surface area polymeric components can be successfully friction welded with such designs. In certain variations, at least one polymeric component has a weld surface with a plurality of surface features that are concave (e.g., grooves) or convex. In other variations, the first component in the weld region has a distinct non-complementary shape from the second component, thus creating a progressive advancing weld line that avoids high temperatures that might incur damage to the polymeric component and weld joint. Such component designs additionally provide for improved flash management at the weld joint.

Abstract: Provided is a load-carrying or non-load carrying structural component for a vehicle having improved impact resistance, such as a gas tank protection shield, an underbody shield, a structural panel, an interior floor, a floor pan, a roof, an exterior surface, a storage area, a glove box, a console box, a trunk, a trunk floor, a truck bed, and combinations thereof. The component has a support structure with ridges, each spaced apart from one another at predetermined intervals, to form a corrugated surface capable of load-carrying. The ridges are longitudinally extending, raised ridges and define top and side walls. A plurality of strategically thickened areas is on at least one of the top wall and side walls.

Abstract: There is provided a fiber-reinforced composite material is constituted by reinforcing fibers with an average fiber length of 5 mm to 100 mm and a thermoplastic resin, in which in a viscoelastic characteristic that is defined by following formulas (1) and (2), an average value in a range of ?25° C. of the melting point of a matrix resin to +25° C. of the melting point of a matrix resin satisfies following formula (3): tan ?=G?/G???(1) tan ??=Vf×tan ?/(100?Vf)??(2) 0.01?tan ???0.2??(3) wherein G? represents a storage modulus (Pa) of the fiber-reinforced composite material, G? represents a loss modulus (Pa) of the fiber-reinforced composite material, and Vf represents a volume fraction (%) of the reinforcing fibers in the fiber-reinforced composite material.

Abstract: Friction-weld assemblies and methods of spin-welding are provided, where the components being joined are polymeric components. Designs provided for the polymeric components enable the use of relatively low speeds and pressures to achieve superior friction weld joints between the components. Further, large surface area polymeric components can be successfully friction welded with such designs. In certain variations, at least one polymeric component has a weld surface with a plurality of surface features that are concave (e.g., grooves) or convex. In other variations, the first component in the weld region has a distinct non-complementary shape from the second component, thus creating a progressive advancing weld line that avoids high temperatures that might incur damage to the polymeric component and weld joint. Such component designs additionally provide for improved flash management at the weld joint.

Abstract: Provided is a load-carrying or non-load carrying structural component for a vehicle having improved impact resistance, such as a gas tank protection shield, an underbody shield, a structural panel, an interior floor, a floor pan, a roof, an exterior surface, a storage area, a glove box, a console box, a trunk, a trunk floor, a truck bed, and combinations thereof. The component has a support structure with ridges, each spaced apart from one another at predetermined intervals, to form a corrugated surface capable of load-carrying. The ridges are longitudinally extending, raised ridges and define top and side walls. A plurality of strategically thickened areas is on at least one of the top wall and side walls.

Abstract: A composite material includes: carbon fibers having an average fiber length of more than about 10 mm and about 100 mm or less; and a thermoplastic resin. The carbon fibers are substantially two-dimensionally-randomly oriented. The composite material includes a carbon fiber bundle (A) in a ratio of about 30 volume % or more and less than about 90 volume % to a total volume of the carbon fibers, the carbon fiber bundle (A) including the carbon fibers of a critical single fiber number defined by formula (1) or more. An average number (N) of the carbon fibers in the carbon fiber bundle (A) satisfies formula (2). Critical single fiber number=600/D??(1) 6×104/D2<N<2×105/D2??(2) D is an average fiber diameter (?m) of the carbon fibers.

Abstract: There is provided a method of producing a random mat for manufacturing a thermoplastic composite material, including: slitting continuously a strand including reinforcing fibers in a longitudinal direction of the strand to form a plurality of reinforcing fiber strands with narrow width; cutting the reinforcing fiber strands with narrow width continuously to be an average fiber length of 3 mm to 100 mm to form reinforcing fiber strand pieces; spraying gas onto the cut reinforcing fiber strand pieces for opening the reinforcing fiber strand pieces to form reinforcing fiber bundle pieces; and depositing and fixing the reinforcing fiber bundle pieces onto a breathable support together with a thermoplastic resin in a powder or short fibrous form to form an isotropic random mat in which the reinforcing fibers and the thermoplastic resin are mixed.

Abstract: A random mat contains reinforcing fibers having an average fiber length of 3 to 100 mm and a thermoplastic resin, the reinforcing fiber contains reinforcing fiber bundle (A) defined as the bundle composed of the reinforcing fibers of a critical number of single fiber (defined by the following formula (1)) or more, an average thickness of the reinforcing fiber bundles (A) is 100 ?m or less, and the number (n) of the reinforcing fiber bundles (A) per unit weight (g) of the reinforcing fibers satisfies the following formula (I): Critical number of single fiber=600/D (1) (wherein D is the average fiber diameter (?m) of the reinforcing fiber), and 0.65×104/L<N (I) (wherein L is the average fiber length (mm) of the reinforcing fiber).

Abstract: There is provided a random mat including carbon fibers and a matrix resin, wherein the carbon fibers in the random mat have an average fiber length in a range of 3 mm to 100 mm, a fiber areal weight of the carbon fibers is 25 to 10,000 g/m2, the carbon fibers include a specific carbon fiber bundles having a specific opening degree in a specific amount per the total carbon fibers, and the specific carbon fiber bundles with a thickness of 100 ?m or more are included in a ratio of less than 3% of the number of the total specific carbon fiber bundles.

Abstract: There is provided a random mat of the present invention including: reinforcing fibers having an average fiber length of 5 to 100 mm; and a thermoplastic resin, wherein a fiber areal weight of the reinforcing fibers is from 25 to 3,000 g/m2, for a reinforcing fiber bundle (A) including the reinforcing fibers equivalent to or more than a critical single fiber number defined by formula (1), a ratio of the reinforcing fiber bundle (A) to a total amount of the reinforcing fibers in the mat is from 30 vol % to less than 90 vol %, and an average number (N) of the reinforcing fibers in the reinforcing fiber bundle (A) satisfies formula (2): Critical single fiber number=600/D??(1) 0.7×104/D2<N<1×105/D2??(2) wherein D is an average fiber diameter (?m) of single reinforcing fibers.

Abstract: There is provided a random mat including reinforcing fibers wherein the content of reinforcing fibers having a fiber length of 3 mm or more and less than 15 mm is 50 to 100% by mass based on all the reinforcing fibers contained in the random mat and the content of reinforcing fibers having a fiber length of 15 mm or more and 50 mm or less is 0 to 50% by mass based on all the reinforcing fibers contained in the random mat, and satisfies specific values of fiber areal weight and the degree of opening.

Abstract: A shock absorption member which is lightweight, has a high degree of freedom in shape, and is capable of efficiently absorbing shock energy, is provided. A shock absorption member including a bottom surface part and an upright part provided on the bottom surface part, in which at least one of the bottom surface part and the upright part includes a carbon-fiber-reinforced composite material including a thermoplastic resin, and the other may include a thermoplastic resin, and in which the amount of the thermoplastic resin present therein is 30 to 1,000 parts by mass based on 100 parts by mass of carbon fibers, and the average fiber length of the carbon fibers is 3 to 100 mm.