Method and apparatus for making sheets of composite material
AssigneePolystrand, Inc.
InventorEdward Pilpel
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A product sheet of composite material can be made by disposing composite materials of composite material in adjacent (side-by-side) relation with each other. The composite materials comprise fibers in a thermoplastic matrix material. The adjacent composite materials are bonded together to provide a product sheet of composite material. Preferably, a cross ply of composite material is disposed on the composite materials. The cross ply may be a unidirectional sheet and the fibers in the cross ply may be disposed in transverse relation to the fibers in the composite materials.
Claims20
An apparatus for producing a composite laminate, said apparatus comprising:
- a first unwind station including at least one roll support assembly for rotatably supporting a roll of composite material;
- a tacking station downstream of said first unwind station, said tacking station defining a tacking surface;
- a heating station located downstream of said tacking station for heating said composite material fed from said roll in response to said composite material moving past said heater;
- and
- a processing station comprising at least one calender roll assembly positioned downstream of said heating station.
A method for making a composite laminate, comprising:
- positioning a plurality of lengths of composite material in adjacent relation to each other;
- tacking together the lengths of composite material;
- heating the lengths of composite material;
- passing the heated lengths of composite material through a calender roll assembly to yield the composite laminate;
- and
- collecting the composite laminate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.