Methods and apparatus for making thermoplastic prepreg with specific fibre orientation

A method, for producing at least one of unidirectional, single ply, continuous, cross ply or angle ply thermoplastic prepreg, comprising:

• forming a tape of thermoplastic prepreg into a tube, by wrapping it around a system comprised of at least one carrier;
• positioning and aligning the tape to form a tube in such a way as to maintain substantially uninterrupted contact between the leading edge of the incoming tape of material and the receding edge of the previous wrap of the tape;
• creating of a cohesive transitional tube by joining the edges of adjacent wraps;
• cutting of the resulting transitional tube, to produce the required thermoplastic prepreg product, and
• collecting of the prepreg products so produced.

An apparatus for producing one of a single ply, a continuous ply, a cross ply and an angle ply thermoplastic prepeg comprising:

• a feeder for feeding a tape of thermoplastic prepeg material into the apparatus and around at least one carrier.
• guides for positioning an aligning the tape to form a tube in such a way as to maintain substantially uninterrupted contact between the leading edge of the incoming tape of material and the receding edge of the previous wrap of the tape;
• joining equipment for creating a cohesive transitional tube by joining the edges of adjacent wraps;
• a cutter for cutting the resulting cohesive transitional tube so as to produce at least one thermoplastic prepeg product with desired shape, size and ply fibre orientation;
• and
• a collector for collecting the thermoplastic prepeg products so produced.