Johns Manville

Daniel P De Kock

Jawed Asrar

Mingfu Zhang

Klaus Friedrich Gleich

Michael John Block

Asheber Yohannes

A fully impregnated fiber-reinforced thermoplastic granule includes a fiber core impregnated with a thermoplastic resin and coated with the resin and subsequently polymerized to form a thermoplastic. The granule is formed in a continuous process including a continuous fiber strand being coated and impregnated with a thermoplastic resin, curing the thermoplastic resin, and cutting the fiber and thermoplastic into granules of a desired length. The continuous process results in a uniform, fully impregnated fiber core in the granule which results in a longer reinforcing fiber for added strength in subsequently produced products formed from the granules.

Manufacturing fiber-reinforced thermoplastic concentrates

Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of making a thermoplastic composite concentrates. The method may include melting a low-viscosity reactive resin to form a molten reactive resin. The method may also include fully impregnating a plurality of continuous fibers with the molten reactive resin in an impregnation device. The method may further include polymerizing the molten reactive resin to form a thermoplastic composite strand. In addition, the method may include chopping the thermoplastic composite strand into a plurality of pellets to form a plurality of thermoplastic composite concentrates.

Manufacturing thermoplastic composites and articles

A creel, such as may be used to supply fiberglass roving to a production process, includes an enclosure and a number of rotatable axles held within the enclosure. Each of the axles is of a shape and size to be inserted into a bobbin of roving. The creel also includes a drive mechanism coupled to each of the plurality of rotatable axles, the drive mechanism synchronizing the rotation of the axles. Bobbins of roving may be stacked on the axles and connected to provide continuous roving. As roving is drawn from the creel, the rate of rotation of the axles may be selected to counteract twisting of the roving that would otherwise result.

Creel for roving bobbins

Embodiments of the present technology may include a method of making a thermoplastic composite strand. The method may include melting a reactive thermoplastic resin to form a molten reactive resin. The method may also include fully impregnating a plurality of continuous fibers with the molten reactive resin in an impregnation device. The method may further include polymerizing the molten reactive resin to form a thermoplastic resin matrix. In addition, the method may include cooling the thermoplastic resin matrix to form a thermoplastic composite strand.

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Assenede, Belgium

Daniel P De Kock