Ford Global Technolgoies, LLC

Raymond Silva

Jeffrey Scott Dahl

Carl Frederick Johnson

Christopher W Lee

Ronald Paul Cooper

Glen Smith

Naiyi Li

Nanda Gopal

James E DeVries

Tom Scholten

Jim deVries

A method and apparatus for producing an article. The method includes providing a fiber material, splitting the fiber material with a splitting roller having a set of grooves that extend continuously around a circumference of the splitting roller, and cutting the fiber material to a desired length.

Method and apparatus for making a fiber reinforced article

A SMC lamination line is disclosed that has an upper carrier film and a lower carrier film with oriented chopped fibers being deposited between the carrier films. Resin paste or adhesive is provided to retain oriented fibers on the lower carrier film. A guide roller guides the carrier film in close proximity to an in-feed conveyor that feeds oriented chopped fiber unto the lower carrier film. The guide roller is preferably less than the diameter of the end roller of the feed conveyor. The guide roller is also preferably within the arc of movement of the ends of the oriented chopped fibers to ensure a smooth and non-disruptive transfer of the oriented chopped fibers to the lower carrier film.

Fiber transfer apparatus for laminating fiber-reinforced sheet molding compound

A method and apparatus for the casting of metal components is disclosed. The apparatus includes a gooseneck for drawing molten metal from a crucible of hot metal and for forcing the drawn molten metal through the system, a hot runner assembly having a hot runner tip positioned adjacent the mold cavity, and a machine nozzle inserted between the gooseneck and the hot runner assembly. The gooseneck is fitted with a one-way check valve to allow for molten metal to be drawn into the plunger but to stop its passage out of the gooseneck when the metal is forced through the system into the die. A thermal valve is formed within the hot runner tip to provide a metal blockage from the molten metal which prevents the back-flow of molten metal back into the hot runner assembly. Both temperature and flow rate are carefully monitored and controlled.

Hot runner magnesium casting system and apparatus

An apparatus for making SMC comprising a conveyor belt assembly having a feed end and a transfer end. The conveyor belt assembly including a belt having an outer surface and an inner surface. A cutting support structure disposed between the feed end and the transfer end, and in contact with the inner surface. A cutting wheel having a perimeter surface and disposed adjacent to the cutting support structure. A feed tension member proximate the outer surface and disposed between the feed end and the cutting wheel. The feed tension member positions the fiber rovings onto the outer surface to be cut by the cutting wheel. The feed tension member, cutting wheel and belt cooperate to feed the fiber rovings at a feed rate, cut the fiber rovings into a plurality of parallel discontinuous fibers, and convey the fibers at substantially the same rate as the feed rate.

Apparatus and method for making fiber reinforced sheet molding compound

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Maumee, OH, United States of America

Raymond Silva