Short fiber composite material

Abstract

A method of forming a fiber reinforced composite material includes cutting a plurality of reinforcing fibers to a selected length, directing the plurality of reinforcing fibers through a fiber alignment mechanism, orienting the plurality of reinforcing fibers in a selected direction via the fiber alignment mechanism, and adhering the aligned plurality of reinforcing fibers to a substrate material to form the fiber reinforced composite material. A system for manufacturing a fiber reinforced composite material includes a feed mechanism to direct a substrate material along a selected path, a cutting mechanism to cut a plurality of reinforcing fibers to a selected length, and a fiber alignment mechanism to orient the plurality of reinforcing fibers in a selected direction before adhering the plurality of reinforcing fibers to the substrate material.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of forming a fiber reinforced composite material comprising:
 cutting a plurality of reinforcing fibers to a selected length;   directionally orienting a plurality of along a selected orientation through a fiber alignment mechanism; and   adhering the plurality of reinforcing fibers to a substrate material to form the fiber reinforced composite material.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the fiber alignment mechanism uses one of air, an ultrasonic field or an alignment blade. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein directing the plurality of reinforcing fibers through the filter alignment mechanism comprises directing the plurality of reinforcing fibers through an electrical field to orient the plurality of reinforcing fibers in the selected direction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein adhering the aligned plurality of reinforcing fibers to the substrate material comprises adhering the aligned plurality of reinforcing fibers to a matrix material. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising directing the aligned plurality of reinforcing fibers and the substrate material through a consolidation roller to adhere the plurality of reinforcing fibers to the substrate material. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising collecting the fiber reinforced composite material at an output roller. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers is a plurality of carbon fibers or glass fibers. 
     
     
         8 . A system for manufacturing a fiber reinforced composite material, comprising:
 a feed mechanism to direct a substrate material along a selected path;   a cutting mechanism to cut a plurality of reinforcing fibers to a selected length; and   a fiber alignment mechanism to orient the plurality of reinforcing fibers in a selected orientation before adhering a plurality of the plurality of reinforcing fibers to the substrate material.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fiber alignment mechanism is one of an airflow, or an ultrasonic emitter. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fiber alignment mechanism includes a conductive element configured to emit an electrical field, the electrical field configured to orient the plurality of reinforcing fibers in a selected direction when the plurality of reinforcing fibers pass through the electrical field. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the fiber alignment mechanism includes an alignment blade to mechanically orient the plurality of reinforcing fibers in a selected direction. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , further comprising a consolidation roller to adhere the plurality of reinforcing fibers to the substrate material.