LIGHT WEIGHT FILLER PARTICLES

摘要

A method and apparatus of producing and using composite fibers in a liquid moldi ng process. The composite fibers are formed from a base material and filler particl es which are lighter or less expensive than the base material. A preform screen is placed at the bottom of a tank. The tank is filled with liquid, the composite fibers and a mass of reinfor cing fibers creating a slurry above the screen. The screen is raised up through the slurry causing th e composite fibers and the reinforcing fibers to be deposited on the screen creating a fiber prefor m. The preform is then removed from the screen and is placed in a mold for use in a liquid molding process.