Patent ID: 8221575

Claim:
A method for manufacturing a contoured composite article, the method comprising: adjusting a separation of dividing elements of a dividing unit configured to cut, perforate or score a tape comprising fiber into strips having a same or different widths, wherein adjusting the separation of the dividing elements determines the width of the strips such that the widths of the strips are adapted to optimally follow contours of a surface of a tool on which the strips are laid, wherein the dividing unit comprises a toothed device, and wherein the dividing elements comprise a plurality of teeth having rounded tips; feeding said tape through the dividing unit to divide the tape with the teeth into a plurality of inter-connected or separate, substantially longitudinal strips, such that the teeth scrape over the tape to perform a separating tension of the fibers to separate the fibers from each other while keeping the fibers intact simultaneously with cutting, perforating or scoring the tape into a plurality of strips; and transferring the tape from the dividing unit directly to an automatic tape laying apparatus and onto the contours of the surface of the tool.