FIBER MOLD FILLING SYSTEM AND METHOD

A fiber filling box (50) divided into compartments by slotted divider walls (2), is lowered onto an air-permeable conveyor (6) over at least one vacuum box (9) in a fiber filling station (60). A multi-axis controlled nozzle (13) blows fiber material (4) to different depths and/or densities in the individual compartments. Hold-down plates (3) are lowered onto the fiber material, the fiber filling box is lifted away, and then the hold-down plates are lifted to release a shaped fiber mass (4E), which is then heated and compacted in a heating station (70) to form a fiber preform (25). The hot fiber preform is then molded, compressed and cooled in a molding station (80) to produce a molded fiber component (32).