be die cut to true up the inner and outer radial dimensions of the preform 102 in accordance with the specifications for the preform 102 by virtue of the preform 102 being manufactured from a continuous stream of tow fiber 104 the preform 102 has a substantially helical structure having vertically adjacent layers 142 or flights 142 similar to the threads of a screw fig3 displays a cross sectional view of a portion of a continuous fiber brake preform 102 manufactured using the needling machine 100 and methods described herein in fig3 the vertically adjacent layers 142 or flights 142 of the helical structure of the preform 102 are visible also as indicated by the cross hatching the tow fiber 104 of vertically adjacent layers 142 or flights 142 is offset at varying distances relative to the preform 39 s central vertical axis 136 to provide greater strength and more consistent physical and mechanical properties throughout such offset is more clearly understood by viewing fig4 6 fig4 displays a schematic top plan view of the tow fiber 104 of a first layer 142 a of a sector of the preform 102 showing the tow fiber 104 offset at various distances relative to the preform 39 s central vertical axis 136 as the tow fiber 104 extends about the central vertical axis 136 fig5 displays a schematic top plan view of the tow fiber 104 of a second layer 142 b of the same sector of the preform 102 showing the tow fiber 104 offset at various distances relative to the preform 39.