A method of manufacturing a self-supporting, monolithic fuselage body, including engaging peripheral mandrel sections around at least one central mandrel section, placing uncured composite material on the mold surface, curing the composite material on the mold surface, and sliding the central mandrel section(s) out of engagement with the peripheral mandrel sections and disengaging the peripheral mandrel sections from the cured composite material without collapsing the mandrel sections. The peripheral mandrel sections each include a shape-retaining core of a thermally insulating material and an outer layer on an outer surface of the shape-retaining core. The outer layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion within the range of variation of that of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite material. A mandrel for layup and cure of a predetermined composite material in the manufacture of a monolithic fuselage is also discussed.

A polyarylene sulfide resin composition that including a polyarylene sulfide having a carboxyl group content of not less than 60 ?mol/g; and a glass fiber. Provided is a polyarylene sulfide resin composition that has excellent mechanical strength, particularly weld strength, generates less burrs, and has excellent adhesiveness to an epoxy resin. Also disclosed are articles made from such compositions as well as methods of making the compositions and article made therefrom.

Techniques for producing composites outside of an autoclave that have smooth surface finishes are disclosed. The smooth composite surface, free of porosity, can be fabricated by curing the prepreg in a tool that includes a novel microstructure. In conventional composite manufacturing, some degree of porosity appears to originate from trapped gas bubbles that form during curing. The microstructure can provide a mechanism for the gas bubbles to escape from the tooling, thereby eliminating porosity and yielding a smooth surface finish on the out-of-autoclave composite. The microstructure can be applied to the tool surface using an inkjet process applying an acrylic resin curable with ultraviolet light.

The invention provides a shell integrated light-emitting diode assembly, which includes: a plurality of light-emitting units, each of the light-emitting units including at least one light-emitting chip and an external wiring which is coupled to the light-emitting chip; and a shell structure, formed as a consolidation structure by a molding material for enclosing the light-emitting units to be inside the molding material; wherein the light-emitting units emit light through the molding material into an outside of the shell structure. The present invention also provides a shell integrated light-emitting diode lamp with the shell integrated light-emitting diode assembly, and a manufacturing method for the shell integrated light-emitting diode assembly.

A fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite structure includes a glass fiber layer and a carbon fiber layer in a cured resin. The glass fiber layer and the carbon fiber layer are laminated and present in a thickness direction of the structure. Two outermost layers of the fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite structure including the glass fiber layer and the carbon fiber layer are both the glass fiber layer. In the structure, a volume fraction of carbon fibers with respect to a total volume of glass fibers and carbon fibers is 0.67 or more.

A mold for casting a micro-scale structure includes an upper surface including a first cavity having a first depth. A negative pattern for an array of micro-scale structures is defined in a surface of the first cavity. The mold includes at least one second cavity having a second depth defined in the cavity outside of the negative pattern for the array of micro-scale structures. The at least one second cavity defines a negative pattern for a standoff of the micro-scale structure. A fabric retaining frame is disposed in the first cavity.

The invention provides a shell integrated light-emitting diode assembly, which includes: a plurality of light-emitting units, each of the light-emitting units including at least one light-emitting chip and an external wiring which is coupled to the light-emitting chip; and a shell structure, formed as a consolidation structure by a molding material for enclosing the light-emitting units to be inside the molding material; wherein the light-emitting units emit light through the molding material into an outside of the shell structure. The present invention also provides a shell integrated light-emitting diode lamp with the shell integrated light-emitting diode assembly, and a manufacturing method for the shell integrated light-emitting diode assembly.

The device for welding thermoplastic parts includes a matrix for positioning the parts to be assembled, the matrix including an amagnetic insulating insert that defines joining zones in which the welds must be produced, a bladder defining a sealed volume and means for producing a partial vacuum in the sealed volume, and means for moving a magnetic induction head to near the joining zones and without making contact with the bladder. The welding process includes positioning at least one first part, then of placing metal inserts on areas of the first part corresponding to the joining zones that must be welded, and then positioning at least one second part. A bladder is put in place covering the parts and a partial vacuum is created in the volume defined by the bladder. The magnetic induction head is moved to produce the weld bead without contact while the partial vacuum is maintained.

The device for welding thermoplastic parts includes a matrix for positioning the parts to be assembled, the matrix including an amagnetic insulating insert that defines joining zones in which the welds must be produced, a bladder defining a sealed volume and means for producing a partial vacuum in the sealed volume, and means for moving a magnetic induction head to near the joining zones and without making contact with the bladder. The welding process includes positioning at least one first part, then of placing metal inserts on areas of the first part corresponding to the joining zones that must be welded, and then positioning at least one second part. A bladder is put in place covering the parts and a partial vacuum is created in the volume defined by the bladder. The magnetic induction head is moved to produce the weld bead without contact while the partial vacuum is maintained.

A method of manufacturing a self-supporting, monolithic fuselage body, including engaging peripheral mandrel sections around at least one central mandrel section, placing uncured composite material on the mold surface, curing the composite material on the mold surface, and sliding the central mandrel section(s) out of engagement with the peripheral mandrel sections and disengaging the peripheral mandrel sections from the cured composite material without collapsing the mandrel sections. The peripheral mandrel sections each include a shape-retaining core of a thermally insulating material and an outer layer on an outer surface of the shape-retaining core. The outer layer has a coefficient of thermal expansion within the range of variation of that of the coefficient of thermal expansion of the composite material. A mandrel for layup and cure of a predetermined composite material in the manufacture of a monolithic fuselage is also discussed.