A connection including a first profile having a first end and a first lumen, the first profile including a first polymeric material and a second profile having a second end and a second lumen, the second profile including a second polymeric material, a metal, or combination thereof, wherein the first end and the second end are coincidently welded via an ionized gas treatment.

A method for manufacturing digital paper, includes: (a) forming, on a paper or plastic substrate, a thin film transistor (TFT) backplane with a size of 100 to 10,000 pixels; and (b) laminating the TFT backplane to electrophoretic ink (E-ink), an electrochromic display, or an organic light-emitting diode (OLED) through an roll-to-roll continuous process, wherein, in the step (a), the TFT backplane is formed using a printing process, wherein the printing process uses R2R gravure printing technique, wherein, in the step (a), a contact electrode for exchanging data with the outside is formed at the TFT backplane, wherein a lower layer of the contact electrode is formed by etching a silver, copper or aluminum thin film and an upper layer of the contact electrode is treated with graphite, wherein, in the step (b), an adhesive material used for the laminating is thermosetting or UV-curable epoxy resin or cyanate-based resin.

Methods for manufacturing elongated structural elements are provided. Such methods provide composite material having optimal properties such as weight and strength which can be produced at much lower costs compared to conventional methods. Composite materials including such elements are also provided. In addition, commercial products incorporating such structural elements are provided.

A method for producing a thermoplastic fiber composite component, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, has the following method steps: material-removing processing of a first face of a first plate, wherein the first plate comprises a thermoplastic fiber composite material and a local reduction in thickness of the first plate is made by the material-removing processing of the first face; positioning a second plate relative to the first plate such that the first face of the first plate is brought into alignment with a third face of the second plate; and joining the first plate to the second plate to form a single component, wherein the surface of the first face of the first plate is integrally bonded to the surface of the third face of the second plate.

A composite wheel assembly and method of fabricating the same is provided. The wheel assembly includes a composite wheel rim, a wheel center, and a plurality of attachment fasteners for attaching the wheel center to the wheel rim. The wheel rim includes a plurality of attachment inserts that are configured to selectively engage with respective attachment fasteners. Each attachment insert is encapsulated by a plurality of composite layers of the wheel rim or is otherwise secured to the wheel rim. The attachment inserts extend from and/or are positioned within a drop well region of the wheel rim. The method of fabricating the wheel assembly includes forming first and second preforms and positioning the same onto a mold assembly. The method further includes positioning the attachment inserts between the first and second preforms such that the attachment inserts are secured therebetween.

A composite wheel assembly and method of fabricating the same is provided. The wheel assembly includes a composite wheel rim, a wheel center, and a plurality of attachment fasteners for attaching the wheel center to the wheel rim. The wheel rim includes a plurality of attachment inserts that are configured to selectively engage with respective attachment fasteners. Each attachment insert is encapsulated by a plurality of composite layers of the wheel rim or is otherwise secured to the wheel rim. The attachment inserts extend from and/or are positioned within a drop well region of the wheel rim. The method of fabricating the wheel assembly includes forming first and second preforms and positioning the same onto a mold assembly. The method further includes positioning the attachment inserts between the first and second preforms such that the attachment inserts are secured therebetween.

An excrement-treating material includes a water-absorbing core part, and a surface layer. The core part is formed by wet-kneading and compression-granulating a compounding material containing a paper powder and organic or inorganic fine pieces. Dents and/or protrusions are formed on the surface of the core part by deformation by the kneading or compression of the fine pieces or peeling-off of the fine pieces from the paper powder upon release of compression. The surface of the core part is discontinuously colored by utilizing the dents and/or protrusions, and covered with the surface layer. The colored parts of the surface of the core part are exposed through the surface layer during absorption of excreted urine, while the non-colored part of the surface of the core part is stained by the color of the excreted urine, and the color of the excreted urine is exposed through the surface layer.

A repair apparatus is configured to repair a hole in a curved wall portion of a material guide. The repair apparatus includes a patch body that can conform to the shape of the curved wall portion and a retainer that non-destructively holds the patch body in place on the wall portion over the hole. In certain embodiments, the retainers are magnets or straps. The patch body can be flexible so that it can be adjusted to conform to the shape of curved wall portions of various sizes and curvatures. The patch body can include a wear-resistant inner surface. In some embodiments, the patch body includes an outer shell and a wear-resistant inner liner connected to the shell. The liner can have one side that is unattached to the shell.

A method for bonding a contact surface of a first substrate to a contact surface of a second substrate comprising of the steps of: positioning the first substrate on a first receiving surface of a first receiving apparatus and positioning the second substrate on a second receiving surface of a second receiving apparatus; establishing contact of the contact surfaces at a bond initiation site; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate along a bonding wave which is travelling from the bond initiation site to the side edges of the substrates, wherein the first substrate and/or the second substrate is/are deformed for alignment of the contact surfaces.

A method for bonding a contact surface of a first substrate to a contact surface of a second substrate comprising of the steps of: positioning the first substrate on a first receiving surface of a first receiving apparatus and positioning the second substrate on a second receiving surface of a second receiving apparatus; establishing contact of the contact surfaces at a bond initiation site; and bonding the first substrate to the second substrate along a bonding wave which is travelling from the bond initiation site to the side edges of the substrates, wherein the first substrate and/or the second substrate is/are deformed for alignment of the contact surfaces.