A method of reducing residual stress in a composite assembly may include assembling a first composite part to a second composite part to form a detail assembly. The first and second composite part may each have a flange and a web connected by a bend radius. The webs may be arranged back-to-back. The detail assembly may be cured on a compensated cure tool compensated for cure shrinkage spring-in predicted to occur in the first and second composite part. The method may include allowing the first and second composite part to spring in from cure shrinkage, and assembling the detail assembly to an uncured third composite. The method may also include co-bonding the detail assembly to the third composite part on an assembly cure tool to form a composite assembly having reduced cure shrinkage residual stress in the bend radii of the first and second composite part.

Method for bonding a sheetlike cover material to a shaped article, using an adhesive film comprising at least one layer of a heat-activatedly bondable adhesive, where the adhesive film is disposed, over the full area or a partial area, between the cover material and the shaped article, the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive as yet not adhering to the shaped article, wherein the cover material is pulled onto the shaped article under tension, so that the layer of the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive contacts the shaped article, and the activation of the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive is brought about by means of the pressure resulting exclusively from the tension, and optionally of heat introduced by means of external energy supply, whereby the heat-activatedly bondable adhesive adheres to the shaped article and a durable connection of the cover material to the shaped article is produced.

Various shape memory polymer (SMP) devices are disclosed. Many of these SMP devices can be used as attachment and/or release mechanisms for any number of different applications. These SMP devices can use various characteristics of the SMP material to allow for various shape changes. These shape changes, in some embodiments, can be used to provide for release and/or attachment devices, for example, SMP bolts, SMP screws, SMP collars, SMP pillars, SMP panels, and/or SMP rivets, to name a few. An SMP device can include a first geometric state and a second geometric shape. The first geometric shape can restrict motion of two distinct objects relative to one another and the second geometrical shape can allow motion of two distinct objects relative to one another.

A film tube installed and sealed in a hollow composite part acts as an internal vacuum bag that eliminates the need for an internal mandrel to react compaction forces applied by autoclave pressure during curing of the part.

A film tube installed and sealed in a hollow composite part acts as an internal vacuum bag that eliminates the need for an internal mandrel to react compaction forces applied by autoclave pressure during curing of the part.

The present inventive concept includes a duct system and method for using same to map and locate ducts. A preferred embodiment of the duct system includes a duct, a plurality of electronic information modules and an oversheath at least partially covering the plurality of information modules and fixing the information modules to the duct. The plurality of information modules are configured to emit a positional signal to enable location of the information modules and associated duct(s) and/or mapping of the duct system.

The present subject matter provides an adhesive article having a release agent or liner that is free of silicon-containing and fluorine-containing material, and related methods of adhering a backing material of the adhesive article to a substrate. The adhesive article utilizes an amorphous polyvinyl alcohol layer that facilitates removal of an optional release liner from an adhesive layer. Upon removal of the release liner, the amorphous polyvinyl alcohol layer remains disposed on the adhesive layer. A method of adhering the backing material to a substrate includes dissolving the amorphous polyvinyl alcohol layer and disposing the backing material to a substrate. During dissolution of the amorphous polyvinyl alcohol layer, a weak, temporary bond is formed between the substrate and the backing material. When the amorphous polyvinyl alcohol layer substantially dissolves and dries, the adhesive layer is exposed and forms a permanent bond with the substrate.

Ducting and/or duct couplings can be formed from shape memory polymer material, with the material for example being additively manufactured. The use of shape memory polymer material for one or more of the duct portions may allow for easier installation of the ducting, for example allowing the ducting to be warped and/or bent to fit into or through places that are hard to reach or hard to maneuver through, with the ducting then heated to cause it to return to a predetermined memory shape. The coupling of duct portions together may be accomplished by the duct portions including a shape memory polymer material, with for example ends of the duct portions fitted together, and then heated to use a shape memory property of the material to effect coupling. Heating of the shape memory polymer material also softens the material, allowing it to move to a previously set shape.

Ducting and/or duct couplings can be formed from shape memory polymer material, with the material for example being additively manufactured. The use of shape memory polymer material for one or more of the duct portions may allow for easier installation of the ducting, for example allowing the ducting to be warped and/or bent to fit into or through places that are hard to reach or hard to maneuver through, with the ducting then heated to cause it to return to a predetermined memory shape. The coupling of duct portions together may be accomplished by the duct portions including a shape memory polymer material, with for example ends of the duct portions fitted together, and then heated to use a shape memory property of the material to effect coupling. Heating of the shape memory polymer material also softens the material, allowing it to move to a previously set shape.

The present subject matter provides a shrink film free of silicon-containing material, fluorine-containing material, and solvent-formed seams. The shrink film utilizes a water soluble layer covering an adhesive layer. The water soluble layer is in dry form and non-tacky, allowing processing of the shrink film subsequent to adhesive application to the shrink film. When the water soluble layer is dissolved, the adhesive layer is exposed and is capable of forming a permanent bond. The adhesive can be used to form a seam in the film and/or can be used to form a bond between the film and a substrate. The water soluble layer facilitates removal of an optional release liner from the adhesive. A substrate with the shrink film attached thereto and a related method of attaching a heat shrinkable film to a substrate are also disclosed.