A floor may include a substrate having a top side and a bottom side. A top layer may be provided on the substrate. The top layer may consist of a printed thermoplastic film and a thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer provided on the printed thermoplastic film. The top layer may be directly adhered to the substrate by heat welding the printed thermoplastic film and the top side of the substrate, in the absence of a glue layer. The substrate may be a synthetic material board including a filler. The substrate at least at two opposite edges may include coupling means provided in the synthetic material board. The thermoplastic transparent or translucent layer may be provided with a structure.

An assembly includes a first part made of composite material including a polymer matrix and a second part made of metal. The two parts are assembled by opposite or assembly faces along an interface subjected to shear loads. The first part is made of a composite having continuous reinforcing fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The second part includes, on its assembly face, a coupling form having a plurality of patterns. Each pattern has a closed contour in a plane parallel to the assembly face of the second part and extends along a direction normal to the assembly face of the second part. A method for making such an assembly is also provided.

An assembly includes a first part made of composite material including a polymer matrix and a second part made of metal. The two parts are assembled by opposite or assembly faces along an interface subjected to shear loads. The first part is made of a composite having continuous reinforcing fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The second part includes, on its assembly face, a coupling form having a plurality of patterns. Each pattern has a closed contour in a plane parallel to the assembly face of the second part and extends along a direction normal to the assembly face of the second part. A method for making such an assembly is also provided.

A fibrous preform (1) is produced, provided with a sandwich structure comprising an intermediate flexible core (4) and two outer fibrous frames (2, 3), respectively arranged on opposing outer faces of said flexible core (4) and assembled by sections of wire (8, 9) passing through said fibrous frames (2, 3), said preform (1) being impregnated with resin. Said preform is then hardened and the core (4) is removed, preferably by pre-densification with chemical vapour infiltration, and the structure produced is then densified with liquid-phase infiltration.

A method of manufacturing a custom sized plastic tote lighter in weight than heretofore known custom sized plastic totes is provided. The method comprises separating an injection molded tote into upper and lower portions by cutting the injection molded tote. A sleeve or middle portion of plastic material is secured to the upper and lower portions of the injection molded tote to create a custom sized plastic tote of a desired height. Alternatively, portions of different injection molded totes may be used to create a custom sized plastic tote. The sleeve may be made from different materials and may be made of multiple pieces.

A method of manufacturing a custom sized plastic tote lighter in weight than heretofore known custom sized plastic totes is provided. The method comprises separating an injection molded tote into upper and lower portions by cutting the injection molded tote. A sleeve or middle portion of plastic material is secured to the upper and lower portions of the injection molded tote to create a custom sized plastic tote of a desired height. Alternatively, portions of different injection molded totes may be used to create a custom sized plastic tote. The sleeve may be made from different materials and may be made of multiple pieces.

A fabric processing method and component (e.g., a vehicle component) includes providing and/or arranging a first fabric charge and a second fabric charge. A multi-piece fabric assembly is formed for single stage draping by stitching together the first and second fabric charges along a neutral stitching path. The multi-piece fabric assembly is formed into a three-dimensional shape and is then impregnated with a polymeric material to form the component.

A process for joining fiber composite materials using self-piercing rivets. The process includes contacting first and second panels. The second panel is a fiber composite material. The process further includes elevating a temperature of only a fastening portion of the second panel. The process also includes placing the first and second panels on a die and joining the first and second panels with one or more rivets while the fastening portion is at an elevated temperature.

A process for joining fiber composite materials using self-piercing rivets. The process includes contacting first and second panels. The second panel is a fiber composite material. The process further includes elevating a temperature of only a fastening portion of the second panel. The process also includes placing the first and second panels on a die and joining the first and second panels with one or more rivets while the fastening portion is at an elevated temperature.

A new ultrasonic aided laser joining method (UAL) for bonding dissimilar materials has been developed. The method is capable of eliminating the laser-induced bubbles at the bonding faces and to improve the joint strength over that of the conventional laser-assisted metal and plastic joining method (LAMP). Some experiments on joining titanium to polyethylene terephthalate have been conducted to show the superiority of UAL over LAMP. The results showed that the joint strength, measured in terms of failure load, was significantly increased when ultrasonic vibration was employed during laser joining. For the LAMP joined specimens, fracture normally occurred at the metal-plastic interface, whereas for the UAL joined specimens, fracture normally occurred in the parent plastic part. The improvement in joint strength is mainly due to the elimination of pores in the resolidified plastic. In addition, ultrasound vibration promotes chemical bonding between the plastic and metal parts, and this is supported by the XPS results.