This specification discloses an article of manufacture. The article of manufacture has at least one structural blank and at least one guide. The structural blank has a plurality of oriented fiber plies in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide has a plurality of random dispersed fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide is affixed to the structural blank by injection molding and over molding the guide onto the structural blank. The article of manufacture can take a number of forms for use in industries such as aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trains or watercraft.

Systems and methods for joining blade components of a rotor blade are provided. A method includes positioning a first blade component and a second blade component such that a joint location of the first blade component and a joint location of the second blade component are proximate each other. The method further includes applying a force to an outer surface of the second blade component and an opposing force to an inner surface of the second blade component. The force and opposing force maintain an aerodynamic contour of the second blade component. The method further includes connecting the joint location of the first blade component and the joint location of the second blade component together.

Systems and methods for joining blade components of a rotor blade are provided. A method includes positioning a first blade component and a second blade component such that a joint location of the first blade component and a joint location of the second blade component are proximate each other. The method further includes applying a force to an outer surface of the second blade component and an opposing force to an inner surface of the second blade component. The force and opposing force maintain an aerodynamic contour of the second blade component. The method further includes connecting the joint location of the first blade component and the joint location of the second blade component together.

The present disclosure relates to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) object with an additive manufacturing system, comprising a step consisting in printing layers of the three-dimensional object from the part material comprising at least one poly(aryl ether sulfone) (PAES) polymer and at least one per(halo)fluoropolymer (FP), having a melt viscosity measured according to ASTM D3835, at 372° C. and 1000 s−1, using a using a Hastelloy die of 1 mm×10 mm, of at most 1.5×103 Pa.Math.s. The present invention also relates to polymeric part material, e.g. filaments or pellets, comprising such a PAES and a FP, as well as to the use of PAES and PF to prepare pellets or filaments and to print 3D objects.

The invention pertains to a method for manufacturing a three-dimensional (3D) object, using a powdered material (M) comprising at least one poly(arylene sulfide) polymer, in particular to a 3D object obtainable by selective sintering from this powdered polymer material (M).

A consumable material configured for use in an additive manufacturing system includes a polymeric matrix having polyetherersulfone (PES) in a range of between about 30 wt % and about 85 wt % of the polymeric matrix and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) in a range between about 15 wt % and about 70 wt % of the polymeric matrix, wherein the polymeric matrix is in a media form suitable for processing in the additive manufacturing system and having a Tg that is about 190° C. or greater and a coefficient of thermal expansion of less than about 30 μm/(m.Math.° C.). The consumable material is suitable for use in 3D printing of composite mold tools.

A process for welding a first molding to a second molding. The process uses an implement including first and second external surfaces. Each external surface further includes a duct. An end of the first molding is heated by a hot gas while the end is at a distance from the duct-entry plane in the range from 3 mm outside the duct to 10 mm inside the duct. A junction area of the second molding is heated by a hot gas while the junction area is at a distance from the duct-entry plane in a range from 3 mm outside the duct to 10 mm inside the duct. The heated end and the heated junction area are then brought into contact with one another and cooled, forming a weld between the first molding and the second molding. Also disclosed is a welded molding obtainable by the process of the invention.

A process for welding a first molding to a second molding. The process uses an implement including first and second external surfaces. Each external surface further includes a duct. An end of the first molding is heated by a hot gas while the end is at a distance from the duct-entry plane in the range from 3 mm outside the duct to 10 mm inside the duct. A junction area of the second molding is heated by a hot gas while the junction area is at a distance from the duct-entry plane in a range from 3 mm outside the duct to 10 mm inside the duct. The heated end and the heated junction area are then brought into contact with one another and cooled, forming a weld between the first molding and the second molding. Also disclosed is a welded molding obtainable by the process of the invention.

A method of forming a polymer-metal nanocomposite (PMNC) material with a substantially uniform dispersion of metal particles includes forming a composite solid preform by mixing a blend of micrometer-sized metal particles and polymer particles and subjecting the mixture to compression followed by sintering. The composite solid preform is drawn through a heated zone to form a reduced size fiber. The reduced size fiber is cut into segments and a next preform is formed using the bundle of the segments. The next preform is then drawn through the heated zone to form yet another reduced size fiber. This reduced size fiber may undergo one or more stack-and-draw operations to yield a final fiber having substantially uniform dispersion of nanometer-sized metal particles therein.

A process for the production of expanded material based on sulfone polymers includes an extrusion step in an extruder of virgin sulfone polymer with the injection of at least one expanding agent and in the presence of at least one nucleating agent, and a recycling step of part of the expanded material, which provides a recycled product used as raw material fed to the extruder in combination with the virgin sulfone polymer.