Provided are a method and an apparatus for manufacturing a fiber-reinforced resin molding material by which, when the fiber-reinforced resin molding material is manufactured, separated fiber bundles can be supplied to a cutting machine in stable condition while avoiding the influence of meandering of the fiber bundles or slanting or meandering of filaments occurring in the fiber bundles. A method for manufacturing a sheet-shaped fiber-reinforced resin molding material in which spaces between filaments of cut-out fiber bundles (CF) are impregnated with resin includes, so that a condition of the following expression (1) is satisfied, intermittently separating fibers of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) in a longitudinal direction by a rotational blade (18) serving as a fiber separating part and cutting out the fiber bundles with an interval therebetween in a longitudinal direction of a cutting machine (13A) to obtain the cut-out fiber bundles (CF). Expression (1): 1≤a/L (where a represents a length of a separated part of the continuous fiber bundles (CF) and L represents an interval when the fiber bundles (CF) are cut out in the longitudinal direction.)

An apparatus for forming a weld between a first portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material and a second portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and a structure for holding said first and second electrodes in opposition to one other with a space therebetween for receiving said first portion and said second portion in contact with one another. The structure is electrically non-conductive and an electrical circuit comprising a power source and a switch arranged such that closure of said switch applies a voltage potential across said first electrode and said second electrode so as to generate heat via electrical resistance, the heat being sufficient to melt regions of said first and second portions.

An apparatus for forming a weld between a first portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material and a second portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and a structure for holding said first and second electrodes in opposition to one other with a space therebetween for receiving said first portion and said second portion in contact with one another. The structure is electrically non-conductive and an electrical circuit comprising a power source and a switch arranged such that closure of said switch applies a voltage potential across said first electrode and said second electrode so as to generate heat via electrical resistance, the heat being sufficient to melt regions of said first and second portions.

A frame device for retaining and positioning sheet materials and possible reinforcing materials intended to be thermoformed to obtain objects made of composite material includes a first tubular element defining internally a first vacuum chamber for grasping by aspiration a first sheet material and a second tubular element defining internally a second vacuum chamber, separate from, and independent of the first vacuum chamber and configured for grasping by aspiration a second sheet material. The first tubular element and the second tubular element are fixed together permanently so as to define a grasping frame-structure configured as a single piece. A third vacuum chamber is defined in the grasping frame structure, separate and independent of the first and second vacuum chambers and configured for removing air from the zone that is interposed between the first and second sheet materials and which is intended for being possibly occupied by the reinforcing materials.

A method for the design, manufacture, and assembly of modular lattice structures composed of cuboctahedron unit cells.

A method for assembling a sheet (40) and an iron-based metal part (80) comprising a step of fitting a tubular pin (10) which is open at both ends by punching through the sheet (40) with a shank of the pin with the pin being retained (10) by the sheet, wherein a pad is detached from the first sheet (40), and a flange of the pin abuts against the surface of the sheet (40) once the through-punching has been carried out, and the elastic returns of the shank of the pin (10) and the sheet (40) compress the outer surface of the shank, or by overmoulding the pin in the sheet, and subsequently a step of welding a metal tube of the pin (10) to the iron-based metal part (80) by bringing a flee end (24) of the metal tube into contact with the surface of the iron-based metal part (80) by means of electric resistance welding (90).

A method for assembling a sheet (40) and an iron-based metal part (80) comprising a step of fitting a tubular pin (10) which is open at both ends by punching through the sheet (40) with a shank of the pin with the pin being retained (10) by the sheet, wherein a pad is detached from the first sheet (40), and a flange of the pin abuts against the surface of the sheet (40) once the through-punching has been carried out, and the elastic returns of the shank of the pin (10) and the sheet (40) compress the outer surface of the shank, or by overmoulding the pin in the sheet, and subsequently a step of welding a metal tube of the pin (10) to the iron-based metal part (80) by bringing a flee end (24) of the metal tube into contact with the surface of the iron-based metal part (80) by means of electric resistance welding (90).

A method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade capable of being easily manufactured and improving structural strength. The method of manufacturing the wind turbine blade includes performing spar cap formation in which a first-type spar cap having a structure in which support plates including reinforcing fibers are stacked and a second-type spar cap including reinforcing fiber sheets are formed, performing shell formation in which a pressure side shell and a suction side shell are formed by injecting a resin in a state in which the first-type spar cap, the second-type spar cap, and a core panel are disposed between an inner skin and an outer skin, and performing shell assembly in which the pressure side shell is joined to the suction side shell.

A method of fabricating a composite material, the method comprises the steps of a) providing a first layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, preferably a thermoset FRP, b) providing an array of thermoplastic islands across at least a proportion of a major surface of the first layer, c) providing a second layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, preferably a thermoset FRP, d) laying the second layer over at least some of the islands, and e) securing the first and second layers together. There is also disclosed a composite which comprises a first layer of a fibre reinforced polymer and a second layer of a fibre reinforced polymer, between which is an intervening layer comprising an array of thermoplastic islands.

A joined article includes a first component having a laser-treated surface portion and a second component having a laser-treated surface portion. An adhesive joins the first component to the second component at the treated surface portion. A method of making a joined article form components and a system for making joined articles are also disclosed.