A method of bonding a second object to a first object includes: providing the first object, which includes a thermoplastic liquefiable material in a solid state; providing the second object, which includes a surface portion that has a coupling structure with an undercut such that the second object can make a positive-fit connection with the first object; and pressing the second object against the first object with a tool that is in physical contact with a coupling-in structure of the second object while mechanical vibrations are coupled into the tool. The step of pressing and coupling vibrations into the tool continues until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the first object is liquefied and flows into the coupling structures of the second object. Thereafter, the thermoplastic material of the first object is permitted to re-solidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects.

A component including at least one joint, at which a joining connection to a further component is to be formed later, is provided. A joining element having a holding section is pressed into the component, and the joining element also has a functional section, by way of which at least one further function can be implemented. The holding section of the joining element is arranged in a passage hole, and the passage hole is widened in at least one edge region by an embossing. The holding section of the joining element is pressed into the passage hole and is connected to the hole wall in a force-fitting and/or form-fitting manner and engages in the embossing. A component combination of at least two components which includes such a component and a method for producing the component and the component combination are also provided.

A method of producing thermoplastic resin composite material in which a main base material containing thermoplastic resin and a sheet-like shaped auxiliary base material are integrally molded and are made into composite material. The production method includes the steps of: heating the auxiliary base material (step S1); disposing the heated auxiliary base material in a mold (step S2); disposing the main base material in the mold via the auxiliary base material (step S3); closing the mold, and pressing together and integrally molding the auxiliary base material and the main base material (step S4); and taking out the integrally-molded thermoplastic resin composite material from the mold.

A process and assembly for incorporating a molded automotive fluid dispensing and manifold distribution system into an injection molded panel, including the steps of providing a mold and forming in a first injection molded shot a thermoplastic panel of a first material, opening the mold and positioning against a surface of the panel a previously produced manifold distribution system including at least a main manifold section and at least one branching section communicating with a nozzle outlet and reclosing the mold and subsequently forming in a second injection molded shot a second softer thermoplastic material in order to bond the manifold system to the first show panel. Other steps include forming the manifold distribution system in a secondary cavity with the first shot panel, following which a pick-and-place robot aligns the panel and manifold prior to the shot of softer material.

A process for welding of at least two separate vehicle panels (12, 14) to form an integral part (16) for a vehicle. There is provided at least one first panel (12) including a first weld line area (18) and at least one second panel (14) including a corresponding second weld line area (19), the second weld line area (19) abutting in a weldable relationship to the first weld line area (18). The first and second weld line areas (18, 19) have at least one first weldable portion (22) and at least one second portion (24) at which welding is substantially hindered during welding attachment of the first and second panels (12, 14). The process includes applying a curable adhesive at each second portion (24), placing in a welding fixture and welding the panels (12, 14) at each first weldable portion (22) such that the panels (12, 14) are held together during curing of the adhesive.

The present invention provides a method for producing a molded article by pressing a composite material containing a resin composition and carbon fibers, wherein the resin composition contains a polyamide resin, a copper compound and potassium halide, and (1) the copper compound content is 0.1 parts by mass or more relative to 100 parts by mass of the polyamide resin.

Motor vehicle sub-assembly (10) comprising a first part (20) made of plastic material forming an outer bodywork skin, and a second part (30) made of plastic material forming an internal structure to which said first part (20) is attached, characterised in that the second part (30) comprises at least one mechanical reinforcement (40) made of thermoplastic material having a Young's modulus less than that of the plastic material of the second part (30), and a coefficient of elongation at break greater than that of the plastic material of the second part (30).

Machine for welding workpieces made of plastic materials of the type comprising: two workpiece-carrying fixtures each provided with a template having a recess adapted to accommodate a respective plastic workpiece to be welded; a moving assembly adapted to selectively couple and press the two workpiece-carrying fixtures to/against each other, so as to tighten the plastic workpieces housed in the templates one against the other; a vibrating member which is adapted to vibrate on command a first workpiece-carrying fixture; automatic piece locking means adapted to selectively lock/immobilise the plastic workpiece to be welded inside the template of the first workpiece-carrying fixture; and an electronic control unit adapted to drive/control said automatic piece locking means.

A vehicle body member manufacturing method and a vehicle body member joint portion seal structure are obtained that are capable of suppressing sinking of a sealing material filled into a recess formed by a first member and a second member. A sealing material is filled into a recess provided between a general face of an upper end portion of center pillar R/F and a general face of side rail R/F. After the sealing material has cured, sealing material is filled into the recess on top of the initial sealing material. This enables the surface of the sealing material to be levelled, thus enabling sinking at the surface of the sealing material to be suppressed.

A dust cover is configured to cover an outer side of a damper extending in a predetermined direction. The dust cover includes bellows portions and a flange portion. The bellows portions are inclined alternately toward a radially outer side and a radially inner side in an axial direction. The flange portion extends radially outward from a cylindrical portion of the dust cover. The flange portion protrudes radially outward from the cylindrical portion of the dust cover by a dimension larger than a height dimension in a radial direction between a radially inner end and a radially outer end of each of the bellows portions. A thickness of the flange portion is larger than a thickness of the radially outer end of each of the bellows portions.