The invention relates to a process (100) for manufacturing an object (1) made of thermoplastic polymer composite from at least two parts (10) made of thermoplastic polymer composite, said thermoplastic polymer composite comprising a fibrous reinforcement and a thermoplastic polymer matrix, said process comprising the steps of: arranging (120) the two parts (10) made of thermoplastic polymer composite adjacently or overlapping at an assembly interface zone (11), and heating (130) to melt the thermoplastic polymer matrix at said assembly interface zone (11), so as to form an object (1) made of thermoplastic polymer composite comprising a welded interface (12).

A baffle assembly for use in a transportation vehicle, comprising a carrier including an interior portion that includes a plurality of walls extending upward, a rim portion that extends to substantially surround the interior portion and a fastener that extends upward from the rim portion in the same direction as the plurality of walls. The baffle also includes a resinous sealant that includes a polymer that is adapted for thermal expansion upon activation by heat that is located on at least a portion of the interior portion wherein the rim portion is substantially free of any sealant.

A method for filling a multi-chamber profile with foam includes providing the multi-chamber profile, which is a closed hollow chamber profile with at least two chambers, where an inner wall is disposed between two chambers of the at least two chambers which are arranged directly on each other, where the inner wall separates the two chambers from each other, and where a first one of the two chambers has a foam inlet. The method further includes forming an opening in the inner wall where the opening connects the two chambers and introducing a flowable foam material via the foam inlet into the first one of the two chambers such that the foam material is distributed within the first one of the two chambers and is introduced via the opening into a second one of the two chambers.

A composite structure of a cargo body and a method of making the same are disclosed. The composite structure includes at least one electrical grid embedded within fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) layers. The embedded electrical grid includes a plurality of conductive fibers and a plurality of insulating fibers integrated into a polymer matrix of the FRP layers. The embedded electrical grid may be used for power distribution, structural strengthening and stiffness, and/or puncture detection.

A composite oil pan for a work vehicle engine and a method of forming the composite engine oil pan include forming a sheet of metal into a first pan and open molding a fiber-reinforced polymer resin onto the first pan forming a second pan. The first pan has a first bottom wall and first peripheral walls extending from edges of the first bottom wall to define a sump, the first peripheral walls terminating in a first peripheral flange. The second pan has a second bottom wall and second peripheral walls abutting the first bottom wall and the first peripheral walls, the second peripheral walls terminating in a second peripheral flange. The first pan defines a thin metal structure with an inner surface extending across the first bottom wall, first peripheral walls and first peripheral flange; the second pan reinforces the first pan without abutting the inner surface.

A sonotrode includes multiple layers of a material melted to one another to form a structure. The structure provides a base that has an attachment feature that is configured to operatively secure to an ultrasonic converter. The structure includes a shaft that extends from the base to a terminal end that provides a working surface that is configured to selectively engage a workpiece. The structure has at least one shaft that includes a first shaft that extends from the base to a first terminal end that provides a first working surface that is configured to selectively engage a workpiece. The first shaft is integrally formed with the base from the multiple layers to provide an unbroken, monolithic construction.

A lighting and signaling device for automotive vehicles, comprising a container body delimiting a containment housing closed by a lenticular body, which accommodates at least one first light source and is closed by a lenticular body, a first light guide configured to receive as input at least partially the light beam produced by the first light source, transmits the light beam by total internal reflection along a first prevailing propagation direction and sends it as output from the lenticular body. A fixing and/or screen element, opaque to the light beam is associated with the first light guide at a first interface wall, and is fixed either directly or indirectly onto the container body to mechanically block the first light guide onto the container body. The first light guide is mechanically fixed to the fixing and/or screen element by at least one first welding portion which projects from the first interface wall.

A headrest assembly includes a lattice matrix having a plurality of three-dimensional (3D) cells. Each 3D cell of includes a node and a plurality of links outwardly extending from the node. The lattice matrix includes a plurality of sections including a first section having a first overall elastic modulus, a second section positioned adjacent to the first section and having a second overall elastic modulus that is higher than the first overall elastic modulus of the first section, and a third section positioned adjacent to the second section and having a third overall elastic modulus that is higher than the second overall elastic modulus of the second section. The lattice matrix is integrally constructed using an additive manufacturing technique, wherein the 3D cells of each section are provided in various patterns and cured to varying degrees to provide the varying overall elastic moduli of each section of the lattice matrix.

Systems, methods, and apparatus are disclosed for controlling a flow of a material through a vehicle component. In some embodiments, the methods include determining a first plurality of dimensions and a second plurality of dimensions associated with a flow medium based on one or more flow properties of the vehicle component, the flow medium including a plurality of baffle layers and a plurality of spacers. The methods may further include generating at least one baffle layer based on the first plurality of dimensions, and generating at least some of the plurality of spacers based on the second plurality of dimensions, the plurality of spacers being positioned on top of the at least one baffle layer.

A lightweight suspension upright or knuckle for a vehicle including a bearing connection interface arranged coaxial with the rolling bearing and including a first sleeve element and a second sleeve element arranged radially outside the first sleeve element and including a BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body that is sandwiched between a first and second shell elements, which are coupled together in a radially superimposed manner and which are preferably obtained in a semi-cured state as self-supporting elements, to be chemically and mechanically bonded together and with the BMC/LFT/DLFT annular body in a later stage during a step of forming a core (11) to fill either completely or partially an empty space (12) delimited between the first and second shell elements (8,9).