Systems and methods are provided for curing composite products. One exemplary embodiment is an edge breather for composite manufacturing. The edge breather is formed of a rigid material and includes an elongated body having a top open structure with a cross section that defines an arch. The edge breather also includes hollow passageways within the elongated body that are underneath the top structure and travel along a length of the elongated body. The top open structure defines multiple openings forming an open mesh through which air may enter.

A method is provided for plastic forming of a ball which forms a connecting element or part of a connecting element intended for connecting at least two components. At least some of the energy required for the plastic forming of the ball is introduced into the ball by way of ultrasound.

A method is provided for producing a component connection. The method includes the following steps: providing a first component, providing a first ball, pressing the first ball against the first component by a sonotrode, vibrating the first ball by the sonotrode such that material of the first ball and/or material of the first component melts, and the first ball is welded to the first component, providing a second ball, pressing the second ball against the first ball by the same sonotrode or another sonotrode, and vibrating the second ball by the same sonotrode or the other sonotrode such that material of the second ball and/or material of the first ball melts, and the second ball is welded to the first ball.

A device for adhering different kinds of materials is configured to adhere a metal material and a composite material having an adhering hole. The device includes a frame having first and second free ends that face each other. A laser head is provided at the first free end of the frame and irradiates a laser beam to an adhering point of the metal material. An upper tool moves back and forth at the first free end of the frame and presses the metal material. A lower tool is fixed to the second free end of the frame so as to correspond to the upper tool and supports an adhering point of the composite material. An air suction member is connected to the lower tool to suck air between the lower tool and the adhering hole of the composite material.

A method is provided for producing a component connection. The method includes the steps of: providing a first component that is made of a thermoplastic plastic material at least in the region of a portion of the surface thereof; providing a ball that is made of a thermoplastic plastic material in at least one region of the surface thereof; pressing the ball on the first component such that the thermoplastic plastic material of the ball comes into contact with the thermoplastic plastic material of the first component; vibrating the ball using an ultrasonic sonotrode and welding the ball with the first component; providing a second component having a through hole; bringing the second component to the first component in such a way that the ball projects at least into the through hole of the second component or a portion projects to a certain extent through the through hole; clipping a clip element to the ball, wherein the clip element projects beyond the through hole and joins both components to one another in an interlocking and/or force-locked manner.

An acoustic attenuation panel includes a cellular structure including a plurality of acoustic cells separated from one another by peripheral partitions, a perforated acoustic structure, the perforated acoustic structure and the cellular structure being formed in one piece in a first material, and a porous acoustic layer formed of a second material and fastened to a surface of the perforated acoustic structure by entangling the first material and the second material.

A container having an annular sidewall with upper and lower annular peripheral edges and a lattice structure of elongate ribs interconnecting the upper and lower annular peripheral edges, wherein the lattice structure is an open framework defining a plurality of sidewall openings, and a base having an annular peripheral edge which is integral with the lower annular peripheral edge of the sidewall, the annular peripheral edge of the base surrounding a base wall structure which is integral therewith, the base wall structure having at least one injection moulding sprue at a central region of the base wall structure, wherein the at least one injection moulding sprue is connected to the upper annular peripheral edge of the annular sidewall by the base wall structure, the annular peripheral edge of the base, the lower annular peripheral edge of the sidewall and the lattice structure of the sidewall, wherein the sidewall and the base are composed of a thermoplastic polymer and define a central concavity for packaging a product, and wherein the container further has a flexible sheet which is bonded to the lattice structure to cover the sidewall openings and form a sealed sidewall surface of the container.

The invention relates to a method for producing plastics containers (15) from thermoplastics with inserts (13) which, by exploiting the heat of plasticization, are connected during shaping of the plastics container (15) by a material bond and/or interlocking connection to the container wall (140), wherein the method provides the use of at least one opening (26) on the insert (13), which opening forms a melt duct or melt inlet and/or melt passage for plasticized or plastic material of the container wall (140), wherein the method is distinguished in that the opening (26) is monitored as a reference opening (26) by optical and/or sensory means during the production of the connection, wherein the degree of penetration of the opening (26) with thermoplastic from the container wall (140) is used as a measure of the quality of the connection.

A method and a connecting element for joining two components, at least one of which is made of a fiber-reinforced composite, are proposed.

Method for stake-fastening an accessory (4) into a plastic fuel tank, whereby: the accessory (4) is equipped with at least one orifice (5) which passes right through the accessory (4); at least some of the plastic of which the wall of the tank (1) is made is melted; and some of the molten plastic is forced through the orifice (5) of the accessory without becoming detached from the remainder of the molten plastic; the protruding molten plastic is given an appropriate shape (8) to obtain a self-formed plastic rivet, and is left to solidify;
the size and shape of the orifice (5) and/or of the solidified plastic (8) being such that the accessory (4) is mechanically fastened to the tank by at least some of the solidified plastic (8), the stake-fastening of the accessory (4) occurring at the time of manufacture of the tank (1) through the moulding of a split or at least two-part parison.