A system for manufacturing a thermoplastic part from a blank part having a first moulding member and a second moulding member which are configured to cooperate together. A first heating body configured to heat the first moulding member and conductively heat the blank part. Two thermal insulation members are configured to cooperatively define a closed cavity in which at least the moulding members and the first heating body are arranged. A casing defining an internal volume in which at least the moulding members, the first heating body and the thermal insulation members are arranged, and a suction member is configured to lower the internal pressure in the internal volume to compress the preform part between the moulding members.

A pressing machine that applies heat and pressure to a press object transported in a first direction includes a first die having a first heater, a second die having a second heater and being disposed above the first die, a support member that supports the first die and the second die, and a movement mechanism that moves the support member from a first position to a second position located in a second direction intersecting the first direction from the first position, in which the first position is the position at which the first die and the second die apply heat and pressure to the press object and the second position is the position at which the first die and the second die do not face the press object.

The present disclosure relates systems and methods for treating various materials, such as carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP), with a Joule heating process so as to reduce or eliminate a risk of sparks or explosion due to lightning strikes. The disclosure also relates to an aircraft component with structures that have undergone a Joule heating process by way of the systems and methods described herein. An example method includes providing an electrode array having a first and second electrode set. Each of the electrode sets includes one or more disk-shaped electrodes that are arranged in an interdigitated, concentric stack about a central axis. The method also includes causing the electrode array to contact a conductive material. The method additionally includes causing a current source to provide electrical current through the first electrode set and the second electrode set so as to heat at least a portion of a conductive material.

A heat insulating plate includes a base material and a reinforcement member attached to the base material. The base material is obtained by forming a sheet-shaped glass fiber cloth having a thickness of 0.5 mm. Further, twelve reinforcement members are attached to one base material. The reinforcement members have a role of ensuring the strength of the heat insulating plate by being in contact with the plate and the platen on the upper and lower end faces. The reinforcement members are formed in a stripe shape and are formed of a metal material having a thickness of about 1 to 10 mm, The metal material having excellent compressive strength and bending strength, such as iron, stainless steel, or titanium alloy, may be adopted.

A method for reducing the resistivity of a thermoplastic film containing carbon nanotubes includes connecting an electric power supply to the thermoplastic film containing carbon nanotubes and passing electric current through the thermoplastic film containing carbon nanotubes to heat the thermoplastic film to an elevated temperature and align carbon nanotubes within the thermoplastic film. The thermoplastic film is solid at room temperature.

Presented are repair systems for fixing filler-reinforced polymer structures, methods for making/using such repair systems, and techniques for repairing surface damage/defects of multidimensional fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) panels. A repair system for fixing a contoured surface of an FRP structure includes a flexible contact sheet that is fabricated from a thermally stable polymer, and has a textured contact surface that seats on the FRP structure and overlays the damaged area. A rigid cover sheet, which may be fabricated from a metal material, a polymeric material, and/or resin-impregnated fiber, has a complementary surface that conforms to the contoured surface of the FRP structure and covers the flexible contact sheet. The repair system also includes a heating element that lays against the rigid cover sheet and applies heat to the contoured surface with a substantially uniform profile that is sufficient to soften/melt portions of the FRP structure neighboring the damaged area.

The invention relates to a device for heating preform bodies or flat or preformed semi-finished products from thermoplastic material (3), comprising at least one base body (1.0, 2.0), on the surface of which at least a first layer or coating is formed, which comprises at least one electric heating resistor in the form of a flat, geometrically arranged conductor loop. The base body also has contact elements, by which the at least one heating resistor can be connected to a power source, wherein, as a result of the geometrically arranged conductor loop(s), a defined temperature profile can be generated, which can be transmitted contactlessly to the preform body or the semi-finished product by an outer contact layer formed on the first layer or coating, by contact the surface of a preform body or semi-finished product and/or by using convection or thermal radiation. During a transmission of the defined temperature profile, the preform body or the semi-finished product is arranged at a distance to the contact layer(s).

A device for marking a work piece that is at least partially formed or reshaped through a thermal process is provided. The device includes a plurality of heating elements distributed laterally on a surface that is placed against the work piece and can be individually controlled for local heating of a work piece surface. Each of the heating elements includes a solid material with a surface structure and a heating structure. The surface structure includes at least one of a specifically or randomly varied topography. The surface structure can be at least partially heated through the heating structure.

A composite laminate heating tool broadly comprising a substructure, a facesheet, and number of expansion joints. The substructure supports the facesheet but does not need to have the same or a similar CTE as the facesheet because the facesheet is free to expand relative to the substructure. The expansion joints provide an interface between the facesheet and the substructure so that the facesheet can thermally expand relative to the substructure while being fully supported by the substructure. Each expansion joint includes a guide attached to the substructure and a support member translatable relative to the guide and aligned radially from a centroid or center of expansion of the facesheet so as to have a single degree of freedom.

A method and a device are disclosed for heating carbon fiber strands. The method heats a carbon fiber strand by supplying an electric current to the carbon fiber strand. The device is designed to carry out the method.