A welding method includes: moving a welding head toward a plurality of workpieces, wherein each of the plurality of workpieces includes a polymeric composite, the polymeric composite includes a polymer matrix and a plurality of fibers, and each of the fibers includes a magnetic material; applying a joining pressure to the workpieces with the welding head; applying energy to the plurality of workpieces to melt an interface between the plurality of workpieces, wherein a weld plane is defined at the interface between the plurality of workpieces; and applying a magnetic field to the plurality of workpieces to change an orientation of the plurality of fibers relative to the polymer matrix in the weld area so that the fibers in a weld area are at an angle relative to the weld plane.

A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic composite product includes: providing a first and second thermoplastic composite component made from a consolidated stack of thermoplastic composite plies, said first and second component having a first and second ply drop off, respectively. The first and second components are positioned such that the first ply drop off and the second ply drop off are aligned, and the first and second components are fixedly connected by means of heating. The stacks of plies for the first and second components are constructed by stacking the plies in a stacking direction wherein the plies are arranged such that plies at a different position along the stacking direction are laterally offset relative to each other for the purpose of forming the first ply drop off and the second ply drop off, respectively, before consolidating.

A method for fusing thermoplastic composite structures includes placing a substructure on an inner surface of a skin that is laid up on a shaping surface of a tool configured to maintain the shape of an outer mold line. The method further includes applying at least one insulation layer over a flange of the substructure and over exposed portions of the inner surface of the skin not in contact with the substructure, and applying a vacuum bag to at least partly enclose the skin and the substructure. The method yet still further includes applying heat to the shaping surface to fuse the substructure to the skin such that the skin exceeds its melting point and at least a portion of a raised segment of the substructure does not exceed its melting point.

According to a method of the present invention for treating a terminal portion of an interior part for a vehicle, the terminal portion is stably maintained in a folded state by being welded firmly and deformation is constrained.

In a heating step, in a state where distal end edges of heat shield panels 30A and 30B are abutted against a boundary between a terminal portion 4 and an adjacent portion 5 of a peripheral edge portion 3 of an opening of a roof trim 1 for a sunroof, hot-air is provided toward a back surface of the terminal portion 4 from hot-air nozzles 40A and 40B, thereby softening the terminal portion 4 and melting the back surface of the terminal portion 4. In a folding-back step, the terminal portion 4 is folded back by pressing members 50A and 50B at the distal end edges of the heat shield panels 30A and 30B and then pressed against the adjacent portion 5, thereby welding the back surface of the terminal portion 4 to a back surface of the adjacent portion 5. A ventilation opening 32a is formed in the heat shield panel 30A disposed at a corner portion. In the heating step, a portion of the hot-air from the hot-air nozzle 40A is guided to the adjacent portion 5 through the ventilation opening 32a to heat the adjacent portion 5.

A system for providing covers for surface areas of built structures; the system including a film of heat shrinkable material for stretching and heat shrinking over one or more of the surfaces of the built structure; the film formed as a sheet comprising an assembly of lengths of the heat shrinkable material prepared on a supporting surface; characterized in that the sheet is prepared by applying heat to overlap portions between adjoining lengths of the heat shrinkable material while the overlap portions are secured in contact between the supporting, surface and a guide rail assembly laid over the overlap portions; the overlap portions welded together by a heat gun moveable along the guide rail assembly at a predetermined distance above the overlap portions.

A method for fusing thermoplastic composite structures includes placing a substructure on an inner surface of a skin that is laid up on a shaping surface of a tool configured to maintain the shape of an outer mold line. The method further includes applying at least one insulation layer over a flange of the substructure and over exposed portions of the inner surface of the skin not in contact with the substructure, and applying a vacuum bag to at least partly enclose the skin and the substructure. The method yet still further includes applying heat to the shaping surface to fuse the substructure to the skin such that the skin exceeds its melting point and at least a portion of a raised segment of the substructure does not exceed its melting point.

A method for fusing thermoplastic composite structures includes placing a substructure on an inner surface of a skin that is laid up on a shaping surface of a tool configured to maintain the shape of an outer mold line. The method further includes applying at least one insulation layer over a flange of the substructure and over exposed portions of the inner surface of the skin not in contact with the substructure, and applying a vacuum bag to at least partly enclose the skin and the substructure. The method yet still further includes applying heat to the shaping surface to fuse the substructure to the skin such that the skin exceeds its melting point and at least a portion of a raised segment of the substructure does not exceed its melting point.

The present invention pertains to a method to manufacture a textile product comprising a first sheet having a width and a length, and polymer yarns fastened to this sheet to form a pile thereon, the method comprising providing the sheet, stitching the polymer yarns through the sheet to form the pile on a first surface of the sheet and loops of the yarns at a second surface of the sheet, transporting the sheet in a direction parallel to its length along a heating element, the heating element being directed to the second surface of the sheet, heating the second surface with the heating element to at least partly melt the loops of the yarns to fasten the yarns to the sheet, wherein the method comprises transporting the sheet in contact with the heating element, wherein the heating element is a stationary rigid plate-like element having a width corresponding to the width of the sheet, and a length that extends parallel to the length of the sheet, the plate being curved in its length direction, wherein the outer circumference of the plate is contacted with the sheet. The invention also pertains to a method to use a textile product obtained with the new method and a device for applying the said method.

A process for producing a polymeric stiffened sheet-like component, for example a panel, for aircraft construction. Production includes integration of hollow stiffening profiles, for example closed omega stringers, onto a sheet-like component, for example an external skin, where the stringers and external skin are produced from thermoplastic composite material. The stringers are integrated onto the external skin by establishing contact between the stringers and the external skin and melting thermoplastic composite material with exposure to heat and pressure at the areas of contact between external skin and stringers. Melting of the other sections of the stringers is avoided with a pressurized cooling fluid with a temperature significantly below the melting point of thermoplastic composite material, the fluid flowing through the airtight enclosed space in the stringers. Use of closed airtight thermoplastic omega stringers allows integration of the stringers onto the external skin in absence of any flexible tube within the stringers.

A welding apparatus for a fibre reinforced resin based material comprises an elongate flexible heat conductive strip and an elongate heat sink extending around at least a portion of the perimeter of the conductive strip. The elongate heat sink is divided into a plurality of segments wherein adjacent segments can move relative to one another.