A method for manufacturing a thin film structural system including a thin film structure includes depositing a reinforcing material in a liquid form in a predefined pattern on a thin film membrane, and transforming the reinforcing material in the predefined pattern to form a reinforcing element connected to the thin film membrane. The reinforcing material may be deposited in a melted form and solidified by cooling, may be transformed by a light or laser induced chemical reaction, or may be deposited and solidified such that the reinforcing element is at least partially embedded in the thin film membrane. The predefined pattern may redistribute loads around a damaged portion of the thin film structure, or define a hinge, a folding line, a stiffening feature. The reinforcing element may be electrically, optically or thermally conductive, to communicate with a device included in the system. The system may be a space structure.

A device for producing a curved fiber preform from a bi- or multidirectional fiber semi-finished product, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft fuselage component has first lamellae and second lamellae formed to be couplable to one another criss-cross such that they are positioned on a shared plane and thus form a grid. The lamellae at least in part are formed resiliently bendable about an axis intersecting the shared plane such that a local orientation of the lamellae in the grid changes. An adhesion device or structure is formed for temporarily adhering the fiber semi-finished product and is configured such that the local fiber orientation of the fiber semi-finished product also changes accordingly when the lamellae bend.

An apparatus is provided for modifying the geometry of at least one part of a turbine, which can include a shell assembly that includes an outer shell that is shaped to modify the shape of a pre-existing element of a turbine. The outer shell of the shell assembly can be composed of a fiber-reinforced polymeric material and can at least partially define an inner cavity. The outer shell can be bonded to a structure to modify the geometrical shape of that structure. Thereafter, a polymer casting can be injected into the inner cavity via at least one injection port attached to the shell assembly. In some embodiments, one or more stiffeners and/or a core can be positioned within the inner cavity to help improve the bonding of the polymer casting to the shell and/or improve a structural property of the apparatus.

A method for manufacturing a lining panel with integrated electric lines for a lining of a passenger cabin of an aircraft or spacecraft includes using an additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing technique to form the electric lines on or into a panel body of the lining panel. A lining panel with integrated electric lines for a lining of a passenger cabin of an aircraft or spacecraft includes a panel body and electric lines being formed on or into the panel body using an AM or 3D printing technique.

A method of making a worm gear. The method includes forming a gear blank having a plurality of individual lugs formed about an outer circumferential edge of said blank to facilitate a uniform flow of a material around said plurality of individual lugs. The method also includes molding said material around said plurality of individual lugs to form a ring.

A method of making a worm gear. The method includes forming a gear blank having a plurality of individual lugs formed about an outer circumferential edge of said blank to facilitate a uniform flow of a material around said plurality of individual lugs. The method also includes molding said material around said plurality of individual lugs to form a ring.

A crank arm for a bicycle may include a body extending along a body axis and having a first body end and a second body end axially spaced apart from the first body end. The insert may also include an insert provided toward the first body end. The insert may include a base portion having a radially outer surface. At least one extension may extend outwardly from the radially outer surface and may be encased within a corresponding recess in the body whereby relative planar movement between the body and the at least one extension in a first plane. The retaining portion may have a retaining portion width measured in the first direction and the retaining width may be greater than the throat width thereby inhibiting relative radial movement between the at least one extension and the recess and preventing radial extraction of the extension from the corresponding recess.

A sheet metal member forming method comprises placing a fiber bundle of a predetermined length, via a thermosetting resin, in a predetermined position on a surface of a sheet metal member, forming a coating film on at least a part of the sheet metal member after the placing of the fiber bundle, and while heating and drying the coating film, heat-curing the thermosetting resin to bond the fiber bundle to the sheet metal member.

Methods of fabricating seal caps using three-dimensional printing are disclosed. The seal caps are useful for sealing fasteners.

Methods of fabricating seal caps using three-dimensional printing are disclosed. The seal caps are useful for sealing fasteners.