Thermoplastic welding apparatus and related methods are disclosed. An example method includes providing a smart susceptor between composite parts that are to be joined via thermoplastic welding. The example method includes positioning the composite parts and the smart susceptor on a tooling surface within a cavity of a tooling apparatus and applying a seal to the composite parts and the tooling surface to form a vacuum chamber between the composite parts and the tooling surface at a welding joint of the composite parts; producing a magnetic field at the welding joint. The example method includes providing a vacuum in the vacuum chamber during a welding operation.

The present invention relates to a mold bottom extending about a central axis and comprising a molding wall made as a single piece and defining a molding surface; a cavity formed inside the molding wall, and having a central area, a peripheral area, and a middle area; a central pipe supplying the cavity with heat-transfer fluid, that opens in the central area via one or more central openings; and at least one pipe for discharging the heat-transfer fluid from the cavity, into which the peripheral area opens. According to the invention, the mold bottom comprises a bypass that brings the central pipe into direct communication with the middle area of the cavity by bypassing the central area.

An extruder has a valve assembly configured to move pins to open and close the nozzles in a multi-nozzle extruder head independently. The pins of the valve assembly that are driven by actuators into and out of engagement with nozzles in the extruder head are positioned within sleeves that extend between the valve assembly and the extruder head. A gap is provided between the extruder head and the end of the sleeves proximate the extruder head to enable thermoplastic material leaking from the extruder that contacts the pins to remain in a melted or plastic state so the thermoplastic material does not interfere with the movement of the pins.

A process for joining two sheeting articles reinforced with unidirectionally aligned endless-fibres by ultrasonic welding, wherein the fibres are embedded in a matrix of polycarbonate and the sheeting articles have abutting ends that are substantially rectangular and substantially even. The process comprises (1) arranging the sheeting articles next to one another end-to-end in the region of the abutting ends in a welding apparatus between a sonotrode and an anvil, (2) welding the sheeting articles by means of ultrasound, wherein the sonotrode and the anvil exert pressure on the to-be-welded sheeting articles in the melting region between the sheeting articles and perpendicularly to the abutting ends of the sheeting articles, and (3) removing the sheeting articles that are welded to one another from the welding apparatus. Also provided is a second process for joining two sheeting articles, a sheeting article, an apparatus, and a multilayer composite.

A process for joining two sheeting articles reinforced with unidirectionally aligned endless-fibres by ultrasonic welding, wherein the fibres are embedded in a matrix of polycarbonate and the sheeting articles have abutting ends that are substantially rectangular and substantially even. The process comprises (1) arranging the sheeting articles next to one another end-to-end in the region of the abutting ends in a welding apparatus between a sonotrode and an anvil, (2) welding the sheeting articles by means of ultrasound, wherein the sonotrode and the anvil exert pressure on the to-be-welded sheeting articles in the melting region between the sheeting articles and perpendicularly to the abutting ends of the sheeting articles, and (3) removing the sheeting articles that are welded to one another from the welding apparatus. Also provided is a second process for joining two sheeting articles, a sheeting article, an apparatus, and a multilayer composite.

Disclosed herein are induction heating cells and methods of using these cells for processing. An induction heating cell may be used for processing (e.g., consolidating and/or curing a composite layup having a non-planar portion. The induction heating cell comprises a caul, configured to position over and conform to this non-planar portion. Furthermore, the cell comprises a mandrel, configured to position over the caul and force the caul again the surface of the feature. The CTE of the caul may be closer to the CTE of the composite layup than to the CTE of the mandrel. As such, the caul isolates the composite layup from the dimensional changes of the mandrel, driven by temperature fluctuations. At the same time, the caul may conform to the surface of the mandrel, which can be used to define the shape and transfer pressure to the non-planar portion.

The present invention is directed to a 3D-printed tire segment model having a tread portion comprising a plurality of grooves, ribs and/or tread blocks, and a plurality of blades extending out of the ribs and/or tread blocks, wherein the tire segment model is made of a 3D-printed polymer. Moreover, the present invention is drawn to a method of making a tire mold segment, including the step of 3D-printing the above tire segment model with a polymer.

An extruder has a valve assembly configured to move pins to open and close the nozzles in a multi-nozzle extruder head independently. The pins of the valve assembly that are driven by actuators into and out of engagement with nozzles in the extruder head are positioned within sleeves that extend between the valve assembly and the extruder head. A gap is provided between the extruder head and the end of the sleeves proximate the extruder head to enable thermoplastic material leaking from the extruder that contacts the pins to remain in a melted or plastic state so the thermoplastic material does not interfere with the movement of the pins.

A high-moisture-permeability, microporous plastic film randomly having a lot of recesses having different opening diameters and depths, with clefts formed in the recesses, is produced by pressing a first pattern roll randomly having a lot of high-hardness, fine particles having sharp edges on a roll body surface to a flat-surface metal roll, to produce an anvil roll randomly having a lot of recesses on a metal roll surface; arranging a second pattern roll randomly having a lot of high-hardness, fine particles having sharp edges on a roll body surface oppositely to the anvil roll; and passing a plastic film through a gap between the second pattern roll and the anvil roll.

Method and device for connecting two webs (1), reinforced with unidirectionally oriented continuous fibres, by ultrasonic welding, wherein the fibres are embedded in a matrix of polycarbonate and the webs have abutting edges that are substantially square and substantially flat, characterized by the following steps:arranging the webs abutting one another in the region of the abutting edges in a welding device between a sonotrode (2) and an anvil (3),welding the webs by means of ultrasound, wherein the sonotrode and the anvil exert pressure on the webs to be welded in the melting region between the webs and perpendicularly to the abutting edges of the webs,removing the welded-together webs (4) from the welding device.