A shock-absorbing member wherein a columnar shaped-wood member is supported by a stopper bolt (a pressure-receiving member) at its axially one end side and is configured such that an impact load is applied to its axially other end side, and wherein the wood member is axially collapsed by the impact load applied thereto, thereby absorbing a portion of the impact load, and that may include a shaft (a reinforcement member) that extends in a direction intersecting with an axis of the wood member while being embedded in the wood member, so as to reinforce the wood member.

Apparatus and methods for additively manufactured structures with augmented energy absorption properties are presented herein. Three dimensional (3D) additive manufacturing structures may be constructed with spatially dependent features to create crash components. When used in the construction of a transport vehicle, the crash components with spatially dependent additively manufactured features may enhance and augment crash energy absorption. This in turn absorbs and re-distributes more crash energy away from the vehicle's occupant(s), thereby improving the occupants' safety.

A vibration welding device having a mechanically coupled multiple vibrator. Within this vibration welding device, the plurality of vibration units are arranged relative to an elongated tool such that the first direction of vibrations of the individual vibration units is oriented approximately transverse to a longitudinal axis of the tool such that, during a vibration welding process, two components are weldable to each other by vibrations different than a longitudinal direction of the components.

An ultrasonic welding method for joining a first thermoplastic part and a second thermoplastic part without causing visible read-through on an exposed surface of the second part. The method includes arranging the first part on an inner surface of the second part. The inner surface is opposite the exposed surface. The first part has an interface portion contacting the inner surface. The method includes causing a horn of an ultrasonic welding stack to be pressed against the first part by applying ultrasonic energy oscillating at a frequency in a range of 45-70 kHz through the horn, to thereby join the first part and the second part together. The horn has at least one protruding distal portion configured to penetrate through the first part as the ultrasonic energy is imparted through the horn. The distal portion has a length longer than a thickness of the first part. A collapse distance of a weld formed at the interface portion is less than the thickness of the first part, to avoid read-through effects on the exposed surface of the second part.

An attachment part (10) for connecting to a structural part (30). The attachment part (10) has an attachment part longitudinal axis (A), and a weld portion (11) to be welded to the structural part (30) by torsional ultrasonic welding. The weld portion (11) has a contact surface for contact with a torsion sonotrode (70), and a weld surface (13) for connecting to the structural part (30). The weld portion (11) is delimited, at least portionally, by an inner vibration decoupling zone (14). The inner vibration decoupling zone (14), at least portionally, surrounds an inner portion of the attachment part (10).

A fiber-reinforced polymer composition that comprises a polymer matrix that contains a propylene polymer is provided. The polymer matrix constitutes from about 30 wt. % to about 80 wt. % of the composition, and a plurality of long reinforcing fibers that are distributed within the polymer matrix. The fibers constitute from about 20 wt. % to about 70 wt. % of the composition. The polymer composition exhibits a spiral flow length of about 450 millimeters or more as determined in accordance with ASTM D3123-09, and after aging at a temperature of 150° C. for 1,000 hours, a Charpy unnotched impact strength greater than about 15 kJ/m.sup.2 as determined at a temperature of 23° C. in accordance with ISO Test No. 179-1:2010.

A rail extension, comprising: a base extending from an end of the rail extension, wherein the base includes vehicle rail attachments configured to attach to a vehicle rail; a front member configured for attachment to a bumper beam; a body extending from the base to the front member; wherein the body comprises reinforcing members; wherein the body comprises a first polymeric material; wherein the reinforcing members comprise a second polymeric material.

A melt delivery body is disclosed for an injection molding apparatus. The melt delivery body includes a manifold, housed in a manifold plate, having a melt network with an inlet for receiving melt from a machine nozzle and an outlet substantially axially aligned with the inlet. The melt delivery body further including an in-line valve gated nozzle having a nozzle melt channel, a valve pin in the nozzle melt channel, and a valve pin actuator coupled to the valve pin and positioned substantially axially aligned with the in-line valve gated nozzle and between the manifold and the in-line valve gated nozzle for controlling the movement of the valve pin within the nozzle melt channel. The melt delivery body further including a biasing member for biasing the in-line valve gated nozzle towards the manifold.

A method to prepare a composite laminate object containing an extrusion grade 7xxx Al substrate and a fiber-reinforced polypropylene layer adhesively laminated to the substrate; is provided. The process includes shaping and cutting an extruded 7xxx aluminum to a profile, assembling a layered arrangement of the 7xxx Al profile as substrate, an adhesive film and a fiber reinforced polypropylene preform, heating the layered arrangement to a temperature of 160-175 C. to melt the polypropylene and activate the adhesive film, applying pressure to at least a surface of the fiber reinforced polypropylene preform to mold the preform to the shape of the extruded 7xxxAl substrate and obtain a semi-finished laminate object, cooling the semi-finished laminate object to 90 C., optionally, cooling the semi-finished laminate object to room temperature for inventory storage; heat treating the semi-finished laminate object at 90 C. for 2 to 8 hours; and then heat treating the semi-finished laminate object at 130 C. to 150 C. for 8 to 16 hours; and cooling the heat treated object to obtain the composite laminate object.

A method for manufacturing an element for a bodywork part successively including the steps of producing a support element having a first face on which a support sheet is fixed having at least one connection member, arranging a heating track on the support element, the heating track being arranged on the first face of the support element, connecting the heating track to the connection member, and arranging the support element in a molding chamber of a mold defining the shape of the element for a bodywork part, the first face of the support element facing the inside of the molding chamber, and injecting a plastic material into the molding chamber in order to cover the heating track.