This invention relates to an adhesive deposition tool for applying a bead of structural adhesive onto an application surface of a wind turbine blade component. The tool comprises a top portion defining an upper boundary of an open-ended chamber, two side portions defining side boundaries of the chamber and a supply channel for supplying adhesive to the chamber. The chamber comprises a front end and a rear end, the rear end being the end from which adhesive is deposited onto the surface when the tool is moved along the surface, wherein the top portion and/or at least one side portion is configured such that the height and/or the width of the chamber decreases towards the front end of the chamber.

A pipe joining system and pipe joint are shown m which two sections of molecularly oriented pipe are joined using heat shrinking techniques. A first section of pipe is provided having a straight, pre-formed socket with an internal diameter and with an end opening having enough clearance to allow a mating spigot section having a given external diameter to be inserted into the socket end opening. After the spigot end is inserted to a given depth, the socket is heated sufficiently so that the internal diameter of the socket end comes into contact with the external diameter of the spigot end, the molecularly oriented pipe being in a rubbery state and exhibiting a low elastic modulus which allows the socket end to conform tightly to the spigot end external diameter without deforming the spigot end.

To provide a metal-fiber reinforced resin material (FRP) composite having a good appearance even when used as an automobile outer panel and not deformed even after a coating and baking process. The metal-FRP composite of the invention has a laminated structure of three or more layers, having at least a metal layer, a fiber-reinforced resin material layer holding a reinforced fiber material in a layer constituted by a matrix resin, and a resin layer located between the metal layer and the fiber-reinforced resin material layer. The resin layer is a layer constituted by a room temperature curing adhesive or by a predetermined resin and the room temperature curing adhesive. An elastic modulus E of the resin layer is more than 0.1 MPa and 1000 MPa or less, and a thickness of the resin layer is 0.005 times or more and less than 7.500 times a thickness of the metal layer.

A shear tie connector system for securing a frame component to a composite fuselage skin, which includes a shear tie connector and a fuselage mandrel, which defines a slot within which the shear tie connector is positioned.

Devices, systems, and methods of improving paste flow during the manufacture of wind turbine blades are provided. An apparatus for applying adhesive to a composite structure (e.g. wind turbine blade) comprises a paste shoe having a top surface with an aperture to receive a supply of adhesive, and two legs extending downwardly from the top surface and configured to engage a surface of the composite structure to define an interior volume within the paste shoe. A transport mechanism (e.g. wheels, treads) are disposed on each leg to move the paste shoe relative to the composite structure while adhesive is dispensed within the interior volume. A force applicator, applies a force to the paste shoe to maintain a constant interior volume and thus a uniform bead of paste is applied to the composite structure.

A method for analysing a bonding between two aeronautical parts. The method includes the steps of a) applying a release agent to a first surface to be bonded of a first part and to a second surface to be bonded of a second part, b) applying an adhesive to at least one of the first and second surfaces and positioning these surfaces on top of each other, the adhesive forming an adhesive film after polymerisation, c) separating the parts from each other and removing the adhesive film in one piece, d) analysing the adhesive film. The invention also relates to a method for bonding two aeronautical parts.

An axle strut for a vehicle having a shaft and two bearing regions. The axle strut has a supporting profile and two load-introducing elements. The supporting profile is formed from fiber reinforced plastics composite material. A first load-introducing element and a second load-introducing element are arranged at respective bearing region, and the supporting profile is arranged spatially between the two bearing regions. The supporting profile has a first connection area facing the first bearing region and a second connection area facing the second bearing region. Every load-introducing element has a receptacle. The supporting profile is connected by its first connection area and by the receptacle of the first load-introducing element to the first load-introducing element by an adhesive connection, and the supporting profile is connected by its second connection area and by the receptacle of the second load-introducing element to the second load-introducing element by a further adhesive connection.

A method for assembling a shell section of a wind turbine blade includes providing a support, the support comprising a surface having a primary surface portion configured for supporting a first component and a secondary surface portion configured for supporting a second component. The method also includes arranging a second component on the secondary surface portion such that an outer surface of the second component is facing the secondary surface portion. The method further includes arranging a first component on the primary surface portion such that an outer surface of the first component is facing the primary surface portion, and such that a first primary joint surface of the first component is facing a second joint surface of the second component. Arranging the first component includes applying a force to the first component to force the outer surface of the first component towards the primary surface portion and the first primary joint surface towards the second joint surface.

A process for welding of at least two separate vehicle panels (12, 14) to form an integral part (16) for a vehicle. There is provided at least one first panel (12) including a first weld line area (18) and at least one second panel (14) including a corresponding second weld line area (19), the second weld line area (19) abutting in a weldable relationship to the first weld line area (18). The first and second weld line areas (18, 19) have at least one first weldable portion (22) and at least one second portion (24) at which welding is substantially hindered during welding attachment of the first and second panels (12, 14). The process includes applying a curable adhesive at each second portion (24), placing in a welding fixture and welding the panels (12, 14) at each first weldable portion (22) such that the panels (12, 14) are held together during curing of the adhesive.

A method of making and testing a wind turbine blade comprises providing a structural member having a web portion and a flange portion, where the flange portion extends away from the web portion and a curvilinear heel is defined between the web and flange portions. 5 A flange extender is integrated with the flange portion, where a first section of the flange extender overlies the flange portion, and a second section of the flange extender extends past the heel and away from the web portion. The flange extender is bonded to the inner surface of a wind turbine blade shell. Non-destructive test (NDT) equipment is used to assess the integrity of the bond by identifying first and second target surfaces of the 10 structural member. The target surfaces are spaced apart by an intermediate region, corresponding to the location of the heel, where it is not possible to positively identify any surface using NDT techniques. Identification of the two target surfaces indicates a good integrity bond in the intermediate region, whereas identification of only one, or neither, of the target surfaces indicates a poor integrity bond. 15