A number of variations may include a product that may include a final part that may include a first part that may include a first face and may define at least one through hole and a second part that may include a second face, at least one stake, and at least one energy director that may be disposed between the first face and the second face wherein the first face and the second face may be abutted against one another and the at least one stake may be passed through the at least one through-hole and the first part and the second part have been ultrasonically staked and ultrasonically welded such that an ultrasonically welded interface may be formed between the first part and the second part.

A method for manufacturing a rivet connection of a fiber composite component. The method includes positioning a first component which contains a fiber composite material in an overlap joint with a second component, laser-drilling a shared through-hole at least through the fiber composite material of the first component, inserting a rivet into the through-hole and fixing the rivet to the first and to the second component.

A firearm holster and a method of making the firearm holster is disclosed. The firearm is wholly or partially molded of ballistic material in such a way that a bullet that is discharged into the holster is retained within the holster or deflected so that it doesn't cause damage to the user of the firearm or other persons or property.

A method of bonding a connector to a first object includes providing the connector, the connector being separate from the first object and including a thermoplastic material; arranging the first object and the connector relative to one another so that the connector reaches from a proximal side of the object through a first opening in the object; generating and applying vibrations and mechanical pressure to the connector until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material is liquefied and caused to flow sideways radially into an open space; and removing the source of the vibrations and causing the liquefied thermoplastic material to re-solidify, resulting in the connector with a foot portion, a head portion, and a shaft portion between the foot portion and the head portion. The shaft portion extends along an axis through the first opening, and secures the connector to the first object.

A method of rivet bonding a workpiece stack-up that includes one or more polymer composite workpieces, such as carbon fiber composite workpieces, involves several steps. In one step, adhesive is applied to a surface of the workpiece stack-up. In another step, workpiecesincluding the polymer composite workpiece(s)are brought together. In yet another step the adhesive is partially or more cured. A rivet is installed through the workpiece stack-up and through the adhesive in another step. The method strengthens the resulting rivet-bonded joint by minimizing or altogether precluding fracture, cracking, and/or delamination thereat.

A sandwich component comprising: (i) a first main surface with a first cover layer and a second main surface with a second cover layer, the first cover layer and/or second cover layer having an opening, weakening, or marking in a lateral region and/or is provided with the same, (ii) at least one intermediate layer positioned between the first and second cover layers, and (iii) a polymer composition which is arranged between the first and the second cover layers substantially within the intermediate layer and/or in the region of the opening, weakening, or marking. A mechanical connection mechanism is fixed, or can be fixed, directly in the polymer composition through the first cover layer and/or the second cover layer and/or in the lateral region in the region of the opening, weakening, or marking so as to pass through the first cover layer and/or the second cover layer and/or the lateral region.

A method for assembling a box structure includes elementary parts assembled along an understructure of stiffeners and skins. The understructure and skins are made of composite material with a polymer matrix. The method includes sizing the box structure for the loads to which it is subjected and for a glued assembly. A map of the loads on the structure is obtained and a first load limit is defined depending on the probability of the structure being damaged. The understructure and the skins are assembled by gluing them. An additional layer is applied that covers the assembled elementary parts to areas of the assembled box structure where the first load limit is reached.

The present invention provides a thermal caulking device which can quickly heat and cool an object to be caulked with low electrical power. Provided is a thermal caulking device which caulks a portion of a plastic part 7 as an object to be caulked, the thermal caulking device including: a metal tip 3 having a pressing part 3a which presses the object to be caulked and a heating rod 3c which is provided upright at a center part of the pressing part 3a; heating means 10c for heating the heating rod 3c; a cooling pipe 9 which cools the heating rod 3c; cooling fluid supply means 4 for supplying a cooling fluid to the cooling pipe 9; a holder 1 which holds the metal tip 3 and the cooling pipe 9 so that the cooling pipe 9 delivers the cooling fluid toward the heating rod 3c; and control means 6 for controlling the heating means 10c and the cooling fluid supply means 4, wherein the control means 6 heats the pressing part 3a from the heating rod 3c by the heating means 10c, and after the object to be caulked is thermally caulked by the pressing part 3a, supplies the cooling fluid from the cooling fluid supply means 4 to the cooling pipe 9 to cool the pressing part 3a from the heating rod 3c.

A method for joining at least two parts to be joined which are arranged so as to overlap at least in a joining zone is disclosed using a joining element which is fed to the joining zone in a joining direction and which is designed so as to be free of undercuts at least in a shaft when seen opposite the joining direction. At least one first part to be joined that interacts first with the joining element in the joining direction, is punched by means of the joining element, and the joining element is pressed into a second part to be joined without punching through the second part. The shaft of the joining element is designed so as to be free of undercuts after being pressed into the second part to be joined and is arranged so as to contact the first and the second part to be joined with a radially applied force in a form-fit-free manner at least when seen opposite the joining direction.

A method for connecting two aircraft components composed of thermoplastic composite material by a rivet. The two aircraft components are arranged, in sections, areally on one another, before bores in the two aircraft components are expanded by a mandrel element such that the bores, after the expansion, form one continuous bore for receiving the rivet. Here, the two aircraft components are locally warmed by the mandrel element such that, during the expansion of the bores, the components are thermoplastically deformed. The mandrel element is inserted through the first bore into the second bore. The rivet is introduced into the continuous bore. A system for carrying out the method is also disclosed.