An installation assembly and an associated method for forming a bonded join are provided to permit the adhesive attachment of a first workpiece, such as a patch, to a portion of a second workpiece. The installation assembly and the associated method provide for at least partial debulking of the adhesive prior to curing of the adhesive such that the resulting bondline may have improved mechanical properties as a result of having fewer voids and/or porosity. The installation assembly may include an installation stand and a carrier plate supported by the installation stand and including an attachment surface configured to carry the first workpiece. The installation stand also includes an adjustment mechanism for positioning a carrier plate to a first predefined position to define a gap between the first and second workpieces and also to a second predefined position such that a predetermined bondline thickness is defined between the first and second workpieces.

A method for connecting plastic profile parts (2) brings into contact at least one profile part (2) and a heating surface (34) of a heating, element (36) so that the profile part (2) begins to melt in its welding area before it is joined together with the other profile part (2). A delimiting element (7) regulates the flow and deformation of the melt material. The delimiting element (7) has at least one contact element (21) and a molded part (22), which are movable both in relation to one another and in relation to the profile part (2). During the melting of the at least one profile part (2), the contact element (21) is movedtogether with the molded part (22)relative to the at least one profile part (2) and relative to the heating element (36) out of, a resting position in the direction of a working position, whereby at least the molded part (22) is kept in contact with the heating surface (34) and the contact element element (21) is, kept in contact with a profile surface (9). When a changeover is made from melting to compressing, the relatively movable contact element (21) is moved together with the molded part (22) in the direction of its working position so that the delimiting element (7) projects beyond a free front edge (4) of the at least one profile part (2) and creates a holding plane (37).

Methods and apparatus are described for improving fit checking at the bonding interface of a first component, such as a fan blade (1), and a second component, such as an edge guard (2) for the fan blade (1), to be bonded by adhesive. A bondline thickness profile over the area of the bonding interface is determined by interposing a compressible, flexible sensor layer between the components before they are bonded. The sensor layer contains an array of piezoelectric elements which indicate local bondline thickness by signalling pressure due to compression of the layer. The bondline thickness profile can be processed by a programmed control processor to produce an adhesive application schedule prescribing the shapes of pieces of adhesive film which, when applied over the bonding interface, will build up an adhesive layer corresponding in thickness to the bondline thickness. The sensor layer can be prepared as a kit of shaped panels or as a contoured preform (55) matching the form of the bonding interface.

A welding assembly is disclosed. The welding assembly includes a plurality of separately controllable actuators (e.g., pneumatic, having an axially movable ram) to press a corresponding portion of a first workpiece (e.g., a discrete flange of a first stiffener) against a second workpiece (e.g., an outer skin) for welding operations (e.g., via induction welding).

A dispensing jig and a device including the same are provided. The dispensing jig includes a jig body defining a positioning chamber which has an opening and is configured to position a first adhesive surface of a first object. The first adhesive surface is a surface of the first object to be adhered to a second adhesive surface of a second object. An anti-sticking layer is provided on each of an upper surface of a periphery of the opening facing the second adhesive surface and an inner circumferential wall surface of the opening.

A clamping system for positioning a first component and a second component relatively to each other includes a clamping device, a separating foil and an electrical contacting device. The clamping device is adapted to fix the first and second components in a desired joining position under creation of a gap therebetween with a characteristic measure of tolerance relative to each other in a first position of the clamping device and to release this fixation in a second position of the clamping device. The separating foil includes an anti-stick layer and a heating layer connected with electrically conducting contact zones for heating a compensation compound arranged in the gap. The electrical contacting device is mechanically couplable with the clamping device or a supporting device holding the clamping device and is adapted for creating an electrical contact with the contact zones at least in the first position of the clamping device.