The present disclosure provides methods and systems for composite-to-metal hybrid bonded structures compromising the laser surface treatment on titanium alloys to promote adhesive bond performance. For example, a computer may be programmed to set a laser path corresponding to a predetermined geometric pattern. A laser may be coupled to the computer and apply a pulsed laser beam to a contact surface of the titanium alloy along the predefined geometric pattern. The laser may generate an open pore oxide layer on the contact surface of the substrate with a thickness of 100 and 500 nm. The open pore oxide layer may have a topography corresponding to the predefined geometric pattern. The topography may contain high degree of open pore structure and promote adhesive bond performance. Adhesive, primer or composite resin matrix may fully infiltrate into the open pore structures. Adhesive and composite laminate may co-cure to form composite-to-titanium hybrid bonded structures.

An exoskeleton system comprising an inflatable actuator configured to be worn by a user. The inflatable actuator includes a fluid-impermeable member that defines a fluid chamber at least in part by a membrane material and a first and second interface that each define sidewalls, the membrane material is coupled to the sidewalls of the first and second interfaces.

A method of constructing an inflatable fluidic actuator that includes generating a tube configuration with one or more shapes of fluid-impermeable membrane material, the tube configuration having a first tube end and a second tube end and an internal tube face and an external tube face. The method also includes coupling a first and second interface to the tube configuration at the first and second tube ends by respectively coupling each interface to the tube configuration at a respective tube end by generating at least one of: a first circumferential bond between the fluid-impermeable membrane material and one or more sidewalls of the interface; and an external face bond between fluid-impermeable membrane material at the tube end onto an external face of the interface.

Embodiments of the present invention describe secured fiber-reinforced aerogels and laminate structures formed therefrom. In one embodiment a laminate comprises at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer adjacent to at least one layer of fiber containing material wherein fibers from said at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of said at least one fiber-containing material. In another embodiment a laminate comprises at least two adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layers wherein fibers from at least one fiber-reinforced aerogel layer are interlaced with fibers of an adjacent fiber-reinforced aerogel layer.

A method of making a plurality of optical devices repeatedly slices, at a first specified angle, a first wafer of light transmissive material having a diffraction surface, to form at least one first wafer slice, and repeatedly slices, at a second specified angle, a second wafer of light transmissive material, to form at least one second wafer slice. An end portion of the second wafer slice is ground to form an interconnection surface. A plurality of illumination guides may optionally be affixed to the interconnection surface along a length of the second wafer slice, and a first wafer slice is affixed to the second wafer slice to form a sheet. The sheet is repeatedly sliced along a width of the second wafer slice to form a plurality of optical devices.

A method of directly joining a polymer to a metal along a joint interface through the formation of CO-M chemical bonds, where M represents an element in the metal to be joined. The method includes heating the metal to a predetermined temperature above a glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than a flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than a metal melting temperature of the metal; physically contacting at least one of the metal and the polymer; and applying compression pressure to the joint interface of the metal and the polymer when the metal is above the glass transition temperature of the polymer and less than the flash ignition temperature of the polymer and less than the metal melting temperature of the metal to generate intimate atomic contact between the metal and the polymer to create CO-M chemical bonds between the metal and the polymer.

Methods of bonding a first object to a second object, including the steps of: providing the second object having a protrusion; providing the first object having a thermoplastic material; positioning the first object relative to the second object such that an assembly of the first and the second object is formed; applying a relative force between the second and first objects and applying mechanical vibration to the assembly of the first and the second object until at least a flow portion of the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the protrusion; and causing the thermoplastic material to re-solidify. The first object may be a connecting element including a feedthrough, wherein the second object has a corresponding opening. The protrusion may be deformed such that the protrusion has an undercut relative to an axis along which the first and second objects are pressed against each other.

Provided is a method for manufacturing a fishing net formed from a plastic net that can be handled by winding or folding although the net has plastic rigidity. The fishing net is manufactured by (1) a step of preparing a multifilament yarn formed by bundling a plurality of core-sheath type composite filaments, in each of which a core component is made of polyethylene terephthalate and a sheath component is made of polyolefin, (2) a step of preparing a yarn thread obtained by paralleling a plurality of the multifilament yarns, (3) a step of twisting or braiding four yarn threads 11, 12, 13, 14 to obtain a net constructed with strands 1 and intersections 2, (4) a step of heat-treating the net under without pressure to melt the sheath component of the yarn threads 11, 12, 13, 14 constituting the strands 1 and the intersections 2, followed by solidifying, thus obtaining a plastic net, and (5) a step of forming the fishing net using the plastic net.

A method or apparatus for joining a first component to a second component with an amalgamation plate includes heating the first component, the second component, the amalgamation plate, or combinations thereof, with either a joining tool or a heating element. The components are attached to the amalgamation plate with the joining tool, such that the first component, amalgamation plate, and the second component are fixedly attached to one another, and the amalgamation plate may be substantially surrounded by the first component and the second component, such that it is hidden from exposure. Portions of the amalgamation plate may be embedded into the components via rotation and/or linear force. A portion of the amalgamation plate may be recessed within the joining tool or an anvil before attaching the amalgamation plate to the either component.

A process of producing a composite motor vehicle component, the process comprising the steps of: heating a surface treated steel part (1) to an austenite temperature so as to form austenite in said steel part; forming the steel part to a desired shape, cooling the steel part to a temperature below 500 C., applying a patch (2) of a prepreg fibre reinforced polymer to at least a part of said steel part, pressing the applied patch (2) of fibre reinforced polymer into adhesion to steel part (1), and at least partly curing said patch inside said pressing tool.