A simultaneous laser welding apparatus of a vehicle light comprising a placement support for a container body and a lenticular body of a vehicle light welded together at reciprocal perimeter profiles, a plurality of laser sources, a plurality of optical fibres associated with the laser sources at input ends for transmitting the light beams, a fibre-holder support device for blocking output ends of the optical fibres in predetermined positions, spaced apart by a pitch, a light guide provided with at least one seat which receives the light beams coming from the output ends of the optical fibres, to a light output wall which sends the light beams towards the welding interface. A single optical fibre is associated with each laser source.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling welding. One embodiment is a method for controlling welding. The method includes initiating induction welding by operating an induction coil along a weld interface of a first composite part comprising a matrix of thermoplastic reinforced by fibers, in order to join the first composite part to a second composite part, determining a measured magnetic field strength at a location distinct from the induction coil, and determining a welding temperature at the weld interface of the first composite part based on the measured magnetic field strength.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling welding. One embodiment is a method for controlling welding of a composite part. The method includes locating a linear fiber optic sensor along a composite part comprising a matrix of thermoplastic reinforced by fibers, measuring temperatures along the weld line via the linear fiber optic sensor, performing induction welding at the composite part along the weld line, determining a continuum of weld temperatures along the weld line, and controlling the induction welding based on the continuum of weld temperatures.

Installation fittings for use with induction weldable pipe connectors for assembling multi-layer pipe fluid distribution systems. Induction welding pipe connectors including a major central pipe connector section and a minor lateral pipe connector section pair having reduced thickness relative to the major central pipe connector section. Induction welding pipe connectors with integral solder flow barrier for assembling fluid distribution systems. Electromagnetic induction coil reverse action pliers for use with induction weldable pipe connectors for assembling fluid distribution systems.

A method for manufacturing a thermoplastic composite product includes: providing a first and second thermoplastic composite component made from a consolidated stack of thermoplastic composite plies, said first and second component having a first and second ply drop off, respectively. The first and second components are positioned such that the first ply drop off and the second ply drop off are aligned, and the first and second components are fixedly connected by means of heating. The stacks of plies for the first and second components are constructed by stacking the plies in a stacking direction wherein the plies are arranged such that plies at a different position along the stacking direction are laterally offset relative to each other for the purpose of forming the first ply drop off and the second ply drop off, respectively, before consolidating.

An article of manufacture that has at least three layers of sealable material. There is at least one first seal between at least two of the layers in a first area having a first sealing affinity effected at a first sealing parameter. There is also at least one second seal between at least two more layers, where at least one of these two layers is distinct from the at least two layers joined by the first seal, in a second area having a second sealing affinity effected at a second sealing parameter, where the second sealing parameter is different than the first sealing parameter, thereby allowing for sealing of discrete areas of the article in discrete steps.

Installation fittings for use with induction weldable pipe connectors for assembling multi-layer pipe fluid distribution systems. Induction welding pipe connectors including a major central pipe connector section and a minor lateral pipe connector section pair having reduced thickness relative to the major central pipe connector section. Induction welding pipe connectors with integral solder flow barrier for assembling fluid distribution systems. Electromagnetic induction coil reverse action pliers for use with induction weldable pipe connectors for assembling fluid distribution systems.

An automated fiber-placement method comprises delivering a first quantity of pulsed energy to first portions of at least one fiber-reinforced tape strip, and delivering a second quantity of pulsed energy to second portions of at least the one fiber-reinforced tape strip, alternating with the first portions. Each one of the second portions at least partially overlaps two adjacent ones of the first portions such that overlapping regions of the first portions and the second portions have a higher temperature than non-overlapping regions of the first portions and the second portions. The automated fiber-placement method further comprises laying down at least the one fiber-reinforced tape strip against a substrate along a virtual curvilinear path, such that (i) at least the one fiber-reinforced tape strip is centered on the virtual curvilinear path, and (ii) the overlapping regions are transformed into discrete tape-regions, geometrically different from the overlapping regions.

An article of manufacture comprises a strip that extends along and is centered on a virtual curvilinear path, comprising an arc, having an arc length and a radius. A ratio of the strip-width to the radius is greater than or equal to 0.003. The arc length is equal to or greater than a product of the radius and /64. Within each of discrete strip-regions of the strip, one of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers that is closest to the first longitudinal strip-edge is more buckled than another one of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers that is closest to the second longitudinal strip-edge. Ones of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers that are buckled are parallel to a smallest one of virtual surfaces, joining the first longitudinal strip-edge and the second longitudinal strip-edge.

A method for joining primary and secondary members includes providing a primary member, a secondary member and a heating element which is joined to one of the primary and secondary members. The heating element includes an electrically insulating matrix material and an electrically conductive reinforcing element extending through the matrix material. The method further includes bringing the other of the primary and secondary members and the heating element into engagement and controlling a flow of electrical current in the reinforcing element so as to resistively heat and fuse at least some of the matrix material of the heating element with a matrix material of the other of the primary and secondary members. The method may be used to join a primary member such as a composite tubular and a secondary member such as a component for terminating the composite tubular.