A method of induction welding a first carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) to a second carbon fiber thermoplastic composite (TPC) using an induction coil includes aligning the first TPC with the second TPC to form a weld interface area, flexing a heat sink onto a surface of the first TPC between the weld interface area and the induction coil, and inductively heating the weld interface area with the induction coil.

A method for connecting components having a fibre-reinforced thermoplastic plastic includes provision of a first component with a first joining surface, provision of a second component with a second joining surface, flush placement of the first joining surface against the second joining surface in order to form a connection joint, placement of a friction stir welding tool against the connection joint, or a surface directly adjacent thereto, of at least one of the components, softening of the first component and the second component, in each case in a region adjacent to the connection joint, by rotation of the tool, such that the thermoplastic plastic of the two components locally fuses, and movement of the tool along the connection joint for the purposes of connecting the two components by formation of a fusion seam, wherein portions of reinforcement fibres are stirred in to increase the strength of the fusion seam.

A method of anchoring a lightweight building element having a first building layer and an interlining layer distally of the first building layer, and possibly a second building layer distally of the interlining layer. For anchoring, the distal end of a connector element is inserted into a mounting hole in the lightweight building element, and also a sleeve including a thermoplastic material is inserted into the mounting hole, the sleeve enclosing the connector element. Then, a distally facing liquefaction face of the sleeve is caused to be in contact with a proximally facing support face of the connector element. Energy impinges to liquefy at least a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve, and the liquefaction face is pressed against the support face to cause at least a fraction of the flow portion to flow radially outward. After the flow portion has re-solidified, it anchors the connector element in the receiving object.

A method is provided for joining thermoplastic components. During this method, a skin is provided that is configured from or otherwise includes a skin fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. A support member is provided that is configured from or otherwise includes a support member fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. A shim is arranged at an interface between the skin and the support member. The shim is configured from or otherwise includes a shim fiber-reinforced thermoplastic composite. The support member is welded to the skin through the shim at the interface.

A connection element for adhering to a component surface of a first component, such that a second component can be secured to the first component by the connection element, including a base element having an adhesive side with an adhesive surface, and a mounting structure. The base element consists of a thermoplastic with a temperature of continued use of at least 130° C., which can be poorly irradiated or cannot be irradiated with light, and has at least one irradiation region. The base element can be irradiated with light in this region in such a way that light energy penetrates the base element. The irradiation region, in cross-section, has a smaller thickness and a transmittance at least 20% with a light wavelength between 320 and 500 nm. Alternatively, the irradiation region is formed by a through-opening.

A method of bonding a first object to a second object includes the steps of: providing the first object including thermoplastic material in a solid state, providing the second object including a proximal surface, applying a mechanical pressing force and a mechanical excitation capable to liquefy the thermoplastic material until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material is flowable and penetrates into structures of the second object, and stopping the mechanical excitation and letting the thermoplastic material resolidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and the second object. The second object has a region of low density, wherein the protrusion penetrates the region of low density at least partly before the thermoplastic material is made flowable, and wherein the first object includes a protruding portion after the step of letting the thermoplastic material resolidify, the protruding portion at least partly penetrates the region of low density.

A heat sink for use in induction welding includes a number of tiles, wherein the tiles are electrically non-conductive and have a thermal diffusivity of greater than about 25 mm2/sec. A joint flexibly joins the tiles together.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic geomembrane components in which a first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a second thermoplastic geomembrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces, with one or more of the complementary molding surfaces being defined by an electrically conductive metal susceptor. Heat is generated in the metal susceptor and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal susceptor to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components to locally melt and coalesce a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic geomembrane component and a portion or more of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic geomembrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic geomembrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint.

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.

Methods for making structural shims (220) for the mating assembly of parts, such as for installation between a skin (212) and substructure (214) of an aircraft. The methods include the steps of disposing a hardenable composition (216) into a gap between the first (212) and second parts (214), hardening the hardenable composition to provide a shim pattern (218) that is dimensionally stable, and removing the shim pattern from the gap without damage. The shim pattern can be used to provide a digital model thereof, which can in turn be used to fabricate the structural shim (220).