A thermoplastic composite structure is produced by extruding a bead of composite material to a desired cross sectional shape. An extruder extrudes the polymer bead containing reinforcing fibers, using a low compression first extruder stage where the polymer is mixed and de-gassed, and a high compression second stage where the polymer is consolidated and extruded. The cross sectional profile of the polymer bead may be altered using a variable extruder gate.

A composite radius filler material is provided. The composite radius filler includes a resin, a first group of fibers dispersed within the resin, and a second group of fibers dispersed within the resin. The first group of fibers has a first length configured to facilitate orientation in a longitudinal direction. The second group of fibers has a second length that is shorter than the first length, with the second group of fibers configured to facilitate random orientation in a transverse direction.

The invention relates to a fuel tank of thermoplastic polymer for a motor vehicle, having at least one reinforcing element inside the fuel tank, the reinforcing element inside the fuel tank extending between opposing tank walls (15), parts of the reinforcing element passing through the tank wall and parts of the reinforcing element engaging behind the tank wall from outside, the fuel tank being distinguished according to the invention in that the reinforcing element (8) is provided with at least one multipart fastening head (11), which comprises a first closing means engaging through the tank wall (15) from inside and a second closing means engaging through the tank wall (15) from outside, which closing means are of mutually complementary construction.

A thermoplastic composite structure is produced by extruding a bead of composite material to a desired cross sectional shape. An extruder extrudes the polymer bead containing reinforcing fibers, using a low compression first extruder stage where the polymer is mixed and de-gassed, and a high compression second stage where the polymer is consolidated and extruded. The cross sectional profile of the polymer bead may be altered using a variable extruder gate.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a wind turbine blade comprising a shell and a shear web connected between a windward inner surface of the shell and a leeward inner surface of the shell. The shear web comprises an elongate web panel and a load-bearing flange extending transversely from a first side of the web panel to connect the shear web to the windward or leeward inner surface of the shell. The blade further comprises at least one non-structural flange extending transversely from a second side of the web panel. The non-structural flange has a substantially planar adhesive-receiving portion arranged in opposed relation to the windward or leeward inner surface of the shell. The load-bearing flange and the non-structural flange are formed of different materials.

In a first aspect of the invention there is provided a bondline structure for bonding a shear web to a wind turbine blade shell. The bondline structure comprises an elongate inner core made from a deformable material, and one or more outer layers comprising reinforcing fibres at least partially surrounding the inner core. The inner core and/or the one or more outer layers comprise an adhesive.

The present disclosure is directed to a method of assembling a modular rotor blade of a wind turbine. The method includes identifying a main blade structure, constructed at least in part, from at least one of a thermoset or a thermoplastic material. The method also includes identifying at least one blade segment, constructed at least in part, of a thermoplastic material reinforced with at least one of glass fibers or carbon fibers. Thus, the method also includes securing the at least one blade segment to the main blade structure, e.g. via welding.

A positioning jig (25) and a method for manufacturing a wind turbine blade comprising moulding a first and a second blade shell portion in respective first and second mould tools; positioning a shear web (15) in a spanwise direction within a first shell portion (20) in a said first mould tool (7); anchoring said shear web in position in said first shell portion; and closing said second shell portion (21) over said first shell portion to thereby generate a wind turbine blade shell defining a chordwise extent between a in trailing edge and a leading edge thereof, and a spanwise extent between a root region and a tip thereof and wherein said shear web, bordered by a first (24) and a second longitudinal edge, extends in a thickness direction of said blade; said method further comprising: providing a positioning jig; and securing said positioning jig to said shear web, prior to its introduction into said first shell portion and guiding said shear web into its predetermined standing position in said first shell portion, with its first longitudinal edge adjacent said first shell portion, by engaging a reference surface (33) of said positioning jig with a locating surface (12) at said first mould tool thereby to bring said positioning jig into its guide position with said shear web in its predetermined standing position; and removing said positioning jig from said first mould tool prior to closing said second shell portion over said first shell portion. A shear web, especially an upper edge thereof, may be additionally secured to the blade shell using ligaments (30) prior to removal of the positioning jig.

Systems for partitioning a ventricle of a heart include a partitioning device or implant, and an applicator for inserting, repositioning and/or removing the partitioning device. The implant may support the ventricle wall and may reduce the volume of the ventricle. The delivery system for delivering and deploying a partitioning device into a ventricle may include a catheter having a distal coupling element for coupling to a partitioning device in a collapsed configuration; the catheter may also have an expansion member for applying force to the partitioning device to fully expand it into a deployed configuration and to secure or seal it against the ventricle wall.

The present disclosure is directed to methods for joining rotor blade components using thermoplastic welding. The method includes arranging a first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component together at an interface, determining a size of a tolerance gap between the first and second components at the interface, placing a thermoplastic insert between the first and second components at the interface, the insert being larger than the tolerance gap, heating the insert and the first and second components such that the insert begins to flow so as to fill the tolerance gap between the first and second components, applying pressure to the interface such that the insert and the first and second blade components remain substantially in direct contact with each other at the interface, and welding the insert and the first and second components together at the interface, wherein the heat and the applied pressure between the insert and the first and second components at the interface maintain the insert and the first and second substantially in direct contact at the interface during welding.