A ultrasonic welding method of joining dissimilar-material workpieces, such as sheet materials, and the joined components formed thereby. The method includes applying ultrasonic energy to a thermoplastic piece to fill a hole of a dissimilar piece to form a weld point that is made up with polymer from the thermoplastic piece. In general, the geometry of the thermoplastic piece is not altered during the process. The dissimilar piece generally has a higher melting temperate and can be metal, thermoset polymers, or other thermoplastic material. The welded pieces can be arranged in a lap, laminate, or double lap configuration. In some embodiments, the hole of the dissimilar sheet material includes undercut features that improve the mechanical interlock between the dissimilar pieces. In some embodiments, the weld point has a mushroom cap to improve mechanical interlock.

Provided are an article including a joint portion of a fluororesin having sufficient strength, and a method of producing the same. The article includes a joint portion including: a porous first layer of a first fluororesin; a second layer of a second fluororesin having a melting point lower than a melting point of the first fluororesin; and a non-porous third layer formed between the first layer and the second layer, the non-porous third layer including the first fluororesin.

The present disclosure provides methods of improving adhesion of a non-di-(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) plasticized polyvinyl chloride (PVC) to an acrylic-based polymer or an ABS-based polymer. Such methods may comprise blending the acrylic-based polymer or ABS-based polymer with an impact modifier so that a rubber content in the acrylic-based polymer or ABS-based polymer is greater than 12% (w/w). Also provided are components of a device (e.g., a medical device) made by the disclosed methods.

A process, for joining workpieces using hybrid mechanical connector-resistance welding. The process in some embodiments includes introducing a conductive fluid to an interface between the workpieces. The process also includes inserting at least one mechanical conductive connector into at least one of the workpieces so that the connector reaches the interface having the conductive fluid therein. The process in some embodiments includes further applying energy for welding to the at least one mechanical conductive connector so that the energy passes, through the connector, to the conductive fluid and heat is generated in the workpieces at the interface, thereby melting the workpieces and forming a weld joint connecting the workpieces.

A system for assembling a plurality of components into an assembly is provided. The system includes an installation table, a first transfer robot, a second transfer robot, and an adhesive dispensing robot. The first transfer robot is configured to assemble some of the plurality of components into a first sub-assembly and transfer the first sub-assembly to the installation table. The second transfer robot is configured to assemble remaining ones of the plurality of components into a second sub-assembly, transfer the second sub-assembly to the installation table, and attach the second sub-assembly to the first sub-assembly. The adhesive dispensing robot is configured to apply an adhesive between the first sub-assembly and the second sub-assembly, after the second sub-assembly is attached to the first sub-assembly, to bond the second sub-assembly to the first sub-assembly.

Provided is a workpiece bonding method that makes it possible to achieve a joining state with a high strength and to obtain a good repeatability of the joining state.

A workpiece bonding method according to the present invention is a workpiece bonding method for bonding two workpieces to each other, each of the two workpieces being composed of a material selected from the group consisting of synthetic resin, glass, silicon wafer, crystal and sapphire, the workpiece bonding method including: a surface activation step of activating a bonded surface of at least one of the workpieces; and a laminating step of laminating the two workpieces such that respective bonded surfaces contact with each other, and a pretreatment step of removing moisture from the bonded surface of the workpiece that is to be subjected to the surface activation step is performed before the surface activation step is performed.

A laminate of the present invention includes a first member which contains a thermoplastic polymer and through which laser light is transmitted and a second member which contains a thermoplastic polymer and absorbs laser light, wherein the first member is directly bonded to the second member, and A represented by the formula 1: A=−9×D+Wa−45 is more than zero. D represents a distance between a Hansen solubility parameter of the thermoplastic polymer of the first member and a Hansen solubility parameter of the thermoplastic polymer of the second member, and Wa represents work of adhesion calculated from each surface free energy of the first member and the second member. Such a first member and a second member are firmly bonded to each other without using a bonding sheet.

A polar functional group is added onto a surface of a metallic member. A resin member contains an adhesive functional group. The adhesive functional group and the polar functional group attract each other. A method for joining the metallic member and the resin member to each other includes: heating a junction between the metallic member and the resin member while pressing the metallic member and the resin member against each other with a first load; maintaining temperature of the junction higher than melting temperature of a resin that structures the resin member while pressing the metallic member and the resin member with each other with a second load smaller than the first load; and cooling the junction to temperature lower than the melting temperature while pressing the metallic member and the resin member against each other with a third load larger than the second load.

A method for manufacturing of a part made of composite material including pre-compacting to a predetermined shape of a mixture of a first thermosetting resin with discontinuous long fibers so as to form a first preform, pre-curing the first preform until an intermediate conversion stage corresponding to a solidification of said first resin, contacting the first preform with a second preform including a fiber structure of continuous fibers impregnated with a second thermosetting resin, polymerizing the first and second preforms so as to form a part made of composite material including a body made of composite material including reinforcement made of continuous fibers consolidated by an organic matrix provided with a portion made of composite material including reinforcement made of discontinuous long fibers consolidated by an organic matrix.

The present invention is a method for manufacturing inflatable bladders for use in articles of manufacture. The method includes the steps of providing a first polymer film, applying a curable release coating to the polymer film in a pattern that corresponds to the configuration of the inflatable bladder, curing the release coating to the first polymer film, providing a second polymer film with the first polymer film to form a layered element such that the release coating is disposed between the polymer films, positioning the layered element between two plies of material, applying heat and pressure to adhere the polymer films together except in the area where the release coating has been applied to form an inflatable compartment surrounded by a sealed perimeter, and removing the plies of material from the adhered first and second polymer films.