An assembly is provided for induction welding. This induction welding assembly includes a fixture. The fixture includes a first support structure and a second support structure. The second support structure includes a frame and a plurality of trunks. Each of the trunks is connected to and repositionable on the frame. The fixture is configured to secure a workpiece vertically between the first support structure and the second support structure using the trunks during induction welding of the workpiece.

Disclosed herein are methods for isolating a composite material from the environment, as well as the isolated composite material. Also disclosed herein are methods for shaping a composite material that include the use of isolated composite materials. For example, disclosed is a method for mechanical thermoforming of a composite material to form a shaped composite material.

A joining method for connecting at least two thermoplastic workpieces is provided to permit the joining even of non-transparent carbon fiber reinforced plastics parts by means of laser welding, in which a splice is produced at the edge regions of the workpieces and the workpieces are subsequently positioned relative to one another in such a manner that the opposite splice regions bound a seam region. Connecting bodies are then inserted into the seam region and heated by means of local heat input by laser beam such that a fixed integrally bonded connection forms between the workpieces and the connecting bodies.

The invention relates to the use of a low Tg compatible resin as an adhesive layer for the welding of a thermoplastic composite structure to a thermoplastic or thermoset structure. The invention is especially good for the welding of large parts, such as wind turbine halves and spar caps. A useful thermoplastic composite is one formed by the infusion and curing of long fibers by a reactive acrylic liquid resin system, such as ELIUM® resin systems from Arkema.

A metallic-composite joint fitting is provided. The fitting may comprise a frustoconical internal bearing having a bore, a conical sleeve configured to be disposed about the frustoconical internal bearing, a composite structure configured to couple between the frustoconical internal bearing and the conical sleeve, a metallic end fitting configured to be disposed within the bore and couple to the frustoconical internal bearing, and an external nut configured to couple to the metallic end fitting and the conical sleeve, wherein at least one of the frustoconical internal bearing or the conical sleeve comprises a flanged portion mutually configured to couple the conical sleeve to the frustoconical internal bearing via a locking ring.

A composite vehicle driveshaft assembly includes a composite tube and a yoke bonded to one of the ends of the tube. The yoke has an inner sleeve that is concentrically received in the end of the tube. The sleeve has an outer peripheral surface that faces the inner peripheral surface of the tube with a cavity formed therebetween. An adhesive injection passage is formed in the yoke and extends at an acute angle from an inlet that is formed in an axial surface of the yoke to an outlet that is formed in the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve and that opens into the cavity. Also disclosed is a method of bonding a yoke of such a driveshaft assembly to a composite tube.

An item may be formed from structures that include holes. Stitching may be used to form a seam that joins the structures. The stitching may be formed from a chain stitch that passes through the holes. The holes may be formed from loops of knit fabric or other holes. Leather layers, polymer layers, fabric layers, and other structures with holes may be joined using the stitching. During fabrication, a layer of material with holes may be placed on an adjustable-shape fixture having a bed of needles. The shape of the bed of nails in the adjustable-shape fixture may then be changed. After the fixture has been used to transform the shape of one or more of the structures, the structures may be placed on needles in an assembly fixture and the stitching between the structures may be formed. The item may be an electronic device cover or other item.

The method of bonding a first object (1) to a second object (2) uses a connector, the connector having a first sheet portion and a second sheet portion (32). The first sheet portion has at least one outwardly protruding first attachment portion (33), and the second sheet portion has at least one outwardly protruding second attachment portion (34). The connector (3) further has a spacer between the first and second sheet portions. For bonding, the first and second objects (1, 2) and the connector (3) are positioned relative to each other so that the connector is placed between the first and second objects. Then the first and second objects (1, 2) are pressed against each other while mechanical vibration energy impinges on the first and/or second object until a first flow portion of thermoplastic material of the first object in contact with the first attachment portion(s) and a second flow portion of thermoplastic material in contact with the second attachment portion(s) become flowable allowing the respective attachment portions (33, 34) to be pressed into material of the first and second object, respectively. After re-solidification of the flow portions, a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects via the connector results. The spacer defines a width (w) of a gap between the first and second objects (1, 2) after bonding.

An article is formed by joining two or more layers in a stable structure, containing at least one composite layer that can be melted, with tensile and shear strength. The article is assembled by one or more mechanical fasteners and melt adhesion regions.

A heating element for resistance welding of thermoplastic components includes an electrically conductive sheet with cut-outs, wherein a ratio of cut-outs to electrically conductive sheet changes at least along a transverse direction of the sheet, so that an electrical resistance of the sheet has a maximum at a center of the sheet. A welding kit includes the heating element and an electrical insulation layer. A method of manufacturing the heating element, and a method of employing the heating element for welding two thermoplastic components to one another are disclosed.