Manufacturing and assembly of a shoe or a portion of a shoe is enhanced by automated placement and assembly of shoe parts. For example, a part-recognition system analyzes an image of a shoe part to identify the part and determine a location of the part. Once the part is identified and located, the part can be manipulated by an automated manufacturing tool.

Provided are a welding device and a welding method that can realize efficient welding in terms of time and in terms of energy. The embodiment includes: a first graphite heater 110 and a second graphite heater 120 that come into contact with a first member 210 and a second member 220; and a first die 130 and a second die 140 that interpose the first and second graphite heaters 110, 120 between each of the first and second members 210, 220 and each die. The first and second graphite heaters 110, 120 have graphite sheets 114, 124 that generate heat by electric power, insulating materials 113, 123, outer covers 111, 121, and inner covers 112, 122 and are configured such that structures of the graphite sheets 114, 124 and the insulating materials 113, 123 interposing the graphite sheets are interposed between outer covers 111, 121 and inner covers 112, 122.

A method for welding at least two parts including a thermoplastic material and having respective surfaces to be welded, including: inserting an insert between the surfaces to be welded of the two parts; generating heat via the insert; wherein the insert moves in relation to the parts to be welded in a welding direction. Also, an installation adapted for implementation of this method.

A method for integrating a backing-structure assembly in a structure of an aircraft or spacecraft is described. In this case, a plurality of individual elements is joined to form the backing-structure assembly. The individual elements for the backing-structure assembly and a skin portion for the structure are provided. The elements are arranged on a pre-assembly device which comprises retaining devices, which are each configured to hold one of the elements so as to be adjustable with respect to the position and/or location thereof. Some or all of the elements are connected to the skin portion. In the method, by adjusting the retaining devices for tolerance compensation, gaps between joint regions of the elements and the skin portion are eliminated or adjusted.

A system for handling a first component includes: a main-device and a module-device, the module-device having a pressing section arranged to form an outer surface of the module-device, the module-device configured to releasably receive the first component, such that a connection section of the first component is attachable to the pressing section of the module-device. The module-device is releasably connected to a second component, wherein the main-device includes a grabbing unit adapted for releasably connecting the module-device, such that the pressing section is arranged to form a first outer surface section of the main-device, and wherein the main-device includes a connector for connecting to a handling-unit for arranging the main-device at the second component, such that the connection section of the first component, if attached to the pressing section of the module-device, is at least indirectly attachable to a front surface of the second component.

Disclosed is a method for producing components from fiber-reinforced thermoplastic. The method involves manufacturing a multitude of semifinished products, each of which includes a plurality of impregnated fabric layers that are joined to one another only locally, as well as a frame structure having at least one cutout. The semifinished products are consolidated using a consolidation device, an inlay element being placed in each cutout before the semifinished products are consolidated.

A fiber-reinforced composite laminate for use in electromagnetic welding of molded parts of said laminates. The laminate has a plurality of structural layers, each formed of electrically conductive fibers embedded in a thermoplastic matrix. Eddy currents may be induced in the electrically conductive fibers by an electrical conductor that generates an electromagnetic field. The structural layers include a first, a second and, optionally, a third pair of two adjacently positioned structural layers. The first pair has an intermediate layer which allows eddy currents to flow between the two structural layers of the first pair. The second pair has an intermediate layer which prevents eddy currents from flowing between the two structural layers of the second pair. The optional third pair does not have an intermediate layer. The laminate shows efficient heating by an electromagnetic field.

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.

A dual ultrasonic welder unit may be coupled to and carried by a mounting bracket including a base member extending in a an end of a robot arm and may include a first welder including a welding horn adjustable in a Z-axis direction by a first motor mounted within a mounting bar assembly of the first welder. The mounting bar assembly may be coupled to the base member and include a support for adjusting the location of the first welder in an X-axis direction by a second motor mounted to an extension member coupled to the base member and including a threaded member coupled to a follower member coupled to the mounting bar assembly. The dual ultrasonic welder may include a second ultrasonic welder fixedly coupled to the base member. Methods of controlling and operating the dual ultrasonic welding unit include steps of operating the robot and the first and second motors to position the first welder relative to the second welder unit for simultaneously performing ultrasonic welds on at multiple locations on a workpiece.

The present disclosure relates to methods by which a warped workpiece is reconfigured in a pre-determined manner to reduce a separation between the warped workpiece and a joining workpiece. The warped workpiece is reformed/reshaped, prior to joining, by softening material of the warped workpiece through application of a predetermined amount of energy at or near warping and using a directional force applied to a first surface of the warped workpiece, thus reducing a separation space at a joining interface of the warped workpiece and joining workpiece.