An optical cable and method for forming an optical cable is provided. The cable includes a cable jacket including an inner surface defining a channel and an outer surface and also includes a plurality of optical fibers located within the channel. The cable includes a seam within the cable jacket that couples together opposing longitudinal edges of a wrapped thermoplastic sheet which forms the cable jacket and maintains the cable jacket in the wrapped configuration around the plurality of optical fibers. The method includes forming an outer cable jacket by wrapping a sheet of thermoplastic material around a plurality of optical core elements. The method includes melting together portions of thermoplastic material of opposing longitudinal edges of the wrapped sheet such that a seam is formed holding the sheet of thermoplastic material in the wrapped configuration around the core elements.

Disclosed herein are a method for manufacturing a metal-polymer hybrid part, the metal-polymer hybrid part itself, and a laminate component. The method includes the steps of (a) providing a laminate component containing at least one metallic layer covered by at least one first functional layer, (b) providing a polymeric component, (c) bringing into contact the polymeric component with the at least one first functional layer of the laminate component, (d) joining the polymeric component onto the at least one first functional layer by physical treatment and (e) obtaining the metal-polymer hybrid part.

A resistance welding apparatus can employ a modular power supply system with multiple power supply modules and leads for electrically connecting the modular power supply system to a welding resistor. The resistance welding apparatus is selectively configurable in at least three of (i) a first configuration in which the leads connect the first power supply module to the resistor and the second power supply module is disconnected from the resistor; (ii) a second configuration in which the leads connect the second power supply module to the resistor and the first power supply module is disconnected from the resistor; (iii) a third configuration in which the leads connect the first and second power supply modules to the resistor in series; and (iv) a fourth configuration in which the leads connect the first and second power supply modules to the resistor in parallel.

A process for producing a polymeric stiffened sheet-like component, for example a panel, for aircraft construction. Production includes integration of hollow stiffening profiles, for example closed omega stringers, onto a sheet-like component, for example an external skin, where the stringers and external skin are produced from thermoplastic composite material. The stringers are integrated onto the external skin by establishing contact between the stringers and the external skin and melting thermoplastic composite material with exposure to heat and pressure at the areas of contact between external skin and stringers. Melting of the other sections of the stringers is avoided with a pressurized cooling fluid with a temperature significantly below the melting point of thermoplastic composite material, the fluid flowing through the airtight enclosed space in the stringers. Use of closed airtight thermoplastic omega stringers allows integration of the stringers onto the external skin in absence of any flexible tube within the stringers.

A method for manufacturing a blade shell part of a wind turbine blade includes providing a mould for manufacturing a blade shell part of the wind turbine blade. The mould has a first moulding side with a first moulding surface that defines an outer shape of the blade shell part. The method comprises providing a blade shell part on the first moulding surface and providing a support element and attaching the support element to a fastening section of the blade shell part. Attaching the support element includes applying adhesive between the support element and the fastening part. The method also includes providing an air heating assembly having a cover extending in a longitudinal direction between a first cover end and a second cover end and extending in a transverse direction between a primary cover end and a secondary cover end, the cover defining a cavity.

A structural member including a lightweight core, one or more skins, and a crosslinking nanolayer interposed therebetween that results in significant mechanical strength in the structure. The core is a polymer of reduced density by way of included voids, such as an open or closed cell foam, honeycomb, or corrugated structure. The core polymer has a lower density and may have a higher softening or melting temperature than the polymer skin materials. The core may be discontinuous at the interface with the skin such that only a small percentage of the core surface is actually in contact with the skin compared to the overall area of the interface. The skin may be a thermoplastic layer that attaches to the core material. The skin may be a composite material including non-thermoplastic reinforcements. The crosslinking nanolayer is covalently bonded to the surface of the core material and provides molecular compatibility with the skin material.

Disclosed herein is a method of manufacturing a headlining, using a moisture-curing adhesive that can be molded at a relatively low temperature and enables energy saving by not requiring a condition in which bonding surfaces are preheated to an excessively high temperature. A headlining manufactured thereby the same method is also disclosed. The method includes coating a fabric with a moisture-curing adhesive, curing the moisture-curing adhesive by spraying water onto the moisture-curing adhesive, forming a headlining member by putting the fabric coated with the moisture-curing adhesive on a substrate after the curing, and pressing the headlining member so that the fabric and the substrate are bonded to each other and the headlining is shaped at the same time, after the forming.

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

Disclosed embodiments provide automated fiber placement techniques for fabrication of parts made from composite materials. A peening system with multiple pins provides compaction over irregular surfaces, providing superior performance as compared with traditional compaction rollers. The apparatus that carries out the techniques include a tape dispensing system, a heating system, a peening system, a processor and a memory coupled to the processor. The memory contains instructions that when executed by the processor perform the steps of: dispensing a first ply of thermoplastic composite tape over a mandrel; dispensing a second ply of thermoplastic composite tape on the first ply; and peening the second ply onto the first ply, such that the second ply is bonded to the first ply.

A method for processing a resin member includes: irradiating a first member comprising a resin with first light of a first wavelength that causes electronic excitation of the resin; and irradiating the resin electronically excited through irradiation with the first light with second light of a second wavelength longer than the first wavelength. A wavelength range of the second wavelength is within a wavelength range in which light absorption of the resin increases through electronic excitation of the resin.