Apparatus and methods for injecting molten filler material into a hole. The method in accordance with one embodiment comprises: drilling a hole in a composite layer; heating filler material comprising an electrically conductive low-melting alloy to a molten state; inserting a nozzle having an internal channel system into the hole with a gap separating the nozzle and the hole; forcing molten filler material into, through and out of the internal channel system of the nozzle and into the gap; and retracting the nozzle from the hole. The nozzle may be rotary or not rotary.

A method for manufacturing a composite structure in which a first member and a structure material as a second member are integrated, the method including: an arrangement step of arranging a structure precursor including a resin and reinforced fibers in a mold made of the first member; a heating step of heating the structure precursor to equal to or higher than a temperature at which a storage elastic modulus (G) of the structure precursor is less than 1.210.sup.8 Pa; a shaping step of expanding the structure precursor by heating to form a structure material as a second member, and bringing the structure material into close contact with the first member to obtain a composite structure; and a cooling step of cooling the composite structure.

A fibre reinforced composite product can be made by first forming a scaffold structure (400) with a set of tubes (408) running within the product interior, using a digital printing process. Using a carrier fluid, the tube lumens are invested with fibres and then matrix material. The carrier fluid may enter through the end of a tube connecting with an input manifold (920) and exit the tube radially via a capillary (904, 908) which runs alongside the tube.

A device to correct geometrical differences of surfaces of parts to be assembled at the interface of the assembly. A measurer to acquire data by measuring the geometry of the assembly surfaces of two parts to be assembled to each other with their respective assembly surfaces facing. A simulator configured to simulate the assembly of the parts and to determine from the acquired data at each measured point of a sampling of the interface a thickness of the void resulting from the geometrical discrepancies between the assembly surfaces. An additive fabricator to receive from the simulator data representative of the thicknesses of the voids resulting from the geometrical discrepancies between the assembly surfaces. The additive fabricator configured to deposit material on the assembly surface of at least one of the parts to at least partly fill the void resulting from the geometrical discrepancies between the assembly surfaces.

A dispenser apparatus for a curable liquid material is disclosed. The apparatus comprises a flexible bag defining a first compartment for accommodating a first component of a curable liquid material, and a second compartment for accommodating a second component of the curable liquid material and adapted to communicate with the first chamber to enable mixing of the first and second components to initiate curing of the curable liquid material. A first clamp temporarily prevents mixing of the first and second components, and an elongate nozzle communicates with the second compartment to dispense the mixed curable liquid material therefrom. A second clamp temporarily prevents passage of the curable liquid material from the second compartment to the nozzle.

A method of making a composite article comprised of a first component (10) and a second component (30) includes (a) providing a first component (10) and an optically transparent member (22) having a build surface with the first component having a first three-dimensional interfacing segment formed thereon; (b) immersing the first three-dimensional interfacing segment in polymerizable liquid (21); (c) forming an intermediate object by irradiating a build region with light through an optically transparent member and also advancing the first three-dimensional component and the build surface away from one another to form from the polymerizable liquid (21) a second component (30) on said first three-dimensional interfacing segment, with the second component including a second three-dimensional interfacing segment in contact with the first three-dimensional interfacing segment; then (d) optionally washing the intermediate; and then (e) further solidifying the second three-dimensional component (30) on said first three-dimensional component (10) to form said composite article.

A method of injecting potting material into at least a portion of a workpiece, comprises positioning a potting press, containing the potting material, over a target area of the workpiece. The target area contains openings, passing entirely through the workpiece. Simultaneously with positioning the potting press over the target area of the workpiece, the potting material is injected into each one of the openings within the target area.

A motor includes a stationary portion and a rotary portion. The stationary portion includes an armature, a circuit board below the armature, and a base portion. The base portion includes a bearing holder and a radial gap is defined between the circuit board and a wall portion. The circuit board includes a through-hole passing through the circuit board, and at least one exhaust hole passing through the circuit board in an axial direction. A filler material is on upper and lower sides of the circuit board. The radial gap, a first exhaust hole extending in a radial direction, and a second exhaust hole extending in a circumferential direction from the first exhaust hole communicate with each other through an axial space between a lower surface and an upper surface of the base portion.

A composite material with an insert-molded attachment steel is provided. The composite material includes a plurality of burring apertures, each of which has a flange in one direction on the attachment steel and is inserted between fibers. A resin is then introduced between the fibers in each burring aperture and external to the flange.

A railroad crosstie (tie) may be fabricated from a composite material including a fiber reinforced polymer shell manufactured by pultrusion or other process, and filled by a suitable material, typically selected from expanded elastomeric polymer (such as polyurethane resin or other polymer), concrete, lightweight concrete formed by conventional aggregate, sand, cement, water, and an ultra light filler such as natural materials, sawdust, beads of expanded polymer such as expanded polystyrene, microspheres of glass or plastic, a recycled wooden tie in conjunction with any of the above, or the like. Fasteners may be driven such as spikes, threaded, such as screws, lag screws, spreading screws, rivets, or the like into apertures, pilot holes, or directly into fill absent apertures therein.