A system and method for welding thermoplastic components by positioning and moving a heated plate between the components to melt their respective faying surfaces, and as the plate moves, pressing the components together so that the melted faying surfaces bond together as they cool and re-solidify, thereby creating a composite structure. The plate has a heated portion which is positioned between and heated to melt a portion of the first and second faying surfaces. A manipulator mechanism moves the plate along an interface from between the portion to between a series of subsequent portions of the first and second faying surfaces, thereby welding the thermoplastic components along the entire interface to create the composite structure. An injection device may also move behind the plate and reciprocally inject a polymer between the first and second faying surfaces to provide toughness and crack arresting properties.

Provided is a composite material bonding apparatus that can reduce a cycle time when composite material members are bonded to each other. The composite material bonding apparatus includes a sheet-heater moving device that places a graphite heater at an insertion position between a first bonded surface of a first composite material member and a second bonded surface of a second composite material member such that the graphite heater is parallel to the first bonded surface and the second bonded surface facing the first bonded surface, and retracts the graphite heater to a retraction position from the insertion position. The first bonded surface and the second bonded surface are heated at the insertion position by the graphite heater, and then the graphite heater is moved to the retraction position by the sheet-heater moving device.

A system and method for welding thermoplastic components by positioning and moving a heated plate between the components to melt their respective faying surfaces, and as the plate moves, pressing the components together so that the melted faying surfaces bond together as they cool and re-solidify, thereby creating a composite structure. The plate has a heated portion which is positioned between and heated to melt a portion of the first and second faying surfaces. A manipulator mechanism moves the plate along an interface from between the portion to between a series of subsequent portions of the first and second faying surfaces, thereby welding the thermoplastic components along the entire interface to create the composite structure. The heated portion may contact the faying surfaces and melt them through conduction, or may be suspended between them and melt them through radiation and convection.

A liftgate assembly having finished show surfaces, and process of manufacturing same. The liftgate assembly includes local reinforcements that are overmolded to first reinforcements, and the first reinforcements are infrared welding to a first panel. Second and third reinforcements are also infrared welded to the first panel. To infrared weld the respective reinforcements to the first panel in predetermined locations with respect to the first panel, nesting structures are provided to hold the respective reinforcements and first panel. At least one infrared heating fixture heats various predetermined surfaces on the reinforcements and first panel, and the parts are then pressed together for joining the predetermined surfaces of the respective parts together. The process is repeated, if needed, until all of the reinforcements are infrared welded to the first panel. Outer panels are bonded to the second and third reinforcements.

A method for setting up a joining apparatus for joining a light lens to a housing of a motor vehicle lighting arrangement. A first virtual model is created of the joining apparatus with a light lens and a housing received therein, a relative arrangement of the light lens to the housing corresponds to a target arrangement. A plurality of virtual models are created of the joining apparatus with the light lens and the housing received therein. The relative arrangement of the light lens to the housing deviates from the target arrangement in each case by means of virtual displacement of the adjuster. A target displacement is calculated of an adjuster on the basis of a functional relationship calculated and the relative arrangement in the test construction unit measured. A light lens is joined to a housing in the target arrangement by displacing the adjuster by the target displacement.

A irradiation welding apparatus including an irradiation welding generator having at least one irradiation welding head configured to apply an irradiation treatment to end contact surfaces of a first profile and a second profile to join the first profile and the second profile, where the at least one irradiation welding head forms a planar cross-sectional shape in an x-y directional plane relative to the irradiation welding generator.

A tool for welding a light pane to a housing of a motor vehicle light, the tool comprising a base body and at least one heating element arranged on the base body, wherein the heating element is displaceable relative to the base body between an idle position and a welding position.

An infrared welding machine has a heating device that heats and melts at least one of an end surface of a first member made of resin and an end surface of a second member made of resin, called a surface-to-be-heated, with infrared rays. The heating device includes: a lamp that is disposed so as to face the surface-to-be-heated without coming into contact with the surface-to-be-heated and has a circular shape in cross-section such that the lamp radiates infrared rays in all radially outward directions; an upper-side reflective member that reflects infrared rays radiated from the lamp toward the upper side of the surface-to-be-heated so as to direct the infrared rays toward the surface-to-be-heated; and a lower-side reflective member that reflects infrared rays radiated from the lamp toward the lower side of the surface-to-be-heated so as to direct the infrared rays toward the surface-to-be-heated.

The present invention provides a methacrylic resin composition for non-contact hot plate welding comprising a methacrylic resin comprising 80 to 99.9% by mass of a methacrylic acid ester monomer unit and 0.1 to 20% by mass of a unit of at least one additional vinyl monomer copolymerizable with the methacrylic acid ester monomer, wherein the methacrylic resin composition has a melt flow rate (MFR) of 2.5 g/10 min or lower at 230° C. at a load of 3.8 kg.

A device for thermally welding workpieces including a heating element and a shielding gas supply is provided. The device includes a heating plate consisting of a thermal insulating material in which a groove is formed, said groove includes a heating element, relative to which a surface of a workpiece to be welded is positioned in close proximity to the heating element. A feed channel for a shielding gas is formed in the heating plate and communicates with the groove via at least one through-channel, and the feed channel for supplying shielding gas can be connected to a shielding gas source via a feed line and a valve. The device may further include an assembly for welding a first and a second workpiece, said assembly includes a first and second movement device for moving the workpieces towards one another.