A microwave heating device includes a variable frequency microwave power supply, a waveguide launcher, and a fixture to contain a material to be heated, with the fixture located directly adjacent to the end of the launcher. All heating occurs in the near-field region, i.e., no cavity modes or standing waves are established within the fixture. This condition may be insured by keeping the thickness of the fixture or workpiece under one wavelength (at all microwave frequencies being used). The launcher is preferably a horn configured to spread the microwave power laterally over a selected area while maintaining a single propagating mode. The invention may be used to enhance catalytic reactions for research and other purposes. Alternatively, the invention may be configured to perform spot curing or repair operations involving adhesives and composites.

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 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.

System includes a first object having an energy-assisted bonding (EAB) mechanism along a surface of the first object. The EAB mechanism includes a heat-activatable adhesive layer and a carbon-filled (CF) sheet material. The CF sheet material is electrically conductive for resistive heating. A control sub-system is configured to control a coupling actuator to drive an actuator body toward the first object, wherein the actuator body and the first object engage each other. The coupling actuator is configured to apply pressure to the EAB mechanism along the surface of the first object. The control sub-system is also configured to control the power source to apply a current through the CF sheet material of the EAB mechanism to provide thermal energy through resistive heating that activates the adhesive layer along the interface.

A tank (e.g., an underground storage tank), and manufacturing methods therefore, may include a tank body having an exterior surface. A component is mounted on at least a non-planar portion of the exterior surface of the tank body using an adhesive (e.g., an MMA adhesive). For example, the component may be positioned on the non-planar portion of the exterior surface of the tank body after application of adhesive and pressure may be applied to maintain the position of the component on the non-planar portion of the exterior surface of the tank body as the adhesive is cured. The pressure may be removed upon curing of the adhesive and formation of a structural bond may occur at the adhesive interface between the mounting surface of the component and the non-planar portion of the exterior surface of the tank body.

Systems and methods for reinforcing physical structures with composite reinforcement systems are disclosed herein. According to aspects of the present disclosure, a composite reinforcement system includes a carrier formed of a plurality of fibers and a blend of at least two reagents impregnated within the carrier. The at least two reagents are chemically configured to react to form a moisture-curable prepolymer. One reagent of the at least two reagents is an isocyanate, and another reagent of the at least two reagents is an aromatic-group-containing polyol

A heat-curable tape, a kit, and a method for connecting ends of an elongate belt to form an intermediate transfer members suitable for use with indirect printing systems. The kit includes an elongate belt and the heat-curable tape. The kit can include a crimping pin. The method includes using the heat curable tape to join ends of the elongate belt at a seam. A heater is used, in a printing system, for heat-curing the heat-curable tape onto the free ends of the elongate belt so as to form the intermediate transfer member.

A method and apparatus is presented. Layers of composite material are laid down on a forming tool. A respective bend is formed in each of the layers to form the composite filler comprising bent layers on the forming tool. The composite filler comprising the bent layers is placed into a gap formed by at least one composite structure.

An assembly, configured in particular in the form of an aircraft assembly, comprises a plurality of individual components composed of a fibre-reinforced composite material. An edge section of at least one individual component is sealed by means of a sealing tape which contains reinforcing fibres and a curable plastics material.

A method for manufacturing a rotor blade of a wind power plant which has an area close to the blade root in which the rotor blade has an obtuse rear edge. The method includes manufacturing a half-shell on the pressure side and a half-shell on the suction side, introducing and adhesively bonding filler bodies into at least one section of the area of the obtuse rear edge of the pressure-side half-shell and the suction-side half-shell, wherein the sections with the filler bodies lie opposite one another in the assembled rotor blade, assembling and positioning the half-shells relative to one another, wherein an adhesive gap which is delimited by the first adhesive surfaces of the filler bodies remains between the filler bodies, and introducing an adhesive medium into the adhesive gap. Also a rotor blade manufactured according to the method, and a wind power plant including such a rotor blade.