The present disclosure is directed to a method for bonding composite blade components of a rotor blade of a wind turbine. The method includes providing a first blade component being constructed of a first composite material. The method also includes providing a second blade component being constructed of a second composite material. Further, the method includes arranging the first and second blade components together at an interface. Another step includes placing one or more layers of a wetted composite material between the first and second blade components at the interface. The method also includes allowing the one or more layers of the wetted composite material at the interface to cure.

Systems, methods, and apparatus for using aircraft bondline embedded current sensors to determine a lightning damage index are disclosed. A method of predicting lightning strike damage to at least one type of aircraft involves sensing, with at least one current sensor node embedded in at least one type of aircraft, induced current. The method further involves generating, with at least one current sensor node, at least one current signal representative of the induced current. Also, the method involves determining, electromagnetic density data associated with at least one region of at least one type of aircraft by using at least one current signal. Further, the method involves creating an index that provides a numeric representation for predicted lightning strike damage to at least one type of aircraft based on the electromagnetic density data, dimensions of at least one type of aircraft, and design features of at least one type of aircraft.

A method of bonding materials may comprise defining a bond interface between two materials in a cure zone on a surface of an object, and non-conductively heating the bond interface without directly heating the surface outside of the cure zone. Non-conductively heating the bond interface may involve applying microwave radiation to the bond interface.

A process of constructing an air tight and water tight seam, comprising cutting a sheet of selected material into two or more panels, sealing the panels at respective selected edges using an ultrasonic machine to form a seam, overlaying the seam with a tape made of the same selected material, and sealing the tape and seam using a radio frequency (RF) welding machine.