A method for producing a vehicle component from a fiber-reinforced plastic including providing a skin panel having an inner side, outer side and mounting portion. The skin panel is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. At least one stiffening component has a connection surface. The stiffening component is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. The stiffening component and skin panel are contacted wherein the connection surface lies on the mounting portion. The method includes areally warming a joining zone so the stiffening component and skin panel are welded together. The joining zone is cooled. A determined geometry of the combination of stiffening component and skin panel is compared with a predefinable geometry. The joining zone is re-warmed, deforming the stiffening component and the skin panel, and the method includes cooling in order to attain the predefinable geometry if the determined geometry deviates from the predefinable geometry.

The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure involve providing a first substrate and a second substrate, the first substrate and the second substrate, each having a width in a cross direction; providing an activated elastic material; elongating the activated elastic material; and ultrasonically bonding the first substrate together with the second substrate with the elongated activated elastic material positioned between the first substrate and the second substrate.

A vacuum bag having an expandable pleat is provided. The vacuum bag includes a first surface region, a second surface region, and a third surface region between the first and second surface regions. The third surface region can be folded to bring the first surface region into proximity of the second surface region. The vacuum bag also includes a strip having a first attaching region at a first end of the strip, a second attaching region at a second end of the strip opposite the first end, and a central region between the first and second attaching regions. The first attaching region is fixed to the first surface region, and the second attaching region is fixed to the second surface region such that when the central region of the strip is in a non-expanded state, the first surface region is contiguous to the second surface region.

The present disclosure relates to methods for assembling elastic laminates that may be used to make absorbent article components. Particular aspects of the present disclosure involve a spreader mechanism operating to activate an elastic material by stretching the elastic material in to a first elongation. The elastic material is then consolidated to a second elongation, wherein the second the elongation is less than the first elongation. The consolidated elastic material is then joined to one or more substrates. In some configurations, the substrates may be nonwovens, and the elastic material may be an elastic film and/or an elastic laminate.

Systems and methods are presented herein for a method of attaching a strip to a housing. An internal support member is inserted into a collapsible housing, such that it is arranged along a longitudinal axis of an inner surface of the collapsible housing. An outer support member is arranged along an outer surface the collapsible housing opposite the internal support member. A strip is positioned along the outer surface using the outer support member and the internal support member. Then the strip is permanently welded to the outer surface using a welding element. Welding is performed by a welding element located in one (or both) of the internal support member or the outer support member.

Applicators for applying a masking material to a target surface, the applicators include a body, an applicator system attached to the body and configured to apply the masking material to the target surface with a substantially straight edge as the body is translated in an application direction, a dispenser system attached to the body, the dispenser system being configured to support a supply of the masking material and to dispense the masking material to the applicator system, and a guide member attached to the body proximate the applicator system in a trailing position and configured to press the masking material to the target surface after the applicator system applies the masking material to the target surface.

A lamination system includes a film supply, a non-woven material supply, and a laminator. The laminator causes a film from the film supply to be laminated to a sheet from the non-woven material supply to establish a laminated sheet.

An internal tensioning structure for use in an inflatable product fulfills the basic function of maintaining two adjacent inflatable surfaces in a desired geometric arrangement when the inflatable product is pressurized. The tensioning structure is formed by connecting a pair of plastic strips sheets via spaced-apart strands, such as strings or wires. When pulled taut, the strands provide a high tensile strength between the two opposed plastic strips. At the same time, the plastic strips facilitate a strong, long-lasting weld between the tensioning structure and the inflatable product.

A welding method heats a surface to be welded of a continuous strip member with a laser beam. The welding method pressurizes the strip member and a continuous film to weld the surface to the film, when or after heating the surface with the laser beam. The welding method preheats the surface before heating the surface with the laser beam. A welding device includes a heat device having an infrared light source disposed to extend along a feed path for the strip member. The heat device is configured to irradiate the surface with infrared light to heat the surface with infrared light. The welding device includes a pressure device configured to pressurize the strip member and the film to weld the surface to the film.

Multifunction end effector apparatus and methods for assembling thermoplastic composite articles are disclosed. An example apparatus for assembling a thermoplastic composite article includes a robot and an end effector coupled to the robot. The end effector includes a cutting head, a vacuum head, and a welding head.