A method of bonding a second object to a first object includes: providing the first object having a thermoplastic liquefiable material in a solid state; providing the second object having a surface portion that has a coupling structure with an undercut, so that the second object is capable of making a positive-fit connection with the first object; pressing the second object against the first object with a tool that is in physical contact with a coupling-in structure of the second object while mechanical vibrations are coupled into the tool; continuing to press and couple vibrations into the tool until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the first object is liquefied and flows into the coupling structures of the second object; and letting the thermoplastic material re-solidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects by the re-solidified flow portion interpenetrating the coupling structures.

A new ultrasonic aided laser joining method (UAL) for bonding dissimilar materials has been developed. The method is capable of eliminating the laser-induced bubbles at the bonding faces and to improve the joint strength over that of the conventional laser-assisted metal and plastic joining method (LAMP). Some experiments on joining titanium to polyethylene terephthalate have been conducted to show the superiority of UAL over LAMP. The results showed that the joint strength, measured in terms of failure load, was significantly increased when ultrasonic vibration was employed during laser joining. For the LAMP joined specimens, fracture normally occurred at the metal-plastic interface, whereas for the UAL joined specimens, fracture normally occurred in the parent plastic part. The improvement in joint strength is mainly due to the elimination of pores in the resolidified plastic. In addition, ultrasound vibration promotes chemical bonding between the plastic and metal parts, and this is supported by the XPS results.

A distal end portion on a side of an object to be joined of a resonator for joining is so configured that a plurality of protrusions each having an outer face not including an angular shape edge are stacked in two or more steps in a direction in which the resonator for joining and a reception jig for joining oppose to each other and that a shape of a protrusion on the side of the object to be joined is made smaller than a shape of a protrusion on a side of the resonator for joining. With this configuration, it is possible in the process of joining the object to be joined to first concentrate energy of acoustic vibration or ultrasonic vibration on a protrusion having a smaller shape serving as a first step protrusion to trigger to start displacement, then smoothly join, by a protrusion having a larger shape serving as a second step protrusion, a part of the object to be joined existing around the protrusion having the smaller shape, whereby metal foils can be joined without using a protection member for protection of the metal foils. A distal end portion having a plurality of protrusions stacked in two or more steps may be provided in the reception jig.

A method for producing insulating profiles comprises manufacturing a profile body and a first functional element separately, and the profile body and the first functional element are supplied to an ultrasonic welding device, wherein the profile body and the functional element are connected to one another by a material bond by formation of a welded joint. The profile body and the functional element are brought together into a predetermined first cross-sectional geometry during formation of the welded joint and are thereafter guided in this cross-sectional geometry until the plastics material of the welded joint solidifies to such an extent that the profile body and the first functional element are fixed in the predetermined cross-sectional geometry.

The composite tube may include a body having a longitudinal centerline axis and at least one end portion. The at least one end portion may include a plurality of segments that are angled relative to the longitudinal centerline axis and are circumferentially separated from each other by a plurality of slits. The composite tube may be implemented in a joint assembly that includes a support wedge. The support wedge may at least partially engage at least one of a radially inward surface of the at least one end portion and a radially outward surface of the at least one end portion.

A method of anchoring a connector element (10) in a receiving object (66) comprises inserting a distal end of the connector element (10) into a mounting hole in an insertion direction along an insertion axis; inserting a sleeve (36) comprising a thermoplastic material into the mounting hole, the sleeve (36) enclosing the connector element (10); and transferring energy to liquefy at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve (36). A machine (500) configured for carrying out the method and a connector element anchoring kit comprising a connector element (10) and a sleeve (36) comprising thermoplastic material.

A method of manufacturing a heterogeneous composite includes the steps of providing a first constituent and a second constituent, wherein the first constituent is porous or capable of developing pores when under hydrostatic pressure, and the second constituent comprises a solid having thermoplastic properties; positioning the second constituent relative to the first constituent and coupling energy into the second constituent to cause at least portions of the second constituent to liquefy and to penetrate into pores or other structures of the first constituent, whereby the first constituent is interpenetrated by the second constituent to yield a composite; and, causing an irreversible transition at least of the second constituent to yield a modified composite.

A method and installation for joining a cover layer to an object in a continuous process. Joining is effected with the aid of a joining material having thermoplastic properties, wherein the joining material is arranged between the cover layer and the object and is liquefied using ultrasonic vibration energy. Before application of the ultrasonic vibration energy, the joining material is preheated in a contactless manner with the aid of electromagnetic induction in the region of the glass transition temperature of the joining material or above this glass transition temperature. The object is in particular a chip board and the cover layer an edge strip to be joined to an edge of the chip board.

A method of fastening a second object to a first object includes: providing the first object with an attachment surface; providing the second object; placing the second object relative to the first object, with a resin composition in between the attachment surface and the second object, wherein the resin composition has a resin having a first viscosity and being in a flowable state; pressing the first and second objects against each other and causing mechanical vibration to act on at least one of the objects until the resin composition experiences a vibration induced activation, which includes at least one of reduction of the viscosity of the resin compared to the first viscosity and activation of particles dispersed in the resin. The pressing and mechanical vibration are continued or repeated until the resin has at least partially cross-linked and the viscosity of the resin is increased compared to the first viscosity.

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for establishing a connection having material continuity or having material continuity and shaping matching or for separating such a connection of at least one metal or ceramic component and of a component formed from or by a thermoplastic polymer in which the components to be joined together can be pressed together by a pressing device having a counterholder and a plunger. A heating device is present at the plunger and/or at the counterholder or acts there. A heating of the at least one metal or ceramic component up to above the softening temperature of the component formed from or by polymer can be achieved with the heating device, with the heating device being having at least one electrical resistance heating element that is covered by an electrically insulating, preferably ceramic, protective film, and/or having at least one laser beam that is directed to the metal component(s) within the joining region, and/or having at least one inductor present at the plunger and/or at the counterholder for the inductive heating of the meal component(s).