A joining element has an anchoring portion for in-depth anchoring in the object and a head portion arranged proximally of the anchoring portion with respect to an insertion axis. The head portion has a lateral outer surface that has a structure that is well-defined, especially within tight tolerances. The joining element is positioned relative to an object of a non-liquefiable material such that the anchoring portion reaches into an opening of the object or is placed adjacent a mouth thereof. Then, the joining element is pressed towards a distal direction, to press the anchoring portion into the opening, while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the joining element by a tool, in an amount and for a time sufficient for liquefaction of a portion of the thermoplastic material to cause interpenetration of the thermoplastic material into structures of the object.

An edge trim for pieces of furniture, including a meltable layer, is described. The molecular structure of the meltable layer contains both polar and non-polar parts. By way of a non-limiting example, an edge trim for pieces of furniture having an exposed edge of wooden or wood substitute material is described, comprising a molten layer and a structural layer, wherein the structural layer and the molten layer are connected in an adhesive bond, wherein the molten layer is made of a material that is chemically modified such that polar and non-polar components are found in a single molecular structure, wherein the molten layer contains energy absorbing additives, wherein the energy absorbing additives of the molten layer are selected from the group consisting of metal oxides, metal phosphates, metal salts of organic anions and combinations thereof.

A method for producing a molded body having the following steps: a) providing a foil ply; b) applying a plastic molding compound in a predefined three-dimensional shape onto the foil ply by means of a three-dimensional printing method.

A computer implemented method comprises the steps of: providing a user interface to a computer terminal; providing a welding machine interface (252) to a welding machine (22; 31) which is equipped with a set of sensors having a power supply sensor (221; 311) configured to sense a power supplied by the welding machine (22; 31) to set a connector to an object in runtime; obtaining a threshold performance metric data signal representing threshold product performance metric predefined via the user interface; obtaining a power supply data signal from the welding machine (22; 31) via the welding machine interface (252), which power supply data signal represents the sensed power supplied by the welding machine (22; 31) to set the connector to the object; applying a machine learning model to the power represented by the obtained power supply data signal such that the machine learning model calculates a model product performance metric, wherein the machine learning model is specifically pre trained with training power sensed by the power supply sensor (221; 311) of the set of sensors of the welding machine (22; 31) and measured product performance metrics; comparing the calculated model product performance metric to the threshold product performance metric represented by the threshold performance metric data signal; and generating a non-consistency data signal when the calculated product performance metric does not comply with the threshold product performance metric.

A device for joining material by anchoring an insert comprising a first material in a structure comprising a second material is provided. The first material is solid and comprises thermoplastic properties and the second material is solid and is penetrable by the first material when in a liquefied state. The device comprises a vibration device being configured to transmit vibrations to said insert to cause at least partial liquefaction thereof and being arranged to move, relative to said structure, along an insertion direction (ID) to insert said insert at least partly into said structure, a contact sensor being connected to the vibration device and being adapted to move together with the vibration device along the insertion direction (ID), the contact sensor having a sensor body being adapted to detect contact with said structure. A controller is further connected to the contact sensor and adapted for receiving a contact signal from the contact sensor indicating that the sensor body has come into contact with said structure.

An edge-banding apparatus is provided and configured to apply an edging strip having a heat activated layer to a substrate or work piece. The apparatus uses localized heat generated from a controlled flame from combustible fuel to apply heat to the edging strip to active the heat activated layer.

A tool presses a joining element against a first object into a first opening of the first object while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the first object and the joining element. Vibration energy and pressing force make the thermoplastic material of the distal portion of the joining element flowable and interpenetrates structures of the first object to yield, after re-solidification, an anchoring of the distal portion of the joining element in the first object. The second object is placed so that a proximal portion of the joining element is inserted into a second opening, and the first and second objects are pressed against each other while mechanical vibration energy is coupled into one of the first and second objects, until thermoplastic material of the joining element proximal portion is made flowable and interpenetrates structures of the second object to yield, after re-solidification, an anchoring in the second object.

A method for manufacturing a biomass molded floor includes steps of: (1) preparing a PVC (polyvinyl chloride) board and a wood-plastic board, wherein a density of the wood-plastic board is in a range of 0.87-0.90 g/cm.sup.3; (2) coating an upper surface of the wood-plastic board with an adhesive, bonding the wood-plastic board with the PVC board, wherein an area of the wood-plastic board is in a range of 1000 mm×1200 mm-1000 mm×1800 mm; and (3) performing molding after bonding, wherein parameters of the molding are: temperature in a range of 35-40° C., pressure in a range of 10-12 MPa, time in a range of 50-60 s.

Provided is a composite material for a wind turbine blade, the composite material including a plurality of rigid elements and plurality of flexible elements, wherein each flexible element is arranged between two rigid elements and is connected thereto such that the rigid elements are flexibly connected to each other by the flexible elements. The flexibility of the composite material can be achieved by using the interspaces between the rigid elements. Therefore, when the composite material is placed on a curved surface, hollow spaces between the rigid elements may be reduced or avoided.

A method of introducing a rotor blade spar cap into a rotor blade shell for a rotor blade of a wind energy installation, a spar cap mold for manufacturing a rotor blade spar cap, a rotor blade comprising such a spar cap, and a wind energy installation including such a rotor blade. At least two strip-shaped spar cap elements are arranged on at least one substantially flat spar cap forming surface of the spar cap mold. The at least one spar cap forming surface extends along a longitudinal direction of the spar cap mold which corresponds to a longitudinal axis of the rotor blade. The spar cap elements are arranged on the at least one spar cap forming surface along the longitudinal direction and are connected to one another so as to form the rotor blade spar cap. The spar cap elements connected to one another are removed from the spar cap mold, are introduced into the rotor blade shell, and are connected to the rotor blade shell.