Disclosed is a method of joining different materials including a polymer composite and high-tensile steel, at excellent joining strength and, more particularly, a method in which various variables in friction bit joining are designed and adjusted to improve joining load between different materials.

A plastic welding machine for welding plastic parts together is capable of controlling the weld force vector in both magnitude and direction.

An active anvil assembly for use in forming a looped suture is provided. The active anvil assembly includes an anvil member, a first sensor operably connected to the anvil member, and a control assembly. The first sensor is configured for measuring at least one of force, torque, and distance feedback. Also provided are systems and methods for forming a looped suture including an active anvil assembly.

A work piece processing device includes a tool piece, a work piece holder and a servo-elastic actuator system having simultaneous precision force and position control that moves one of the tool piece and the work piece holder to the other of the tool piece and work piece holder.

Methods and apparatuses for bonding polymeric parts are disclosed. Specifically, in one embodiment, the polymeric parts are bonded by plastically deforming them against each other while they are below the glass transition temperatures. A method includes: placing a first polymeric part in contact with a second polymeric part; and plastically deforming the first polymeric part and the second polymeric part against each other to bond the first polymeric part to the second polymeric part. Additionally, during the plastic deformation, a temperature of the first polymeric part is less than a glass transition temperature of the first polymeric part and a temperature of the second polymeric part is less than a glass transition temperature of the second polymeric part.

The invention relates to a device for setting a setting element having a first plastic material in a component having a second plastic material, comprising a rotational advancing unit, by means of which the setting element can be rotated about an axis of rotation and simultaneously an axial force acting in the direction of the axis of rotation can be applied to the setting element in order to drive the setting element into the component, a friction welding joint thereby being produced between the setting element and the component, a differential-distance measuring apparatus for measuring the differential distance between a surface of the component and a surface of the driven setting element, and a control unit for controlling the rotational advancing unit in dependence on the measured differential distance.

A device is provided for producing a bonded joint between fiber-reinforced thermoplastic parts to be joined, in which fiber-containing plastic material is mixed into the joining zone while friction stir welding the parts to be joined in the form of a butt joint.

An ultrasonic welding system, for welding together two workpieces wherein at least one of the workpieces includes a polymeric composite, comprising an energy applicator positioned along an action axis so that, in operation, ultrasonic vibrations transmitted from the energy applicator during a welding routine, are transmitted to the workpieces generally at and/or adjacent the axis. The system also includes a primary, course-control, actuator positioned along action axis so that a first load, output by the primary actuator, acts along the system action axis. The system further comprises a secondary, fine-control, actuator positioned along the system action axis so that a second load output, by the secondary actuator, acts along the axis. And the system comprises a controller for providing first command signals and second command signals to the primary actuator and second actuator to control them to effect loads on the workpieces, during the welding routine and along the axis.

Methods, apparatus and systems are described that relate to in-situ and in-process assembly of segmented optical component with high accuracy. One example method for assembling an optical component with multiple segments includes positioning the multiple segments to an initial state conforming to an alignment or positioning requirement, measuring positions of the multiple segments at the initial state, initiating a fusing process to fuse the multiple segments of the optical element together, measuring the positions of the multiple segments after commencement of the fusing process, and determining whether a change in the positions of the multiple segments has occurred that causes a deviation from the initial state. Upon a determination that the deviation is not within a tolerance value, the method includes adjusting a position of at least one of the multiple segments to maintain the deviation within the tolerance value.

A packaging system for film including: a controller; and a seal jaw controlled by the controller, wherein the seal jaw includes: a first sealing bar; a second sealing bar; a servo motor controlling movement of at least one of the first and the second sealing bars between an open position and a closed position, where the sealing bars are in contact; and a pneumatic cylinder, connected with at least one of the first and second sealing bars, and controlling a pressure between the sealing bars when in the closed position. A method of creating a seal in packaging film, the method including: moving, via a servo motor, a first sealing bar and a second sealing bar from an open position to a closed position; and upon reaching the closed position, clamping, via a pneumatic cylinder, the sealing bars to create a seal in the packaging film.