A joining system includes a holding fixture assembly configured to hold a fuselage skin. The stringers are temporarily attached to the fuselage skin. The joining system includes an upper beam assembly including an upper beam and a lower beam assembly. The lower beam assembly includes a lower beam and at least one lower heating element. The holding fixture assembly is coupled to the upper beam assembly. The holding fixture assembly is coupled to the lower beam assembly. The upper beam is movable relative to the lower beam to clamp the at least one of the plurality of stringers and the fuselage skin together prior to and during welding.

A golf putter has a shaft of composite materials, a putter head having a stud for mounting to the shaft of composite materials, and a grip affixed to the shaft. The shaft is a hollow shaft and the surface is sanded and cleaned before a first layer of pre-preg material is rolled onto the shaft and secured with an adhesive layer. At least one additional layer of the pre-preg material is rolled onto the first layer of the pre-preg material and secured using adhesive. Additional layers of pre-preg material may be applied to the hollow shaft. Cellophane is wrapped on top of the at least one layer of the pre-preg material prior to heat curing of the hollow shaft. After heat curing, the cellophane is removed and the surface is sanded and decorated.

A method of manufacturing a composite (e.g. fibre-reinforced polymer) connector for a fluid transfer conduit includes: providing a tubular mandrel which extends substantially parallel to a central axis C; providing a former on the tubular mandrel which extends substantially perpendicular to the central axis C; and winding continuous fibre reinforcement, impregnated with a thermosetting polymer, around the mandrel to form a tubular hub portion which extends substantially parallel to the central axis C and over the former to form a flange portion 308 which extends from the hub portion at an angle to the central axis C. Winding the continuous fibre reinforcement over the former includes passing the continuous fibre reinforcement across a first surface of the former that is substantially perpendicular to the central axis C and across a second surface of the former such that the former is encapsulated as a core for the flange portion.

A mandrel has an outer peripheral member that shapes an outer peripheral surface of a mandrel, and a regulation member that regulates movement of the outer peripheral surface toward the radially inner side. A manufacturing device for a tubular member includes a radial movement mechanism that deforms the outer peripheral surface by actuating the regulation member into the outer peripheral surface in a winding shape and the outer peripheral surface in a separable shape, the separable shape being obtained by moving the outer peripheral surface in the winding shape toward the radially inner side and allowing the mandrel and the tubular member to be separated in the axial direction of the mandrel.

A mandrel has an outer peripheral member that shapes an outer peripheral surface of a mandrel, and a regulation member that regulates movement of the outer peripheral surface toward the radially inner side. A manufacturing device for a tubular member includes a radial movement mechanism that deforms the outer peripheral surface by actuating the regulation member into the outer peripheral surface in a winding shape and the outer peripheral surface in a separable shape, the separable shape being obtained by moving the outer peripheral surface in the winding shape toward the radially inner side and allowing the mandrel and the tubular member to be separated in the axial direction of the mandrel.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

A thermoforming method includes forming a skin comprising a plurality of plies thermoplastic resin and fiber, securing an edge of the skin to a mandrel, heating, via a heating element, the skin to a forming temperature, moving a thermoforming apparatus with respect to the mandrel, rolling at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus along the skin in a direction away from the clamped edge of the skin in response to the thermoforming apparatus moving with respect to the mandrel, and in response to the at least one roller of the thermoforming apparatus rolling along the skin, compressing the skin between the at least one roller and the mandrel, consolidating the plurality of plies of material, and bending the skin to conform to a shape of the mandrel. The consolidated and formed skin is then cooled and removed from the mandrel.

A method and apparatus for the continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and composite-tape based preforms and preform charges includes a mandrel about which a constituent material, which is maintained under tension, is wound. The tension is insufficient to fully consolidate the wound material.

A method and apparatus for the continuous fabrication of fiber-bundle-based and composite-tape based preforms and preform charges includes a mandrel about which a constituent material, which is maintained under tension, is wound. The tension is insufficient to fully consolidate the wound material.

A resin bath device for wet winding provided herein includes a resin stirring bath and a resin impregnation bath, where a bottom of a side wall of the resin stirring bath is connected to the resin impregnation bath, two ingredient baths are provided at two ends of the resin stirring bath, and a stirring mechanism is arranged inside the resin stirring bath. A resin dipping roller is mounted at a middle of the resin impregnation bath where a pressure roller is mounted at tops of side walls; an electric heating coil is arranged inside a bottom wall of the resin impregnation bath, and an electric heating rod is arranged at an axis of the pressure roller; and wire guide rollers are mounted at two ends of the side wall of the resin impregnation bath.