A method for joining two objects by anchoring an insert portion provided on a first object in an opening provided on a second object. The anchorage is achieved by liquefaction of a thermoplastic material and interpenetration of the liquefied material and a penetrable material, the two materials being arranged on opposite surfaces of the insert portion and the wall of the opening. During the step of inserting the insert portion in the opening and/or during anchorage a clamping force is applied to opposing surfaces of the second object to prevent the second object from cracking or bulging.

This specification discloses an article of manufacture. The article of manufacture has at least one structural blank and at least one guide. The structural blank has a plurality of oriented fiber plies in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide has a plurality of random dispersed fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide is affixed to the structural blank by injection molding and over molding the guide onto the structural blank. The article of manufacture can take a number of forms for use in industries such as aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trains or watercraft.

A connecting joint for attaching a wind turbine rotor blade to a rotor hub includes a bolt having a blade end configured to be coupled to the rotor blade and a hub end configured to be coupled to the rotor hub. The bolt includes a neck region adjacent the blade end, wherein the neck region has a cross dimension less than a cross dimension of the blade end of the bolt. A wind turbine blade having such a connecting joint is also disclosed. Additionally, a method of making the connecting joint is disclosed.

A connecting joint for attaching a wind turbine blade to a rotor hub includes an insert configured to be coupled to the wind turbine blade. The insert includes a main body having an outer surface configured to interface with the blade, a first tubular extension extending from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade, and a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade. A wind turbine blade having such a connecting joint is also disclosed. Additionally, a method of making a wind turbine blade including the connecting joint is disclosed.

An assembly of two parts, one of the parts being made of composite material with fiber reinforcement obtained from a fiber preform made by three-dimensional weaving and densified with a matrix, the assembly including a mechanical anchor element secured to one of the parts and inserted inside the other part.

A case includes a first member and a second member configured in such a way that a closed space is formed between the first and second members in a state where the first and second members abut against each other. The first member includes a shaft portion extending toward the second member. The second member includes a shaft support portion including a circumferential wall portion that surrounds one end portion of the shaft portion. The shaft portion includes an enlarged-diameter portion that is the one end portion melted in such a way as to be enlarged in diameter.

A disclosed screening apparatus includes a subgrid, and a screen element attached to the subgrid via laser welding at a plurality of attachment positions such that, under vibrational excitation, the screen element has a pre-determined profile of vibrational motion relative to the subgrid. The screen element may be attached at a maximal number of attachment locations to the subgrid to minimize relative motion of the screen element and the subgrid under vibrational excitation, or the screen element may be attached a sub-set of the maximal number of attachment locations to allow vibrational motion of the screen element relative to the subgrid. A disclosed method may include attaching a plurality of screen elements to a respective plurality of subgrids, attaching the plurality of subgrids to one another to form a screening pre-assembly, and cutting edges of the screening pre-assembly to form the screen assembly having a perimeter with a pre-determined shape.

Some variations provide a process for fabricating a ceramic structure, the process comprising: producing a plurality of preceramic polymer parts; chemically, physically, and/or thermally joining the preceramic polymer parts together, to generate a preceramic polymer structure; thermally treating the preceramic polymer structure, to generate a ceramic structure; and recovering the ceramic structure. The process may employ additive manufacturing, subtractive manufacturing, casting, or a combination thereof. A composite overwrap may be applied to the preceramic polymer structure prior to pyrolysis, and the composite overwrap also pyrolyzes to a ceramic composite and is a part of the final ceramic structure. The ceramic structure may be silicon oxycarbide, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, silicon oxynitride, silicon carbonitride, silicon boronitride, silicon boron carbonitride, or boron nitride, for example. The ceramic structure may have at least one dimension of 1 meter or greater, and may be a fully integrated ceramic object with no seams.

A connecting arrangement includes a first plastic component, a second plastic component, and a closed induction ring that is arranged between the first and second plastic components in a joining gap that is partially filled with molten plastic. The first plastic component has a first joining region that is configured as a stepped receiving opening with a first joining contour. The second plastic component has a second joining region that is configured as a stepped shoulder with a second joining contour. The second joining region is inserted into the first joining region to form the joining gap. The first and second joining contours are adapted to one another so as to center the first joining region, the second joining region, and the induction ring in the joining gap with respect to one another. A method in one embodiment includes welding the first and second plastic components of the connecting arrangement.

A multi-layer exercise mat including a first layer including an outer surface and an opposing inner surface, the opposing inner surface of the first layer including a first array of three-dimensional features integral with the first layer; and a second layer including an outer surface and an opposing inner surface, the opposing inner surface of the second layer including a second array of three-dimensional features integral with the second layer. The first and second arrays of three-dimensional features are configured to grip each other to removably secure the inner surface of the first layer to the inner surface of the second layer.