The present invention relates to a method for producing thermosetting components from two or more semifinished composite-material products with textile fibre reinforcement and matrix material, wherein the semifinished composite-material products are fully consolidated, with the exception of local regions, and are brought into contact at the partially consolidated (gelled) regions (201, 211, 221, 241) such that the matrix material of the partially consolidated regions (201, 211, 221, 241) bonds and the regions joined together in this way are subsequently fully consolidated. Furthermore, a device which is suitable for producing the semifinished composite-material products is disclosed.

A radially expansible press plunger including a base plate and a first plunger skirt. A circumferential edge portion of the first plunger skirt is arranged at a guiding surface of the base plate and being arranged radially inward of the circumferential edge of the bottom surface. The first plunger skirt is resiliently transformable between an unexpanded state and a radially expanded state. The expansible press plunger further comprises a second plunger skirt having a plunger skirt side wall with a circumferential edge portion at a bottom end of the second plunger skirt and being arranged radially outward of the circumferential edge portion of the first plunger skirt. The second plunger skirt is resiliently transformable between an unexpanded state and a radially expanded state under influence from the circumferential edge portion of the first plunger skirt.

A device for positioning in the body of an animal, the device comprising a first portion and a second portion that may be positioned in contact with one other, the first portion and the second portion each comprising a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material, such that when the device is positioned in the body of an animal and electric current flows from the first portion to the second portion, heat is generated by electrical resistance at the point of contact between the first portion and the second portion so as to melt regions of the first portion and the second portion, and when the electric current is thereafter terminated, the melted regions of the first portion and the second portion re-solidify so that a weld is formed between the first portion and the second portion.

A fusion tip of a heat fusion machine assembling a sub-material including a boss or rib with a base material and then heat-fusing the boss or rib to fix the sub-material and the base material includes a base tip including a pinhole formed vertically in a center and a tip head contacting the boss or rib during heat fusion and a fusion pin positioned in the pinhole and configured to move up and down separately from the base tip.

A method of joining overlapping thermoplastic membrane components in which a first thermoplastic membrane component and a second thermoplastic membrane component are positioned in overlapping relationship between a pair of complementary molding surfaces, with at least one of the complementary molding surfaces being defined by an electrically conductive metal susceptor. Heat is generated in the metal susceptor and transferred by thermal conduction from the metal susceptor to overlapping portions of the first and second thermoplastic membrane components to locally melt and coalesce at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the first thermoplastic membrane component and at least a portion of the thermoplastic material of the second thermoplastic membrane component. The molten thermoplastic material of the first and second thermoplastic membrane components forms a zone of coalesced thermoplastic material that, upon cooling, forms a solid weld joint that fusion welds the first and second thermoplastic membrane components together.

An apparatus for forming a weld between a first portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material and a second portion of a biocompatible conductive thermoplastic material comprises a first electrode, a second electrode, and a structure for holding said first and second electrodes in opposition to one other with a space therebetween for receiving said first portion and said second portion in contact with one another. The structure is electrically non-conductive and an electrical circuit comprising a power source and a switch arranged such that closure of said switch applies a voltage potential across said first electrode and said second electrode so as to generate heat via electrical resistance, the heat being sufficient to melt regions of said first and second portions.