A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

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.

An induction welding system includes a first gantry, a second gantry, and a support structure. The first gantry includes a first frame and a first plurality of trunks. The first plurality of trunks defines a first curved inner support surface of the first gantry. The first curved inner support surface has a first curvature geometry. The second gantry includes a second frame and a second plurality of trunks. The second plurality of trunks defines a second curved inner support surface of the second gantry. The second curved inner support surface has a second curvature geometry which is different than the first curvature geometry. The support structure includes at least one tooling member defining a curved outer support surface of the support structure. The support structure is longitudinally moveable relative to the first gantry and the second gantry.

Composite structures and methods of forming composite structures are provided. The composite structures can include one or more composite structure components. Each composite structure component is formed from a composite panel that includes one or more sheets of material. The sheets of material include a thermoplastic material and a plurality of reinforcing fibers. A composite panel can be formed in three dimensions to form a composite structure component. Multiple composite structure components can be fused to one another to form a composite structure. In addition, each composite structure component and the composite structure formed therefrom can include an aperture. An interior volume can be formed between adjacent composite structure components. Methods for forming a composite structure can include a step of simultaneously molding and fusing composite structure components.

A method is provided for producing a common connecting opening in two components, at least one of which is made from a plastically deformable material. In the method, at least the edge region of a first prefabricated opening of the first component is softened in order subsequently to introduce a mandrel which displaces the material softened by the heating so that a common connecting opening having a predetermined diameter is obtained.

A method for forming a hybrid heat exchanger is provided. The method includes laser-texturing a metal surface to create a plurality of microstructures and subsequently melt-bonding a plastic component to the plurality of microstructures. During melt-bonding, plastic material penetrates the plurality of microstructures and conforms to the plastic component to the metal surface. After hardening inside the microstructures, the plastic component adheres to the metal surface as a hybrid component. As a result, a fastener or snap connection is not required, and the plastic-metal joint provides a barrier to water, glycol-based fluids, air, and other fluids.

Described herein are polyphenylene sulfide (“PPS”) polymers having excellent transparency to infrared (“IR”) radiation. It was surprisingly discovered that PPS polymer composition including PPS polymers having a selected metal ion (Ca, K, and Mg) concentration at least 400 parts per million by weight (“ppm”), had significantly increase IR transparency, relative to corresponding PPS polymer compositions including a PPS polymer having a selected metal ion concentration less than 400 ppm. Additionally, described herein are methods for laser welding the PPS polymer compositions.

A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

A bonding structure includes: a plurality of carbon nanotubes; a first bonded member; and a first metal sintered compact bonding first end portions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes and the first bonded member, wherein the first metal sintered compact enters spaces between the first end portions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes, and bonds to the plurality of carbon nanotubes while covering side faces and end faces of the first end portions of the plurality of carbon nanotubes.

A lightweight, flame-retardant, multilayered composite structure having at least the following components: a thermoplastic foam core having two opposing surfaces; a thermoplastic adhesive film on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the foam core, one or more composite layer(s) on each adhesive film. The composite layer(s) is/are composed of reinforcement fibers embedded in a thermoplastic polymer or thermoset resin matrix. Adhesive bonding is effectuated by the interleaving thermoplastic adhesive film interposed between the thermoplastic foam core and the adjacent composite layer. The thermoplastic adhesive film is formed of a thermoplastic polymer composition having a T.sub.g of at least 20° C. lower than the T.sub.g of the foam core material.