An article of manufacture comprises a strip that extends along and is centered on a virtual curvilinear path, comprising an arc, having an arc length and a radius. A ratio of the strip-width to the radius is greater than or equal to 0.003. The arc length is equal to or greater than a product of the radius and /64. Within each of discrete strip-regions of the strip, one of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers that is closest to the first longitudinal strip-edge is more buckled than another one of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers that is closest to the second longitudinal strip-edge. Ones of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers that are buckled are parallel to a smallest one of virtual surfaces, joining the first longitudinal strip-edge and the second longitudinal strip-edge.

Disclosed are an integrated structure of different kinds of materials formed by integrating a steel material and a fiber reinforced composite material, and a method of integrating different kinds materials. An integrated structure of different kinds of materials may be formed by integrating different kinds of materials that are a steel material and a fiber reinforced composite material. The integrated structure includes: a first plate including a steel material; and a second plate facing the first plate and including a fiber reinforced composite material, which may be formed by impregnating resin in a reinforced fiber. In particular, a thermal bonding layer may be formed at an interface of the first plate and the second plate and include the resin of the second plate which is thermally bonded on a surface of the first plate.

A method of bonding a second object to a first object includes: providing the first object having a thermoplastic liquefiable material in a solid state; providing the second object having a surface portion that has a coupling structure with an undercut, so that the second object is capable of making a positive-fit connection with the first object; pressing the second object against the first object with a tool that is in physical contact with a coupling-in structure of the second object while mechanical vibrations are coupled into the tool; continuing to press and couple vibrations into the tool until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the first object is liquefied and flows into the coupling structures of the second object; and letting the thermoplastic material re-solidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects by the re-solidified flow portion interpenetrating the coupling structures.

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.

An article of manufacture (200) comprises a strip (202) that extends along and is centered on a virtual curvilinear path (128), comprising an arc (156), having an arc length (154) and a radius (134). A ratio of the strip-width (208) to the radius (134) is greater than or equal to 0.003. The arc length (154) is equal to or greater than a product of the radius (134) and /64. Within each of discrete strip-regions (222) of the strip (202), one of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers (132) that is closest to the first longitudinal strip-edge (204) is more buckled than another one of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers (132) that is closest to the second longitudinal strip-edge (206). Ones of the unidirectional reinforcement fibers (132) that are buckled are parallel to a smallest one of virtual surfaces, joining the first longitudinal strip-edge (204) and the second longitudinal strip-edge (206).

A method of joining workpieces includes the steps of bringing a first workpiece and a second workpiece together, induction heating a susceptor material, and pressing the workpieces together. Each workpiece may include a thermoplastic material, and the workpieces are brought together at a joint interface so that a protrusion of the first workpiece is aligned with a receptacle of the second workpiece. The susceptor material is in contact with the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece during heating such that the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece softens. The step of pressing is performed while the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece is softened, thereby reshaping the first workpiece where the susceptor material is in contact with the thermoplastic material of the first workpiece. The protrusion is deformed to form an interlock with the receptacle at the joint interface.

Peel ply for surface preparation and a method of surface preparation prior to adhesive bonding. A resin-rich peel ply is applied onto a curable, resin-based composite substrate, followed by co-curing. After co-curing, the composite substrate is fully cured but the matrix resin in the peel ply remains partially cured. When the peel ply is removed, a roughened, bondable surface with chemically-active functional groups is revealed. The composite substrate with the chemically-active, bondable surface may be bonded to another composite substrate to form a covalently-bonded structure.

The invention provides a carbon fiber reinforced plastic electrofusion fitting and a self-monitoring method of strain for the fitting. Carbon fiber filled polymer is used to fabricate the fitting to improve the mechanical strength of the fitting. The fitting comprises an electrofusion fitting body embedded with a resistance heating wire and two terminals arranged on the electrofusion fitting body and connected to the two ends of the resistance heating wire respectively. For the self-monitoring of strain, at least one pair of electrodes are set on the surface of the electrofusion fitting. The resistance change between electrodes caused by fitting deformation due to temperature change or mechanical loading during operation can be measured, and could be further used for structural health monitoring of the electrofusion fitting. The combination of mechanical enhancement and strain sensing of the electrofusion fitting can improve the performance and reliability of plastic pipelines.

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 method or apparatus for joining a first component to a second component with an amalgamation plate includes heating the first component, the second component, the amalgamation plate, or combinations thereof, with either a joining tool or a heating element. The components are attached to the amalgamation plate with the joining tool, such that the first component, amalgamation plate, and the second component are fixedly attached to one another, and the amalgamation plate may be substantially surrounded by the first component and the second component, such that it is hidden from exposure. Portions of the amalgamation plate may be embedded into the components via rotation and/or linear force. A portion of the amalgamation plate may be recessed within the joining tool or an anvil before attaching the amalgamation plate to the either component.