Methods of manufacturing a panel for a vehicle that includes forming a stringer from separate charges. The method can include positioning a forming sheet between the charges that are aligned in an overlapping arrangement. The charges can be held together and the forming sheet can be used to separate the ends of the charges to form flanges that extend outward from a blade. While still secured together, the formed stringer can be moved to a panel and positioned with the flanges contacting against the panel. Filler material can be positioned in an opening formed between the ends of the flanges.

A device (10) comprising a carrier material (14) and a matrix material (12) deposited onto the carrier material in a pattern that leaves a predetermined amount of space (18) between each deposition of matrix material.

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.

A method for surface preparation of composite substrates prior to adhesive bonding. A curable surface treatment layer containing blocked isocyanate compounds is applied onto a curable composite substrate, followed by co-curing. The surface treatment layer may be a resin layer without fibers or a removal peel ply composed of resin-impregnated fabric. After surface preparation, the composite substrate is provided with a chemically-active, bondable surface that can be adhesively bonded to another composite substrate to form a covalently-bonded structure.

System includes a first object having an energy-assisted bonding (EAB) mechanism along a surface of the first object. The EAB mechanism includes a heat-activatable adhesive layer and a carbon-filled (CF) sheet material. The CF sheet material is electrically conductive for resistive heating. A control sub-system is configured to control a coupling actuator to drive an actuator body toward the first object, wherein the actuator body and the first object engage each other. The coupling actuator is configured to apply pressure to the EAB mechanism along the surface of the first object. The control sub-system is also configured to control the power source to apply a current through the CF sheet material of the EAB mechanism to provide thermal energy through resistive heating that activates the adhesive layer along the interface.

An assembly, configured in particular in the form of an aircraft assembly, comprises a plurality of individual components composed of a fibre-reinforced composite material. An edge section of at least one individual component is sealed by means of a sealing tape which contains reinforcing fibres and a curable plastics material.

Composite laminate structures are produced using partially cured parts. Partial curing of the parts is achieved by applying a catalyst to regions of the parts that are to be fully cured. These regions cure at a lower-than-normal temperature while remaining regions of the part remain uncured, allowing them to be co-bonded or co-cured to other structures.

A plugged stringer on a surface of a part, and a method and assembly for production of the plugged stringer. The plug has opposite first and second axial end faces. The plug also has a radially outer margin defined by a radially outer bottom face, radially outer first and second opposite side faces, and a radially outer top face. The plugged stringer also includes a covering overlaying the radially outer top face and the first and second opposite side faces of the plug and extending away from the plug along an axis to form a stringer having first and second segments delineated by the plug. The radially outer margin of the plug is at least partly covered by an adhesive. The radially outer bottom face is adhered to the surface of the part, and the covering is adhered to the radially outer first and second opposite side faces and the radially outer top face. The first and second segments of the stringer respectively define first and second fluid passages separated by the plug. The first fluid passage is fluidly isolated from the second fluid passage by the plug.

A structural assembly (900) and method of fabricating the same, the method comprising: providing a first member (204) comprising a bond surface (800) and a plurality of protrusions (802) extending from the bond surface (800), a length of each of the protrusions (802) from the bond surface (800) being less than or equal to 2 mm; providing a second member (202) comprising a fibre-reinforced composite material, the fibre-reinforced composite material comprising a plurality of elongate fibres (902) embedded in a polymer matrix (904); while the polymer matrix (904) is in its plastic state, forcing the second member (202) against the bond surface (800) and the protrusions (802) so as to cause the second member (202) to form onto the bond surface (800) and the protrusions (802); and thereafter causing the polymer matrix (904) to harden, thereby fixing the first member (204) to the bond surface of the second member (202).

The present disclosure describes a three-dimensional object. The three-dimensional object includes a light polymerized body, at least one internal chamber residing within the light polymerized body, the at least one internal chamber having at least one frangible wall, and a curable component contained within the at least one internal chamber. The three-dimensional object may further include at least one channel extending inwardly from an outer surface of the light polymerized body toward the internal chamber and at least a portion of the at least one channel being adjacent to the at least one frangible wall of the at least one internal chamber. Methods of bonding an insertable object to a three-dimensional object and kits are also described.