Apparatuses and methods are disclosed that may be used to bond materials using thermoset and thermoplastic polymer materials arranged with a thermoplastic strike layer on a surface of the material. Apparatuses and methods are also disclosed for manufacturing and configuring catheters and other tubular devices with a bonding surface or layer. These apparatuses and devices may have a strike layer of thermoplastic polymer material that melts or softens upon application of heat and bonds to other polymer materials upon cooling, thus avoiding the use of externally-applied adhesives in the construction of a bond between two surfaces, such as between an inner surface of a tubular catheter and an outer surface of a tubular catheter tip.

An adhesive (B) of solvent containing adhesive as a suspension of low viscosity is prepared by adding a solvent MIBK to a one-part epoxy adhesive of a dicyandiamide-curable type (A). Metal shaped articles (M1 to M5) as adherends are prepared each of which, through various surface treatment, has specific surface configuration of roughened face and/or ultrafine irregularities and the surface is entirely covered with a thin layer of ceramics such as a metal oxide or metal phosphate. The specified face of each metal shaped article (M1 to M5) is painted with the solvent containing adhesive (B). The faces painted with the adhesive of two metal shaped articles (M1 to M5) are caused to abut each other, the articles are heated to cure the one-epoxy adhesive to accomplish adhesion. With one of the adherends replaced by a CFRP shaped article (P2), a composite of a metal and CFRP can be formed.

Methods and apparatus for tooling in layered structures for increased joint performance are disclosed. A disclosed example method includes placing a tool onto a first substrate to define an impression in the first substrate, curing the first substrate, removing the tool from the first substrate to define a joint interface corresponding to the impression, and coupling, at the joint interface, the first substrate to a second substrate.

An open-channel stiffener for stiffening a panel has a bonding flange for bonding the stiffener to the panel through a bondline formed between the bonding flange and the panel to form a stiffened panel. The open-channel stiffener has a cross-sectional shape that aligns, or substantially aligns, a shear center of the stiffener with a centroid of the stiffener and aligns the shear center proximate an edge of the bondline, and removes the need for a radius filler noodle. A plurality of perforations may be formed through the bonding flange to permit an adhesive to wick into the perforations and create a mechanical interlock between the bonding flange and the panel.

An adhesive (B) of solvent containing adhesive as a suspension of low viscosity is prepared by adding a solvent MIBK to a one-part epoxy adhesive of a dicyandiamide-curable type (A). Metal shaped articles (M1 to M5) as adherends are prepared each of which, through various surface treatment, has specific surface configuration of roughened face and/or ultrafine irregularities and the surface is entirely covered with a thin layer of ceramics such as a metal oxide or metal phosphate. The specified face of each metal shaped article (M1 to M5) is painted with the solvent containing adhesive (B). The faces painted with the adhesive of two metal shaped articles (M1 to M5) are caused to abut each other, the articles are heated to cure the one-epoxy adhesive to accomplish adhesion. With one of the adherends replaced by a CFRP shaped article (P2), a composite of a metal and CFRP can be formed.

A bonding preparation patch for application to a resin treated surface is provided. The patch includes a strip having first and second portions, each of which has corresponding first and second sides. The strip is formed of resin porous material and is foldable such that the respective first sides of the first and second portions face each other. The patch further includes a resin barrier interposable between corresponding portions of the respective first sides and a tape including at least one adhesive side, which is securable relative to the first portion and disposable in contact with the second side of the second portion.

A method for forming a connection between two tubular sections having a polymeric outer surface jacket, using electrofusion to fusion bond a casing of similar, non-crosslinked polymer to the outer surface of the tubular sections.

A clamping ring that presses an end of a pipe against a connecting piece by back shrinkage. The clamping ring comprises a body comprising a plastic material having memory properties. The body has a first end to be positioned at a distance from the end of the pipe and a second end to be positioned close to the end of the pipe. The body of the clamping ring has a first position at the first end or at the distance from the first end having a first radial wall thickness. The body of the clamping ring has at least one second position between the first position and the second end such that the body of the clamping ring has a second radial wall thickness at the second position. The second radial wall thickness is smaller than the first radial wall thickness.

A facility for pairing a metal shield to a leading edge of a preform made of composite material for the production of an aircraft turbine engine blade, the facility including a support configured to receive and hold the metal shield, a movement hexapod which carries the support and is able to move the support along and about the three axes of an XYZ coordinate system, an automaton which includes jaws and is configured to receive and hold the preform, anda computing unit for controlling the hexapod and the automaton with a view to producing the pairing. The invention also relates to a method for pairing the metal shield to the leading edge of the preform made of composite material for the production of the aircraft turbine engine blade.

A method for assembling a stiffened composite structure includes a step of co-bonding a cured infused composite stiffener to a pre-preg composite laminate skin element, wherein the pre-preg composite laminate skin element is dimensionally changeable. Another method for assembling a stiffened composite structure includes a step of coupling a cured infused composite stiffener which includes a preform of a plurality of braided fibers to a pre-preg composite laminate skin element, wherein the pre-preg composite laminate skin element is dimensionally changeable.