A method of reducing residual stress in a composite assembly may include assembling a first composite part to a second composite part to form a detail assembly. The first and second composite part may each have a flange and a web connected by a bend radius. The webs may be arranged back-to-back. The detail assembly may be cured on a compensated cure tool compensated for cure shrinkage spring-in predicted to occur in the first and second composite part. The method may include allowing the first and second composite part to spring in from cure shrinkage, and assembling the detail assembly to an uncured third composite. The method may also include co-bonding the detail assembly to the third composite part on an assembly cure tool to form a composite assembly having reduced cure shrinkage residual stress in the bend radii of the first and second composite part.

A method of manufacturing a hollow composite structure is provided. The method includes curing a first portion of the hollow composite structure having at least one open region and at least one wall, the at least one wall partially defining a hollow interior. The method also includes bonding a laminate shell to the first portion of the hollow composite structure proximate to at least one location of the wall to cover the open region and enclose the hollow interior. The method further includes disposing a second portion of the hollow composite structure over the laminate shell, the second portion comprising a plurality of plies. The method yet further includes curing the first portion and the second portion during a final cure.

Construction of a sealed connection between an elastomeric or synthetic polymer flexible pipe or hose and a metallic coupling member. The coupling member surrounds an armor layer at a free end of the flexible pipe or hose. A sealing area is defined by a recessed portion of the pipe coupling into which a sealing material is introduced. An inner liner layer of the flexible pipe or hose may extend into the sealing area where it is bonded to the sealing material. The sealing material and the inner liner layer may each be comprised of a semi-crystalline thermoplastic material. Furthermore, a reinforcement material may be provided in the inner liner layer.

The disclosure relates to a component device, in particular for a primary supporting component of an aircraft, the component device having a first component element, a second component element, a bonding providing a connection between the first component element and the second component element, and a detector device having at least one interior space sensor device configured to measure a change in a pressure and/or a concentration of a gas surrounding the interior space sensor device. The first component element, the second component element, and the bonding confine an interior space. The interior space sensor device is arranged in the interior space.

The disclosure relates to a component device, in particular for a primary supporting component of an aircraft, which comprises a first component element, a second component element, a bonding providing a connection between the first component element and the second component element, a marker substance device configured to dispense a volatile marker gas to the environment when in contact with the surrounding air and being hermetically sealed from the surrounding air by the first component element, the second component element, and/or the bonding if the bonding is not damaged, and a detector device configured to detect the marker gas dispensed by the marker substance device.

A connection element includes a composite component with a cured epoxy resin, a first layer including a first thermoplastic polymer and an intermediate layer arranged between the composite component and the first layer, the first layer containing both the cured epoxy resin of the composite component and the first thermoplastic polymer of the first layer. The first thermoplastic polymer has a melting point above a curing temperature of the epoxy resin and is soluble at a temperature of at least 150 C. in the epoxy resin used for producing the composite component.

Methods of forming a microfluidic device include: combining a volume of uncured liquid silicone based polymer with a volume of adhesive polymer to provide a flowable material; applying the flowable material to a mold and curing the flowable material on the mold to form a microfluidic device layer comprising an exposed face with at least one channel or chamber; and contacting the exposed face of the microfluidic device layer to a substrate to adhere the microfluidic device layer to the substrate to enclose the at least one channel or chamber to form a microfluidic device. Other methods include combining a volume of uncured liquid silicone based polymer with a volume of adhesive polymer to provide an intermediary material; applying a layer of the intermediary material to a substrate and curing the layer of the intermediary material on the substrate; obtaining a silicon based polymer that comprises an exposed face that comprises at least one channel or chamber; and contacting the exposed face of the silicon based polymer to the cured layer of the intermediary material, wherein the exposed face of the silicon based polymer adheres to the cured layer of the intermediary material to enclose the at least one channel or chamber to form a microfluidic device. Also disclosed are microfluidic devices and sensors comprising the microfluidic devices.

A method of assessing bond quality of a bond between first and second composite parts may include bonding an indication film to the first composite part. The indication film may include NDI-detectable particles arranged in a pattern and bound to polymer chains located inside particle regions. The polymer chains and particles may be stationary during bonding of the indication film to the first composite part. The method may additionally include bonding the first and second composite parts along an assembly bondline during which the particles in the indication film migrate with the polymer chains. The method may further include NDI-inspection of the assembly bondline by observing the appearance of the particles along a direction locally normal to an in-plane direction of the assembly bondline, and determining the bond quality of the assembly bondline based on particle density in the in-plane direction.

A fiber cushion body, which is formed from cross-linked fiber material and which is resiliently deformable when load is applied along a main load direction, is treated using ultrasonic energy. A portion of the fiber cushion body is displaced, for example using a sonotrode, and ultrasonic vibrations are applied to the fiber cushion body to re-shape the fiber cushion body from a first shape to a second shape different from the first shape.

A method forms a butt joint between ends of first and second plies and splices the first and second plies together. The method includes the steps of: positioning a first splice edge of a first ply at a first location; positioning a second splice edge of a second ply at a second location, the second splice edge being left bare; wrapping a gum strip around the first splice edge such that the first gum strip forms a U-shaped structure in section that allows the first gum strip to extend from a first planar side of the first ply over the first splice edge to a second opposite planar side of the first ply; not wrapping a gum strip around the second splice edge; placing the first splice edge in abutting relationship to the second splice edge; and stitching the first splice edge to the second splice edge such that stitches each extend from the first planar side of the first ply, through the gum strip, to the first planar side of the second ply.