A method for joining a first thermoplastic substrate and a second thermoplastic substrate, each including a polyaryletherketone material having a first melting temperature. The method includes co-consolidating a first semicrystalline thermoplastic film with the first thermoplastic substrate to yield a first co-consolidated structure. The first semicrystalline thermoplastic film defines a first bonding surface of the first co-consolidated structure and includes a polyaryletherketone material having a second melting temperature that is less than the first melting temperature. The method further includes co-consolidating a second semicrystalline thermoplastic film with the second thermoplastic substrate to yield a second co-consolidated structure. The second semicrystalline thermoplastic film defines a second bonding surface of the second co-consolidated structure and includes a polyaryletherketone material having a third melting temperature that is less than the first melting temperature. The method further includes fusing the first bonding surface to the second bonding surface. The method yields a stacked structure.

A protrusion on a first member made of synthetic resin wherein a laser beam is applied to a side surface of the protrusion in a state in which a top surface of the protrusion of the first member is abutted against a second member made of synthetic resin, so as to melt at least the entire top surface of the protrusion and melt a portion of the second member in contact with the protrusion by heat of the melted top surface of the protrusion, followed by solidification of the melted portions, whereby the first member and the second member are welded together.

A vehicle grille includes: a grille panel; a lens panel disposed at a rear side of the grille panel, formed in a same shape as some or entire area of the grille panel, and, when a light is incident, configured to allow some of the light to propagate in the lens panel and emit some of the light to an outside of the lens panel; and a housing disposed on a rear surface of the lens panel, formed in a same shape as the lens panel, and including a coupling provision hole configured to allow a front surface of the lens panel to be coupled to a rear surface of the grille panel at a rear side of the lens panel, wherein the rear surface of the lens panel and a front surface of the housing are coupled at the front side of the lens panel.

An inductor for induction welding of a packaging material having at least one layer of metal foil is disclosed. The inductor comprises a welding surface configured to be arranged opposite the packaging material for heating thereof, and at least one spacing element arranged to protrude from the welding surface in a first direction towards the packaging material, when the packaging material is arranged opposite the welding surface, whereupon the least one spacing element separates the packaging material from the welding surface by an off-set distance. A sealing machine for sealing packaging material and a method of welding a packaging material is also disclosed.

Systems and methods are provided for controlling welding. One embodiment is a method for controlling welding of a composite part. The method includes locating a linear fiber optic sensor along a composite part comprising a matrix of thermoplastic reinforced by fibers, measuring temperatures along the weld line via the linear fiber optic sensor, performing induction welding at the composite part along the weld line, determining a continuum of weld temperatures along the weld line, and controlling the induction welding based on the continuum of weld temperatures.

An ultrasonic processing system adapted to subject a web running in a machine direction to ultrasonic processing includes a first mechanical element defined by one of an ultrasonic horn and an anvil and a second mechanical element defined by a remainder. The web placed on an outer peripheral surface of a rotary drum moves conforming to the drum in a machine direction. The first mechanical element is provided on the inner side of the drum and the second mechanical element is provided on the outer side of the drum. The first and second mechanical elements repeat a step of forward movement and a step of backward movement in a direction intersecting the machine direction across the web. In both steps, the first and second mechanical elements come in close contact with each other by the intermediary of the web and thereby subject the web to the ultrasonic processing.

The present technology discloses a system, for joining workpieces using energy, such as ultrasonic energy, where the energy concentrates at a location within a weld area, promoting sequential melting of a plurality of energy directors. The system can be configured so that the sequential melting begins at the center of the weld area and progresses outwards. Sequential melting may occur through use of a welding tip configured to reduce air pockets, a tapering the height of a plurality of energy directors, and/or tapering the energy directors themselves, all of which reduce the size of an energy transfer area produced by thermal energy. The present technology also includes a method for joining workpieces using energy such as ultrasonic energy that concentrates at a location within a weld area causing sequential melting of a plurality of energy directors using the aforementioned features.

A composite thermoplastic liner for use as a moisture barrier comprises a hollow tubular body made from a woven composite thermoplastic material configured to substantially block the ingress of moisture; and an opening at one end of the hollow tubular body for intake into the hollow of the hollow tubular body. In one aspect a welded closed opposite end forms a base configured to substantially block the ingress of moisture external to the hollow tubular body. In another aspect the woven composite thermoplastic material comprises an electrically conductive additive. In another aspect there is a gusset in at least one side of the hollow tubular body. The hollow tubular body is able to be flattened with the respective gussets formed from folds of the hollow tubular body, such that in the flattened state the tube is more readily stored in a narrow form, but is expandable when the gusset is unfolded.

A composite product having a junction structure includes a first unit formed of a composite material, a first connector formed of a metal and provided with one end inserted into one end of the first unit and formed integrally with the first unit and another end extending outwards from the first unit, a second unit formed of a composite material, and a second connector formed of a metal and provided with one end inserted into one end of the second unit and formed integrally with the second unit and another end extending outwards from the second unit, wherein the other end of the first connector and the other end of the second connector are joined and fixed by welding under a condition that the ends of the first unit and the second unit are opposite each other adjacently.

A method for producing a thermoplastic fiber composite component, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, has the following method steps: material-removing processing of a first face of a first plate, wherein the first plate comprises a thermoplastic fiber composite material and a local reduction in thickness of the first plate is made by the material-removing processing of the first face; positioning a second plate relative to the first plate such that the first face of the first plate is brought into alignment with a third face of the second plate; and joining the first plate to the second plate to form a single component, wherein the surface of the first face of the first plate is integrally bonded to the surface of the third face of the second plate.