An apparatus and method of closing a wide variety of thermoplastic tubes, in particular with Shore hardnesses of around 50 (A) to above 100 (A), where the tubes having inside diameters of 1.6 mm to 35 mm and/or wall thicknesses of 0.8 to 4.8 mm. The method involves use of a tube heater having at least one heating element. The heating element has at least four heatable regions which are movable with respect to one another. The tube heater is configured to enclose, in the applied state, at least 75% of the circumference of the tube while bearing against the latter over its circumference at at least four points which are spaced apart from one another. One of the key advantages is that, prior to compression, the tube can already have been heated at a plurality of points on the tube.

Described is a heating means for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material, wherein, in the connecting, a first inner object is surrounded at least partially by a second outer object, and the heating means is located between the first inner object and the second outer object. The heating means has a ribbon-type structure, in which a plurality of openings is formed. These openings are dimensioned such that molten-on plastic material of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object can intrude and can connect to molten-on plastic material of the respective other object. Alternatively or in combination, the openings are filled with a plastic material, which can connect to molten-on plastic material of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object. The ribbon-type structure has a ferromagnetic material, which is inductively heatable and which has a Curie temperature that is lower than 460 C. and/or that is adapted to the melting temperature of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object. There is further described a welded arrangement as well as a welding system having such a heating means as well as a method for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material.

Described is a heating means for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material, wherein, during the connecting, a first inner object is surrounded at least partially by a second outer object, and the heating means surrounds the first inner object at least partially along a complete circumferential course around the first inner object, and is located between the first inner object and the second outer object. The heating means has a ribbon-type structure. The ribbon-type structure has an auxiliary heating material, which is inductively heatable, wherein the auxiliary heating material is spatially distributed or arranged along the circumferential course such that an electrical conductivity is interrupted at at least one position along the complete circumferential course around the first inner object. Further described are an arrangement and a system each having such a heating means as well as a method for thermally connecting two plastic objects.

Described is a heating device for thermally connecting a pipe, which has a first plastic material, to a bushing, which has a second plastic material, and which surrounds at least a section of the pipe, wherein an inductively heatable heating means is located between the pipe and the bushing and/or integrated in the pipe and/or the bushing. The heating device has a coil arrangement, which is excitable by a generator, and which has a first coil, which has at least one complete winding within a first cross-sectional area, and a second coil, which is electrically coupled to the first coil, and which has at least one complete winding within a second cross-sectional area. The first cross-sectional area is different from the second cross-sectional area. Furthermore, a heating system having such a heating device as well as a method for thermally connecting a pipe to a bushing are described.

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.

An amalgamation plate for joining a first component to a second component has a planar body configured to be placed between the first component and the second component, and a plurality of first protrusions extending from a first side of the planar body. The first protrusions are radially dispersed from an axis of the planar body, and are configured to be embedded within either the first component and the second component. The amalgamation plate may also have a plurality of second protrusions extending from a second side, opposite the first side, of the planar body. The second protrusions are radially dispersed from the axis, and are configured to be embedded within the other of the first component and the second component via application of force substantially along the axis. The first protrusions and the second protrusions may be radially symmetric about the axis of the planar body.

A method of repairing a polymeric composite workpiece. The method comprises identifying a localized area of the polymeric composite workpiece having a defect. A plurality of three dimensional interface structures are aligned adjacent at least a portion of the localized area. The method includes applying a polymeric composite patch to the localized area such that the interface structures are disposed between the polymeric composite workpiece and the polymeric composite patch. An alternating electromagnetic field may be introduced to selectively induce localized heating of the interface structures. The localized heating softens regions of the polymeric composite workpiece and the polymeric composite patch adjacent the interface structures, causing the interface structures to penetrate a distance into the respective polymeric composite workpiece and the polymeric composite patch.

An inductive welding device includes a circuit for the inductive heating of a metal that is embedded in a non-magnetic bed. A transformer induces eddy currents in the metal as a function of an exciter current and an exciter voltage and forms a load impedance together with the metal to be heated. Temperature monitoring is provided for the metal to be heated. The load impedance is operated in the region of the resonant frequency of the load impedance. The exciter current and exciter voltage and their phase shift relative to each other are measured and logged when the metal is heated. A temperature progression which is proportional to the phase shift is calculated from the exciter current, exciter voltage, and phase shift.

A method for joining a device to an object with the aid of a combination of ultrasonic vibration energy and induction heating, wherein the device includes a portion of a thermoplastic polymer and a susceptor additive wherein this portion is at least partly liquefied or plasticized through the ultrasonic vibration energy in combination with the induction heating and wherein the joining includes establishing a connection between the device and the object which connection is at least one of a positive fit connection, a weld, a press fit connection, and an adhesive connection. The induction heating is applied for rendering the device portion suitable for absorption of ultrasonic vibration energy than other device portions by raising its temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polymer. The ultrasonic vibration energy is used for liquefying or at least plasticizing the thermoplastic polymer of the named device portion.

A method for producing an induction connection sleeve includes laying up a first induction heating element in a first injection-mold half; laying up a second induction heating element in a second injection-mold half; mutually compressing the first and second injection-mold halves; injecting a thermoplastic plastics material into first and second molding cavities; opening the first and the second injection-mold halves; ejecting an internal part of a sleeve body having induction heating elements from one of the injection-mold halves; laying up the internal part of the sleeve body having the induction heating elements in a third injection-mold half; closing a third molding cavity; injecting a thermoplastic plastics material into the third molding cavity; opening the third molding cavity; and ejecting the finished induction connection sleeve.