In one embodiment, a method may comprise heating a composite material into a viscous form, wherein the composite material comprises a thermoplastic and a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is randomly arranged within the thermoplastic. The method may further comprise extruding a plurality of strands of the composite material, wherein extruding the plurality of strands causes the plurality of reinforcement fibers within each strand to align. The method may further comprise arranging the plurality of strands of the composite material to form an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property, and wherein the anisotropic thermal expansion property is based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture.

A composite structural component includes a longitudinally extending elongated tubular duct of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated reinforcing members of a second material. Each of the reinforcing members is secured to the tubular duct along a length of the reinforcing member at spaced apart locations on the tubular duct, with the second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, such that the composite structural component has an effective coefficient of thermal expansion in the longitudinal direction that is less than 25% of the first coefficient of thermal expansion. Each of the plurality of reinforcing members is retained in a corresponding one of a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses formed in a peripheral wall of the tubular duct.

A method of mechanically securing a first object including a thermoplastic material in a solid state to a second object with a generally flat sheet portion, with a perforation of the sheet portion, and with the sheet portion having an edge along the perforation is provided, wherein the first object is positioned relative to the second object so that the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material and wherein mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the assembly including the first and second objects until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material due to friction heat generated between the edge and the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material. After the mechanical vibration stops, the thermoplastic material is caused to re-solidify, whereby the re-solidified thermoplastic material at least partially embedding the edge anchors the first object in the second object.

A vehicle member joining structure has: a metal member that is part of a vehicle; a resin member that is adjacent to the metal member; and an adhesive that is provided between the metal member and the resin member and joins the metal member to the resin member, the adhesive having an elastic modulus that is lower than elastic moduli of the metal member and the resin member, wherein, given that (i) L is a difference in linear expansions of the metal member and the resin member at a time of heating in a drying process after application of the adhesive, (ii) T.sub.0 is a thickness of the adhesive and (iii) T.sub.1 is a length of an end surface of the adhesive, the following predetermined relational expression is satisfied
T.sub.1.sup.2=T.sub.0.sup.2+L.sup.2.

A fastening structure is fastened to an object. The fastening structure includes a carbon fiber-reinforced resin, a metal collar and a fastener. The outer circumference of a metal collar has a tapered portion, which is inclined with respect to the central axis of the collar. The inner circumferential surface of a through hole in a carbon fiber-reinforced resin (CFRP) material has an abutting portion that contacts the tapered portion of the collar via an electrically insulating adhesive. The tilt angle of the tapered portion of the collar and of the abutting portion of the CFRP material are the same as the angle at which the displacement of the CFRP material in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the abutting portion due to thermal deformation resulting from temperature changes is balanced with the displacement of the collar in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the tapered portion.

A method of mechanically securing a first object including a thermoplastic material in a solid state to a second object with a generally flat sheet portion, with a perforation of the sheet portion, and with the sheet portion having an edge along the perforation is provided, wherein the first object is positioned relative to the second object so that the edge is in contact with the thermoplastic material and wherein mechanical vibration energy is coupled into the assembly including the first and second objects until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material due to friction heat generated between the edge and the thermoplastic material becomes flowable and flows around the edge to at least partially embed the edge in the thermoplastic material. After the mechanical vibration stops, the thermoplastic material is caused to re-solidify, whereby the re-solidified thermoplastic material at least partially embedding the edge anchors the first object in the second object.

An interpenetrating polymer network (IPN) adhesive comprises an acrylated polymer system curable by radiation, and a flexible epoxy system thermally curable after the acrylated polymer system is cured.

A fastening structure is fastened to an object. The fastening structure includes a carbon fiber-reinforced resin, a metal collar and a fastener. The outer circumference of a metal collar has a tapered portion, which is inclined with respect to the central axis of the collar. The inner circumferential surface of a through hole in a carbon fiber-reinforced resin (CFRP) material has an abutting portion that contacts the tapered portion of the collar via an electrically insulating adhesive. The tilt angle of the tapered portion of the collar and of the abutting portion of the CFRP material are the same as the angle at which the displacement of the CFRP material in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the abutting portion due to thermal deformation resulting from temperature changes is balanced with the displacement of the collar in a direction perpendicular to the surface of the tapered portion.

A composite structural component includes a longitudinally extending elongated tubular duct of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion, and a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated reinforcing members of a second material. Each of the reinforcing members is secured to the tubular duct along a length of the reinforcing member at spaced apart locations on the tubular duct, with the second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, such that the composite structural component has an effective coefficient of thermal expansion in the longitudinal direction that is less than 25% of the first coefficient of thermal expansion. Each of the plurality of reinforcing members is retained in a corresponding one of a plurality of longitudinally extending recesses formed in a peripheral wall of the tubular duct.

A composite structural component includes a longitudinally extending elongated base element and a plurality of longitudinally extending elongated reinforcing members each secured to the base element along a length of the reinforcing member at spaced apart locations on the base element. The base element is of a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion and a first modulus of elasticity. The plurality of longitudinally extending elongated reinforcing members are of a second material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion less than the first coefficient of thermal expansion, and a second modulus of elasticity greater than the first modulus of elasticity, such that the composite structural component has an effective coefficient of thermal expansion in the longitudinal direction that is less than 25% of the first coefficient of thermal expansion.