A waveguide for plastic welding has an entry end, an exit end as well as a first and a second inner face arranged between the entry end and the exit end, which are arranged opposite to each other and by means of which laser light can be reflected. A first distance between the entry end and the exit end defines a length of the waveguide and a second distance between the first and the second inner face defines a thickness of the waveguide. The exit end may be arranged opposite to the entry end and a central plane of the waveguide may extend centrally from the entry end to the exit end. The first inner face comprises a continuously curved, concave shape so that a third distance between the first inner face and the central plane varies continuously from the entry end in the direction of the exit end.

A waveguide for plastic welding has an entry end, an exit end as well as a first and a second inner face arranged between the entry end and the exit end, which are arranged opposite to each other and by means of which laser light can be reflected. A first distance between the entry end and the exit end defines a length of the waveguide and a second distance between the first and the second inner face defines a thickness of the waveguide. The exit end may be arranged opposite to the entry end and a central plane of the waveguide may extend centrally from the entry end to the exit end. The first inner face comprises a continuously curved, concave shape so that a third distance between the first inner face and the central plane varies continuously from the entry end in the direction of the exit end.

A waveguide for plastic welding has an entry end, an exit end as well as a first and a second inner face arranged between the entry end and the exit end, which are arranged opposite to each other and by means of which laser light can be reflected. A first distance between the entry end and the exit end defines a length of the waveguide and a second distance between the first and the second inner face defines a thickness of the waveguide. The exit end may be arranged opposite to the entry end and a central plane of the waveguide may extend centrally from the entry end to the exit end. The first inner face comprises a continuously curved, concave shape so that a third distance between the first inner face and the central plane varies continuously from the entry end in the direction of the exit end.

System, devices, and methods for coupling portions of a medical device handle are provided. A male portion (202) and a female portion (204) of the handle may be coupled together using a sealant (244) such as room temperature vulcanized silicone rubber (RTV) using in conjunction with ultrasonic welding. The RTV may be applied to one of the male or female portions and the portions may be joined using a tongue (215) and groove (2259 connection, displacing the RTV from the weld site. The RTV helps to seal the bondline (206) after ultrasonic welding.

The invention provides a method of forming a wind turbine blade. The blade has a main blade module that defines a main body of the blade and includes a first mating feature, e.g. a tongue. The blade also includes a separate edge module that defines at least part of a trailing edge of the blade and includes a second mating feature, e.g. a recess. The method includes applying an adhesive to at least one of the first mating feature and the second mating feature. The method includes arranging the separate edge module relative to the main blade module such that the first and second mating features are mutually adjacent. The method includes applying a pressure force to squeeze the adhesive to bond the first and second mating features together. The pressure force is caused by removing air from, or injecting air into, an air sealed region.

This specification discloses an article of manufacture. The article of manufacture has at least one structural blank and at least one guide. The structural blank has a plurality of oriented fiber plies in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide has a plurality of random dispersed fibers in a thermoplastic matrix. The guide is affixed to the structural blank by injection molding and over molding the guide onto the structural blank. The article of manufacture can take a number of forms for use in industries such as aircraft, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles, trains or watercraft.

Systems and methods are provided for utilizing stringer end caps. One embodiment is a method of forming a stringer. The method includes laying up a stringer preform comprising fiber-reinforced material, placing the stringer preform onto a skin panel preform, bonding an end cap to the stringer preform and the skin panel preform, and co-curing the stringer preform and the skin panel preform while the end cap is bonded to the stringer preform and the skin panel preform, resulting in a composite part that includes the end cap.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating composite parts. One embodiment is a method for fabricating a composite part. The method includes forming a skin panel preform comprising fiber reinforced material, disposing rigid end caps at the skin panel preform at end locations of stringer preforms that will be placed at the skin panel, locating the stringer preforms at the skin panel preform via the rigid end caps, and anchoring the stringer preforms to the skin panel preform.

A joint structure includes a first member and a second member. The first member includes a projection having a distal end and a base end. The distal end is thicker than the base end. The second member is made of a material different from a material of the first member and has a fitting groove into which the projection is to be inserted. The projection includes, on its surface, an inclined surface extending from the distal end to the base end and inclined with respect to a facing direction in which the first member and the second member face each other. The projection at least includes a plurality of fiber-containing layers that each have a sections in which a fiber extends along the inclined surface.

A method and installation for joining a cover layer to an object in a continuous process. Joining is effected with the aid of a joining material having thermoplastic properties, wherein the joining material is arranged between the cover layer and the object and is liquefied using ultrasonic vibration energy. Before application of the ultrasonic vibration energy, the joining material is preheated in a contactless manner with the aid of electromagnetic induction in the region of the glass transition temperature of the joining material or above this glass transition temperature. The object is in particular a chip board and the cover layer an edge strip to be joined to an edge of the chip board.