An enclosure for an electronic device includes a housing having wall defining a cavity that is configured to receive an electronic assembly therein. The wall includes a plurality of housing steps formed in an interior surface. A cap includes a side surface extending around a perimeter of the cap with a plurality of cap steps formed in the side surface. The cap is positioned at an entrance to the cavity such that the plurality of housing steps align with the plurality of cap steps and welded in place. Flash from the weld is captured in a flash trap so that no weld flash is visible on the exterior surface of the enclosure.

A method for fabricating a composite structure. A first section for the composite structure is formed in which the first section has a first end with a chevron shape, wherein first composite layers in the first section has a first step pattern at the first end. A second section for the composite structure is formed in which the second section has a second end with a counterpart shape to the chevron shape and in which second composite layers in the second section have a second step pattern at the second end. The first end the second end are positioned such that a first composite layer in the first composite layers in the first step pattern overlap the second composite layers in the second step pattern at a splice location.

A segmented rotor blade for a wind turbine includes a first rotor blade segment, a second rotor blade segment, at least one thermoplastic material, and an internal pressure source. The first rotor blade segment includes a first joint end. The second rotor blade segment includes a second joint end. The first and second joint ends are arranged together in an end-to-end orientation so as to form at least one scarf joint. The at least one thermoplastic material is arranged at each of the first and second joint ends. The first and second joint ends of the first and second rotor blade segments are bonded together via thermoplastic welding of the at least one thermoplastic material. The internal pressure source provides pressure to the scarf joint during the thermoplastic welding. The internal pressure source remains within the rotor blade after thermoplastic welding is complete.

A composite member comprises first and second elongate composite elements. Each has a wedge shaped end with a complimentary tapered end surface. At least one of the components is formed of a stack of fiber layers impregnated in resin, with the tapered end surface being formed by each fiber layer extending longitudinally progressively further than the adjacent layer towards the thin end of the wedge at which the fiber layers have the greatest longitudinal extent. The components are joined at their tapered ends by an adhesive, and the properties of the cured composite material of the at least one component and/or the properties of the adhesive are different in the vicinity of the thin end of the wedge as compared to the rest of the tapered surface in order to reduce the stress concentrations in this region.

Composite laminate structures are produced using partially cured parts. Partial curing of the parts is achieved by applying a catalyst to regions of the parts that are to be fully cured. These regions cure at a lower-than-normal temperature while remaining regions of the part remain uncured, allowing them to be co-bonded or co-cured to other structures.

A joining method is provided during which a first thermoplastic component joint section and a second thermoplastic component joint section are arranged between first tooling and second tooling. The second thermoplastic component joint section is abutted against the first thermoplastic component joint section at a joint area. The first thermoplastic component joint section is joined to the second thermoplastic component joint section to provide a unitized thermoplastic structure. The joining includes: pressing the first thermoplastic component joint section against the second thermoplastic component joint section at the joint area between the first tooling and the second tooling using a pressure device; and heating the first thermoplastic component joint section and the second thermoplastic component joint section at the joint area using a first heater configured with the first tooling. The unitized thermoplastic structure is cooled at the joint area using a first cooler configured with the first tooling.

A method for repairing rivet tape includes steps of cutting portions of the rivet tape on each side of a break to define at least three aligned coplanar rivet tape edges, abutting the at least three aligned coplanar rivet tape edges to define a seam, and joining the at least three aligned coplanar rivet tape edges to one another. The seam may define a Z shape. One or more rivets may be removed to expose rivet apertures on each side of the break before the steps of cutting, abutting, and joining. The step of joining is accomplished by at least one adhesive strip disposed on a surface of the rivet tape and dimensioned to overlie the at least one or more exposed rivet apertures. Adhesive strips may be disposed on each opposed surface of the rivet tape length. In other aspects, workstations comprise devices for practicing the described methods.

An assembly is provided consisting of a frame element of a motor vehicle and a connecting element used for connecting a part. The connecting element is secured to the frame element by way of a fiber winding.

In a manufacturing method of a resin composite plate for manufacturing a resin composite plate by heating under pressure a resin sheet group having a plurality of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheets stacked together, and thereby integrating the resin sheet group into one resin composite plate, the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheets each containing fibers arranged in one direction, the resin composite plate having a desired thickness is manufactured by stacking the plurality of fiber-reinforced thermoplastic resin sheets having different thickness.

The invention provides improvements to electrofusion fitting methods that allow for continuity and repeatability of welds between an electrofusion fitting and a pipe lining (or stand-alone pipe). An electrofusion fitting for joining sections of lined pipe has heating elements configured to create at least one weld between the electrofusion fitting and a pipe lining, however prior to the weld step taking place the electrofusion fitting is heated and expands accordingly to ensure contact with the pipe lining. Preheating the electrofusion fitting also provides a predetermined starting temperature for the fitting and the lining which results in improved fusion cycle reliability. Furthermore, the need for clamps or support frames to support the electrofusion fitting in situ is removed, with corresponding reductions in cycle times, complexity, and hence cost.