A method of fabricating a composite structure includes laying at least one composite ply about a bladder, the bladder comprising a phase change material in a first phase having a first volume, positioning an outer mold about the bladder and the at least one composite ply, and curing the at least one composite ply to form the composite structure. Curing causes the phase change material contained within the bladder to change to a second phase to expand from the first volume to a second volume and apply a pressure to an interior surface of the composite ply and press an outer surface of the composite ply against the outer mold to form an interior cavity. The bladder is not removable from the formed interior cavity.

A method of fabricating a composite structure includes laying at least one composite ply about a bladder, the bladder comprising a phase change material in a first phase having a first volume, positioning an outer mold about the bladder and the at least one composite ply, and curing the at least one composite ply to form the composite structure. Curing causes the phase change material contained within the bladder to change to a second phase to expand from the first volume to a second volume and apply a pressure to an interior surface of the composite ply and press an outer surface of the composite ply against the outer mold to form an interior cavity. The bladder is not removable from the formed interior cavity.

A rail for the fastening of equipment elements, such as, in particular, seats, in aircraft, includes a holding region for connection to an equipment element of an aircraft, and a support region to fasten the rail to a carrier element of the aircraft. The rail has a metallic shell which is, for example, made of titanium and which is filled with a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic filler material which is reinforced by short fibers. To produce the rail, a metallic molded part is used as a casting mold and is filled, for example by injection, with the filler material and, after the rail has been produced, forms the metallic shell for the filler material.

A process for providing an overmolded waterway comprising inserting a shaft portion of a sacrificial core into an end of a tube, the shaft portion having a first opening therein, the sacrificial core having a second portion comprising a second opening and a contact surface about the second opening, the second opening in fluid communication with the first opening and the inside of the tube, in a mold cavity inserting a core pin transverse to the tube end, the sacrificial core contact surface engaging a mating surface of the core pin closing the second opening, injection overmolding over a portion of the tube end and core pin forming an overmolded waterway having an outlet portion in fluid communication with the second opening and the inside of the tube, and removing the core pin from the second opening through the outlet portion and removing the overmolded waterway from the mold cavity.

A method for manufacturing a structured insert (10) for a mold for manufacturing a timepiece or jewelry component, for example a bracelet strand, including: —providing (E1) a template element (50) comprising a structured surface (51) with a pattern to be reproduced on a surface of a timepiece component; —covering (E2) the structured surface (51) of the template element (50) with a molding resin capable of reproducing a negative pattern of the pattern of the structured surface, and leaving the molding resin to solidify in order to obtain a structured insert (10); —separating (E3) the structured insert (10) from the template element (50), the structured insert (10) comprising a surface comprising the negative pattern; —optionally, cutting the structured insert (10) to the format corresponding to at least part of the timepiece component to be manufactured.

The invention relates to a method for producing a tubular hollow body (1) with at least three pipe openings, partly or completely consisting of plastics material. It is provided that a lost core pipe (9), which has a connection opening (13, 14) on each of its ends and has at least one docking opening (11) along its length, is produced, that the core pipe (9) is introduced into a cavity of a mold, with two non-lost core pieces (17, 18) being arranged with one of their ends (3, 4) respectively against the connection openings (13, 14) in a sealing manner and a non-lost core part (19) being arranged with one end against the docking opening (11) in a sealing manner, in that plastics material (25) is then introduced into the mold cavity to encapsulate the core pipe (9), the core pieces (17, 18) and the core part (19) and that, once the plastics material (25) has cured, the core pieces (17, 18) and the core part (19) are withdrawn from the hollow body (1) created. The invention also relates to a corresponding hollow body (1).

An assembly for densification under load along at least one direction of compression. The assembly includes: at least one volume to be densified having a powdery and/or porous composition and having variations in thickness along the direction of compression; and at least one counter-form of a powdery and/or porous composition, having at least one face facing at least one portion of the volume. The face and each of the portions are separated by at least one deformable interface layer.

A mould assembly for a skimmer box lid includes a mould including a floor and a sidewall extending from the floor, the floor and sidewall defining a mould cavity into which a settable material can be introduced. The floor defines at least one aperture. The assembly includes at least one mould insert having a tubular body that is configured for attachment to the floor to extend from the floor to a height that is at least substantially equivalent to a height of the sidewall, the tubular body defining an elongate passage to be in register with a respective aperture such that, when the settable material is introduced into the mould cavity and subsequently sets, the mould body, the, or each, mould insert, and the settable material form the skimmer box lid with the, or each, passage extending through the skimmer box lid so that a suitable tool can be used to lift the skimmer box lid.

A rail for the fastening of equipment elements, such as, in particular, seats, in aircraft, includes a holding region for connection to an equipment element of an aircraft, and a support region to fasten the rail to a carrier element of the aircraft. The rail has a metallic shell which is, for example, made of titanium and which is filled with a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic filler material which is reinforced by short fibers. To produce the rail, a metallic molded part is used as a casting mold and is filled, for example by injection, with the filler material and, after the rail has been produced, forms the metallic shell for the filler material.

The present disclosure relates to methods and components for the bonding together of plastic components during a manufacturing and/or assembly process to create molds for lost-wax casting.