Provided are systems and apparatuses for manufacturing aircraft support structures. An example robotic end effector comprises a rotatable reel with a flat strip of material wound around the reel. The end effector further includes a forming shoe including a forming surface contacting the strip of material. A first end of the forming surface corresponds to a start shape and a second end of the forming surface corresponds to an end shape. As the strip of material passes from the first end of the forming surface to the second end of the forming surface, the strip of material transitions from the first shape to the end shape and is deposited as a formed stringer ply onto an application surface. The forming shoe may further include a vacuum system to suction air through a plurality of ports along the forming surface to urge the strip of material against the forming surface.

A method for producing a printed material includes an application step of applying a radiation-curable ink composition onto a shrink film, and a curing step of irradiating the radiation-curable ink composition on the shrink film with radiation to form a cured ink coating, thus obtaining a printed material. The radiation-curable ink composition contains one or more polymerizable compounds whose weighted average glass transition temperature is 20° C. to 70° C.

A method for creating local and controlled frangible areas in composites, comprising: creating an area in a composite component comprised of composite material, the area configured to receive a fastener with a composite thickness that is thinner than a surrounding area of the composite component; replacing the composite material under the area in the composite component with a metal insert; placing Fiberglass plies above and below the insert; and curing the composite component.

The present invention relates to a method for thermally activating a functional layer of a coating material, preferably an edge material, wherein the method comprises the following steps: providing the coating material; feeding the coating material to a device for thermally activating a functional layer of the coating material; and thermally activating the functional layer of the coating material, wherein the thermal activation of the functional layer of the coating material occurs by microwaves which are generated by at least one semiconductor wave generator. The present invention also relates to a device for thermally activating a functional layer of a coating material.

The invention provides a 3D printed object (210) and a method of manufacturing such an object (210) by means of fused de-position modelling. The method successively comprises the steps of (i) 3D printing a printable material (120) to create a layer stack (230) of printed material (210), wherein the layer stack (210) bounds a space (240), wherein the layer stack (210) has an inner stack surface (231) and an outer stack surface (232), the inner stack surface (231) facing towards the space (240) and the outer stack surface (232) facing away from the space (240), (ii) providing a heat shrink (250) onto the layer stack (230), wherein the heat shrink (250) has an inner heat shrink surface (251) and an outer heat shrink surface (252), the inner heat shrink surface (251) facing towards the outer stack surface (232) and the outer heat shrink surface (252) facing away from the outer stack surface (232), and (iii) applying heat to shrink (250) the heat shrink so that the inner heat shrink surface (251) is in physical contact with the outer stack surface (232) and the heat shrink (250) is conformal to the layer stack (230). The layer stack (230) is light transmissive, and the heat shrink (250) is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion. The 3D printed object (210) may be used as a component of a lighting device (600), such as a lampshade.

The present invention discloses a heat-resistant glue roll structure with discharge through holes, which comprises a shaft sleeved with a high-temperature resistance insulation layer on the surface thereof. Multiple discharge through holes are formed on the high-temperature resistance insulation layer and communicate the outer and inner surface of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer. A heat-resistant soft glue outer layer is also sleeved on the surface of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer. Since the high-temperature resistant insulation layer is provided with the discharge through holes in the present invention, air bubbles generated both between the high-temperature resistant insulation layer and the heat-resistant soft glue outer layer and between the high-temperature resistant insulation layer and the shaft would be squeezed to move towards the discharge through holes and discharged therefrom. No air bubbles would be accumulated in the heat-resistant glue roll structure of the present invention. Therefore, the internal structure thereof is stable in structural connection and the structure has long serving life, high stability and high safety and reliability.

A method and apparatus for constructing a tubular assembly 40 comprising an inner portion (24) and a further portion (23) surrounding the inner portion. The inner portion (24) comprises reinforcement (37) and the further portion (23) being formed from a strip (50) of material comprising two opposed longitudinal marginal side portions (53). The apparatus comprises an assembly station (220) comprising a wall (253). The apparatus comprises means for advancing the inner portion (21) along a first path (231) extending passed the wall (253), and means for advancing the strip (50) along a second path (232) and causing the strip to encircle the wall (253) and thereby wrap about and surround the inner portion (21). The apparatus further comprises means (321) for introducing resinous binder into the reinforcement (37) as the strip (50) is being wrapped about the inner portion (21).

The inventors have discovered that certain hot melt adhesives can be used to form a stable stacked pallet that can limit the need for additional packaging materials e.g. inter-layer and pallet wrap.

A hybrid piston pin and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The hybrid piston pin includes a cylindrical pin formed of steel, a first reinforcement layer that is formed of a composite that includes reinforced fibers and a resin, having a cylindrical shape with a uniform thickness, and coupled to the interior surface of the cylindrical pin. A second reinforcement layer is formed of a composite that includes reinforced fibers having an elasticity that is less than the reinforced fibers of the first reinforcement layer. Further, a resin having a cylindrical shape with a uniform thickness is coupled to the interior surface of the first reinforcement layer.

A Corrosion Inhibiting Sprayable Thermoplastic (“CIST”) cover is formed by spraying melted CIST onto a mold, allowing the CIST to cure, removing the cured cover from the mold using a series of cuts if necessary, positioning the cover on a mechanical assembly whose shape is significantly identical to the mold, and fusing the cuts on the cover using heat to reform the cover on the mechanical assembly.