A seamless housing includes a first cover and a second cover. The first cover has a first outer surface. The first outer surface has a first outer edge. The second cover covers to the first cover and has a second outer surface. The second outer surface has a second outer edge. The first outer edge and the second outer edge coincide. The first outer surface and the second outer surface form a corner at the junction of the first outer edge and the second outer edge.

Components are fastened with inserts that are placed into a hole in the component and bonded with an adhesive. A decoupling element is provided on the front face of the insert. This diverts the forces around the highly stressed front face of the inserts. The insert may be of a material with a lower stiffness compared with the adhesive. This arrangement may reduce stress peaks and increase the load capacity of the connection. A tool may be provided that reduces air inclusion between the insert and the component during fitting. The connection arrangement can be used when components of different stiffnesses have to be securely connected to one another. This applies to, among other things, fastening of fibre composite components or mineral components to metal components.

A disclosed screening apparatus includes a subgrid, and a screen element attached to the subgrid via laser welding at a plurality of attachment positions such that, under vibrational excitation, the screen element has a pre-determined profile of vibrational motion relative to the subgrid. The screen element may be attached at a maximal number of attachment locations to the subgrid to minimize relative motion of the screen element and the subgrid under vibrational excitation, or the screen element may be attached a sub-set of the maximal number of attachment locations to allow vibrational motion of the screen element relative to the subgrid. A disclosed method may include attaching a plurality of screen elements to a respective plurality of subgrids, attaching the plurality of subgrids to one another to form a screening pre-assembly, and cutting edges of the screening pre-assembly to form the screen assembly having a perimeter with a pre-determined shape.

A connecting joint for attaching a wind turbine blade to a rotor hub includes an insert configured to be coupled to the wind turbine blade. The insert includes a main body having an outer surface configured to interface with the blade, a first tubular extension extending from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade, and a second tubular extension extending away from the main body and having inner and outer surfaces configured to interface with the blade. A wind turbine blade having such a connecting joint is also disclosed. Additionally, a method of making a wind turbine blade including the connecting joint is disclosed.

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.

A connecting arrangement includes a first plastic component, a second plastic component, and a closed induction ring that is arranged between the first and second plastic components in a joining gap that is partially filled with molten plastic. The first plastic component has a first joining region that is configured as a stepped receiving opening with a first joining contour. The second plastic component has a second joining region that is configured as a stepped shoulder with a second joining contour. The second joining region is inserted into the first joining region to form the joining gap. The first and second joining contours are adapted to one another so as to center the first joining region, the second joining region, and the induction ring in the joining gap with respect to one another. A method in one embodiment includes welding the first and second plastic components of the connecting arrangement.

A method of anchoring a lightweight building element having a first building layer and an interlining layer distally of the first building layer, and possibly a second building layer distally of the interlining layer. For anchoring, the distal end of a connector element is inserted into a mounting hole in the lightweight building element, and also a sleeve including a thermoplastic material is inserted into the mounting hole, the sleeve enclosing the connector element. Then, a distally facing liquefaction face of the sleeve is caused to be in contact with a proximally facing support face of the connector element. Energy impinges to liquefy at least a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the sleeve, and the liquefaction face is pressed against the support face to cause at least a fraction of the flow portion to flow radially outward. After the flow portion has re-solidified, it anchors the connector element in the receiving object.

A disclosed screening apparatus includes a subgrid, and a screen element attached to the subgrid via laser welding at a plurality of attachment positions such that, under vibrational excitation, the screen element has a pre-determined profile of vibrational motion relative to the subgrid. The screen element may be attached at a maximal number of attachment locations to the subgrid to minimize relative motion of the screen element and the subgrid under vibrational excitation, or the screen element may be attached a sub-set of the maximal number of attachment locations to allow vibrational motion of the screen element relative to the subgrid. A disclosed method may include attaching a plurality of screen elements to a respective plurality of subgrids, attaching the plurality of subgrids to one another to form a screening pre-assembly, and cutting edges of the screening pre-assembly to form the screen assembly having a perimeter with a pre-determined shape.

A method of forming a joint between a composite component and a metallic component is disclosed. The method includes forming a first groove in an outer surface of the metallic component on a first end of the metallic component. The first groove extends circumferentially on the outer surface relative to a center axis of the metallic component, and the first groove extends radially inward from the outer surface relative the center axis. The method further includes inserting the first end of the metallic component into a first end of the composite component. A second groove on the composite component over the first groove of the metallic component such that the composite component extends radially inward into the first groove of the metallic component. A composite hoop reinforcement is then applied in the second groove in a circumferential direction and the composite component, and the composite hoop reinforcement are solidified.

A system and a method for securing a first composite panel to a second composite panel include a latch assembly having one or more latches. The latch assembly is configured to be secured to one of the first composite panel or the second composite panel. One or more strikes are configured to retain at least a portion of the one or more latches. The one or more strikes are configured to be secured to the other of the first composite panel or the second composite panel.