A method for bonding a composite material includes impregnating a first composite material containing reinforcing fibers and a second composite material containing reinforcing fibers with a resin and bonding them together. A plurality of protruding members each including a plurality of protrusions protruding in mutually different directions are placed on a surface of the first composite material, and the second composite material is placed where the protruding members are placed. The protruding members are introduced into the interior of the first composite material and the interior of the second composite material while causing the first composite material and the second composite material to come into contact with each other. The first and second composite material are bonded in a state where the protruding members are introduced therein, by curing the resin with which the first and second composite material are impregnated.

A plastic welding machine for welding plastic parts together is capable of controlling the weld force vector in both magnitude and direction.

A welding method includes: moving a welding head toward a plurality of workpieces, wherein each of the plurality of workpieces includes a polymeric composite, the polymeric composite includes a polymer matrix and a plurality of fibers, and each of the fibers includes a magnetic material; applying a joining pressure to the workpieces with the welding head; applying energy to the plurality of workpieces to melt an interface between the plurality of workpieces, wherein a weld plane is defined at the interface between the plurality of workpieces; and applying a magnetic field to the plurality of workpieces to change an orientation of the plurality of fibers relative to the polymer matrix in the weld area so that the fibers in a weld area are at an angle relative to the weld plane.

A deposition system has a multi-material print head, a first reservoir of a first compatible material having particles containing chemical elements similar to a first substrate, a second reservoir of a second compatible material having particles containing chemical elements similar to a second substrate, a third reservoir of an polymer precursor material, and at least one mixer. A method of bonding a joint between dissimilar substrate materials includes functionalizing a first compatible material having chemical elements similar to a first substrate, mixing the first compatible material with a polymer precursor material, functionalizing a second compatible material having chemical elements similar to a second substrate, mixing the second compatible material with a polymer precursor material, and using the deposition system to deposit the first and second compatible materials and a polymer precursor material on the joint between the first and second substrate materials.

A composition of matter includes a first compatible material having particles containing chemical elements similar to a first substrate, and second compatible material having particles containing chemical elements similar to a second substrate, wherein the first substrate and the second substrate are chemically different. The particles are dispersed into a matrix that is in between the first and the second substrate. A deposition system has a multi-material printhead, a first reservoir of a first compatible material having particles containing chemical elements similar to a first substrate, a second reservoir of a second compatible material having particles containing chemical elements similar to a second substrate, a third reservoir of an polymer precursor material, and at least one mixer. A method of bonding a joint between dissimilar substrate materials includes functionalizing a first compatible material having chemical elements similar to a first substrate, mixing the first compatible material with a polymer precursor material, functionalizing a second compatible material having chemical elements similar to a second substrate, mixing the second compatible material with a polymer precursor material, and using the deposition system to deposit the first and second compatible materials and a polymer precursor material on the joint between the first and second substrate materials.

A welding method includes: moving a welding head toward a plurality of workpieces, wherein each of the plurality of workpieces includes a polymeric composite, the polymeric composite includes a polymer matrix and a plurality of fibers, and each of the fibers includes a magnetic material; applying a joining pressure to the workpieces with the welding head; applying energy to the plurality of workpieces to melt an interface between the plurality of workpieces, wherein a weld plane is defined at the interface between the plurality of workpieces; and applying a magnetic field to the plurality of workpieces to change an orientation of the plurality of fibers relative to the polymer matrix in the weld area so that the fibers in a weld area are at an angle relative to the weld plane.

Systems and methods are provided for fabricating a hybrid composite part. A method includes braiding a first set of fibers to form a weave having a closed cross-sectional shape, braiding a second set of fibers into the weave that are chemically distinct from the first set of fibers, impregnating the weave with a resin, and hardening the resin within the weave to form a hybrid composite part.

The present disclosure relates to metal/polymer hybrid materials, and methods for fabricating such, with strong bonding between the metals and polymers and improved properties. The articles of manufacture disclosed herein can include a metallic material and a polymer material bonded to the metallic material via a cocontinuous interface that provides for strong bonding between the metallic material and the polymer material.

Methods and apparatuses for bonding polymeric parts are disclosed. Specifically, in one embodiment, the polymeric parts are bonded by plastically deforming them against each other while they are below the glass transition temperatures.

A plastic welding machine for welding plastic parts together is capable of controlling the weld force vector in both magnitude and direction.