A method of connecting together two unit elements (4, 4′) of a fluid transport pipe, each unit pipe element being covered in an outer insulating coating (6, 6′) made of a thermoplastic material, with the exception of an end portion that does not have an outer insulating coating. The method includes: a step of welding together two abutting unit pipe elements; a step of positioning an annular sleeve (14) around a cut-back and in part around the outer insulating coatings of the two unit pipe elements, the sleeve being made of a thermoplastic material; a step of fastening the sleeve in sealed manner by weld bonding on the outer insulating coatings; and a step of applying an external pressure on the sleeve to enable it to be deformed elastically and match the shape of the respective end portions of the two unit pipe elements.

A method of joining together liner sections within a polymer-lined pipe energises an induction coil inside the pipe to spot-heat part of a circumferential interface between the liner sections. This melts and fuses the polymer material locally. The induction coil is then moved along the interface to heat other parts of the interface successively above the melting temperature. An apparatus for performing the method has a power supply for energising the induction coil and a drive system for moving the energised induction coil relative to a body of the apparatus. The apparatus may be configured as a carriage that is movable along the pipe.

A method of welding a sleeve (10) to a tube (20) includes putting onto end portions (11) of the sleeve (10) respective protective elements (40), of a material that cannot be fused with the materials of the sleeve (10) and of the outer coating (24) of the tube (20); applying on each end portion (11) of the sleeve (10) covered by a protective element (40) a respective heat-shrink element (30); supplying each heat-shrink element (30) with a quantity of heat (Q) which by heating it causes it to shrink and compress the respective end portion (11) of the sleeve (10) against the tube (20), where this quantity of heat (Q) is transmitted to the end portion (11) of the sleeve (10) to obtain a welding of the sleeve (10) to the tube (20) and produce a device (1) comprising the tube (20) with the sleeve (10).

An automated heat shrink device, useful for forming a connection between two tubular sections having a polymeric outer surface jacket, for example, a connection between two sections of a district heating pipeline, and a method of use thereof. The device is configured such that it requires minimal clearance to either side of the pipeline when being used.

An air conditioning piping system of the disclosure includes a refrigerant pipe made of a plastic material and configured to provide a fluid flow between components constituting an air conditioning system; at least one connection flange made of the plastic material and configured to provide a connection between the refrigerant pipe and components constituting the air conditioner system; and at least one charging port made of the plastic material and having a charging valve configured to inject a refrigerant into the refrigerant pipe.

A stabilizer manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a stabilizer to which rubber bushes are heat-bonded is provided with a curing furnace in which high-frequency induction heating is performed, a conveyor for conveying the stabilizer in a conveying direction through the curing furnace, the rubber bushes being pressure-bonded to bonding locations on the stabilizer on which an adhesive layer is formed, power supply devices for supplying power to coils used in the high-frequency induction heating, and coils for generating a magnetic field in portions to be heated of the stabilizer near the bonding locations and for heating the portions to be heated; the coils being separated by a predetermined distance from the portions to be heated of a predetermined number of stabilizers conveyed in the conveying direction.

Described is a heating means for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material, wherein, during the connecting, a first inner object is surrounded at least partially by a second outer object, and the heating means surrounds the first inner object at least partially along a complete circumferential course around the first inner object, and is located between the first inner object and the second outer object. The heating means has a ribbon-type structure. The ribbon-type structure has an auxiliary heating material, which is inductively heatable, wherein the auxiliary heating material is spatially distributed or arranged along the circumferential course such that an electrical conductivity is interrupted at at least one position along the complete circumferential course around the first inner object. Further described are an arrangement and a system each having such a heating means as well as a method for thermally connecting two plastic objects.

Described is a heating means for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material, wherein, in the connecting, a first inner object is surrounded at least partially by a second outer object, and the heating means is located between the first inner object and the second outer object. The heating means has a ribbon-type structure, in which a plurality of openings is formed. These openings are dimensioned such that molten-on plastic material of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object can intrude and can connect to molten-on plastic material of the respective other object. Alternatively or in combination, the openings are filled with a plastic material, which can connect to molten-on plastic material of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object. The ribbon-type structure has a ferromagnetic material, which is inductively heatable and which has a Curie temperature that is lower than 460° C. and/or that is adapted to the melting temperature of the first inner object and/or of the second outer object. There is further described a welded arrangement as well as a welding system having such a heating means as well as a method for thermally connecting two objects each having a plastic material.

A method for making a composite-metal hybrid shaft for a rotorcraft includes providing a tubular metal member that has an internal surface defining a space therein, preparing a composite member using a curing tool, curing the composite member, creating a cured composite member, expanding the metal member with heat, placing the cured composite member into the space defined by the internal surface of the expanded metal member, and allowing the expanded metal member to cool.

Provided is a method of manufacturing a stabilizer bar with a rubber bush including manufacturing a rubber bush without an intermediate plate by subjecting a rubber composition containing butadiene rubber and natural rubber as a polymer to vulcanization molding; applying a thermosetting adhesive onto at least one of an inner peripheral surface of the rubber bush and an outer peripheral surface of the stabilizer bar, to thereby form a thermosetting adhesive layer; inserting and fitting the stabilizer bar into the rubber bush; holding the rubber bush with a fixing jig such that the rubber bush is compressed at a rate of 0% to 5%, at 25° C., in a direction of the stabilizer bar fitted into the rubber bush; and heating the rubber bush in the state to cure the thermosetting adhesive, to thereby bond and fix the rubber bush onto the stabilizer bar.