The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a wind turbine blade (10). The method comprises arranging one or more shear webs (50, 55) within a first shell half. At least one support frame (80) is fixe to one or more anchoring points (86) on the inside surface (36b) of the first shell half, the support frame comprising a free end (81) for engaging with a lateral surface of the shear web. One or more guide element (74) are fastened to at least one of the lateral surfaces of the shear web such that the guide element extends laterally from the shear web to form a receiving space (88) between the guide element (74) and the shear web (55). The shear webs are then lowered into the first shell half such that the free end (81) of the support frame (80) is received in the receiving space (88) between the guide element (74) and the shear web (55).

A method for joining two substantially planar fiber-composite structural components, includes stacking the two components on a support jig to overlap along a joining region. A lower component end section within the joining region borders a gap between the upper component and the jig, where the upper component is unsupported by the jig. The gap is bordered on an opposite side of the lower component end section by a filling portion of the upper component or a planar filler element supported by the jig. The lower component is joined to the upper component within the joining region by applying temperature and pressure to the components. A width of the gap allows the upper component to elastically deform along the gap under the pressure and bend down into the gap to abut the jig along the gap and thereby compensate thickness tolerances between the components during the pressure application.

A bonded joint for use in bonding composite materials is provided and includes a composite rib having electrically conductive properties and a composite structure having electrically conductive properties. An electrically conductive preform is provided that facilitates a bond between the composite rib and the composite structure. A mesh composition that bonds the composite rib to the preform and that bonds the preform to the composite structure is provided and is electrically conductive to conduct current between the composite rib and the composite structure.

Two workpieces 30, 40 are joined by means of ultrasound. First, a workpiece 30 with at least one energy direction sensor 31 and a second workpiece 40 are provided. The workpieces are brought into contact with each other in such a way that the energy direction sensor 31 comes into contact with a first surface 41 of the second workpiece 40. Ultrasonic vibrations are then introduced into one of the workpieces 40 via a working surface 11 of a sonotrode 10. A sonotrode 10 is used, which has a contour with contact lines 12 on the working surface 11. The sonotrode 10 is positioned with respect to the first workpiece 30 in such a way that the contact lines 12 run transversely to the energy direction generator 31.

A system for fusing thermoplastic composite structures includes a skin and a substructure on an inner surface of the skin. The system also includes a shaping surface of a tool, with the skin laid up on the shaping surface. The shaping surface is configured to maintain the shape of an outer mold line. The system further includes at least one insulation layer applied over a flange of the substructure and over exposed portions of the inner surface of the skin not in contact with the substructure, and a vacuum bag at least partly enclosing the skin and the substructure. Heat can be applied to the shaping surface to fuse the substructure to the skin such that the skin exceeds its melting point and at least a portion of a raised segment of the substructure does not exceed its melting point.

A method of constructing an inflatable fluidic actuator. The method includes coupling a first interface to a tube configuration of membrane material at a first tube end by coupling the first interface to the tube configuration at the first tube end by generating at least one of: a first bond between the membrane material and one or more first sidewalls of the first interface and a first external face bond between membrane material at the first tube end onto a first external face of the first interface.

A joint structure includes a reinforcement portion that is formed by joining a composite material and a reinforcing material through an adhesive. The composite material includes a plate portion that is formed by laminating a plurality of fiber sheets, and a raised portion that is formed by laminating a plurality of fiber sheets in addition to the plurality of fiber sheets of the plate portion, and surfaces of the plate portion and the raised portion are covered with a single fiber sheet. The reinforcement portion includes the raised portion and the reinforcing material that is bonded to the raised portion through an adhesive. A first boundary between the plate portion and the raised portion and a second boundary between the raised portion and the reinforcing material are located at different positions in an in-plane direction of a laminated interface between the fiber sheets that are laminated.

A method of permanently joining composite parts made from thermoplastic material includes providing a first composite part and a second composite part, both made from thermoplastic material, wherein an orifice is provided in at least one of the composite parts, positioning both composite parts such that a portion of the composite part which includes the orifice is adjacent to a portion of the other composite part, injecting melted thermoplastic material through the orifice to contact the first and the second composite part in a contact area, whereby surfaces of the first and the second composite part in that contact area melt together; and solidifying the thermoplastic material in the orifice and in the contact area to permanently join the first composite part to the second composite part.

A microplate (10) includes a carrier (12) having a plate (20) and an annular perimeter wall (30) to define a recess (34). An array of holes (26) extends through the plate (20). A tape piece (16), die cut from a flexible tape (60) includes an array of wells (54) each extending through and having an opening (56) extending into the well (54). The array of wells (54) has a number and locations corresponding to the array of holes (26). The openings (56) have sizes corresponding to the holes (26). An upper surface (50) of the tape piece (16) is abutted with and bonded to the bottom face (24) of the plate (20) with the openings (56) corresponding to the array of holes (26). The slideable receipt of an annular outer periphery (58) of the tape piece (16) insures that the array of wells (54) are aligned to correspond to the array of holes (26) as die cutting of tape piece (16) insures that the array of wells (54) are at consistent positions relative to the annular outer periphery (58).

A flexible sealing tube is described that is adapted to be installed in and extend along a bore in the ground for use in a system for exchanging of energy with the ground. The flexible sealing tube has a first tube end to be installed at an inner part of said bore, and the flexible sealing tube is closed in the first tube end. The flexible sealing tube also has a first channel and a second channel extending in a longitudinal direction (L) of the flexible sealing tube, the first and second channels being in fluid connection with each other. The first and second channels are formed by the flexible sealing tube.