A composite frame for vehicles formed with a honeycomb or similar core laminated on the top and bottom sides with a layer of material joined by an adhesive layer. One or more structural beams or stringer are interposed between the top and bottom layer of the composite frame running part or all of the length or width of the composite frame. Each of these structural members may also be joined to the top and bottom material as well as the adjacent honeycomb or by a layer of adhesive or by other means. One embodiment of the frame may be perfectly flat along a horizontal axis. A second embodiment may conform to any curvature, angle or combination specified.

Welded headgear sections can be produced by using a weld tool having pins protruding from a weld region contact surface to deliver high-frequency electromagnetic energy to a weld region defined by overlapping top and bottom headgear straps. The pins fully penetrate the top strap and at least partially penetrate the bottom strap. The pins concentrate the electromagnetic energy to achieve a weld joint of acceptable weld strength and aesthetic appeal.

In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

A method for manufacturing an aeronautical sandwich panel with a honeycomb core and results in a core sealed to prevent infused resin from entering into the honeycomb core open cells while improving its mechanical properties, especially for curved or highly curved panels. In further embodiments, the invention proposes the automation of this process.

Methods for reworking structures and reworked cellular core panels, reworked structures comprising the reworked cellular core panels, and guides and cutting apparatuses for reworking cellular acoustic panels and reworking cellular acoustic and non-acoustic panels are disclosed.

In a preferred embodiment, a composite panel with a smooth outer surface, ready for painting with or without addition of primer, may be created by constructing a panel layup assembly upon a mold, the panel layup assembly including a composite panel having a core and a resin formulation, and a release film between the mold and the composite panel, where a smooth release surface of the release film is in contact with the composite panel upon construction; initiating curing of the composite panel at a first temperature within a lowermost ten percent of a curing temperature range of the resin formulation; continuing curing of the composite panel at a second temperature above the lowermost ten percent of the curing temperature range; and completing curing of the composite panel at a third temperature below the second temperature.

Methods and systems are provided for fabricating a composite structure. In one example, the composite structure may include a honeycomb core sandwiched between face sheets. An edge of the honeycomb core may be abraded and a top face sheet may be perforated. As such, a likelihood of delamination of the composite structure during a curing step may be reduced.

A method of bonding a second object to a first object includes: providing the first object, which includes a thermoplastic liquefiable material in a solid state; providing the second object, which includes a surface portion that has a coupling structure with an undercut such that the second object can make a positive-fit connection with the first object; and pressing the second object against the first object with a tool that is in physical contact with a coupling-in structure of the second object while mechanical vibrations are coupled into the tool. The step of pressing and coupling vibrations into the tool continues until a flow portion of the thermoplastic material of the first object is liquefied and flows into the coupling structures of the second object. Thereafter, the thermoplastic material of the first object is permitted to re-solidify to yield a positive-fit connection between the first and second objects.

A thrust reverser blocker door includes a body portion and a mounting structure coupled to the body portion. The body portion includes a facesheet, a backsheet, and a honeycomb core. The facesheet and/or the backsheet comprises a first thermoplastic material and the mounting structure comprises a second thermoplastic material. A method for manufacturing a thrust reverser blocker door may comprise thermoforming a sandwich panel comprising a facesheet, a backsheet, and a honeycomb core. The method may further comprising overmolding a mounting structure onto the backsheet. The first thermoplastic material may comprise a continuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material. The second thermoplastic material may comprise a discontinuous fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite material.

Sandwich-structured noise-attenuating and/or structural panels and methods of manufacturing such panels using ultrasonic welding are described. The method includes: receiving a backing member, a sheet and a cellular structure; assembling the cellular structure between the backing member and the sheet; and ultrasonically welding the backing member and the sheet together.