Mechanically attaching articles made from composites has problems due to the difference in properties of the composite in the x, y planar direction and the z perpendicular direction, this results in different properties between the composite and the attachment member such as differences in coefficients of thermal expansion which can weaken the joint further leading to differences in moisture uptake which can further reduce the strength and robustness of the joint. The invention relates to the selection of the position of a joint in order to reduce such problems and to operating the moulding process in a way that improves the provision of mechanical attachments such as bolt holes.

In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.

Provided are a method for producing a thermoplastic liquid crystal polymer (TLCP) film having an improved thermo-adhesive property, a circuit board, and a method for producing the same. The production method of the TLCP film includes preparing a TLCP film as the adherend film and a TLCP film as the adhesive film;

examining each of the prepared TLCP films for a relative intensity calculated as a ratio in percentage of a sum of peak areas of C—O bond peak and COO bond peak based on the total area of C1s peaks in the XPS spectral profile so as to calculate a relative intensity X (%) as for the prepared adherend film and a relative intensity Y (%) as for the prepared adhesive film; and

controlling the TLCP film as the adhesive film to have a relative intensity Y by selection or activation treatment of the adhesive film so that the relative intensity X of the adherend film and the relative intensity Y of the controlled adhesive film satisfy the following formulae (1) and (2):

38<X+Y<65   (1)

−8.0<Y−X<8.0   (2).

Provided is a heater for a ciga-like electronic cigarette with a heat transfer efficiency improved by strengthening a bonding force between a cigarette support portion and a heater portion by thermally pressing and bonding the cigarette support portion and the heater portion together using a heat-dissipating adhesive layer with a heat-dissipating filler added to a high-heat-resistant thermoplastic polyimide resin, and a method of manufacturing the same.

In one embodiment, a method includes fastening a plurality of components of a composite structure in an assembly fixture, wherein the assembly fixture comprises a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material, wherein the fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprises a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the assembly fixture further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the assembly fixture; and heating the assembly fixture in an autoclave to bond the plurality of components of the composite structure.

In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.

Provided is a method for forming a co-cured composite article. The method includes: providing a bag carrier; providing a vacuum bag, wherein the vacuum bag at least partially surrounds the bag carrier; providing an outer skin, wherein the outer skin at least partially surrounds the vacuum bag; forming a space between the bag carrier and the outer skin; and providing a filler between the outer skin and the bag carrier.

A method for manufacturing a metal-clad laminate sheet including forming a laminate sheet having the thermoplastic liquid crystal polymer film and the metal foil bonded together; and providing the laminate sheet with a heat treatment which satisfies conditions (1) and (2) below: (1) a heat treatment temperature ranges between 1° C. inclusive and 50° C. exclusive higher than a melting point of the thermoplastic liquid crystal polymer film. (2) a time for the heat treatment ranges from one second to 10 minutes.

A device (10) comprising a carrier material (14) and a matrix material (12) deposited onto the carrier material in a pattern that leaves a predetermined amount of space (18) between each deposition of matrix material.

In one embodiment, an assembly fixture may include a base structure including a plurality of strands of a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material comprising a thermoplastic embedded with a plurality of reinforcement fibers, wherein the plurality of reinforcement fibers is aligned within each strand of the plurality of strands, and wherein the base structure further comprises an anisotropic thermal expansion property based on an orientation of the plurality of reinforcement fibers within the base structure, The assembly fixture may further include a plurality of fastening structures coupled to the base structure, wherein the plurality of fastening structures is configured to fasten a plurality of components of a composite structure for assembly using a heated bonding process.