An apparatus is configured to make containers from sheet material. The apparatus includes a supply station for supplying a film having at least one folded portion having three or more film flaps folded and superimposed with respect to each other; a welding station configured to receive the film. The welding station comprises a welding head configured for welding the folded portion of the film and forming a container defining a housing compartment; the welding head comprises a heater made of electrically conductive material whose electrical resistivity, at least in a predetermined temperature range, decreases upon the increase of the temperature of the same electrically conductive material.

A temperature control apparatus includes: a first pressure bonding unit which includes a first flow passage and a first pressure bonding surface which is to be brought into contact with an object; a temperature control fluid supply device which supplies a temperature control fluid in form of gas to the first flow passage in such a manner that the temperature control fluid is condensed on an inner wall surface of the first pressure bonding unit that partitions the first flow passage to adjust the first pressure bonding surface to a first heating temperature; and a pressure adjustment device which lowers an internal pressure of the first flow passage to promote vaporization of the temperature control fluid in form of liquid in the first flow passage in such a manner that the first pressure bonding surface is adjusted to a temperature lower than the first heating temperature.

A method and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine blade (10) including first and second outer shell portions (16, 18) and an internal web (12) are provided. An adhesive material (42) is applied to a top end (30) of the internal web (12) as well as the edges (62, 64) of the first outer shell portion (16) for connection to the second outer shell portion (18). Localized heat energy is applied to pre-cure the adhesive material (42) at the top end (30) of the internal web (12) before applying heat energy to fully cure all of the adhesive material (42) in the wind turbine blade (10). The pre-curing is performed by a removable localized heater device (72), and it assures that the integrity of the bond between the internal web (12) and the second outer shell portion (18) is maintained during the full curing of the blade (10), when temporary thermal deformation of the outer shell (14) sometimes occurs.

An apparatus is configured to make containers from sheet material. The apparatus includes a supply station for supplying a film having at least one folded portion having three or more film flaps folded and superimposed with respect to each other; a welding station configured to receive the film. The welding station comprises a welding head configured for welding the folded portion of the film and forming a container defining a housing compartment; the welding head comprises a heater made of electrically conductive material whose electrical resistivity, at least in a predetermined temperature range, decreases upon the increase of the temperature of the same electrically conductive material.

A method for producing a vehicle component from a fiber-reinforced plastic including providing a skin panel having an inner side, outer side and mounting portion. The skin panel is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. At least one stiffening component has a connection surface. The stiffening component is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. The stiffening component and skin panel are contacted wherein the connection surface lies on the mounting portion. The method includes areally warming a joining zone so the stiffening component and skin panel are welded together. The joining zone is cooled. A determined geometry of the combination of stiffening component and skin panel is compared with a predefinable geometry. The joining zone is re-warmed, deforming the stiffening component and the skin panel, and the method includes cooling in order to attain the predefinable geometry if the determined geometry deviates from the predefinable geometry.

An autoclave for welding thermoplastic composite parts comprises a sealed process chamber, a pressure source, a microwave source and a workpiece supporting member configured to support at least two thermoplastic composite parts which contact each other in an abutting section within the process chamber. The pressure source is configured to generate positive pressure in the process chamber which is higher than an ambient pressure surrounding the process chamber while the microwave source emits microwaves towards the abutting section in order to locally melt the thermoplastic composite parts and weld them together in the region of the abutting section.

A method for joining a device to an object with the aid of a combination of ultrasonic vibration energy and induction heating, wherein the device includes a portion of a thermoplastic polymer and a susceptor additive wherein this portion is at least partly liquefied or plasticized through the ultrasonic vibration energy in combination with the induction heating and wherein the joining includes establishing a connection between the device and the object which connection is at least one of a positive fit connection, a weld, a press fit connection, and an adhesive connection. The induction heating is applied for rendering the device portion suitable for absorption of ultrasonic vibration energy than other device portions by raising its temperature above the glass transition temperature of the polymer. The ultrasonic vibration energy is used for liquefying or at least plasticizing the thermoplastic polymer of the named device portion.

A method and apparatus for assembling a wind turbine blade (10) including first and second outer shell portions (16, 18) and an internal web (12) are provided. An adhesive material (42) is applied to a top end (30) of the internal web (12) as well as the edges (62, 64) of the first outer shell portion (16) for connection to the second outer shell portion (18). Localized heat energy is applied to pre-cure the adhesive material (42) at the top end (30) of the internal web (12) before applying heat energy to fully cure all of the adhesive material (42) in the wind turbine blade (10). The pre-curing is performed by a removable localized heater device (72), and it assures that the integrity of the bond between the internal web (12) and the second outer shell portion (18) is maintained during the full curing of the blade (10), when temporary thermal deformation of the outer shell (14) sometimes occurs.

A method for producing a vehicle component from a fiber-reinforced plastic including providing a skin panel having an inner side, outer side and mounting portion. The skin panel is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. At least one stiffening component has a connection surface. The stiffening component is a fiber-reinforced thermoplastic material. The stiffening component and skin panel are contacted wherein the connection surface lies on the mounting portion. The method includes areally warming a joining zone so the stiffening component and skin panel are welded together. The joining zone is cooled. A determined geometry of the combination of stiffening component and skin panel is compared with a predefinable geometry. The joining zone is re-warmed, deforming the stiffening component and the skin panel, and the method includes cooling in order to attain the predefinable geometry if the determined geometry deviates from the predefinable geometry.

A method for operating a tubular bag machine having a film web capable of unwinding from a supply reel, a shoulder for forming the web into a film tube, a take-off unit serving to move the tube, a longitudinal sealing device for welding the tube parallel to its transport direction by a longitudinal seam, a sealing device with jaws for producing transverse seams in the tube, a separating element for separating finished tubular bags from the tube, the machine being accelerated in a positive acceleration phase from an initial speed to a target speed when starting or being decelerated in a negative acceleration phase from the target speed to a final speed for stopping, wherein, in the positive acceleration phase and/or in the negative acceleration phase, at least one sealing parameter of the jaws for producing tubular bags changes as a function of the conveying speed of the web.