Abstract: A method for manufacturing a structural assembly comprising at least two assembly components interconnected by means of a thermoplastic plastics material, and useful in the field of aviation or space travel. First, a first assembly component and a second assembly component are provided and arranged so as to form an arrangement. Second, the arrangement is subjected to creep forming at a temperature which is selected in such a way that the thermoplastic plastics material melts at least in part during the creep forming so as to connect the first assembly component and the second assembly component. The invention further relates to structural assemblies, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, and to an aircraft or spacecraft comprising a structural assembly of this type.

Abstract: A method of joining two panels of an airframe or fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft, including: preparing an edge region of a first panel to form a first joining surface; preparing an edge region of a second panel to form a second joining surface; aligning the panels with one another such that the joining surfaces abut or interface one another forming a joint area; and joining the panels at the joining surfaces in the joint area. In an embodiment, the preparing steps include machining, and cutting, the edge regions of the first and second panels in a single operation to form the first and second joining surfaces substantially simultaneously. In another embodiment, the first and second joining surfaces are substantially planar and extend at an oblique angle with respect to a primary plane or surface of the respective first and second panels.

Abstract: A method for friction stir welding two components, with a rotating tool that comprises a rotating or non-rotating shoulder surface for subjecting the components to a process force in the region of a joining zone, and with a stirring pin for stirring plasticized material or for plasticizing and stirring the components in the region of the joining zone, in which method a stirring pin with a section slidably plunges in a slide on which the components are supported, which slide is guided along the joining zone on a side of the component, which side faces away from the tool, so that during welding an automatic relative movement between the stirring pin and the slide or the shoulder surface of the tool and a support surface of the slide, which support surface supports the components, is made possible, as well as a device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: A method for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft, said method comprising the following method steps: positioning the two components relative to one another in such a way that a connection region is formed between the two components; friction stir welding the two components by a friction stir welding tool which penetrates the connection region in order to produce a weld which permeates the connection region with the formation of an unpenetrated weld edge portion of the connection region; and introducing internal compressive stresses, at least in the weld edge portion of the connection region. Further a device for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft is provided.

Abstract: A movable joining device for connecting structural components of an aircraft, with joining means moveably arranged on a guiding device situated on the outside of the structural components so as to fixedly connect joining edges of the structural components positioned adjacent to each other, wherein the joining means includes a welding unit that can move on the rail-like guiding device, and is equipped with a special so-called bobbin tool as a tool for friction stir welding.

Abstract: A method for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft, said method comprising the following method steps: positioning the two components relative to one another in such a way that a connection region is formed between the two components; friction stir welding the two components by means of a friction stir welding tool which penetrates the connection region in order to produce a weld which permeates the connection region with the formation of an unpenetrated weld edge portion of the connection region; and introducing internal compressive stresses, at least in the weld edge portion of the connection region. Further a device for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft is provided.

Abstract: A method of joining two panels of an airframe or fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft, including: preparing an edge region of a first panel to form a first joining surface; preparing an edge region of a second panel to form a second joining surface; aligning the panels with one another such that the joining surfaces abut or interface one another forming a joint area; and joining the panels at the joining surfaces in the joint area. In an embodiment, the preparing steps include machining, and cutting, the edge regions of the first and second panels in a single operation to form the first and second joining surfaces substantially simultaneously. In another embodiment, the first and second joining surfaces are substantially planar and extend at an oblique angle with respect to a primary plane or surface of the respective first and second panels.

Abstract: A method for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft, said method comprising the following method steps: positioning the two components relative to one another in such a way that a connection region is formed between the two components; friction stir welding the two components by a friction stir welding tool which penetrates the connection region in order to produce a weld which permeates the connection region with the formation of an unpenetrated weld edge portion of the connection region; and introducing internal compressive stresses, at least in the weld edge portion of the connection region. Further a device for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft is provided.

Abstract: A method for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft, said method comprising the following method steps: positioning the two components relative to one another in such a way that a connection region is formed between the two components; friction stir welding the two components by means of a friction stir welding tool which penetrates the connection region in order to produce a weld which permeates the connection region with the formation of an unpenetrated weld edge portion of the connection region; and introducing internal compressive stresses, at least in the weld edge portion of the connection region. Further a device for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft is provided.

Abstract: A joining apparatus for joining together structural components of an aircraft, includes positioning means for holding the structural components to be joined in a defined desired position, in which the structural components can be fixedly joined together by means of a joining device that can be moved relative to the structural components by way of guiding means, wherein the positioning means encompass a formative frame structure that is detachably secured to the structural components to be connected along the joining edges outside in the edge area, and serves as a guiding means for the joining device movably secured hereupon.

Abstract: A method for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft, said method comprising the following method steps: positioning the two components relative to one another in such a way that a connection region is formed between the two components; friction stir welding the two components by means of a friction stir welding tool which penetrates the connection region in order to produce a weld which permeates the connection region with the formation of an unpenetrated weld edge portion of the connection region; and introducing internal compressive stresses, at least in the weld edge portion of the connection region. Further a device for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft is provided.

Abstract: A method of fabricating a module for an airframe or fuselage structure of an aircraft or spacecraft includes positioning a first member adjacent to a second member at an assembly station; welding the first member to the second member at the assembly station to produce a module having a welded joint between the first and second members; and peening at least one of the first member, the second member, and the welded joint at the assembly station to compensate for or to correct distortion caused by the welding.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing welded lap joints comprising the following steps: Providing of two components each having at least one base; allocating the components in such a way that the bases face each other and the components overlap in an overlapping area, which extends at least partially over both components; joining the components by welding in the overlapping area such that a weld joint is formed, wherein at the edge of the overlapping area non welded areas are formed; removing of the non welded areas whereby outer cutting areas are formed at the components, which are arranged at obtuse angles to the overlapping area.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a structural assembly comprising at least two assembly components interconnected by means of a thermoplastic plastics material, and useful in the field of aviation or space travel. First, a first assembly component and a second assembly component are provided and arranged so as to form an arrangement. Second, the arrangement is subjected to creep forming at a temperature which is selected in such a way that the thermoplastic plastics material melts at least in part during the creep forming so as to connect the first assembly component and the second assembly component. The invention further relates to structural assemblies, in particular for an aircraft or spacecraft, and to an aircraft or spacecraft comprising a structural assembly of this type.

Abstract: A method for friction stir welding two components, with a rotating tool that comprises a rotating or non-rotating shoulder surface for subjecting the components to a process force in the region of a joining zone, and with a stirring pin for stirring plasticized material or for plasticizing and stirring the components in the region of the joining zone, in which method a stirring pin with a section slidably plunges in a slide on which the components are supported, which slide is guided along the joining zone on a side of the component, which side faces away from the tool, so that during welding an automatic relative movement between the stirring pin and the slide or the shoulder surface of the tool and a support surface of the slide, which support surface supports the components, is made possible, as well as a device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: In the case of a method for connecting a fibre composite component to a structural component of an aircraft and spacecraft, a metal foil is provided as a transverse reinforcement element between the fibre composite component and the structural component. It is formed with at least one anchoring portion which protrudes from the surface facing the fibre composite component and is inserted between the fibre composite component and the structural component. A corresponding arrangement is produced in accordance with this method.

Abstract: A lightweight structure is disclosed, in particular a lightweight structure for an aircraft which is formed from a large number of components which can be joined together by weld joining processes. According to the invention, the lightweight structure has a component thickness which is increased corresponding to the loads in the joint region of the at least one welded joint compared to a thickness of the component outside the joint region.

Abstract: A method for connecting at least two sheet-like formations, in particular at least two metal sheets with a thin material thickness for aircraft, comprises establishing butt-joint connections between the sheet-like formations by forming a joining region; mechanical processing of the sheet-like formations and/or of the joining region; mechanical and/or chemical adhesive pre-treatment of the sheet-like formations and/or of the joining region; and pasting-on at least one reinforcement element in the region of the top and/or the bottom of the joining region, wherein for the purpose of forming a second load path the width of the at least one reinforcement element is wider than the width 16 of the joining region. A connection is provided and made according to the method. A lightweight structure is also provided that comprises at least one connection according to the invention.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing welded lap joints comprising the following steps: Providing of two components each having at least one base; allocating the components in such a way that the bases face each other and the components overlap in an overlapping area, which extends at least partially over both components; joining the components by welding in the overlapping area such that a weld joint is formed, wherein at the edge of the overlapping area non welded areas are formed; removing of the non welded areas whereby outer cutting areas are formed at the components, which are arranged at obtuse angles to the overlapping area.

Abstract: A method for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft, said method comprising the following method steps: positioning the two components relative to one another in such a way that a connection region is formed between the two components; friction stir welding the two components by means of a friction stir welding tool which penetrates the connection region in order to produce a weld which permeates the connection region with the formation of an unpenetrated weld edge portion of the connection region; and introducing internal compressive stresses, at least in the weld edge portion of the connection region. Further a device for the friction stir welding of two components, in particular of two shell components of a fuselage structure of an aircraft and spacecraft is provided.