Abstract: Provided is a welding method including: a sheet disposition process of disposing a first and a second protection sheet such that the first and the second protection sheet come into contact with a first and a second composite material and disposing an energization sheet such that the energization sheet comes into contact with the first and the second protection sheet; and a welding process of applying a voltage to a pair of electrode portions disposed at the energization sheet and welding the first and the second composite material, the energization sheet contains the carbon fiber base material oriented in a first predetermined direction connecting the pair of electrode portions, and the first and the second protection sheet contain the carbon fiber base material oriented in a second predetermined direction that substantially perpendicularly intersects the first predetermined direction.

Abstract: A preforming system for automated sequential laying of plies, in particular fiber reinforced plies, at a desired location with a preselected attitude to preform a composite structure, comprising at least one buffer provided with two or more carriers, a controller, a placement robot provided with a ply manipulating part, and a substrate, wherein each carrier is arranged to carry at least one presorted ply, wherein the controller keeps track of a position, type and sequential order of the at least one presorted ply per carrier, and wherein the controller further controls the placement robot to manipulate and transport at least one ply by means of the ply manipulating part from a selected carrier of the two or more carriers to the substrate and to place the at least one ply at the desired location with the preselected attitude.

Abstract: The present invention provides a polymer compound peeling agent usable for peeling as many types of polymer compounds as possible and capable of reducing a burden required for a peeling treatment when a polymer compound having adhered to an adhesion object is peeled. The polymer compound peeling agent for peeling a polymer compound having adhered to an adhesion object contains a photoresponsive liquid crystal material having a phase structure reversibly transitioning between an isotropic phase and a liquid crystal phase due to photoisomerization based on irradiation lights of different wavelengths. When the polymer compound is adhered to the adhesion object, the photoresponsive liquid crystal material is contained in the polymer compound with the phase structure set to the isotropic phase, and the phase structure of the photoresponsive liquid crystal material is allowed to transition from the isotropic phase to the liquid crystal phase by photoisomerization based on the light irradiation.

Abstract: A method for applying labels to a cable or conduit with a known circumference, the method including supplying at least one label, wherein the at least one label has a known label height, the label height is greater than the known circumference of the cable or conduit, and the label has a bottom, middle, and top portions, providing at least one tamping device, tamping the middle portion of the at least one label to the cable or conduit with the at least one tamping device, wherein the middle portion of the at least one label adheres to the cable or conduit, providing a guide shoe assembly, pressing the top portion of the at least one label against the cable or conduit with the guide shoe assembly, and pressing the bottom portion of the at least one label against the cable or conduit with the guide shoe assembly, wherein the top portion of the at least one label and the bottom portion of the at least one label overlap after pressed onto the cable or conduit.

Abstract: A device for welding thermoplastic tubes to a welding method, and to a welding knife. The device is provided for welding thermoplastic tubes, wherein the tubes are placed into tube holders and squeezed with the aid of tube clamps. A welding knife is moved between the first and the second tube holder and severs the tubes in the process. Cut ends and residual ends are thereby produced. The cut ends are aligned with one another by a relative movement of one tube holder with respect to the other tube holder and, by a horizontal movement of the two tube holders, are welded simultaneously to form continuous tubes.

Abstract: Composite laminate parts are made in a continuously moving line in which manufacturing operations are performed in individual work zones along the line.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for manufacturing a composite substrate, the system comprising: a hot-press device which hot-presses a first composite substrate comprising a printed circuit board and a coverlay temporarily attached thereto to form a second composite substrate, and discharges the second substrate therefrom; and a transfer device which transfers the first substrate into the hot press device while regulating the amount of supplied first composite substrates.

Abstract: Inflatable structures, or aeromorphs, are provided with reinforcing member shape controlling features. The inflatable structure includes a bladder formed of a programmable substrate and defining an outer perimeter. The bladder includes a plurality of seams and a plurality of foldable segments defined by the plurality of seams. At least one hinge is provided, located adjacent each foldable segment. The hinge is configured to permit a folding movement of the respective foldable segment. At least one reinforcing member is provided, secured to the bladder and configured to guide a directional movement of at least one of the plurality of foldable segments, control a shape of the inflatable structure, and determine a sequence of folding. In various aspects, the reinforcing member includes a thermoplastic polyurethane, and is secured to a surface of the bladder with additive manufacturing techniques, such as 3-D printing.

Abstract: A system for splicing together multiple sheets of generally rigid material into a continuous sheet. The system includes a cart with a cutting mechanism and a sealing mechanism. The cutting mechanism is configured to cut a pattern of segments through the sheet materials that can be interlocked to form a seam. The interlocking segments may include asymmetrical features. The sealing mechanism can apply tape to the seal to secure it. The splicing system may be used while one of the multiple sheets of generally rigid material is concurrently in use by a packaging machine without interruption to the packaging machine.

Abstract: A method for repairing a composite structure, includes creating a repair cavity in a composite structure, placing foamable media in the repair cavity, placing a replacement skin over the repair cavity, and expanding the foamable media placed in the repair cavity.

Abstract: Generation of a wrinkle is prevented when a sticker is affixed to an object. A sticker affixing system includes an articulated robot, a controller configured to control the articulated robot, a suction tool attached to a distal end of the articulated robot, and a force sensor configured to detect force applied to the suction tool. The controller causes the articulated robot to execute: an operation of moving the suction tool holding a sticker along a surface of an object to which the sticker is affixed; and an operation of adjusting an inclination of the suction tool with respect to a traveling direction (roll axis) of the suction tool and the traveling direction of the suction tool based on a signal from the force sensor.

Abstract: A method of providing a deformable shim that comprises a main structure of an at least partly cellular region. The main structure is compressible by plastic deformation from an initial volume to a deformed volume, wherein the deformed volume is smaller than the initial volume. In a deformed state, the main structure maintains the deformed volume without further or continuing compression force. Further, the main structure is arrangeable between a first aircraft component and a second aircraft component to create a predefined distance between the first and the second aircraft component.

Abstract: An object of a first embodiment of the present invention is to provide an electrical debonding type adhesive sheet which can be applied while inhibiting the trapping of air bubbles and while easily avoiding surface irregularities, etc., and which gives a joined body that can be easily debonded. The electrical debonding type adhesive sheet according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a substrate for voltage application, a first adhesive layer, which is constituted of an electrically debondable adhesive and is formed on an electroconductive surface of the substrate for voltage application, and a second adhesive layer, which is formed on the opposite surface of the substrate for voltage application, the electrical debonding type adhesive sheet including a plurality of linked parts and a linking part which links the plurality of linked parts to each other.

Abstract: An up-lighting floor mat includes floor matting that defines an upwardly-facing surface and an opposed downwardly-facing surface when supported atop an upwardly-facing support surface, and that is formed from a first flexible material that enables the up-lighting floor mat to be rolled up for transport or storage; and a first elongate up-lighting assembly positioned within a first elongate slot defined through the floor matting to emit light upwardly from the first elongate slot, wherein at least one elongate edge defined by the first up-lighting assembly is bonded to at least one edge of the floor matting that defines the first elongate slot.

Abstract: An annular discharge device for discharging a gluing composition onto glass fibres includes at least one distribution circuit for the gluing composition and a plurality of spray nozzles fluidically connected with the distribution circuit and distributed over the perimeter of the annular discharge device for discharging the gluing composition onto the glass fibres intended to pass into the annular discharge device defined by an axis of revolution, each spray nozzle being oriented towards the interior of the annular discharge device with an angle of inclination determined in relation to the plane of revolution of the annular discharge device. At least two spray nozzles arranged consecutively on the perimeter of the annular discharge device are disposed so as to have an orientation with respect to the plane of revolution of the annular discharge device each with a different angle of inclination with respect to one another.

Abstract: An AFP head providing a plurality of fiber element tows under tension to a compaction roller which in operation presses the individual tows onto a substrate to produce a part. A separate laser heat source, such as an individual laser module, is provided for each pair of tows or tetrad of tows. Each laser is separately controllable to provide an on/off capability.

Abstract: A computer implemented method comprises the steps of: providing a user interface to a computer terminal; providing a welding machine interface (252) to a welding machine (22; 31) which is equipped with a set of sensors having a power supply sensor (221; 311) configured to sense a power supplied by the welding machine (22; 31) to set a connector to an object in runtime; obtaining a threshold performance metric data signal representing threshold product performance metric predefined via the user interface; obtaining a power supply data signal from the welding machine (22; 31) via the welding machine interface (252), which power supply data signal represents the sensed power supplied by the welding machine (22; 31) to set the connector to the object; applying a machine learning model to the power represented by the obtained power supply data signal such that the machine learning model calculates a model product performance metric, wherein the machine learning model is specifically pre trained with training power

Abstract: In some embodiments, an RFID label rejecting system includes an imager for scanning an RFID label, and a label removal component for discarding an inoperable RFID label. The label removal component may include a paddle configured to receive the inoperable label as part of the removal process. The label removal component may include a retraction system configured to position the paddle in an ejection path of the label rejection system to receive a rejected label. The label removal component may include a removable liner on the paddle configured to receive the rejected label and to be discarded with the rejected label. The label removal component may include a pressurized gas system configured for ejecting a rejected label.

Abstract: An end effector, for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part, comprises a support, a first nozzle, movable relative to the support, and a second nozzle, movable relative to the support. The first nozzle comprises a first-nozzle-body outlet port and a first-nozzle separator plate. The second nozzle comprises a second-nozzle-body outlet port and a second-nozzle separator plate. The end effector additionally comprises a first ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support, translationally fixed relative to support, and located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The end effector also comprises a second ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support, translationally fixed relative to support, and located between the first ultrasonic-sensor roller and the second nozzle.

Abstract: An end effector, for adhesively attaching a first part to a second part, comprises a support, a first nozzle, movable relative to the support, and a second nozzle, movable relative to the support. The first nozzle comprises a first-nozzle-body outlet port and a first-nozzle separator plate. The second nozzle comprises a second-nozzle-body outlet port and a second-nozzle separator plate. The end effector additionally comprises a first ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support and located between the first nozzle and the second nozzle. The end effector also comprises a second ultrasonic-sensor roller that is rotatable relative to the support and located between the first ultrasonic-sensor roller and the second nozzle.