Abstract: A repair method for a workpiece of a plastics material is provided, wherein an induction heating apparatus is positioned at a repair region of the workpiece. The induction heating apparatus comprises a magnetic field generating device and a heat source. The heat source is arranged between the magnetic field generating device and the repair region. A repair material is positioned on the repair region and heated by way of the heat source. The heat source is inductively heated by the magnetic field generating device. A temperature (T) is measured by which an application of heat to the repair material by the heat source is characterized. The temperature (T) is controlled by means of a control device. The control of the temperature (T) by the control device occurs according to a temperature profile specification, which has a heating region and a working region following the heating region.

Abstract: A device for coating of workpieces, which preferably includes, at least in sections, wood, wooden materials, plastics, aluminium or the like. The device includes a feed device for feeding a coating material, a pressing device for pressing the coating material onto a surface of the workpiece, a conveyor device for causing a relative motion between the pressing device and the respective workpiece, and a first joining device for applying and/or activating an adhesive agent on a coating material fed by the feed device and/or a surface to be coated of the workpiece. The device further includes at least a second joining device for applying and/or activating an adhesive agent on a coating material fed by the feed device and/or a surface to be coated of the workpiece.

Abstract: An apparatus for applying a label to a spool or reel containing wire and a wire tail extending from the spool or reel, the apparatus comprising a wire tail sensor, wherein the wire tail sensor identifies the location of the wire tail protruding from the spool or reel and a label application mechanism, wherein the labeling mechanism applies a label to the spool or reel and wherein the label does not contact the wire tail protruding from the spool or reel.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of forming a wheel assembly consisting of a wheel portion and a cover portion. The method includes handling the wheel portion from dunnage to a work cell with an outboard face of the wheel portion facing away from a supporting surface. Next, determining a planar position and a rotational position of wheel portion and retrieving the cover portion. The method proceeds with applying an adhesive to at least one of the back side of the cover portion and the outboard face of the wheel portion. Then, aligning the cover portion with the wheel portion utilizing the planar position and the rotational position. The next step is engaging the cover portion and the wheel portion with one another and maintaining the wheel portion in engagement with the cover portion for a predetermined amount of time with a predetermined amount of pressure to form the wheel assembly.

Abstract: Provided is a polarizing lens which is excellent in terms of impact resistance, outer appearance and prevention of eye strain and which exhibits little variation in color tone and transmittance during formation. The polarizing lens is formed by stretching a polyvinyl alcohol film and dyeing it with a dichroic dye, bonding an aromatic polycarbonate sheet to both surfaces of the film by means of an adhesive layer, and then inserting a polarizing sheet, bent to have a spherical or aspherical surface, into a mold, and injecting aromatic polycarbonate thereto, wherein the area in which the dichroic dye seeps from the surface of the polyvinyl alcohol film is not more than a quarter of the thickness of the polyvinyl alcohol film.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are presented. The method locally compensates for cure related deformations in a composite skin by laying up a composite material on a compensation surface of a slip sheet designed to form a modified outer mold line different from a designed shape, wherein the slip sheet is held against a forming surface of a layup tool, wherein the forming surface is designed to form an outer mold line of the designed shape.

Abstract: A method of reinforcing a support mat includes at least one extruder applying at least a first stream of weld-forming material over at least one seam formed between upper and lower, interconnected, at least partially overlapping, panels on the top of the mat and at least one automated extruder applying at least a second stream of weld-forming material over at least one seam formed between the panels on the bottom of the mat.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method. The method includes identifying a first location on a first part to place a first shim tab to form a first portion of a compound shim. The method also includes applying the first shim tab to the first location on the first part with an end-effector. The method also includes identifying a second location directly adjacent to the first location on the first part to place a second shim tab. The method also includes applying the second shim tab to the second location on the first part with the end-effector to form a second portion of the compound shim. The method also includes applying a third shim tab to the second shim tab at the second location to increase a thickness of the second portion of the compound shim.

Abstract: Systems and methods for attaching to a surface and applying a calibrated load are described. An example system for attaching to a surface and applying a calibrated load includes a suction cup to attach to an attachment surface and a rocker arm to apply a load to a working surface. The rocker arm is coupled to the suction cup and comprises a portion extending over the suction cup to apply pressure over the suction cup. The system also includes a force scale coupled to the rocker arm to provide an indication of an amount of the load applied to the working surface by the rocker arm.

Abstract: A profile body of a not liquefiable material is used as a connecting element between a first object and a second object. The profile body may especially be metallic and/or may be bendable. The profile body, in contrast to a conventional wire, however, has a shape defining a first and a second undercut. The method includes embedding the profile body in the second object so that the second undercut is within material of the second object, and embedding the profile body within material of the first object so that the first undercut is within the first object, and wherein at least embedding of the profile body in the first object is caused by mechanical energy impinging on the first object and/or on the second object while the first object and the second object are pressed against each other.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments provide automated fiber placement techniques for fabrication of parts made from composite materials. Tape plies are wound around a mandrel while a polymer is dispensed on a tape ply shortly before compaction. A bead monitoring system monitors the size and placement of the bead on the tape ply and feeds back information to various process control systems to maintain an optimal bead size.

Abstract: A method for designing fiber-composite parts in which part performance and manufacturing efficiency can be traded-off against one another to provide an “optimized” design for a desired use case. In some embodiments, the method involves generating an idealized fiber map, wherein the orientation of fibers throughout the prospective part align with the anticipated load conditions throughout the part, and then modifying the idealized fiber map by various fabrication constraints to generate a process-compensated preform map.

Abstract: A technique for automated online inspection of manufacture of a fibre reinforced polymer composite part during automated ribbon placement (e.g. ATL or AFP) uses interferometric inspection (e.g. OCT) to detect deviations from a planned lay-up for the part, to identify defects. On line, real-time inspection (i.e. on-the-fly) is demonstrated, and edge type defects and whole surface defects are identifiable. A sensor is demonstrated that does not extend a working envelope of the robotic head used for rib bon placement.

Abstract: A method for repairing a component constructed in multiple layers from a layer composite material comprises a step of removing material of the layer composite material of the component in the region of damage to the component in order to form a scarfed cutout, such that a scarfed peripheral contour formed from a plurality of layers of the component is formed. Furthermore, fiber-reinforced plastic strips, which exhibit a curable plastic material in an uncured state, are applied in layers in the cutout in order to create a replacement-structure semifinished product that is complementary to and butts against the scarfed peripheral contour of the component. In a further step, the curable plastic material contained in the fiber-reinforced plastic strips is cured in order to create a replacement structure and for joining the replacement structure to the component.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for detecting a fibre misalignment in an elongated structure, such as a wind turbine blade component. The elongated structure has a length along a longitudinal direction and comprises a plurality of stacked reinforcing fibre layers. The plurality of fibre layers comprises fibres having an orientation aligned, unidirectionally, substantially in the longitudinal direction. The method comprises scanning the elongated structure along at least a part of the length by emitting an x-ray beam in an angle compared to the orientation of the fibres. The method comprises detecting scattered rays, and determining an intensity of the detected scattered rays. The method comprises estimating a size of the fibre misalignment based on the determined intensity.

Abstract: A device and method are provided for testing the effectiveness of an adhesive composition to adhere a sheet of material to a substrate. A connector is attached to the sheet and the adhesive is used to adhere the sheet to the substrate and permitted to cure to a selected amount. After (or even before, if desired) the adhesive cures, a load is applied to the connector, having the effect of pulling the sheet away from the substrate. The duration of the pulling and the amount of the load can be varied. If too large a dome is formed under the location of the connector, the adhesive does not pass the test. Optionally, the adhesive formulation is adjusted to make it stronger to resist such doming.

Abstract: There is provided a bonding apparatus for bonding substrates together, which includes: a first holding part configured to adsorptively hold a first substrate by vacuum-drawing the first substrate on a lower surface of the first substrate; a second holding part provided below the first holding part and configured to adsorptively hold a second substrate by vacuum-drawing the second substrate on an upper surface of the second substrate; a pressing member provided in the first holding part and configured to press a central portion of the first substrate; and a plurality of substrate detection parts provided in the first holding part and configured to detect a detachment of the first substrate from the first holding part.

Abstract: A first aspect of the invention provides a method of joining a part to a composite component, the composite component comprising fibres impregnated with a matrix material, and the part comprising a plurality of projections, the method comprising: inserting the projections into the composite component; and pre-heating the projections before they are inserted into the composite component, so that the projections are at a higher temperature than the composite component as they are inserted into the composite component. The projections locally heat the matrix material of the composite component as they are pushed into the composite component. Increased temperature during insertion is advantageous as the reduced matrix viscosity, due to the increased temperature of the matrix, results in better consolidation of the fibres around the projections and minimises the distortion of the fibres.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to systems and methods directed to alignment of light-emitting devices. An example method includes coupling a support substrate to a light guide assembly. The support substrate includes a plurality of elongate structures and a plurality of laser diodes. Each laser diode of the plurality of laser diodes is coupled to a respective elongate structure of the plurality of elongate structures. The method also includes causing a given laser diode of the plurality of laser diodes to emit light toward the light guide assembly. The light guide assembly includes a light guide manifold configured to guide at least a portion of the emitted light as transmitted light. The method additionally includes comparing at least one optical characteristic of the transmitted light to a desired optical characteristic and, based on the comparison, adjusting a position of the given laser diode by adjusting the respective elongate structure.

Abstract: An inspection system for detecting defects in a workpiece can include an illumination source for illuminating a first section of the workpiece with a patterned light, wherein the illumination source does not illuminate a second section of the workpiece. The inspection system further includes a feedback camera for imaging the first section and producing a first output, and a background camera for imaging the second section and producing a second output. A processor compares the first output with the second output, and a controller alters the patterned light that is output by the illumination source based on the comparison. This feedback control continues until the background is suitably homogeneous or camouflaged compared to the defect, such that the visibility and/or detectability of the defect is increased.