Abstract: An assembly-ready joint for an aircraft assembly is disclosed. The joint includes a first joint part having a spigot. The joint also has a second joint part with a housing. A floating socket is in an interior of the housing. The second joint part receives the spigot in the floating socket. The joint is arranged to receive a curable medium, such as curable resin, in the interior to contract between the housing and the floating socket.

Abstract: An assembly-ready joint for an aircraft assembly is disclosed. The joint includes a first joint part having a spigot. The joint also has a second joint part with a housing. A floating socket is in an interior of the housing. The second joint part receives the spigot in the floating socket. The joint is arranged to receive a curable medium, such as curable resin, in the interior to contract between the housing and the floating socket.

Abstract: A fixture for use in an additive manufacturing and heat treatment process is disclosed. The fixture includes a tool with an upper surface and a lower surface, and an attachment system configured to releasably secure a substrate to the upper surface of the tool. The tool includes a body with an upper face and a lower face, and a reinforcement layer cladding the upper or lower face of the body. The reinforcement layer may be a superalloy.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacturing and heat treatment. A substrate is secured to a fixture and an additive manufacturing system is operated to perform a build process by building a part on the substrate secured to the fixture, the part being built by forming a series of layers of metallic material on the substrate, the metallic material melting and solidifying during the build process thereby bonding the part to the substrate and creating thermally induced stress in the part. The part, the substrate and the fixture are moved together from the additive manufacturing system to a heat treatment system, wherein the substrate remains secured to the fixture and the part remains bonded to the substrate as they are moved. The heat treatment system is operated to perform a heat treatment process by heating the part, the substrate and the fixture together thereby relieving the thermally induced stress in the part, the substrate remaining secured to the fixture during the heat treatment process.

Abstract: A joint including: a first component and a second component; the first component includes a bond region and an array of projections extending from the bond region, wherein the projections are embedded in the second component.

Abstract: A method of quality assurance of an additive manufacturing build process. An additive manufacturing system is operated to perform a build process by building a part on a build platform, the part being built by forming a series of layers of metallic material on the build platform. The metallic material melts and solidifies during the build process thereby bonding the part to the build platform and creating thermally induced stress in the part which tends to distort the build platform. During the build process, a parameter is measured which is related to the thermally induced stress in the part to generate measurement data. The measurement data is stored and analysed to determine whether a defect has formed during the build process. A warning is generated if the analysis of the stored measurement data concludes that a defect has formed during the build process. The warning includes an indication of a position in the part.

Abstract: A method of additive manufacturing and heat treatment. A substrate is secured to a fixture and an additive manufacturing system is operated to perform a build process by building a part on the substrate secured to the fixture, the part being built by forming a series of layers of metallic material on the substrate, the metallic material melting and solidifying during the build process thereby bonding the part to the substrate and creating thermally induced stress in the part. The part, the substrate and the fixture are moved together from the additive manufacturing system to a heat treatment system, wherein the substrate remains secured to the fixture and the part remains bonded to the substrate as they are moved. The heat treatment system is operated to perform a heat treatment process by heating the part, the substrate and the fixture together thereby relieving the thermally induced stress in the part, the substrate remaining secured to the fixture during the heat treatment process.

Abstract: A method of preparing a component (60) to be joined to another component (55). The method comprises growing an array of projections (56, 57) on a bond region of the component (55) in a series of layers, each layer being grown by directing energy and/or material from a head to selected parts of the bond region. The joint may be used to join a pair of structural components, for instance in an aerospace application. For instance the joint may be used to join a reinforcing plate, floating rib foot, or stringer to a panel such as a wing or fuselage cover. Alternatively the joint may be used to join adjacent layers in a laminate structure.

Abstract: A joint including: a first component and a second component; the first component includes a bond region and an array of projections extending from the bond region, wherein the projections are embedded in the second component.