Abstract: Inserts of metal in the plastic of a plastic structural element are coated with a coupling layer of fibre-reinforced plastic, which reduces the abrupt change in stiffness and/or coefficient of thermal expansion at the joining interfaces in the metal-plastic composite. By altering the volume fraction of fibres and/or by of different orientation the fibre layers within the coupling layer, a gradual change in the E-modulus and the thermal expansion coefficient are produced, as a result of which abrupt changes in these values at the composite interfaces can be avoided. The sudden change in stiffness between the plastic material and the metal insert is also reduced by reducing the stiffness of the insert, which again is achieved by specific choice of shape. Preferred, in particular, is a finger-shaped fanning out of the insert in the plastic material.

Abstract: Inserts of metal in the plastic of a plastic structural element are coated with a coupling layer of fibre-reinforced plastic, which reduces the abrupt change in stiffness and/or coefficient of thermal expansion at the joining interfaces in the metal-plastic composite. By altering the volume fraction of fibres and/or by different orientation of the fibre layers within the coupling layers, a gradual change in the E-modulus and the thermal expansion coefficient are produced, as a result of which abrupt changes in these values at the composite interfaces can be avoided. The sudden change in stiffness between the plastic material and the metal inset also reduced by reducing the stiffness of the insert, which again is achieved by specific choice of shape. Preferred, in particular, is a finger-shaped fanning out of the insert in the plastic material.

Abstract: A particle board, a fiberboard or an oriented strand board (25) is formed by the process according to the invention from a mixture of a comminuted cellulose material and a binder, especially a synthetic resin containing an unsaturated oligimer, that is hardenable by electron radiation. The process of the invention includes first forming a loosely scattered layer (4) of the mixture, e.g. on a conveyor belt, then compressing the layer in a press device (16), after performing a pre-compression in a pre-press in Some embodiments, and rapid setting of the layer (4) by means of electron radiation from an electron radiation device (22). Unlike the known processes that only use a thermosetting binder, the inventive method is hindered neither by heat transfer to the center of the board nor by a non-uniform humidity profile. High quality boards may be produced at a high yield without splitting and these boards require no conditioning storage.