Abstract: A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

Abstract: A joining method is provided during which a first thermoplastic component joint section and a second thermoplastic component joint section are arranged between first tooling and second tooling. The second thermoplastic component joint section is abutted against the first thermoplastic component joint section at a joint area. The first thermoplastic component joint section is joined to the second thermoplastic component joint section to provide a unitized thermoplastic structure. The joining includes: pressing the first thermoplastic component joint section against the second thermoplastic component joint section at the joint area between the first tooling and the second tooling using a pressure device; and heating the first thermoplastic component joint section and the second thermoplastic component joint section at the joint area using a first heater configured with the first tooling. The unitized thermoplastic structure is cooled at the joint area using a first cooler configured with the first tooling.

Abstract: During a manufacturing method, a preform is arranged with a plurality of grips. The preform includes a stack of a plurality of layers of material. The grips are disposed along a periphery of the stack. The preform is formed into a shaped body. The forming includes pressing a die against the stack and gripping the stack with the grips during the pressing of the die. The gripping includes asynchronously gripping the stack with at least some of the grips.

Abstract: A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

Abstract: A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

Abstract: A first thermoplastic component and a second thermoplastic component including a first joint portion and a second joint portion, respectively, are provided. A least a portion of a surface area of each of the first and second joint portions include a respective first and second mating surface. The first and second mating surfaces of the respective first and second joint portions are positioned in contact with one another. The first and second joint portions are fusion joined. Fusion joining the first and second joint portions forms a fused unitary portion of the first and second thermoplastic components.

Abstract: A system for generating a repair patch for a damaged area of a composite structure may include a scanning module, a repair patch model generator and a cutting tool. The scanning module may be deployed at the location of the damaged composite structure. The scanning module may be configured to scan the damaged area to generate scanned data indicative of a shape, size and/or contours of the damaged area. The repair patch model generator may include processing circuitry configured to obtain the scanned data, obtain parent ply information of the damaged composite structure, and generating a patch model of a repair patch including size and shape definition for each of a plurality of plies based on the scanned data and the parent ply information. The cutting tool may be configured to receive cutting files based on the patch model to generate a plurality of cut plies that combine to form the repair patch.

Abstract: A system for generating a repair patch for a damaged area of a composite structure may include a scanning module, a repair patch model generator and a cutting tool. The scanning module may be deployed at the location of the damaged composite structure. The scanning module may be configured to scan the damaged area to generate scanned data indicative of a shape, size and/or contours of the damaged area. The repair patch model generator may include processing circuitry configured to obtain the scanned data, obtain parent ply information of the damaged composite structure, and generating a patch model of a repair patch including size and shape definition for each of a plurality of plies based on the scanned data and the parent ply information. The cutting tool may be configured to receive cutting files based on the patch model to generate a plurality of cut plies that combine to form the repair patch.