System and method for bonding structural components

1. A system comprising:

a first object having

an energy-assisted bonding (EAB) mechanism along a surface of the first object, the EAB mechanism including a heat-activatable adhesive layer and a carbon-filled (CF) sheet material, the CF sheet material extending alongside the adhesive layer or through the adhesive layer, the CF sheet material being electrically conductive for resistive heating, and

a mounting face;

a coupling actuator having an actuator body with a mating face that is sized and shaped to engage the mounting face of the first object;

a power source;

at least one electrode operably coupled to the power source and attached to the actuator body, wherein the at least one electrode approaches the EAB mechanism as the actuator body approaches the first object; and

a control sub-system operably coupled to the coupling actuator and the power source, the control sub-system configured to:

control the coupling actuator to drive the actuator body and the at least one electrode toward the first object such that the at least one electrode engages the CF sheet material, wherein the mating face of the actuator body and the mounting face of the first object engage each other, the coupling actuator configured to apply pressure to the EAB mechanism along the surface of the first object; and

control the power source to apply a current to the at least one electrode and through the CF sheet material, thereby generating thermal energy through resistive heating that activates the adhesive layer for bonding to a second object.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the EAB mechanism is a pre-formed film that includes the adhesive layer and the CF sheet material.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the first object has a depression in which the EAB mechanism is positioned, the pre-formed film being patterned to substantially fill the depression.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one electrode includes a plurality of electrodes operably coupled to the power source and secured in fixed positions with respect to the actuator body, wherein the electrodes approach the EAB mechanism as the actuator body approaches the first object.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the first object includes electrode channels, the electrode channels opening to an exterior of the first object at a first end and opening to the EAB mechanism at a second end, wherein the electrodes are permitted to advance through the electrode channels and engage the EAB mechanism as the actuator body approaches the first object.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the adhesive layer is a first adhesive layer and the EAB mechanism includes a second adhesive layer, the second adhesive layer being heat-activatable, the first and second adhesive layers having a same composition or different compositions.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CF sheet material includes or is electrically connected to conductive pathways for energizing the CF sheet material, the at least one electrode including multiple electrodes configured to engage the conductive pathways.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the CF sheet material includes carbon elements dispersed within a binder material and the CF sheet material is a nonwoven carbon veil having an areal weight of between 2 g/m 2 and 50 g/m 2 .

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the actuator body includes a projection, the at least one electrode being positioned at a distal end of the projection.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the first object includes an electrode channel, the electrode channel opening to an exterior of the first object at a first end and opening to the EAB mechanism at a second end, wherein the projection is permitted to advance through the electrode channel for engaging the EAB mechanism with the at least one electrode.

11. A pre-conditioned object configured to be bonded to a second object, the pre-conditioned object comprising:

a surface of the pre-conditioned object;

a channel having first and second openings, the first opening being located along an exterior of the pre-conditioned object; and

an energy-assisted bonding (EAB) mechanism attached to the surface, the EAB mechanism including a heat-activatable adhesive layer and a carbon-filled (CF) sheet material, the CF sheet material extending alongside the adhesive layer or through the adhesive layer, the CF sheet material being electrically conductive for resistive heating;

wherein the adhesive layer is secured to the surface of the pre-conditioned object through crosslinking;

wherein the second opening of the channel is located along the surface having the EAB mechanism attached thereto.

12. The pre-conditioned object of claim 11 , wherein the EAB mechanism also includes conductive pathways electrically connected to the CF sheet material for energizing the CF sheet material, the conductive pathways being exposed to an exterior space of the pre-conditioned object.

13. The pre-conditioned object of claim 11 , wherein the EAB mechanism is a pre-formed film having an outer edge, the outer edge being a stamped or cut outer edge.

14. The pre-conditioned object of claim 11 , wherein the CF sheet material includes carbon elements dispersed within a binder material.

15. The pre-conditioned object of claim 11 , wherein the channel is sized and shaped to allow an electrode to be inserted into the channel through the first opening and engage the EAB mechanism through the second opening.

16. The pre-conditioned object of claim 11 , wherein the adhesive layer includes first and second adhesive layers having the CF sheet material therebetween to form a sub-stack, the CF sheet material being a first CF sheet material, the EAB mechanism including at least one additional sub-stack that includes a second CF sheet material and a third adhesive layer, the pre-conditioned object further comprising a stiffening layer disposed between the first and second adhesive layers.

17. A pre-conditioned object configured to be bonded to a second object, the pre-conditioned object comprising:

a surface of the pre-conditioned object; and

an energy-assisted bonding (EAB) mechanism attached to the surface, the EAB mechanism including a heat-activatable adhesive layer and a carbon-filled (CF) sheet material, the CF sheet material extending alongside the adhesive layer or through the adhesive layer, the CF sheet material being electrically conductive for resistive heating, wherein an outer surface of the EAB mechanism represents an exterior surface of the pre-conditioned object that is configured to be bonded to the second object;

wherein the CF sheet material is a nonwoven carbon veil having an areal weight of between 2 g/m 2 and 50 g/m 2 .

18. The pre-conditioned object of claim 17 , wherein the EAB mechanism is a pre-formed film that includes the adhesive layer and the CF sheet material, wherein the pre-formed film is patterned to cover at least 60% of an interface between the pre-conditioned object and the second object.

19. The pre-conditioned object of claim 17 , wherein the EAB mechanism is a pre-formed film that includes the adhesive layer and the CF sheet material, wherein the CF sheet material has a thickness of at most 50 micrometers.

20. The pre-conditioned object of claim 17 , wherein the EAB mechanism is a pre-formed film that includes the adhesive layer and the CF sheet material, wherein the pre-formed film has a three-dimensional shape such that the adhesive layer and the CF sheet material extend parallel to a first plane for a portion of the pre-formed film and extend parallel to another a second plane for another a second portion of the pre-formed film.