Patent ID: 7695656

Claim:
A method of attaching a thermoplastic polymer body in a predetermined region to one side of a metal sheet, the method comprising: forming a hole through the metal sheet at the predetermined region; placing the thermoplastic polymer body against the one side of the metal sheet covering the hole in the metal sheet; heating the opposite side of the metal sheet at the predetermined region opposite the thermoplastic polymer body by pressing an end of a rotating tool in frictional engagement with the metal sheet surrounding the hole, heat being conducted through the metal sheet to the predetermined region of the thermoplastic polymer body to heat soften a portion of the thermoplastic polymer body to form heat softened thermoplastic material; then urging the heat softened thermoplastic material into the hole and into mechanical engagement with the metal sheet; and stopping the heating to cool the heat softened thermoplastic material and form a mechanical attachment between the metal sheet and the thermoplastic polymer body.