Semi-crystalline thermoplastic-based composite laminates and fiber metal laminates have a narrow forming temperature window, which limits formability of these products. The intention of this study was investigation of non-melting amorphous polyvinyl chloride as a proper matrix to increase the formability and forming temperature window of these products. For this, [45/−45] and [0/90] layups of polyvinyl chloride-based composite laminates and fiber metal laminates were produced using the film-stacking procedure and later press formed into channel sections at six temperatures in the range of 80 to 200 °C. The effects of the layups and forming temperatures on the forming loads and spring back of the formed profiles were measured, and their effects on the fiber buckling, wrinkling, and delamination of the profiles were evaluated using optical microscope images. The effects of layups and forming temperatures on the deformation mechanisms were also analyzed using the grid strain analysis method. Of the fiber metal laminates, 160 °C was found as the minimum forming temperature, and for the composite laminates, 120 and 160 °C were found as the minimum proper forming temperatures of [45/−45] and [0/90] layups, respectively. Finally, the forming temperature windows and formability of polyvinyl chloride matrix composite laminates and fiber metal laminates were found higher than semi-crystalline matrices.

A new method is presented to model the interactions between aluminum/composite and composite/composite layers in the Finite Element Method (FEM) simulation of forming processes of Fiber Metal Laminates (FMLs) and inhomogeneous composite laminates. Finite Element simulation is based on a thermo-viscoelastic material model. The method divides the composite laminates and FMLs into continuum and homogeneous aluminum and composite layers and polymeric layers between them. The polymeric layer has a rigid contact to the aluminum and composite layers and its shear strains result in relative displacements of the laminates and creates the required deformations. The method is applied to a press forming simulation of composite laminates (PVC/woven glass fabric) and related FMLs at 140 °C and 160 °C. The simulation is carried out using ABAQUS explicit FE package and the results of mechanical and thermal simulations are compared with experimental results. The results demonstrate the accuracy of this method that models the interactions in the forming simulations of composite laminates and FMLs.