Sequential ultrasonic spot welding of thermoplastic composites

An experimental study on the welding process and the mechanical behaviour of (multi-)spot welded joints

Doctoral thesis (2018)

Authors

T. Zhao Structural Integrity & Composites - Aerospace Engineering
Research Group
Structural Integrity & Composites (Aerospace Engineering) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2018 T. Zhao
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.4233/uuid:b4f772b3-c9ea-4760-b68e-a8c85fd099b6
Thermoplastic composites Ultrasonic spot welding Mechanical behaviour Fractographic analysis
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Published Date

2018

Language

English

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Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Department

Aerospace Structures & Materials

Research Group

Structural Integrity & Composites

Abstract

The popularity of thermoplastic composites (TPCs) has been growing steadily in the last decades in the aircraft industry. This is not only because of their excellent material properties, but also owing to their fast and cost-effective manufacturing process. Fusion bonding, or welding, is a typical joining method for TPCs due to the intrinsic properties of thermoplastic polymers. Among different welding technologies, ultrasonic welding has been regarded as one of the most promising techniques for the assembly of TPC components. Ultrasonic welding is by nature a spot welding technique. As it is known that a series of problems result from using mechanical fasteners for joining composite structures, e.g. breaking fibres during drilling and extensive labour work, ultrasonic spot welding can be considered as a promising alternative from the perspective of fast manufacturing cycle. However, fundamental understanding is still lacking to achieve application of ultrasonic spot welding in composite structures to be achieved: