On improving process efficiency and weld quality in ultrasonic welding of misaligned thermoplastic composite adherends

Journal article (2023)

Authors

C. Belo Gomes Brito Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies - Aerospace Engineering
Julie J.E. Teuwen Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies - Aerospace Engineering
C.A. Dransfeld Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies - Aerospace Engineering
I.F. Villegas Aerospace Structures & Computational Mechanics - Aerospace Engineering , Design for Sustainability - IDE
Research Group
Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies (Aerospace Engineering) (TU Delft)
Copyright: © 2023 C. Belo Gomes Brito, Julie J.E. Teuwen, C.A. Dransfeld, I.F. Villegas
DOI
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compstruct.2022.116342
Porosity Carbon fibre Fusion bonding Joints/joining Energy director Welding force
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Published Date

2023

Language

English

Faculty

Aerospace Engineering

Department

Aerospace Structures & Materials

Research Group

Aerospace Manufacturing Technologies

Abstract

This paper evaluates the potential of changing the welding force and the compliance of the energy director (ED) to reduce the effects caused by misaligned adherends, which were: increased through-thickness heating, reduced size of welded area and increased heating time. In the methodology that was followed, we welded adherends misaligned by approximately 4.5° in different scenarios: with higher welding force; with increased ED compliance by the use of a thicker ED and; with increased ED compliance by the use of a discontinuous ED. The most significant reduction of the effects caused by misaligned adherends was obtained when combining the use of both increased welding force and discontinuous ED. Such improvement derives from the imposed parallelism caused by the use of a higher welding force and from a more efficient concentration of heat generation at the weld line that occurs when a discontinuous ED is used.