About this Abstract |
Meeting |
2024 ASC Technical Conference, US-Japan Joint Symposium, D30 Meeting
|
Symposium
|
2024 ASC Technical Conference, US-Japan Joint Symposium, D30 Meeting
|
Presentation Title |
Characterization of Electrical Conductivity in Unidirectional Thermoplastic Composite Laminates Joined by Induction Welding |
Author(s) |
Andrew Cai, Mehran Tehrani |
On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Andrew Cai |
Abstract Scope |
Thermoplastic composites provide a unique solution for fastener-free assembly in aerospace structures in that they can be joined via novel methods and result in a single composite part with a continuous polymer matrix. One such method that has been investigated is induction welding, where thermoplastic polymer is melted at the joint interface using an induction coil heating setup and then reconsolidated to form the final part. In susceptor-less induction welding, volumetric heat generation is dependent on both the generation of eddy currents in the conductive laminate and the coil geometry of the induction heater. Previous studies have attempted to isolate parameters that increase repeatability of weld quality through numerical simulations; however, experimental weld repeatability between supposedly identical laminates with identical welding parameters often results in high variability in joint strength and other mechanical properties. These have typically been attributed to the stochastic characteristics of the UD laminate architecture. In this study, samples of supposedly identical welded UD composite laminates with varying joint quality are characterized for their electrical conductivity in the longitudinal, transverse, and out of plane directions. In addition, the microstructure of each welded sample is examined and correlated to their anisotropic electrical conductivity, allowing for a better understanding of the physical parameters that contribute to joint quality in induction welding. |
Proceedings Inclusion? |
Definite: Post-meeting proceedings |