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Joining is a key enabler for a successful application of thermoplastic composites (TPC) in future multi-material systems. To use joining technologies, such as resistance welding for composite-metal joints, auxiliary joining elements (weld inserts) can be integrated into the composite and used as an interface. The authors pursue the approach of embedding metal weld inserts in TPC during compression moulding without fibre damage. The technology is based on the concept of moulding holes by a pin and simultaneously placing the weld insert in the moulded hole. Subsequently, the composite component can be joined with metal structures using conventional spot welding guns. For this purpose, two different types of weld inserts were embedded in glass fibre reinforced polypropylene sheets and then welded to steel sheets. A simulation of the welding process determined suitable welding parameters. The quality of the joints was analysed by microsections before and after the welding process. In addition, the joint strength was evaluated by chisel tests as well as single-lap shear tests for the different weld insert designs. It could be shown that high-quality joints can be achieved by using the innovative technology and that the load-bearing capacity is significantly influenced by the weld inserts head design.

Clinching continuous fibre reinforced thermoplastic composites and metals is challenging due to the low ductility of the composite material. Therefore, a number of novel clinching technologies has been developed specifically for these material combinations. A systematic overview of these advanced clinching methods is given in the present paper. With a focus on process design, three selected clinching methods suitable for different joining tasks are described in detail. The clinching processes including equipment and tools, observed process phenomena and the resultant material structure are compared. Process phenomena during joining are explained in general and compared using computed tomography and micrograph images for each process. In addition the load bearing behaviour and the corresponding failure mechanisms are investigated by means of single-lap shear tests. Finally, the new joining technologies are discussed regarding application relevant criteria.

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As lightweight design gains more and more attention, time and cost-efficient joining methods such as clinching are becoming more popular. A clinch point’s quality is usually determined by ex situ destructive analyses such as microsectioning. However, these methods do not yield the detection of phenomena occurring during loading such as elastic deformations and cracks that close after unloading. Alternatively, in situ computed tomography (in situ CT) can be used to investigate the loading process of clinch points. In this paper, a method for in situ CT analysis of a single-lap shear test with clinched metal sheets is presented at the example of a clinched joint with two 2 mm thick aluminum sheets. Furthermore, the potential of this method to validate numerical simulations is shown. Since the sheets’ surfaces are locally in contact with each other, the interface between both aluminum sheets and therefore the exact contour of the joining partners is difficult to identify in CT analyses. To compensate for this, the application of copper varnish between the sheets is investigated. The best in situ CT results are achieved with both sheets treated. It showed that with this treatment, in situ CT is suitable to properly observe the three-dimensional deformation behavior and to identify the failure modes.