New concept to aid efficient fibre integration into metal matrices during ultrasonic consolidation

Abstract

Ultrasonic consolidation has been shown to be a viable metal-matrix-based smart composite additive layer manufacturing process. Yet, high quantity fibre integration has presented the requirement for a method of accurate positioning and fibre protection to maintain the fibre layout during ultrasonic consolidation. This study presents a novel approach for fibre integration during ultrasonic consolidation: channels are manufactured by laser processing on an ultrasonically consolidated sample. At the same time, controlled melt ejection is applied to aid accurate fibre placement and simultaneously reducing fibre damage occurrences. Microscopic, scanning electron microscopic and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopic analyses are used for samples containing up to 10.5% fibres, one of the highest volumes in an ultrasonically consolidated composite so far. Up to 98% of the fibres remain in the channels after consolidation and fibre damage is reduced to less than 2% per sample. This study furthers the knowledge of high volume fibre embedment via ultrasonic consolidation for future smart material manufacturing.

Lay-Up and Consolidation of a Composite Pipe by In Situ Ultrasonic Welding of a Thermoplastic Matrix Composite Tape

“…Among the bonding techniques used for thermoplastic matrix composites, ultrasonic welding is very attractive for composite processing and joining, since it is characterized by a low-energy input, highly localized heating, very short welding times, and ease of automation [ 18 , 19 , 20 ]. During ultrasonic welding, the parts to be joined are held together under pressure and subjected to ultrasonic vibrations in the 20–40 kHz range [ 21 , 22 ]. The heat is produced at the joint interface through a combination of surface and intermolecular friction which leads to matrix melting.…”

A comprehensive review of ultrasonic additive manufacturing

“…This recrystallized joint interface is inherent in all UAM and ultrasonic metal welded joints to some degree. The group has continued to conduct low-power UAM research in various application areas, and in recent years, into integrating fibers (Monaghan et al , 2015; Masurtschak et al , 2017) and embedding electronics (Li et al , 2015; Li et al , 2017; Bournias-Varotsis et al , 2018).…”

The Effect of Ultrasonic Additive Manufacturing on Integrated Printed Electronic Conductors

“…80 mm by 25 mm) and then coating it with a layer of self-adhesive polyimide tape (75 μm thick Kapton™ tape). This aluminium substrate is commonly used with UAM [6][7][8]26] and the polyimide tape has excellent insulating, mechanical and thermal properties. The polyimide tape also provides an excellent surface for the dispensing of the conductive materials and past research has shown that it can withstand the mechanical loads introduced during UAM [10].…”

“…This allowed researchers in the past to create composite metal matrix structures with embedded functional materials and other smart features, such as optical fibres [5,6], shape memory alloy fibres [7,8], other shape memory and magnetostrictive materials for embedded sensing applications [9] and smart switches for a structural antenna [10].…”