Repair of Impacted Thermoplastic Composite Laminates Using Induction Welding

Abstract

The lack of well-developed repair techniques limits the use of thermoplastic composites in commercial aircraft, although trends show increased adoption of composite materials. In this study, high-performance thermoplastic composites, viz., carbon fibre (CF) reinforced Polyetherketoneketone (PEKK) and Polyether ether ketone (PEEK), were subjected to low-velocity impact tests at 20 J. Post-impact, the damaged panels were repaired using an induction welder by applying two different methods: induction welding of a circular patch to the impacted area of the laminate (RT-1); and induction welding of the impacted laminates under the application of heat and pressure (RT-2). The panels were subjected to compression-after-impact and repair (CAI-R), and the results are compared with those from the compression-after-impact (CAI) tests. For CF/PEKK, the RT-1 and RT-2 resulted in a 13% and 7% higher strength, respectively, than the value for CAI. For CF/PEEK, the corresponding values for RT-1 and RT-2 were higher by 13% and 17%, respectively. Further analysis of the damage and repair techniques using ultrasonic C-scans and CAI-R tests indicated that induction welding can be used as a repair technique for industrial applications. The findings of this study are promising for use in aerospace and automotive applications.

Acousto-Ultrasonic Composite Transducers Integration Into Thermoplastic Composite Structures via Ultrasonic Welding

“…In contrast, the PIC255 piezoceramic disk from PI Ceramics GmbH, with 10 mm diameter and a thickness of 0.2 mm, remains equal as in DuraAct TM . LM-PAEK was chosen because it is a high-performance, semicrystalline thermoplastic with low moisture absorption that is suitable for welding or co-bonding in aerospace PAEK thermoplastic composites [7]. As a matrix embedment, it protects the system from external environments while improving AUCT reliability under tensile loads by inducing precompression in the piezoceramic, which operates as a multifunctional material.…”

Investigating the Effect of Interface Temperature on Molecular Interdiffusion during Laser Transmission Welding of 3D-Printed Composite Parts

“…Recent literature reviews have highlighted the growing significance of thermoplastic composite bonding and welding processes in various industries, particularly due to the demand for lightweight, high-strength components [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. However, challenges persist in achieving efficient and reliable welds, especially when dealing with complex geometries and various polymer materials [ 16 , 17 ].…”

“…Recent literature reviews have highlighted the growing significance of thermoplastic composite bonding and welding processes in various industries, particularly due to the demand for lightweight, high-strength components [ 16 , 17 , 18 ]. However, challenges persist in achieving efficient and reliable welds, especially when dealing with complex geometries and various polymer materials [ 16 , 17 ]. The main issues related to the welding process of thermoplastic composites include (1) the need to control the heat input to avoid burning the materials; (2) the need to ensure that the materials are properly bonded together at the interface; and (3) the need to prevent the formation of voids or defects in the weld.…”