Induction Welding of Hybrid Thermoplastic-thermoset Composite Parts

With the increasing requirements on aircrafts with respect to performance and costs, there is a need for a systematical use of the advantages of different materials and innovative joining technologies. This necessitates inter alia the use of thermoplastic- and thermoset composites. The most promising technology which enables an automated process to join composite parts without rivets is the induction welding. However, the parameters influencing induction welding of thermoplastic with thermoset composites are not yet described in literature. Therefore in this study, the main factors influencing this process the film material, the film thickness and the welding temperature were identified and discussed.