Entwicklung von integralen Schweißkonzepten zur Spant-Haut Verbindung von faserverstärkten Thermoplasten (Bachelorarbeit)

Abstract

In this bachelor thesis, an integrative welding concept for skin-stringer-joints of carbon-fibrereinforced thermoplastics (CFRTP) based on resistance welding has been developed. In the process of resistance welding, a conductor (welding element) is used. Advantages in the assembly of aircraft primary structures are created by prior integration of the welding elements in skin or stiffening components. For this purpose, an adapted welding process has been developed. An experimental implementation was carried out at specimen-level. Welding elements were integrated into the surface of CFRTPlaminates, simultaneously with manufacture using the vacuum consolidation technique (VCT) and by hot press forming. The welding elements were used to join stiffening elements in an adapted resistance welding process. Based on an evaluation of these skin-stringer-joints produced at specimen-level using ultrasonic testing, a suitable process control was defined. The composite materials supplied for this thesis use the matrix system LM-("Low-Melt")-PAEK from the company "Victrex PLC.", Thornton-Cleveleys, UK. It is based on polyaryletherketone (PAEK) and has been developed in order to reduce processing temperatures. From the findings obtained in this work, relevant information for the processing of the material was derived. In final tests, extended possibilities for contacting the integrated welding element in the resistance welding process were investigated.