Self-piercing riveting of aluminum alloy and thermoplastic composites

Abstract

In the present study, the feasibility of joining PA6-matrix thermoplastic composite panel and aluminum alloy is considered. Self-piercing riveting processes of PA6 panels, PA6 composite panels with reinforcing fibers (glass fiber and carbon fiber), and 5754 aluminum alloy sheets are systematically investigated. Macro characterizations of the appearance and transverse sections of the self-piercing riveting joints were conducted to provide more comprehensive understanding of the composite deformation during riveting process. In particular, the effect of reinforcing fibers on the composite deformation behaviors was characterized. Lap-shear testing of the self-piercing riveting joints was performed to evaluate joint strength, and characterization of the fractured joints as well as failure mechanics analysis was conducted to investigate the underlying failure mechanisms of the self-piercing riveting joints. The effects of reinforced fibers on the failure mechanisms and mechanical performance were also discussed. The results showed that self-piercing riveting is an effective technique for joining fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite panels and aluminum alloy sheets. In addition, self-piercing riveting joints with glass fiber reinforced composite failed in a bearing mode and exhibited improved joint strength compared with the PA6 matrix; while self-piercing riveting joints with carbon fiber reinforced composite exhibited slightly decreased joint strength but significantly reduced ductility, owing to the brittleness of the carbon fiber reinforced composite.

Keywords

Self-piercing riveting thermoplastic composite PA6 glass fiber carbon fiber aluminum alloy failure mechanisms

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Beardmore

Johnson

. The potential for composites in structural automotive applications. Compos Sci Technol 1986; 26: 251–281.

Lin

Zhongqing

. Functionalized composite structures for new generation airframes: a review. Compos Sci Technol 2005; 65: 1436–1446.

. Advances in fusion bonding techniques for joining thermoplastic matrix composites: a review. Compos: Part A 2001; 32: 839–857.

Stratov

Bersee

. Resistance welding of thermoplastic composites: an overview. Compos: Part A 2005; 36: 39–54.

Jung

Kawahito

Takahashi

. Laser direct joining of carbon fiber reinforced plastic to zinc-coated steel. Mater Des 2013; 47: 179–188.

Yi Xiao and Takashi Ishikawa. Bearing strength and failure behavior of bolted composite joints (part I: experimental investigation). Compos Sci Technol 2005; 65: 1022–1031.

Camanho

Matthews

. A progressive damage model for mechanically fastened joints in composite laminates. J Compos Mater 1999; 33: 2248–2280.

Joel Mabboux and Daia Zwicky. Post-buckling shear resistance of reveted composite panels. In: Proceedings of 6th international conference on FRP composites in civil engineering, Rome, Italy, 13–15 June, 2012, pp.1–8.

Silverman

Griese

. Joining methods for graphite/PEEK thermoplastic composites. SAMPE J 1989; 25(5): 34–38.

10.

Todd SM. Joining thermoplastic composites. In: 22nd international SAMPE technical conference, Boston, MA, 6–8 November 1990, pp.383–392.

11.

Wayne

Wang

Yang

. Assembly dimensional prediction for self-piercing riveted aluminum panels. Int J Mach Tools Manuf 2005; 45: 695–704.

12.

Han

Thornton

Shergolf

. A comparison of the mechanical behavior of self-piercing riveted and resistance spot welded aluminum sheets for the automotive industry. Mater Des 2010; 31: 1457–1467.

13.

Zhao

Wan

. Investigation of SPR mechanical performance with aluminum alloy sheet. Appl Mech Mater 2011; 44–47: 2557–2261.

14.

Bokhari

. Self-piercing riveting process and equipment. Weld Met Fabr 1995; 63: 186–188.

15.

Ing. Ľuboš Kaščák, Emil Spišák. Joining materials by self-piercing riveting method. Trans Inovácií 2012; 22: 43–46.

16.

Xia

Wang

. Investigation to self-piercing riveting of wrought magnesium AZ31 sheets. Adv Mater Res 2012; 1671(472): 1188–1191.

17.

Di Franco

Fratini

Pasta

. Influence of the distance between rivets in self-piercing riveting bonded joints made of carbon fiber panels and AA2024 sheets. Mater Des 2012; 35: 342–349.

18.

Di Franco

Fratini

Pasta

. On the self-piercing riveting of aluminum blanks and carbon fiber composite panels. Int J Mater Form 2010; 3(suppl. 1): 1035–1038.

19.

Ueda

Miyake

Hasegawa

. Instantaneous mechanical fastening of quasi-isotropic CFRP laminates by a self-piercing rivet. Compos Struct 2012; 94: 3388–3393.

20.

Di Franco

Fratini

Pasta

. On the self-piercing riveting of aluminum blanks and carbon fiber composite panels. Int J Mater Form 2013; 6: 137–144.

21.

Fratini

Ruisi

. Self-piercing riveting for aluminum alloys-composites hybrid joints. Int J Adv Manuf Technol 2009; 43: 61–66.

22.

Kroll L, Mueller S, Mauermann R, et al. Strength of self-piercing riveted joints for CFRP/aluminum sheets. In: Proceedings of the 18th international conference on composite materials, Jeju Island, South Korea, 21–26 August 2011, pp.1–6.

23.

Cao

Qin

Cardew-Hall

. A study on replacing bolted joining with riveted joining in composite load-carrying pail of satellite. In: Proceedings of the 12th International Manufacturing Conference: Advances in Manufacturing Engineering, Xi'an, China, 21–23 September 2006, pp. 6–9.

24.

Di Franco

Fratini

Pasta

. Analysis of the mechanical performance of hybrid (SPR/bonded) single-lap joints between CFRP panels and aluminum blanks. Int J Adhes Adhes 2013; 41: 24–32.