Additive manufacturing (AM) has garnered significant attention in the aerospace industry, particularly in the realm of carbon fiber-reinforced plastics (CFRP) and metal polymaterialization. Leveraging 3D printing technology, AM holds the key to reducing structural part weight and enhancing the value proposition of the manufacturing process. In a collaborative effort, the Engineering Research Department and Fluid Science Institute of Northeastern University's Graduate School, in conjunction with JAMCO, announced a groundbreaking development on May 26, 2022. They successfully engineered a CFRP bonding material capable of direct crimp-bonding onto a 3D laminated metal substrate, exhibiting shear bonding strength comparable to current adhesive bonding techniques.
To achieve this feat, the research team, comprising Keiichi Shirasu, Masayoshi Mizutani, Shigeru Obayashi from Tohoku University's Graduate School of Engineering, and JAMCO, employed the Selective Laser Melting (SLM) method. The surface of the titanium alloy plate was adorned with 3D-printed cylindrical protrusions strategically designed to transfer shear load effectively to the crimped CFRP. By inserting CFRP prepreg between the 3D printed titanium alloy plate and the CFRP plate, heating and pressing them together, the team successfully manufactured a CFRP/titanium alloy bonding material. The integration of CFRP plates and cylindrical protrusions through the use of CFRP prepregs curbed interfacial stripping at the CFRP/titanium alloy interface, enhancing the shear bonding strength to 20.6 MPa. This value represents a remarkable 64% increase compared to CFRP grafted onto commercially available titanium alloy plates, achieving parity or surpassing the performance of current adhesive bonding techniques.
This research stems from Japan's National New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Agency (NEDO) leading research program, aimed at developing high-reliability multi-material 3D bonding and optimal molding technology for the aerospace sector. By optimizing the metal surface structure in accordance with the shape and characteristics of CFRP, the outcomes of this project pave the way for the future realization of multi-material practical components. This progress holds the potential to unlock manufacturing technologies that balance design flexibility, material characteristics, and lightweight objectives. Moreover, it offers substantial reductions in processing waste generation and energy consumption, aligning with sustainability goals.
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