New technologies for welding composites and metals reduce weight and costs in the aeronautical and aerospace industries
26 October 2022The use of welding, instead of mechanical fixing used to produce most of the primary structural components in a fuselage, allows to reduce up to 30% in costs and 10% in weight, considering a typical fuselage structure of an airplane.
Furthermore, when it comes to joining different types of materials, such as polymers, composites and metals, welding can be the key technology to guarantee high quality, integrity, safety and longevity. It is in this context that INEGI has been investing in the development of new tools and methods, based on two of the most relevant welding technologies: linear friction welding (FSW - Friction Stir Welding) and laser welding (LBW). - Laser Beam Welding).
Pedro Moreira, researcher responsible for the project at INEGI, explains that "a tool for aluminum and composite welding was developed using a technique based on FSW, as well as the respective connection method (FSSR - Friction Stir Spot Riveting), which combines friction riveting and spot welding for polymers and composites”.
In addition to FSW-based techniques, the use of laser equipment for metallic additive manufacturing by direct energy deposition (DED) was also investigated, for bonding highly dissimilar metallic materials, namely aluminum and titanium, with the addition of of metallic powder.
Currently, these technologies, with potential applications in the aerospace, aeronautical and automotive sectors, are in the testing phase, to characterize the connections and materials resulting from the methodology, and to validate the structural integrity of the structures made possible by the connection technologies developed. Subsequently, the industrialization phase will follow, for which the team is looking for an industrial partner.
Currently, these technologies, with potential applications in the aerospace, aeronautical and automotive sectors, are in the testing phase, to characterize the connections and materials resulting from the methodology, and to validate the structural integrity of the structures made possible by the connection technologies developed. Subsequently, the industrialization phase will follow, for which the team is looking for an industrial partner.
This work was supported by the company Quantal, with whom it was possible to demonstrate the importance of synergies between industry and technological interface entities, in the transfer of knowledge and innovation, and in this case in particular in laser processes.
The DisFri project "Friction Stir and Laser Beam Welding processes used in advanced join of dissimilar materials" is led by IDMEC - Instituto de Engenharia Mecânica, and is co-financed by the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund, within the framework of COMPETE 2020, and by the FCT – Foundation for Science and Technology.