Friction spot welding of carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide 66 laminate

Abstract

Friction spot welding (FSpW) is an innovative technique developed by the Helmholtz Zentrum Geesthacht (WO/2001/036144). FSpW uses the friction between a rotating tool and workpieces to generate enough heat to cause macromolecular interdiffusion across the interface of the joining partners to create the weld. In this work, the feasibility of FSpW on carbon fiber-reinforced polyamide 66 laminate (CF-PA66) was evaluated through lap shear testing and optical microscopy. CF-PA66 welds with good surface finishing, an absence of degradation flaws and an average lap-shear strength of 26.8±0.8 MPa were achieved. These welds have comparable mechanical performance to state-of-the-art ultrasonic welds, which indicates the potential of the FSpW process for fiber-reinforced polymer composites.