Fiber orientation in continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics/metal hybrid joining via multi-pin arrays

Abstract Continuous fiber-reinforced thermoplastics (CFRTs) can in combination with high-strength metals offer characteristics that cannot be achieved with mono-material parts. One possible example is the combination of locally high-temperature resistance in the metal component with superior weight-related mechanical properties due to the CFRT component. This approach requires a reliable and durable joining technology, which considers the material-specific properties and allows to exploit the full potential of CFRT/metal hybrid parts. A promising approach in the field of CFRT/metal joining is the use of metallic pins, which can be embedded in the locally heated CFRT component to create a form-fitting joint. In the current state of the art, primarily single-pins are investigated and characterized: especially the distinct fiber orientation in the direct pin pressing process is only described for single-pin joints. Behind this background, the present study aims at creating an understanding of the fiber orientation mechanism for multi-pin arrays. Therefore, in the scope of this study, unidirectional reinforced glass fiber/polypropylene samples are joined via direct pin pressing and infrared heating with different 1D and 2D multi-pins arrays with different pin-diameters, spacing and pin distributions. The resulting joint morphology is consequently analyzed using micro-computer-tomography. Based on the performed investigations, a model for the fiber displacement mechanism is proposed, and the first recommendations for the design of fiber-friendly multi-pin joints with unidirectional reinforcements are given. It showed that especially pin-spacing in fiber orientation in dependency of the pin diameter is critical for a fully reconsolidated joint quality, and it is suggested that a pin-offset in the fiber direction is beneficial for a fiber-friendly joining process.