Hybrid Joining by Induction Heating of Basalt Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Laminates

Abstract

Induction heating was used to join basalt fiber reinforced polymer laminates (BFRPL) using the process called inductive contact joining (ICJ). Two other mechanical joining processes, nut and bolt (NB) and two-piece hollow riveting (2PR), were compared to ICJ. The obtained joints were evaluated using tensile shear tests and by analyzing fractured surfaces. Furthermore, simulation of the ICJ process was used to estimate the effective parameters. Joints produced by ICJ had superior joint strength compared to joints manufactured by 2PR. In addition, during ICJ, the BFRPL fibers were not damaged and the strength of the base material was maintained. The tensile shear forces of the ICJ process exceeded 3.5 kN and 2.5 kN for a joined, sandblasted aluminum sheet with BFRPL and for joining BFRPL to itself, respectively. Further optimization potential of the ICJ process was discovered during the investigation, so that potentially higher joint strengths and shorter processing times can be expected, making the process interesting for future industrial applications.