• Design & Manufacturing
• /
• v.14 no.4
• /
• pp.65-70
• /
• 2020

Partial reinforcement of sheet metal parts with CFRP patch is a technology that can realize ultra-lightweight body parts while overcoming the high material cost of carbon fiber. Performing these patchworks with highly productive press equipment solves another issue of CFRP: high process costs. The A-pillar is the main body part and has an undercut shape for fastening with other parts such as roof panels and doors. Therefore, it is difficult to bond CFRP patches to the A-pillar with a general press forming tool. In this paper, a flexible system that applies uniform pressure to complex shapes using ceramic particles and silicone rubber is proposed. By benchmarking various A-pillars, a reference model with an undercut shape was designed, and the system was configured to realize a uniform pressure distribution in the model. The ceramic spherical particles failed to realize the uniform distribution of high pressure due to their high hardness and point contact characteristics, which caused damage to the CFRP patch. Compression equipment made of silicone rubber was able to achieve the required pressure level for curing the epoxy. Non-adhesion defects between the metal and the CFRP patch were confirmed in the area where the bending deformation occurred. This defect could be eliminated by optimizing the process conditions suitable for the newly developed flexible system.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.89-94
• /
• 2015

This study was conducted to compare the laser weldability of boron steel and hot-stamped steel. In general, boron steel is used in the hot-stamping process. Hot-stamping is a method for simultaneously forming and cooling boron steel in a press die after heating it to the austenitizing temperature. Hot-stamped steel has a strength of 1500 MPa or more. Thus, in this study, the laser weldability of boron steel and thet of hot-stamped steel were investigated and compared. A continuous wave disk laser was used to produce butt and lap joints. In the butt welding, the critical cooling speed at which full penetration was obtained in the hot-stamped steel was lower than that of boron steel. In the lap welding, the joint widths were similar regardless of the welding speed when full penetration was obtained.