MODELING FACE-CORE BONDING IN SANDWICH MANUFACTURING - THERMOPLASTIC FACES AND RIGID, CLOSED-CELL FOAM CORE

A model to predict the bond strength between thermoplastic faces and r igid, closed-cell foam cores in structural sandwich components is pres ented. The model is based on the assumption that the bond strength is proportional to the amount of resin that flows during manufacturing in to the open surface cells of the core to bond the constituents to each other. Following model formulation, a numerical example considering b onding of glass reinforced polyamide 12 faces to an expanded polymetha crylimide core is used to illustrate the relative influence of the ind ependent processing parameters. The numerical example is compared to a preliminary experimental investigation carried out with the same mate rial system and a favourable, albeit preliminary, correlation between model predictions and experimentally determined bond strengths is foun d. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science Limited. AU rights reserved.