Vibration welding of continuously reinforced thermoplastic composites

Continuous fiber reinforced composites are used in a variety of aerospace, automotive and industrial applications. The ability o f thermoplastic compo sites to be melted and subsequently resolidified allows joining processes s uch as vibration welding to be used. In this research, vibration welding wa s used to join polypropylene plates reinforced with woven glass fibers. The effect welding parameters, such as meltdown, weld pressure and weld geomet ry were investigated. Vibration welding is shown to join highly reinforced composite materials with weld strengths approaching those of short fiber co mposites.