Composite assembly - Bonding highlights

Some composite parts are monolithic, i.e. they are manufactured and finished in a single operation (molding, compression or filament winding), which may also include fasteners. Examples of such parts include an aircraft fin, a car roof or a spherical tank.

But composite parts can also be just one part of a whole, as in the case of :

• glass-polyester or graphite-epoxy laminate sandwich panel skins;

• Nomex or other composite honeycombs;

• pultruded profiles... ;

• which must then be bonded or laminated (composite/composite or metal/composite bonding) or mechanically assembled.

Sometimes, one of the part's layers is a film of adhesive, and the composite and adhesive joint are cured in a single operation: this is called cocuisson.

Most composite parts (aircraft or automotive parts, etc.) require metal fasteners or hinges, as these parts can rarely be made from composite materials. These fasteners are either glued in place or embedded in the part's mass before it is cured (inserts or other metal parts embedded in the mass).

Bonding is a technique frequently used to assemble composite parts.

In order to make the best choice of techniques for solving a problem involving the assembly of parts, at least one of which is made of composite material, we will consider the advantages and disadvantages of these various techniques, and understand the strengths of adhesive bonding.