Boeing

Thermoplastic Ultrasonic Welding Process Development

The ultrasonic welding technique is an ultra-fast joining process, and it is used to join thermoplastic composite structures, and provides an excellent bonding strength. Boeing and a 2020-2021 UW capstone team started an investigation into characterization of weld process and joint strength of ultrasonic welding, but strong conclusions were not able to be drawn from the data. This student team worked to continue to characterize ultrasonic welding process and joint performance for thermoplastic composites, which have aerospace applications in interiors with PEI materials and primary structure with PEEK/PEKK. The team analyzed raw coupon testing data and weld quality data to characterize joint strength and recommended welding process parameters to optimize joint performance.