Influence of Tool Shape on Hole Clinching for Carbon Fiber-Reinforced Plastic and SPRC440

Abstract

Carbon fiber-reinforced plastic (CFRP) is a lightweight material that can potentially replace structural steel components in automobiles. The hole-clinching process is a mechanical clinching technique for joining brittle or low-ductility materials, such as CFRP, with ductile materials. In this study, the influence of tool shape on the hole-clinching process for CFRP and SPRC440 was investigated using FE-analysis and experiments. The parameters of the tool shape investigated were the punch corner radius and the punch diameter. The geometrical interlocking shapes of hole-clinched joints were characterized by neck thickness and undercut. Based on the desired joint strength of 2.5 kN, hole-clinching tools were designed on the basis of the relationship between joint strength and geometrical interlocking. FE-analysis and hole-clinching experiments were performed with the designed hole-clinching tools to investigate the geometrical interlocking shape as well as joinability, including neck fracture, undercut, and hole expansion, resulting from changes in tool parameters. Joint strength was evaluated to verify the effectiveness of hole clinching by a single lap shear test.