Abstract
This paper is focused on innovative cold joining technologies for connecting tubes and fixing tubes to sheets. The proposed technologies are based on the utilization of plastic instability waves in thin-walled tubes subjected to axial compression and may be seen as an alternative to conventional joining technologies based on mechanical fixing with fasteners, welding and structural adhesive bonding. Besides allowing connecting dissimilar materials and being successfully employed in fixture conditions that are difficult and costly to achieve by means of conventional joining the new proposed technologies also cope with the growing concerns on the demand, lifecycle and recycling of materials.
Highlights
Conventional technologies for connecting tubes are widely utilized in plumbing, air conditioning, refrigeration, process piping and lightweight structures, among other applications
The proposed technologies are based on the utilization of plastic instability waves in thin-walled tubes subjected to axial compression and may be seen as an alternative to conventional joining technologies based on mechanical fixing with fasteners, welding and structural adhesive bonding
Besides allowing connecting dissimilar materials and being successfully employed in fixture conditions that are difficult and costly to achieve by means of conventional joining the new proposed technologies cope with the growing concerns on the demand, lifecycle and recycling of materials
Summary
Conventional technologies for connecting tubes are widely utilized in plumbing, air conditioning, refrigeration, process piping and lightweight structures, among other applications. Spin-forming (Fig. 1e) requires cutting a hole in the main tube but the difference is that material around that hole is subsequently shaped into a tee fitting where the branch tube will be brazed or welded. In case of fixing tubes to sheets, the most widespread technologies are based on the utilization of mechanical fixing with fasteners (nuts and bolts or rivets), welding, and structural adhesive bonding Welding has similar problems to those mentioned for mechanical fasteners plus specific difficulties These difficulties arise from dimensional inaccuracies and heat-affected zones resulting from the heat-cooling cycles, from weldability of dissimilar materials (e.g. joining steel or aluminium tubes to aluminium or copper sheets), from the production of undesirable fumes and smokes in fabrication, and from expensive and time consuming issues related to quality inspection of the welds. Besides allowing connecting dissimilar materials (e.g. metals and polymers) and being successfully employed in fixture conditions that are difficult and costly to achieve by means of conventional joining the new proposed technologies cope with the growing concerns on the demand, lifecycle and recycling of materials
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