Ultrasonic welding of short carbon fiber reinforced PEEK with spherical surface anvils

Abstract

Ultrasonic welding of carbon fiber reinforced thermoplastic (CFRTP) has attracted increased attentions from researchers in the automotive and aerospace industries. This paper proposes a novel ultrasonic welding method for focusing the welding energy at the desired location without using the energy director (ED). An anvil with a spherical surface is used in the welding system instead of a conventional flat anvil. Short carbon fiber reinforced polyether ether ketone (CF/PEEK) is employed as the research material. The effects of spherical radius and welding energy on the weld formation are investigated. The microstructure, tensile-shear property, and fracture characteristics of the joints are also analyzed. The results show that the using of a spherical surface anvil can effectively concentrates the welding energy and therefore, reduces the scattered welds.