Single Cantilever Research Articles

Performance Evaluation of Novel Piezoelectric Cantilever Beam Structure for Energy Harvesting

This study proposes an elastic compact Piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) in multiple configurations, including a single cantilever beam, a single cantilever beam with a hole, two cantilever beams with a hole contributing towards a wider operating bandwidth. The cantilever beams are designed in multiple structural forms and section shapes, including symmetrical uniform section rectangle frames. Natural frequencies, vibration modes, and output voltages of PEH are estimated using Finite element software, with the frame acting as a rigid body and the cantilever plate acting as a deformed structure. A PEH with a rectangular cantilever plate surrounded by a rigid frame is designed and attached to the vibration platform with a customized fixture in the simulation software. The design meets the requirements of natural frequency and high output voltage in the low-frequency band. The PEH structure is simulated using a variety of piezoelectric materials, primarily PZT4 and PZT5H, barium titanate, lithium niobate, zinc oxide, and polyvinylidene difluoride (PVDF) using the finite element method. In the structural configuration of two cantilever beams with holes, PEH exhibited the maximum output voltage of 32.832 V for Zinc oxide compared to other materials. So, it can be concluded that insertion of hole and variation in the geometry of cantilever structure along with frame plays a vital role in achieving a large voltage from the vibrations in PEH. HIGHLIGHTS The finite element approach was used to develop and simulate the cantilever-based piezoelectric energy harvesting structure Multiple elastic compact Piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) designs, including a single cantilever plate, a single cantilever plate with a hole, and two cantilever plates with a hole, are simulated using different materials The frame, hole insertion, and geometry modification of the cantilever structure all play important roles in generating a substantial voltage from the vibrations in PEH This study presents an Eigen frequency analysis of different PEH structures GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT

Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of unaged and hygrothermally aged discontinuous Bouligand structured CFRP composites

A dynamic mechanical thermal analyser operating in the single cantilever mode was used to examine the dynamic mechanical properties of unaged and hygrothermally aged discontinuous asymmetric helicoidal (Bouligand) carbon fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) composites as a function of fibre architecture. The discontinuous Bouligand was manufactured using two major pitch angles as independent variables: 90° and 120° and from each major pitch angle, minor interply pitch angles were used as independent variables ranging 5°–25°. The composites were tested as either dry unaged specimens or following hygrothermal ageing in seawater at the constant temperatures of 40 °C and 60 °C for over 2000 h. We find that the viscoelastic properties E′ and E″ are adversely affected by both hygrothermal aging and the minor pitch angle, but not the major pitch angle. Higher hygrothermal ageing temperatures and increasing minor pitch angles are found to decrease the energy absorption and dissipation capacities of discontinuous Bouligand structured CFRP composites. The tan-δ curves also indicate that hygrothermal ageing increases the heterogeneity of discontinuous Bouligand structured composites, with separate viscoelastic phases and glass transition temperatures.

The angle dependent ΔE effect in TiN/AlN/Ni micro cantilevers

In this work, magnetoelectric MEMS sensors based on a TiN/AlN/Ni laminate are investigated for the first time in regards of the anisotropic elastic properties when using hard magnetic Nickel as magnetostrictive layer. The implications of crystalline, uniaxial and shape anisotropy are analysed arising from the anisotropic Δ E effect in differently oriented cantilevers with 25 µm length and 15° spacing. The Δ E effect is derived analytically to consider the angular dependency of the different anisotropies within the sensors. In the measured frequency spectra complex profiles are observable consisting of contributions from neighbouring structures which are connected by a common electrode. The crosstalk effect is strongly depending on the cantilever orientation and reflects the anisotropic mechanical properties of the material stack. The intensity of the crosstalk effect is increasing for shortened cantilevers and narrowing distance between structures. The Δ E effect is investigated based on cantilevers of different angular spacing and of a single cantilever that is rotated in the magnetic field. The derived peak sensitivities are reaching values of 1.15 and 1.31 T −1 . The angular dependency of the sensitivity is found to be approximately constant for differently oriented cantilevers. In contrast, for a singly rotated cantilever an angular dependency of the 4th order is observed. • Δ E effect related eigenfrequency change can be described by uniaxial magnetic anisotropy. • sensitivity differs for single rotated cantilever compared to differently oriented ones. • observed crosstalk effect is depending on structure length, orientation and spacing.

Controlled surface topography of nanofilm by local strain modulation in mechanical transfer process

The mechanical transfer of nanofilms has been successfully established based on interfacial delamination behaviors. However, controlling the formation of surface cracks and wrinkles in nanofilms during mechanical transfer processes remains a challenge. Here, we demonstrate the controlled surface topography of nanofilms using local strain in the mechanical transfer process. A single cantilever beam (SCB) fracture mechanics test is performed using a specimen composed of an elastomer receiver–Au nanofilm–Si donor structure to investigate the variation in the surface topography of a transferred nanofilm with respect to the receiver thickness, loading angle, and loading rate. The results indicate that owing to the reduction of the tensile strain at the crack tip, the crack density in the nanofilm decreases when a thick elastomer, high loading angle, and low loading rate are applied during the transfer process. Furthermore, beyond the reduction in the tensile strain, the use of a rigid receiver generates a compressive strain at the crack tip, resulting in wrinkles in the nanofilm without cracks. The mechanisms of surface cracking and wrinkling are elucidated by analyzing the strain distribution at the crack tip via numerical simulation. We believe that this study can potentially contribute to advancements in mechanical transfer technology.

Study on Optimization of Pump Shaft Transmission System of Plastic Centrifugal Pump

At present, the design of the pump shaft transmission system mostly refers to the design method of the metal pump transmission system. The dynamic and static characteristics of the plastic centrifugal pump are not related to the structural parameters of the pump shaft. Aiming at the influence of the structural parameters of the pump shaft transmission system on the dynamic and static performance of the plastic centrifugal pump, the three-dimensional model of the impeller and volute chamber was drawn by Creo5.0. The CFD calculation of the load of the plastic centrifugal pump was carried out. The flow field of the plastic centrifugal pump under ideal working conditions was simulated by ANSYS FLUENT. Combined with the application principle of singular function in mechanics, the mathematical model of a deflection of the pump shaft transmission system was constructed. Considering the minimum deflection and the maximum critical speed of the first order as the objective function, an optimization model of the structural parameters of the pump transmission system was established. The NSGA-II multiobjective optimization method was used to solve the optimal structural parameters of the optimization model, and the optimization design of the pump shaft span, cantilever, front, and rear bearing clearance was completed. The optimal span cantilever ratio of the rotor model of the single span cantilever structure was 1:0.75. Compared with the traditional design model, the optimized pump shaft deflection is reduced by 52.35%, and the first-order critical speed is increased by 42.77%. Simultaneously, using polynomial fitting as a mathematical tool, the experimental data were analyzed, and the mathematical expression of the rotation speed deflection relationship of the pump shaft at the first critical rotation speed and the corresponding function curve was obtained.

Infusible thermoplastic resin based sandwich structures for wind blade applications and the influence of scrim on facesheet to core interface debonding

Infusible thermoplastic Elium® family of resins from Arkema have garnered much attention in recent years as a possible replacement for thermoset resins in laminate and sandwich composite manufacturing for wind blade applications due to its ease of recyclability and the ability to utilize existing manufacturing processes without imposing complicated variations. However, physical and mechanical properties of the proposed Elium® based thermoplastic composites must be comparable to existing epoxy (thermoset) based composites using manufacturing processes relevant for large wind turbine blades. A 13-meter-long demonstration blade was manufactured for that purpose and sandwich samples were obtained from that project for a detailed study. This paper details three-point flexural properties of unidirectional E-glass fiber reinforced acrylic and epoxy based sandwich panels with identical balsa wood core materials. In addition, to evaluate the relative merit considering debond failure mode, the interfacial critical strain energy release rate, predominantly in mode-1, was compared via single cantilever beam testing. In sandwich composites constructed with balsa wood core material, resin uptake by the balsa core is traditionally impeded via the insertion of a scrim material at the facesheet to core interface. Results revealed that inclusion of scrim mesh layer at the facesheet to core interface reduced flexural properties and strain energy release rates in panels infused with acrylic resin but did not significantly reduce these properties in epoxy infused facesheets.

Mechanical and dynamic characteristics of double and single beam cantilevers for MEMS manipulation

Mechanical and dynamic characteristics of double and single beam cantilevers for MEMS manipulation

Flexural behavior of clad rack beam-to-column bolted connections at high temperatures

The fire resistance of beam-to-column connections affects the safety of clad racks under fire conditions. However, existing research lacks studies on the behavior of these special connections at high temperatures. This study investigates the fire resistance of clad rack beam-to-column bolted connections (CRBCs). Firstly, single cantilever tests of CRBCs at temperatures of 20 °C, 300 °C, 400 °C, 500 °C, 600 °C, and 700 °C are carried out. The failure modes of the CRBCs at 600 °C and below are identical to that at ambient temperature, while the failure mode at 700 °C is different. The stiffness and strength of the CRBCs decrease with the increasing temperature. Subsequently, an FE model considering the high-temperature metal fracture is established, which can accurately simulate the typical failure mechanisms and satisfactorily predict the full range moment-rotation behavior of CRBCs. Furthermore, parametric analyses are conducted to investigate the influences of related parameters on the failure mechanism, initial rotational stiffness, and flexural capacity of CRBCs. Finally, theoretical models based on the component method are established for calculating the initial rotational stiffness and flexural capacity of CRBCs at high temperatures, respectively. The comparison of the theoretical model, experimental results, and numerical results indicates that the theoretical model can accurately calculate the mechanical properties of CRBCs at high temperatures. The findings of this study can provide a reference for the analysis and design of the fire resistance of clad rack structures.

A variance-based approach for the detection and localization of cracks in a beam

A variance-based method is proposed for the detection and localization of cracks in a beam. A crack in a beam introduces a slope discontinuity in the beam elastic line. The local slope discontinuity due to the crack results in a localized change in the beam deflection variance values. In the present work, the local variance is obtained using a rectangular moving window along the beam length. A significant change in the local variance values is observed at the crack location. A two-time application of moving window variance leads to a clear spike at the crack location. Localization of cracks in cantilever and simply supported beams is presented. The proposed method is compared with the widely used wavelet-based method for crack localization. The present method is more suitable for locating the crack in the high slope region of beam deflection. Finite element analysis is used to obtain the simulated cracked cantilever and simply supported beam responses. White Gaussian noise is added to the simulated beam deflection to test the noise-robustness of the algorithm. A key challenge in the detection of cracks in a beam is to obtain a high-resolution spatial beam deflection measurement. For experimental verification, the high-resolution spatial measurement of the vibrating beam is obtained by photographic measurement. The high spatial resolution gives localized spikes corresponding to the crack location. The proposed algorithm is capable of localizing multiple simultaneous cracks in a beam. Experimental localization of cracks in single and double cracked cantilever beams is presented.

Comparison of Tensile Bond Strength of Fixed-Fixed Versus Cantilever Single- and Double-Abutted Resin-Bonded Bridges Dental Prosthesis.

Resin-bonded fixed dental prostheses (RBFDP) are minimally invasive alternatives to traditional full-coverage fixed partial dentures as they rely on resin cements for retention. This study compared and evaluated the tensile bond strength of three different resin-bonded bridge designs, namely, three-unit fixed-fixed, two-unit cantilever single abutment, and three-unit cantilever double-abutted resin-bonded bridge. Furthermore, the study attempted to compare the tensile bond strengths of the Maryland and Rochette types of resin-bonded bridges. Based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria, a total of seventy-five extracted maxillary incisors were collected and later were mounted on the acrylic blocks. Three distinct resin-bonded metal frameworks were designed: three-unit fixed-fixed (n = 30), two-unit cantilever single abutment (n = 30), and a three-unit cantilever double abutment (n = 30). The main groups were further divided into two subgroups based on the retainer design such as Rochette and Maryland. The different prosthesis designs were cemented to the prepared teeth. Later, abutment preparations were made on all specimens keeping the preparation as minimally invasive and esthetic oriented. Impression of the preparations were made using polyvinyl siloxane impression material, followed by pouring cast using die stone. A U-shaped handle of 1.5 mm diameter sprue wax with a 3 mm hole in between was attached to the occlusal surface of each pattern. The wax patterns were sprued and cast in a cobalt–chromium alloy. The castings were cleaned by sandblasting, followed by finishing and polishing. Lastly, based on the study group, specimens for Rochette bridge were perforated to provide mechanical retention between resin cement and metal, whereas the remaining 15 specimens were sandblasted on the palatal side to provide mechanical retention (Maryland bridge). In order to evaluate the tensile bond strength, the specimens were subjected to tensile forces on a universal testing machine with a uniform crosshead speed. The fixed-fixed partial prosthesis proved superior to both cantilever designs, whereas the single abutment cantilever design showed the lowest tensile bond strength. Maryland bridges uniformly showed higher bond strengths across all framework designs. Within the limitations of this study, the three-unit fixed-fixed design and Maryland bridges had greater bond strengths, implying that they may demonstrate lower clinical failure than cantilever designs and Rochette bridges.

Performance investigation of a crossing angle adjustable galloping-based energy harvester

In this study, we proposed a crossing angle adjustable galloping-based piezoelectric energy harvester (CAGPEH) configured with a lambda-shaped beam to improve the energetic performance. The proposed structure can overcome the limitation of the installation capability of a conventional galloping energy harvester with a single cantilever beam by varying the crossing angle. This structure can change the crossing angle between primary and secondary beams so that the bluff body always faces the changing wind direction to ensure an efficient harvesting performance. A distributed parameter model was established using Euler-Bernoulli beam theory and Lagrange method, and a series of numerical analyses was performed to uncover the dynamical behaviors of the aero-electromechanical coupled system. The first two modes were considered to obtain a comprehensive understanding of the dynamic behaviors at different crossing angles. We validated the theoretical model through amplitude and output voltage comparisons between numerical and experimental results. The results show that a larger crossing angle and a smaller length proportional factor of the primary and secondary beams help reduce the critical wind velocity. The results show that a significant increase rate of 103% in the overall average output power (OAOP) can be achieved with a crossing angle of 30° and a proportional factor of 0.6. It is expected that the CAGPEH can help develop self-power systems for applications in wireless sensor systems.

A graded metamaterial for broadband and high-capability piezoelectric energy harvesting

This work proposes a graded metamaterial-based energy harvester integrating the piezoelectric energy harvesting function targeting low-frequency ambient vibrations (<100 Hz). The harvester combines a graded metamaterial with beam-like resonators, piezoelectric patches, and a self-powered interface circuit for broadband and high-capability energy harvesting. Firstly, an integrated lumped parameter model is derived from both the mechanical and the electrical sides to determine the power performance of the proposed design. Secondly, thorough numerical simulations are carried out to optimize both the grading profile and wave field amplification, as well as to highlight the effects of spatial-frequency separation and the slow-wave phenomenon on energy harvesting performance and efficiency. Finally, experiments with realistic vibration sources validate the theoretical and numerical results from the mechanical and electrical sides. Particularly, the harvested power of the proposed design yields a five-fold increase with respect to conventional harvesting solutions based on single cantilever harvesters. Our results reveal that by bridging the advantages of graded metamaterials with the design targets of piezoelectric energy harvesting, the proposed design shows significant potential for realizing self-powered Internet of Things devices.

A Krylov accelerated Newton–Raphson scheme for efficient pseudo-arclength pathfollowing

The computational efficiency of an enhanced version of a pseudo-arclength pathfollowing scheme tailored for general multi-degree-of-freedom (multi-dof) nonlinear dynamical systems is discussed. The pathfollowing approach is based on the numerical computation of the Poincaré map and its Jacobian in order to tackle nonautonomous systems with discontinuous vector fields. The scheme is applied to obtain frequency response curves of multi-dof hysteretic systems with a state vector size up to 120, as well as various reduced-order models of single and multiple cantilever beams on a shuttle mass. The proposed approach is shown to drastically increase the speed of convergence in the modified Newton–Raphson scheme thanks to a Krylov sub-space iteration which makes use of the LU decomposition of a frozen Jacobian matrix, which, upon convergence, becomes the monodromy matrix. Several numerical tests performed on mechanical systems with material or geometric nonlinearities corroborate the efficiency of the numerical strategy.The C++ code implementing the proposed methodology is freely available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6616482.

A Novel Capacitive Microwave Power Sensor Based on Double MEMS Cantilever Beams

In order to improve the sensitivity characteristic and the fabrication reliability, a novel capacitive power sensor based on double MEMS cantilever beams is proposed in this work. It is designed and fabricated using GaAs MMIC process and MEMS technology. A lumped circuit model is built to study the microwave characteristic of this capacitive microwave power sensor. The influence of impedance value and electric length of the coplanar waveguide on the microwave performance of the double MEMS beams are studied. The microwave characteristic of both ports are measured. The return loss of port A is from −11.5dB to −14.6dB, and the return loss of port B is from −12.1dB to −14.3dB at 8-12GHz. The insertion loss of port A is from −3.6 dB to −2.8dB, and the insertion loss of port B is from −3.7 dB to −2.9dB at 8-12GHz. The measured results show that this capacitive power sensor has a good microwave characteristic. The measured sensitivity of this capacitive microwave power sensor is about 51.6 fF/W @10 GHz, and the theoretical sensitivity is 55.97 fF/W. The relative error is 7.8%. Compared with the capacitive microwave power detection system based on single cantilever beam, the sensitivity characteristics have been greatly improved. It is valuable to realize the multiple beams detection technology and enable further interesting possibilities in the field of microwave power detection.

The adhesion of aluminium inserts in epoxy composites: The role of surface pre-treatment

Aluminium inserts are frequently embedded within the composite sandwich structures used in modern sports cars. Since the inserts are used for attaching safety-critical components to the structure, the adhesion between the metal and composite needs to be strong and durable. The bond is achieved through an epoxy resin system. However, when the resin includes an internal mould release agent (IMR) to facilitate the demoulding process of the structure, the adhesion between the inserts and the composite structure can be compromised. In addition, inserts can be exposed to high treatment temperatures. As such, to ensure that high adhesion performance can still be achieved, an appropriate surface treatment should be applied on the inserts.In this paper, four commercially available surface treatments for aluminium inserts were assessed using single lap joint (SLJ) and double cantilever beam (DCB) tests. Moreover, to investigate the influence of the IMR and the high-temperature process on the joint properties, four sample manufacturing methods were used to prepare the SLJ samples: without IMR and without high-temperature process (Method 1), with IMR (Method 2), with high-temperature process (Method 3) and with both IMR and high-temperature process (Method 4). The DCB samples were only prepared using Method 4. The locus of failure for the SLJ samples prepared with Method 4 was evaluated by using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and optical microscopy. It was found that a silane-based primer was sensitive to the use of both the IMR and high temperature (31% drop in the lap joint strength when both applied). A cataphoretic electrocoat was also investigated and only deteriorated when exposed to high temperature (up to 40% decrease in the lap joint strength). An epoxy-based primer did not show a significant sensitivity to the IMR, however, when exposed to high-temperatures, the joint became even stronger (up to 15% increase in the lap joint strength).

A Multi-Modal Energy Harvesting Device for Multi-Directional and Low-Frequency Wave Energy

As a kind of sustainable energy source, ocean wave energy has always attracted attention. Because of the characteristics of multi-directions and low-bandwidth, the harvesting of wave energy has always been difficult. To harvest broadband wave energy in multiple directions and improve power generation efficiency, we present a multi-modal energy harvesting device by using a cross beam structure. In this device, the efficient harvesting of multi-frequency vibration energy in multiple directions has been achieved by using the multi-modal characteristics of the structure and the high power generation efficiency of the electric device based on liquid metal. Contrast experiments in multiple directions show that the device not only has the capability of multi-directional energy harvesting but also can work in the sweep range of the full band. Under horizontal excitation, compared with traditional single cantilever structure, the peak power density increased to 2227% and the working frequency band increased to 6.25 times. The experimental results show that the device significantly improves the efficiency of low-bandwidth multi-directional energy harvesting, providing a new method for vibration energy harvesting.

Design and Optimization of Piezoelectric Cantilever Beam Vibration Energy Harvester.

Piezoelectric cantilever beams are commonly utilized to harvest energy from environmental vibrations due to their simple structures. This paper optimizes a single crystal trapezoidal hollow structure piezoelectric cantilever beam vibration energy harvester with a copper substrate to achieve high energy density at a low frequency. Finite element analysis (FEA) is adopted to optimize the size of the copper substrate at first, and the piezoelectric energy harvester (PEH) is further optimized with a trapezoidal hollow structure under the optimal size of the copper substrate. The developed PEH with a trapezoidal hollow structure (La = 20 mm, Lb = 15 mm, and Lh = 40 mm), with a copper substrate of 80 mm × 33 mm × 0.2 mm, can obtain the best output performance. Under the condition of 1 g acceleration, the resonance frequency and peak voltage output were 23.29 Hz and 40.4 V, respectively. Compared with the unhollowed PEH, the developed trapezoidal hollow structure PEH can reduce its resonant frequency by 12.18% and increase output voltage by 34.67%, while also supplying a power density of 7.24 mW/cm3. This study verified the feasibility of the optimized design through simulation and experimental comparison.

The effect of single and multiple split-toe designs on cross-slope adaptability of prosthetic feet: a finite element simulation study.

ABSTRACT Introduction During activities of daily living, the foot-to-ground contact orientation changes in the frontal plane. The adaptability of a prosthetic foot in the frontal plane may improve functional mobility, comfort, and safety. Current prosthetic feet may or may not have a longitudinal split in the toe portion of the foot. The single-split (two-toe) prosthetic foot has been recommended for adaptability on uneven ground compared with feet without longitudinal splits. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of single and multiple split-toe cantilever spring designs of prosthetic feet on cross-slopes using finite element simulation. Materials and Methods Model construction (material data, geometry, and mesh) and simulations were performed using Ansys LS Dyna. A virtual mass of 75 kg, representing body mass, was fixed to the proximal pylon. Foot variations with one to six toes were created by modifying the base geometry with zero to five splits. Walking surfaces that were either flat or a 15-degree cross-slope was virtually fixed in space. The simulation was started at midstance with the pylon in a vertical position and was continued for 0.2 seconds. An initial velocity of 1 m/s was applied to the proximal mass. Lateral deviation, and vertical displacement and mediolateral contact forces of the simulated body mass were calculated. Von Mises stresses, indicating the potential for material failure, were evaluated. Results On level ground, after 0.2-second simulation, feet were comparable in outcomes. On a 15-degree cross-slope, lateral deviation of the body mass decreased with increasing splits from 15.5 mm with no splits to 6.9 mm with the five-split variation. Consistent with this finding, maximal and average forces at the pylon-body mass connection also decreased with increasing splits. Von Mises stress values increased at the proximal toes with increasing splits consistent with narrowing of each toe. Discussion and Conclusions The current study showed that the benefit of increasing the number of toes was most significant with the first split and diminishing returns as the number of splits increased beyond three. Adaptability of split-toe variations may have benefits beyond cross-slopes because there are many instances during activities of daily living where the foot-to-ground angle may change. These findings should be tested using other research methods such as biomechanical studies of multiple split-toe prosthetic feet, and if these results are supported, clinical trials may be warranted. Clinical Relevance This study supports the use of split-toe prosthetic feet for people who want more frontal plane adaptability during gait or who have lateral pressures at the socket. The study predicts that prosthetic feet with more than one split could provide more adaptability and should be explored for clients.

Aesthetic management of anterior cantilever bridge with ovate pontic: a case report

This article describes a 16-year-old male who was referred to the Prosthodontics Department due to avulsion of the right upper central incisor and fracture of the left central incisor; the avulsed tooth was lost at the accident site. The patient refused to have his teeth prepared except for broken teeth so a single cantilever retainer denture bridge was made with fiber post design and ovate pontic. Radiographic examination was performed to evaluate the apical condition of the fractured tooth followed by initial im-pression for diagnostic wax-up, treated endodontically to prevent pulp necrosis. Preparation was carried out on tooth 21 using gingival retraction floss and the patient using provisory for 4 weeks. The final impression of the double impression technique was carried out with polyvinylsiloxane. The bridge is cemented using dual-cure resin cement. It is concluded that this ovate pontic design is very suitable for the treatment of the anterior region to achieve the best esthetic result as the main requirement.

The influence of humidity and immersion temperature on the properties and failure mode of PBT-GF30/silicone bonded joints

The housing of automotive electrical components are commonly manufactured from polybutylene terephthalate with 30% of glass fiber (PBT-GF30). These housings can be subjected to severe conditions of temperature and humidity that can catalyze the degradation of their properties. In order to connect the different parts of the housing, a silicone adhesive is used, which also serves as a sealant preventing moisture from entering the final component. Therefore, to understand if the joint serves its purpose correctly, the effects of temperature and water uptake in joints with PBT-GF30 substrates and silicone adhesive were studied. Single lap joints (SLJ) and double cantilever beam (DCB) joints were tested at three different temperatures (70, 90 and 130 °C) and in three different conditions (dried, aged in water and dried after aging). To understand if water immersion introduced irreversible damage to the joints, the re-dried condition was also analyzed. The tensile properties of the bulk substrate and adhesive for all conditions were also determined. It has been seen that, generally, since the adhesive has a higher strength when aged, this leads to a better joint performance at this condition. However, at 90 °C and 130 °C there was chemical degradation of the PBT-GF30 after aging, which lead to failure approaching the substrate in those conditions for the SLJ. This was attributed to the release of chemical compounds that stay at the adhesive/substrate interface. In the DCB, since the loading of the substrate is even more severe, there was substrate failure. Finally, a numerical model was created for all conditions tested, which showed that the joints can be simulated by the properties of the bulk adhesive and substrate, showing that the effect of the interface is not preponderant.