Preparation and Attachment

Technique for Steel Fasteners

For Carbon Fibre Composite
Automotive Panels
Charles Langlais
Supervisor: Andrew Mills
Lawrence Cook
Background: Objective:
Investigate surface preparation and attachment technics for the
Joining composite parts together or with metal parts poses some issues:
bigHead Fasteners
• Not possible to drill and tap Understand the attachment failure process under different load
• Drilling weakens the structure conditions
• Bonded parts cannot be disassembled Effect of the joint design parameters on the failure process

Methodology
Five types of steel fastener and two types of adhesive have been investigated. In
addition two joints designs have been investigated: embedding the fasteners into an
infused panel and bonding the fasteners onto a SMC panel. Finally three positions of
the fastener in the laminate have been also investigated
Sample fabrication: Fasteners cleaned 3 time in acetone
Hole made in 1, 3 or 5 layers of +/- 45° 530gsm fabric with hollow punches to
Fig 1: Carbon fabric with bigHeads protruding: type 2 and 3 laminate in the front, nut
allow clearance for the fastener. shape in the back
Infusion of 6 layers of fabric to reach 3mm of thickness
SMC sample made by hot pressing of HexMC material
All the joints were mechanically tested in tension in three directions to represent
various in-service loading cases.

Nomenclature: Fasteners Manufacturing

Mx: Tap ø Load Fig 2: Three different standard bigHeads
N: Nut; C: Collar Direction Shape Tap ø Feet ø Laminate Bonding
yy feet ø type agent
M8C30 0 45 90
M8N30 0 45 90
M6N23 (infused)
M6C23
M8C23
M8C23 laminate type 2
M8C23 laminate type 3 Fig 3: Regular, type 2 and Fig 4: Embedded fastener in an infused laminate before
M6N23 3M DP460 type 3 laminate (from left pulling test at 45° Fig 5: Bonded fastener on
to right) a SMC laminate
M6N23 SB M7-15
Table 1: Design of experiments procedure

Results
Infused
At 90 ° the nut geometry provides better result than the collar (due to a lower leverage arm). At 0°
and 45° no significant trend appears except that the M8 preforms better than the M6.
The fasteners are able to bend during loading whilst remaining fully attached which provides
excellent safety and serviceability in service. Damage growth is progressive and sudden rupture
only occurred in type 2 laminate. For the M6 bolt type the screw bolted on the fastener fails.
Bonded
While the SMC structure remains mainly intact, a superficial delamination and failure of the bond
line occurs for the methacrylate adhesive and an adhesion failure for the epoxy
Fig 9: Failure observed at 90°:
4.5 4.5
Crack propagation occurring
4
4 Fig 8: Failure observed on the type 2 laminate at 45°: near the base of the fastener
Force at failure (kN)

3.5
3.5 Fastener pulled through the laminate
Force at failure (kN)

3
3 2.5
2.5 2
2 3.86 4.05 1.5 3.26
3.64 3.59 3.58 3.39
1.5 3.26 1 2.22
0.5 1.43
1
0.5 0
0

Fig 7: Results of the pulling test at 45° for

Fig 6: Results of the pulling test at 45° for different fasteners bonded and embedded fasteners

Conclusions:
The attachment strength of the fasteners is generally excellent with failure through
Fig 10: Typical failure observed at 0°: Crack observed on Fig 11: Failure observed at 45°
delamination of the carbon fibre composite plate occurring in most cases.
the bottom skin of the laminate them crack on a SMC sample
Fastener embedding provides stronger joints than adhesive bonding. Acrylic adhesive propagation from the clamps
provides stronger joints than a high toughness epoxy thank to a higher surface adhesion.

http://www.cranfield.ac.uk/sas/advancedmaterials
A.R.Mills@cranfield.ac.uk
l.s.cook@cranfield.ac.uk