Friction assisted joining of aluminum and PVC sheets

The present study is aimed at investigating the influence of the main process parameters on the mechanical behavior and morphology of friction assisted joints made on aluminum and PVC sheets. To ensure the successful achievement of the joint, the aluminum sheets were pre-treated by means of laser texturing process. Thus, an instrumented prototypal apparatus was developed to produce these joints under load control. The main process parameters were, the plunging load and dwell time. Mechanical characterization of the joints was performed by means of single lap shear tests. In addition, morphological analysis was performed by means of optical Microscopy and Scanning Electron Microscopy to evaluate the dimension of the joined area as well as to evaluate the possible degradation of the polymer. Infrared analysis was also performed to evaluate the variation and distribution of temperature during the joining process. According to the achieved results, the maximum shear strength (16 MPa) was reached (that is 75% of the shear strength of the base material) by the employment of the maximum plunging load with an interaction time of 20 s. Higher dwell time resulted in development of material degradation with consequent reduction in the joints strength.