• Compston, Paul
• Stokes-Griffin, Chris
• Zinnecker, Victoria

Abstract

<p>This paper investigates the effect of steel substrate surface texture on the first ply placement and compression shear strength of metal-composite (carbon fibre/polyamide 6) hybrids manufactured in a laser-assisted automated tape placement (ATP) process. Texturing of the steel surface, using an ultrashort-pulsed laser, increased laser absorptance during ATP by 23%. Additionally, the scatter pattern changes from predominantly specular reflection for the pickled surface to a broad scatter for the grit blasted and the laser textured surface. The highest bond-line shear strength was obtained at a substrate temperature of 330°C for the grit blasted and laser textures surface due to a better flow of matrix in the surface asperities resulting in mechanical interlocking. High absorbing surface textures reduce the laser power required for the first ply placement by 25%.</p>

Topics

• surface
• Carbon
• strength
• steel
• composite
• texture