Investigation of ultrasonic consolidation for embedding active/passive fibres in aluminium matrices

• Main Author: Kong, Choon-Yen
• Published: Loughborough University 2005
• Subjects: 673.722529
• Online Access: https://ethos.bl.uk/OrderDetails.do?uin=uk.bl.ethos.416965

This is exploratory research, driven by industry requirements for a new and flexible manufacturing process which incorporates and exploits high performance materials for novel applications. The research was an investigation of the feasibility of the production of metal adaptive composites by embedding active/passive fibres, using an innovative Ultrasonic Consolidation (UC) technique. The UC process combines the ultrasonic welding of metals with layered manufacturing techniques, to produce freeform metal components using high-frequency, low-amplitude, mechanical vibration. In this study, two key mechanisms were identified which lead to embedding of fibres within a metal matrix, known as the surface effect and volume effect. The surface effect describes the interfacial friction between the two mating surfaces, while the volume effect concerns the internal stresses and plastic deformation within the metal, during ultrasonic oscillation.