TOWARDS MODEL-BASED CONTINUOUS RESISTANCE WELDING OF CARBON FIBRE SPECIMENS

Continuous resistance welding (CRW) of thermoplastic composites (TPCs) enables the joining of high aspect ratio components, such as fuselage stiffeners. In this process, electrical current is applied locally by a moving end-effector through conductive connectors in contact with an implant at the weld interface. The resulting Joule heating melts the material at the interface, while pressure is applied simultaneously to form a weld. A key challenge in TPC welding is controlling the interface temperature, a critical parameter that cannot be directly measured without thermocouples. This study addresses this challenge by employing a physics-based finite element model to predict unmeasurable parameters like temperature and to determine process control variables, such as welding speed. To validate the approach, the welding end-effector is mounted on a robotic arm, and the model’s ability to adapt to changing conditions during the process is tested. The quality of the welds is assessed using C-scan and microscopy techniques. This work demonstrates the potential of using simulation for controlling the continuous welding process and explores its scalability for industrial applications.