FlexHyJoin: Flexible production process for additive-free hybrid joining on a large-volume production scale

The FlexHyJoin (Flexible Production Cell for Hybrid Joining) consortium developed and constructed a prototype production cell for joining hybrid components consisting of thermoplastic fiber reinforced polymer composites (TP-FRPC) and metals. Induction and laser joining are combined with laser pretreatment of the metal surface, process control and monitoring as well as non-destructive testing via Lock-in Thermography. Thus, a joining process specifically adapted to hybrid metal-TP-FRPC connections is provided in order to fully exploit the respective material potential. The development of the prototype production cell is the basis for new design possibilities in hybrid lightweight construction. The very good joint quality and strength with a short cycle time in production is suitable for a wide range of applications and can be used not only in the automotive industry, but also in other industrial sectors such as medicine, sports and leisure or aerospace.