Exploring ultrasonic and resistance welding for thermoplastic composite structures: Process development and application potential

Thermoplastic composites outperform in aerospace applications compared to thermoset composites due to their weldability, a key advantage. This feature streamlines manufacturing, allowing for precise assembly of complex shapes, reducing costs, and accelerating production. Additionally, it simplifies maintenance, enabling easy repair or replacement of damaged parts, thereby extending vehicle lifespan and minimizing downtime. With exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and resistance to corrosion and fatigue, weldable thermoplastic composites ensure reliable performance in the demanding aerospace environment. Overall, their weldability enhances efficiency, versatility, and safety in aerospace applications. This paper first presents an overview of various welding processes and discusses the special challenges of assembly processes in the aviation industry. This work then focuses from the authors’ perspective with regard to industrializability on the two most promising processes, resistance and ultrasonic welding.